The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-12

Pittsburg. Pa, was in the first-class pas
senger coach. Il was sitting at the for
ward end of the COACH" he said. "and
lady with a little girl on her lap was sit
ting in the same seat just before we
reached the trestle. l felt the car leave
the track and jolt over the ties. / shouted
lady next to me sprang to her feet, but l
pushed her back and threw my arm
around her and the little girl, at the same
time bracing myself in the corner. As
did so the car went of the trestle into the
ditch below. In a moment all was con-
fusion. The shrieks, and groans of the
wounded were horrible to listen to. / was
not hurt, and the lady and little girl both
fell against me and escaped injury.
clambered out of the window, and helped
the mother and her little girl through.
Then, in company with Russell Ptttman,
fagman of the train, tore the door off its
hinges Pittman went inside, and by sheer
strength, prevented two men, who were
badly frightened, from trampling on a lady
and two children, in their efforts to get
outside"
"Pittman fought like a hero" said Mr..
Condee," and his strength and GOODNESS
undoubtedly saved many lives. He fought
the men off and prevented them from
trampling on the women and children and
carried the wounded out. Several men
who escaped from the smoking car fought
like crazy men to get into the passenger
coach to rescue their wives and children.
1t was all Pittman could do to keep them
off The gas pipe was broken and the car
aged S " to turn nit It Of 81 The wounded We're
thrown in a heap anda those underneath
were begging the others not to smother
them, but they were too badly hurt to
move. We were obliged to tear out the
seats to make path through the mud to
the bank and then had much trouble in
getting the injured up as the bank was
fully six feet high A piece of wire fence
was broken down and the wounded were
carried some little distance and placed I'M
der some shade trees. In our car nineteen
people were cut, and the car was covered
with blood inside. Everybody in the car
was badly shaken up.
Darien, were in my car, and miraculously
escaped injury. They displayed great
courage, and when taken out went to
work at once to minister to the wants of
the wounded"
Mrs. Nathans Of Brunswick. with her
two children, Louis, a 3-year-old boy, and
another child about Is months old, were
in the rear car. When the car went over
the elder child was thrown through a win
dow, and his body is supposed to be in
the mud. Mrs. Nathans had the other
child in her arms, and they escaped injury
The mother was frantic when she could
not find her child, and had to be placed
under restraint.
Il walked back to look at the switch"
said Mr.. Condee, land saw that 1t had
been turned and locked. 1t was the work
of some one who intended to wreck the
train" Mr.. Condee said that he had
seen several railroad accidents, but that
If yesterday was the worst he had ever
seen, and it seemed to him a miracle that
more people were not killed. 81 escaDed."
he said with a mud bath, the loss of a
new hat and a severe shaxing-up, but
when felt the car turning over and saw
the people on the other side falling over
on top of me, / would not have given 10
cents for my chances of coming out
alive"
The news of the wreck reached the city
early in the afternoon. The information
as to the number of the injured was mea-
ger and much excitement prevailed The
train was crowded., and many of it's pas
sengers were on their way to Savannah
to attend the May week festivities The
railroad and newspaper offices were be-
sieged with by anxious inquirers Train
master Williams of the Florida Central
and Peninsular went at once to the scene
of the wreck, and no statement could be
obtained from the railroad officials The
statements of Conductor Glass; of the
engineer, and others, show, however, that
the accident was the result of a DELHI
crate attempt to wreck the train The
switch must have been turned between
$50 o'clock and - o'clock, as the south
bound train No. 80, from New ork passed
Anderson all right. The matter was at
once placed in the hands of detectives
without, however, any tangible clue to
work upon. The motive for the attempt
to wreck the train cannot be understood
The railroads wrecking force was at
work on the overturned train all night, and
the information given out at the compa-
ny's Office was that the track would be
clear for travel this morning.