Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-08-03
TRAINS WRECKED.
Disaster on tho Big Four Road at
Ihorntown, Ind.
DASTARDLY DEED OF WRECKERS.
They Place n Coupling PIN In Switch
and Cause the Accidcnt-En-
gineer, Fireman and Two
Tramps Killed.

Thorntown. Ind, July 31.-The Chi
cago express on the Cleveland, Cincin-
natl, Chicago, & st. Loais railway, due
in Cincinnati at seven a. M, was wrecked
about $3.50 o'clock. Four were killed
outright and several slightly injured.
There was deliberate plot to wreck
the train, us coupling pin had been
driveninto 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 and tender, the
mail, express and baggage cars were
thrown from the track and wrecked.
The coaches and Wagner sleeping cars
remained on the track, and none of the
passengers were seriously hurt, al.
though they had lively shaking up.
Seth Winslow, of GreenBurg, Ind, the
engineer, and B. Crickmore, of Indian
apolis, the fireman, and two uniden-
titled tramps were killed outright.
While there are many reports about the
number injured, there were none Sc.
riousiy hurt, although many were so
badly frightened at first as to give Gre
dence to the reports about many being
injured.
Two tramps who We're killed were
stealing ride on the front end
of the mail car and their remains
cannot be identified. A relief train was
sent from indianapolis to Thorntown
early in the morning and as soon as the
track was cleared new train was made
up for indianapolis and other points.
The injured are Henry Pijbe, Cleye-
land, o., who was badly scalded and
will die, and Charles Cavenir, Cleve-
land, who was probably fatally scalded
and crushed. The escape of the seven
mail clerks is miraculous, none of
them suffering more than slight
bruises. Express Messenger John Ed
monds, of Bellevue. Ky, had charge of
the express car and was thrown violent
ly against the head end of his car, but
escaped with a few insignificant
scratches.
A Dastardly Deed of Wreckers.
The officials of the railroad have insti-
tuted thorough investigation as to the
perpetrators of the wreck. The reports
from Thorntown leave no doubt what
ever about the switch having been
thrown open and coupling pin fast
ened in the switch to hold it open. There
have recently been some labor troubles
in and about Thorntown, 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 number of strangers about
the place who are not connected with
the strike, but who are supposed to have
been tramping about with view to
plumber during the expected trouble.
No attempt was made to rob the ex,
press or other cars. after the wreck and
no understanding of the plot can be
ascertained. All available detectives
were set at worE on the case.
The opinion IS entertained at the
headquarters of the Big Four road that
the train wreckers had hoped to de.
stroy a coal train about due.
General Manager Schaff has offered
reward of $500 for the arrest and con.
viction of the wreckers.
Engineer and Firemen Killed.
Buffalo, N. Y, July 31.-Two Lehigh
freight trains collided at Depew juno
ton early in the day killing George
Ellensbee, engineer, of Manchester, and
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