The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-11-20
MAIL TRAM WRECEED
By Youthful Fiends Who Wanted
to Rob the Passengers.
ENGINEER AND A TRAMP KILLED.

Three of the Gang Who Committed the
Crime Under Arrest-One of Them Con-
fessed His Completely TO His Sweetheart
Who Testified Against Him.
SYRACUSE, N. Y, Nov 20-Train No. g.
the fast mail express on the New York
Central road, was wrecked about a mile
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 engineer of the
train, Nathap Hager, of Albany, and
tramp named William Bond, of this city,
were killed. Bonds companion, John
Macy, had his left foot cut off, and six
others received injuries more or less serious.
No passengers were hurt
The wreckers had broken open the com
pany's tool house near by and obtained
wrench and 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
above the earth. The forward mail car
was thrown two car lengths ahead of the
engine and rolled down the bank SO that
it 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
from the rails completely rolling over, so
that the trucks were q distance from the
rails. The second car was simply turned
on it's sides, while the rear sleeper did not
leave the tracks at all.
Engineer Hager went down with his
engine and must have been instantly
killed. The fireman, Chris Wagner, was
badly injured about the head, and it is
feared that he is internally hurt. The two
tramps were stealing 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 the
same spot, which is an ideal one for the
commission of such a crime 1t is on a
heavy down grade, and trains usually run
down it at the rate of sixty miles an hour.
This train, not stopping at Rome, gen
rate of speed, and it is believed here that
yesterday it must have been running close
to seventy-hve miles an hour in order to
make up few minutes lost time. There
is not house within half mile of the
place.
Three young fellows, aged 1S to 10 years,
have been arrested for wrecking the train
They are J. Watson Hildreth of New York
and Fred Bristol and Herbert Plato Of
Rome Hildreth has made a confession
duplicating the other two and Theodore
Hibbard, who has not been apprehended
Their object was robbery.
The inquest over the bodies of Hager
and Bond was commenced last night. The
principal witness was Miss Celia Perryn,
with whom Hildreth kept company She
testified that Hildreth came to her home
on Cottage street and told her all, ac-
knowledging that he took part in wreck
| ing the train. When they parted he told
| her she would probably not see him again,
| for he expected to be arrested, as he had
| lost his hat containing his name. He asked
| her to telegraph to his father, j. Homer
/ Hildreth, New York and tell him he was
in trouble and to come Immediately, and
she said she did as directed.
When Hildreth left her he said he was
| going to see the wreck, and told her she
ought to go, for it was a sight, He told
her also that they did it to rob the passen-
gers. He said all he did was to lead the
boys to the place.
The city hall in which the police station
is located, is surrounded by a large crowd
who express freely the opinion that the
train wreckers should be lynched. The
night and day police force is on duty tc
prevent trouble.