The record-union., 1897-07-31
The Chicago Express Wrecked Near Thorn
ton, Indiana.
Engine and Tender and Mail and
Express Cars Thrown From the
Track-Merest Accident That
the Whole Train Was Not
Ditched - Four People Killed
and Two Others Fatally Injur-
ed-Was the Work of Train
Wreckers.

CINCINNATI, July 30.-The Times
Star special from Thornton, Ind, says
the Chicago express on the Big Four
! due in Cincinnati at I a. m, was
wrecked about 2:30 O'Clock. A coupling
pin had been driven into the switch so
as to hold it open and throw the fast
/ train from Chicago to Cincinnati off
the track as it passed this point. The
engine, the tender, the mail and eX
press and baggage cars were thrown
from the track and were wrecked. The
coaches and Wagner sleeping cars re-
mained on the track and none of the
passengers We're seriously hurt, al
though they had a lively shaking up.
1t is reported that none in the cars
that were thrown from the track were
seriously hurt.
Seth WinsloW, the engineer, and 3.
CrickmOre, fireman, and two unidenti-
fed tramps We're killed outright. While
there were many reports about the
number injured there We're none seri-
ously hurt, although many were so
badly frightened at first as to give cre-
dence to the reports about many be-
ing injured.
The train was passing Thornton at
high speed, when the engine struck the
switch that had been opened and fas-
tened open. The two tramps who were
killed were stealing ride on the front
end of the mail car and their remains
cannot be identified. A relief car was
sent from Indianapolis to Thornton
early this morning and as soon as the
track was cleared a new train was
made up for Cincinnati and the other
points.
The train was unusually crowded
Engineer Winslow leaves a widow and
two children. His remains were taken
to his home at Greensburg, Ind, and
those of Fireman Crickmore to Indian
apolis.
The officials of the railroad have in
stituted a thorough investigation as to
the perpetrators of the wreck. There
have recently been some labor troubles
in and about Thornton, but none of
them have been in any manner con-
nected with the railroad. 1t is stated
! that since the mining troubles there
have been a number of strangers about
the place who are supposed to have
been tramping about with view to
plunder during the expected trouble.
No attempt was made to rob the ex-
pASSS VI OI1It1 Gals dllCI lIIc WIEN
and no understanding of the plot can
be ascertained. All available detec-
tives were set at work to-day.
The injured are: Henry Pijbe and
Charles Cavenir, both of Cleveland, and
both of whom will probably die.
The escape of the seven mail clerks
was miraculous. None of them suf-
fered more than slight bruises Ex-
( ToI-
levue had charge of the express car
and was thrown violently against it's
head end, but escaped with a few
scratches. The passengers escaped with
a severe shaking up. Those in the
sleepers We're not even awakened.
REWARD OFFERED.
INDIANAPOLIS, July 30.-The opin-
ion is entertained at the headquarters
of the Big -Four that the Thornton train
Wreckers had hoped to destroy a coal
train about due. General Manager
Schaff has offered a reward of $500 for
the arrest and conviction of the wreck
erS.
Pijbe and Cavenir We're discovered ly-
ing under the front platform of the
mail car.
The coupling pin had opened the ele-
vator switch and the engine ran a
short distance on the siding and turned
! over. The coupling broke, and this
released the air brakes and stopped
the train. But for this the whole
train would have been ditched
Engineer Winslow reversed his lever
and seems to have jumped, for he was
found twenty feet from the train with
the top of his head crushed in. Fireman
Crickmore was found pressed up
against the boiler by the tender His
flesh was almost roasted from his body.
/ The two tramps were riding on the
front of the first postal car One pos
tai car was thrown crossways on the
/ upturned engine tender, and then was
dashed up against it.