The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-11-20
MAIL TRAIN WRECKED
By Youthful Fiends Who Wanted
to Rob the Passengers.


Three OF tho Gang Who Committed tho
Crime Under Arrest-One of Them Com
resscsitrfls Completely to His Sweetheart,
Who Testified Against Him.
SYRACUSE, N. Y. Nov. 2o.-Train No 81
the fast mail express on the New York.
Central road, was wrecked about mila
west of Rome The disaster was the work
of train wreckers. The engine and all of
the cars on the train were ditched and
completely wrecked. The engineers Of the
train, Nathan Hager, of Albany, and o
tramp named William Bond, of this city,
were killed. Bonds companion, John
Maoey, had his left foot cut off, and six
others received iujuriesmo or less serious.
No passengers were hurt.
The wreckers had broken open the com
pany's tool house near by and obtained a
wrench and q crowbar, with which all the
spikes and fish plates from two opposite
rails on the southerly track had been re-
moved The two released rails were left
In their places on the track.
When the crash came the engine was
thrown from the track into the ditch and
completely submerged in the mire, only
the driving wheels on the left side being
L
was thrown two car lengths ahead Of the
engine and rolled down the bank so that
1t lay lengthwise towards the rails. The
second car, in which the mail clerks were
working, was thrown on the tender of the
engine and badly demolished
The third and fourth cars were also
ditched, the ends of each being broken.
The first one of the sleepers was thrown
firm, ths. ,.Y,1lfp,r rt.nt
that the trucks were u distance from the
rails The second car was simply turned
on its Sides while the rear sleeper did not
leave the tracks no all.
Engineer Hager went down with his
engine, and must have been instantly
killed. Tile fireman, Chris Wagner was
badly injured about the head and 1t is
feared that he is internally hurt. The two
tramps were stealinga ride on the forward
end of the first mail car, directly in the
rear OF the engine.
This was the second attempt within
three weeks to wreck this train near thu
same spot, which Is an ideal one for the
commission of such u crime. 1t is on
heavy down grade, and trains usually ruf
down it mt tile rate of sixty miles an honr
This train, not stopping ut Rome, gen
orally gors down the grade Mt d CREATE
rate of speed, and it is believed here tina
yesterday 1t must have been running clos
to seventy-five miles an hour in order t,
make up a few minutes lost time, Thprl
is not house within half n mile of tn
place
Three young follows, aged lSto 10 years
have been arrested for wrecking the train
They arc j Watson Hildreth of New Yorl
and Fred Bristol and Herbert Plato o
Rome lilldreth has made confession
duplicating the other two. and rheodor
Hubbard, who has not been apprehendcd
Their object was robbery.
The inquest over the bodies of Hage
aud Bond was commenced last night Th
principal witness was Miss Celia Perryn
with whom Hildreth kept company Sh
testified that Hildreth came to her HON
on Cottage street and told her all, AZ
knowledging thar he took part in wreck
ing the train. When they parted he tol
her she would probably not see him ngaiI
for he expected to be arrested as he lii,
lost his hat containing his name He aske
her TO telegraph to his father, J. Home
lIildreth, New York and tell him he wa
in trouble and to come Immediately, an
she said she did rs directed
When Hlldreth left her he said he wa
going to see the wreck, aud told her 81
ought to go, for it was a sight. He tol
her also that they did it to rob the passel
gers. lie said all he did was to lead ii
boys to the pines.
The city hall, in which the police static
is loented, is surrounded by "a large crow,
who express freely the opinion that Il
train wreckers should be lynehcd. II
night and day police force is on duty
prevent tr"nhla