Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-10-08
ENGINE BLOWN UP,
Extraordins ry Catastrophe on the
santa Fe.
ENGINEER AND FIREMAN ARE DEAL.
Four Tramps Mere kIIIed-None of the
Passengers Were IDjured--An In
valid Passenger Commits
Suicide.

Topeka, Kan, Oct. locomotive No.
S5S, attached to Santa Fe eastbound pas
senger train No. 2 exploded while run
ming a full speed at ABB o'clock this
morning near the village of Peterson.
thirty-one miles west of this city. in
stantly killing Engineer G. Strunk, Fire
man o. H. HOLSTER and four tramps.
9njuring two other tramps and frighten-
ing g, passenger so badly that he COM
Tnttted suicide by shooting himself
through the head with a revolver.
Mrs. Edna B. Maxwell, residing at 1925
Easts Eighth street, Kansas City. Mo-,
cut her arm severely 10y breaking a
window pane with her fist in an attempt
TO escape from a Pullman sleeper. She
was the only passenger injured, al
Though the train was heavily loaded.
C. L. Sherman of Kansas City, a helper
IN the express car was considerably
bruised fly falling boxes.
: The man who killed himself was a
stranger He was we'll dressed and
had plenty of money. His ticket read
from Los Angeles to Chicago. The
train men said he had been drinking
good deal on the trip. He was great
~ excited after the accident and gave
his money and watch to a passenger.
If he had any papers he threw them
away He stood around where the
men were digging in the wreck for dead
bodies and cried and acted strangely,
but finally resumed his seat in the car
and became quiet. Suddenly he drew
a revolver and placing the muZZle
against his left temple, fired. He tum-
bled into the aisle dead. without utter
ing a word. The coroner of Usage coun-
took charge of the body.
One of the injured tramps was a col
ored boy named Crawford, whose folks
live at Usage City The other was a
ing at Great Benz Each had leg
broken and was otherwise hurt, but
both win recover. They were riding
on the blind baggage. The four tramps
killed were riding on the brace rod.
They were mangled beyond recognition.
HOW THE WRECK LOOKED.
The front part of the locomotive was
thrown into coal chute and it tore a
hole in the ground ten feet deep The
force OF the explosion lifted the ex-
press and baggage cars from the track
and damaged them considerably, and
the heavy steel rails were twisted as
If they had been made Of tin. The
explosion was heard for miles around,
and people came running from every di-
rection. many of them half dressed.
The greatest excitement prevailed
among the passengers. Conductor Sill,
however, had a cool head, and under
his direction a score of strong men Set
10 work to care for the injured and
search for the dead. Doctors from
Peterson and Usage City were in at
tendance in a short time. When the
accident was reported at headquarters
in Topeka, the wrecking crew was sent
out. accompanied by Superintendent
Mcclellan, Train Master Tce. Road
Master Parker, Claim Agent Foulks and
lr E,prcrlaSfnr,
WHO WAS THE SUICIDE?
Usage City, Kan, Oct 4.-Thousands
of people visit@ed the scene of the wret k
and viewed the bodies of the four dead
tramps which have been taken in
charge by the coroner. The Santa
Fe's physician is caring for the two
injured tramps. The one who lives at
by tine company as soon as he is able
TO travel!
The suicide gave J. p. RamSayer, a
dry goods merchant of Newton, Kan,
who was on his way to Chicago, the
sum of S33 81, saying as he did so that
in case anything happened to him, 10
return the same to S. S. Rogers, Los
Angeles, Cal, from whom he had bor-
rowed money to make the trip to CHI
cago, TO which place ne was going.
The wreck was caused by the explo-
sion of the boiler of engine No. S5S,
which Occurred while the train was
force of the explosion caused the en-
CINE to leave the track, and the velOc-
ity and the explosion carried the en-
CINE about $50 feet in the air and turned
it completely over, which was shown
by the top dome being filled with
gravel and mud. Pieces of the CRATE
and engine were found over 100 yards
from the wreck. The engine was a
complete wreck and three cars were
entirely demolished and two others con-
siderab1y damaged. One of the most
peculiar phases of the wreck is that
none OF the bagga gemen or expressmen
were in any way injured. and few pas
Sengers received any bruises. One Of
the mail clerks, H. s. Foster, was in
the wreck which occurred west of this
city four years ago, in which he was
seriously injured. Five Pullman sleep
ers, which did not leave the ira elk, were
brought in this city, where the passen-
gers ate breakfast and about 1 o'clock
the track being completed around the
wreck, all trains were able to pass.
BUNDLED ABOARD "A STEAMER
How the Rotterdam Dynamite Suspects
Gs,ff esItn ho