New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-05
CONGRESSHEN ~ A WRECK.
SENATOR o. r. PLATT AND OTHERS HAVE
A NARROW EsCAPE-FOUR PEO-
PIE KILLED

Charlottesville, Va, Nov +-Thc Chesapeake and
Ohio vestibuled express known as the F. f. "
from Cincinnati TO Washington. was wrecked
near Old Shadwell. five miles east OF this
place, this afternoon. Four persons killed
ana seventeen injured. The dead are Henry
Burnett. n colored porter; Italian woman named
Merara and her infant believed 20 be from Gin
cinnau. Felix Mlreno, who died after removal TO
Charlottesville II is reported that the body OF
another Italian child is under the wreck. but this
cannot be confirmed.
The cause OF the accident has not been definitely
ascertalned. The engine left the track on a sharp
curve and was hurled against rocky hill. All the
cars except the alnng-car and the Richmond sleep
er were thrown from the rails. Two ears plunged
end foremost down the steep cmbankment. and
at that place skirts tho track The day passenger
coach and the express car were badly wrecked As
turned the engineer was hurled from the cab and
crushed under the engine besides being terribly
SoGa,ded by escaping seam lie was rescued by the
As soon after the crash as possible the unn-
jurod passengers and trainmen began the work OF
rescue and aiding IN" Injured Word was sent TO
this place. and a wrecking train with physicians
was Immediately dispatched TO the scene OF the
wreck
Among the uninJured passengers on the train
were Senator Or,ill" H. Plat. Of Connecticut; Per-
zion Commissioner II Clay Evans. and Rcpresen.
tative Walter Evans. OF Louisville.
Washington, Nov. 4-Scyeral OF the passengers
who board the wrecked train were brough,
10 the city over the Southern Railroad reaching
here about ll:3o O'Clock. Among them some
Of those who were slightly injured but were able
to proceed 70 their homes.
Senator Plat and Representative Russell. OF
Connecticut; Representative Walter Evans, OF Ken
lucky. and several attaches OF the Congressional
committee investigating tho question Of alcohol In
the arts were among those on tho train. Messrs
Platt and Russell had narrow escape, being IN
the sieeper-near the middle OF the tran-that top
Piled over Mr. Russell speaking OF his experience
said tonight:
"Whcn tho committee left Cincinnati all our
party we're In tho Richmond sleeper at the rear
being unable to get berths In the regular Washing
ron car short time before the accident we had
made arrangements for accommodations IN the
sleeper I'm which Senator Plat and were when the
accident occurred Senator Platt was IN the Wash
inpton car and ! Joined him about fifteen minutes
before the accident. Suddenly felt jar as II
from the violent application of the brakes. and the
next moment our car had toppled over on the side
there had been an accident and. neither or US being
hurt, looked about for II means OF escape. We had
succeeded in opening one OF the windows pn OF the
car. and | about 10 get out when fuIman
Conductor Miller came along. We first assisted
him TO get out OF the car, ana he IN turn helped
mo out and Senator Plat followed. me other
nnsaengers scrambled to get out from dHerent
pnors ~ the car as best they could. nave been IN
good MANY wrecks but this was probably the
most disastrous have n ever as made up OF nine
cars We were not able 10 ascef'a'H '"e cauSe VI
the accident. .,. ,o, oo,r,,,,,,,iya
Senator Platt was ra'"o' 'o" "'0
"r2u rR2cupresentative Evans said the scene about the
,,nca was one OF great confusion. The sudden
P,aDniry Of the train seemed 10 him like the shock
of an earthquake. The engine lelt the t@raCh @ a III
ran into high embankment on % one s sue esriy nv two
,,nd-ed feet further. There were zen caIs on
,rnin and all but two OF them were topped over