The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-26
Excursion Train and an Accomm cd a
tion Partly TeIescOped by Col
ision Due to n BIunder.
OVER A SCORE OF VICTIMS
EIGHT PEOPLE KILLED INSTANTLY
AND TWENTY-ONE INJURED.
Most of the Passengers Members O
the G.. A. II. and Their Families En-
Route to "a Dedication.

ST. LOUIS. Oct. 25.-Shortly before 10
| o'clock this forenoon two passenger trains
on the ST. Louis & San Francisco railroad
| collided nearly opposite Windsor station,
about thirteen miles from this city, in
stantly killing eight persons and injuring
| twenty-one The killed are all of st. Louis.
| Their names are:
| ADOLPH HOHL, engineer of the accom-
modatioq di on IIcs train; tor,,>-r
| CONRAD KUNTZ.
| G. C. BLEVINS.
BARNEY MKENNA, in charge of the re-
MAUD MKENNA. aged fourteen. his
JOHN CARTWRIGHT
The injured are:
FERDINAND LANCE, St. Louis, inter-
DAVID GARRETY, ST. Louis, internal in
juries, head cut and legs bruised.
J. E. RIBLET, st. Louis, hips and legs
CHAs. R. MILENTz. st. Louis, scalp
FRANK HAsLER. st. Louis, late of
Springfield, Mo-, hreman on excursion train,
spinal cord injured and hurt internally
MRS. j. B. N'DANIEL, st. Louis, slight
GEORGE wULFF, of Kirkwood con-
ductor on suburban train, hips injured and
RoBERT MULHoLLAND, of Spring
Park. brakeman On suburban train, slightly
''i}a GEORGE ATWOOD, St. Louis, conductor
on suburban train, slightly injured,
engineer excursion train, skull fractured
and badly scalded.
FREDERICK MILLER, Valley Park,
fireman on suburban tram, legs injured and
body bruised.
A. K. SMITH. Valley Park, baggagemau n
on suburban train, head cut and hand and
arms injured.
MRS. A. K. SMITH. Valley Park, injured
MATT wAPPLEHoRsT, Valley, Park
slightly injured.
PETER HILL, st. Louis, face cut and
badly bruised.
Robert Langen, William Sulter, Henry
Larborg, Louis Hunt, Henry McMichael
Mrs. Rose Hill, all of st. Louis, were more
or less injured but not dangerously.
The collision occurred between the sec
ond section of an excursion train bound
west and the Frisco Valley Park accom-
modation, east-bound. From what can be
learned at this hour the accident was the
result of disobedience Or neglect OF orders
On the part OF the excursion train crew.
who should have remained at Spring Park
for orders and let the accommodation
through.
The excursion train was the second sec
tion of a special bound for st. James, Mo-,
one hundred miles west of St Louis, where
the Missouri home Of aged veterans was
dedicated to-day under the auspices of
the G.. A. r. and Noman's Relief Corps.
The first section had gone through safely,
and the second, which consisted of eleven
coaches heavily laden with G.. A r. men,
their wives and children, left st. Louis
about o'clock. According to j. d. Dish
man, the telegraph operator and station
agent at Spring Park, it should have
stopped at that place Instead of doing so
the second section passed by the station
and soon after met the accommodation
coming down grade at full speed. Engineer
Hohl, of the accommodation. was not
aware that the second section was on the
road, and, in trying to make the switch at
Kirkwood, crashed into the ili-fated train
in cut just thirteen miles from the ST
Louis Union Station. There was only one
car, a combination baggage and coach, on
engineer Hollis train, but the collision was
terrific beth engines being demolished and
a number of the cars telescoped. The
wreckage was piled high on the track and
above the sound of escaping steam could
be heard the cries of the frightened and
injured passengers.
Next to the engine OF the excursion train
was the comnlissary car, filed with re-
freshments. Barney McKenna was in
charge of the edibIes, and with him was
his fourteen-year daughter Maud. Both
were instantly killed, being scalded and
crushed. A number of passengers, mostly
young men, We're grouped around the tenn
porary counter, eating and drinking. AL
most all were either killed or injured. This
and the next car, in which We're seventy
passengers suffered the worst damage, and
most of the killed and injured were taken
from them. Engineer Hohl, of the accom-
modation, which was running on time was
killed, and his fireman, Frank Hasler, bad
ly wounded The accommoda ton train
consisted of an engine, tender, baggage
car and two coaches, in which there We're
only five passengers. The engine and ten
der were wrecked, but the other three cars
were not damaged. 1t is due to the light
ness Of this train that the accident was
not worse than it was.
Immediately after the wreck occurred
people began to come in from all directions
on wheels, in buggies and wagons and on
foot and within an hour after the accident
thousands could oe seen grouped around
the pile of debris. No wreeking train was
available, but everybody turned to and in
a short time had rescued the injured and
taken out the dead. Doctors from sur
rounding towns hurried to the scene and
rendered what assistance they could to the
suffering. who We're transported to place
of safety. All the medical resources of St.
Louis were placed at the disposal of the
Frisco railroad as soon as the news of the
accident reached the City Dispensary. DR..
Starklof. the city physician, Immediately
set out for the scene of the wreck with IL
corps of assistants and ambulances but
owing to the delay experienced their serv-
ices were not needed.
At 2:40 o'clock this afternoon the relief
train bearing the survivors of the wreck
reached the Union Station, and was inme-
diately besieged by crowd of friends and
relatives. Some of the wounded were re-
moved to their homes by friends, while 9TH
ers were taken TO various hospitals. Among
the latter were three whose injuries will
probably prove fatal.
John Dishman, the tele ph operator
and station agent at Spring Park, stated
to a reporter th.lt had the excursion train
stopped at Spring Park for orders as Ii
should have lone, the accident would have
Teen averted. He said he got a message
from Valley Park when the accommodation
train left that point, and he added that had
the excursion train stopped he would have
had il null stlto the switch until fha acenr,.-