The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-31
AT DEATHS PORTAL.
GREAT MEN TELL HOW THEY Es.
CAPPED FIRE, WRECK AND AC-
CIDENT.
Chauncey VI. Depew's Close Call.
Banker Henry CIevs' Fall of five
stories Down an. EIevntOr-HOyv
Deacon white Became a Mascot.

Banker Henry CIews' Fall of Five
stories Down an EIevntor-Hoyv
Deacon white Became a Mascot.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
saw ex-Postmaster General BisseH the
other day standing in the corridor of the
Hotel Waldorf. He was talking to a par
ty of gentlemen, among whom l recog-
nized William Sumner wyse, of recent
fame in the divorce courts and an old-time
chum of Cleveland and Bissell. As pass
ed the group l heard the ex-postmaster
say: I've had many a close call on land
and sea, but the closest one of, all was in
carrying the postmaster's portfolio, and 1
nearly lost my life and reason under its
burdens. In fact, my physician told me 1
would die with nervous prostration inside
the term unless laid it down" All nod
ded sympathetically. and passed on to
ask DR.. Chauncey NJ. Depew his narrow
est escape from death experience.
mo man can appreciate his own life
until it has once been nearly snatched
away from him." said Mr. Depew, when
l congratulated him upon his robust ap-
pearance, as he sat at his desk in the New
York Central offices, land I've been in
peril often enough to be happy when I'm
well and hearty. You ask me my closest
call to death? Why, l almost wish you
wouldn't, because my Imagination has
never quite recovered from the shock of
railway disaster in which l once played a
star part, and even double role-as suf-
ferer and spectator. 1t happened years
ago, yet l dream it all over again, now,
just as l tell it to you.
1T was during the civil war, in the
fall of '93, and the times were more troub-
lous then than they are now, by a great
deal. Therefore, when l received a sum-
mons from the Secretary of War to re-
port at Washington on a certain night,
packed my grip-sack with not few fore
bodings of evil. AT that time l held the
Office of secretary of state of New York,
and, being a person of some political i'm
portance and man of strongly expressed
opinions, feared that something might be
done to harm me. And my death, Just at
that time, would have been loss to the
state, which needed then all its council
lors. l may say, also, that during the war
railway accidents were more frequent
than now, though whether from real acct
dent or the work of miscreants, do not
undertake to say.
ington all right, and transacted some i'm
portant state business. 1t was all finished
in day, and next night 1 found myself
upon sleeper bound for New York 1t
was a comfortable section, and 1 could
thirty years ago. WOO and win sleep with
out difficulty, but that night my eyelids
refused to stay closed, and in the dark
ness of the car l conjured up strange
shapes and more than once wished myself
and the packet of important papers l car
ried safe home again.
Il must have fallen asleep after awhile
for suddenly l felt myself being propelled
violently toward one end of the car 1t
was as If someone had taken me by the
feet and stuffed me in a lannon's mouth !;
and then had applied a match to the big
gun. Through the air 1 shot, and bang!
l came up against the door all in a heap
Terrible shouts reached me- and
climbing out of the window nearest me
"a window all broken to atoms-I saw
the most awful sight of my life The
train, by some mismanagement or ras-
cality had run off the track and into
ditch; and there we were all piled up
together and the flames from the engine
coming fast upon us. Here and there an
able-bodied person came crawling out Of
the wreck, and together we worked Il
fast as possible getting people out. 1t
was a CHASTITY sight, and when morning
dawned, twenty lay dead upon the bank
and fifty others were fatally or seriously
wounded. AS for me, was the only soul
saved in my carr And l was quite seri-
ously hurt internally, though l did rot
then realize it, but afterward l felt it
For weeks ! could scarcely walk NV
muscles and sinews seemed wrenched
apart.
If an accident that occurred at the
Continental Bank building of New York
city twenty years ago had terminated
differently Henry Clews, the millionaire
broker and banker, would not have been
alive to-day.
1T was the day before Christmas"
related Mr.. Clews. land the Continental
Bank building was to close at O'Clock;
as 1t was Saturday-and next day and
Monday would be the Christmas holt
days. At o'clock there was to be n
meeting of the bank directors of whom l
was one; and as IL was the last meeting
Of the year, there was to be a fun attend
ance.
In those days there were not as many
high buildings as now; and this, a build
ing Of six stories, was the highest IN