, 1896-12-28

the water some distance from where
the engine fell. His only injury was a
broken arm. He left the scene for
Blocton on DOT almost Immediately
after the wreck, apparently crazed with
fright. The railroad officials have not
yet been able to see him and get A
statement.
CHILDREN SURVIVE.
OF the eight other survivors,. three
were children, all of whom had their
feet burned and mashed. Their names
have not been learend. The other three
were Henry Handberry. Il conductor
from Birmingham. who was taking his
wife and two children out for a ride
around the circuit. and William Gard,
ner and Andrew Bryson, miners from
BlOcton. Handberry was on the same
seat with his wife and children when
the crash came. The latter three were
killed and he was pinned down and
would have been burned alive had he
not been rescued by Bryson and Gard
ner. These two men also saved the
unknown woman and three children,
who were likewise pinned and appeal
ing piteously for help, but by the time
they had rescued these five persons
the heat had become so intense that
they were compelled to desist in their
work of rescue. 1t is thought that fully
three-fourths of the dead were killed
outright in the crash. while the other
Ave were pinioned down and cremated. !
Gardner and Bryson were both badly |
hurt, while Handberry will probably |
die.
The flames had completed the work
OF destruction before any help arrived. |
The country around the scene of the
accident is sparsely settled. and the
few farmers who heard of the wreck |
and went to the scene arrived too late to |
be Of any assistance except to the sur
vivors.
GARDENERS STATEMENT.
Dr.. Ray. a Blocton physician who
attended Gardner, one of the injured
survivors. t~elegraphed tonight the
statement made by Gardner - to the
cause of the wreck. Gardner says
when he felt the cars leaving the track
rushing from a hiding place down
towards the waters edge. and that aft,
err the wreck they went through the
.wreckage. robbing the lead and
wounded, and then fled TO the woods.
They did their work quickly, and offer
ed no assistance whatever in the way
of rescuing the imprisoned and injur-
ed passengers. This story, however,
has not yet been corrCborated, but 9TH
err facts tend to show that it was the
work of train wreckers.
An examination of the engine shows
that Engineer White had shut off the
steam and reversed before it went
down. indicating that he saw danger
ahead as he approached the bridge and
tried to stop his train. His charred
body was found with his hand on the
throttle. The survivors all agree that
the train left the track and bumped
along the ties and then, with a crash,
plunged through the bridge. Expert
engineers say that there is every indi>
cation that a rail was removed. which
derailed the train and caused 1t to pull
down the bridge. The crossties show
marie Of tho uybaaIS
A SIMILAR CRIME.
To add to this. is the fact that three
men tried to wreck a Southern rail-
train near Henry Ellen. Is miles
east of here. five days ago by remov,
ing a rail on a trestle 80 feet high. The
fast express left the track. but the en-,
gineer managed by superhuman efforts
to stop it before it tore down the tres,
tie. This was regarded as a most re-
markable escape. In this case three
men were seen running from the place,
and a crowbar, with which the spikes
had been withdrawn, was found.