The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-28

Two Sections with Torrey's Rough
Riders Telescoped in MisssAsiPPi-
-Four Men Killed and Many Injured
An HI. started Expedition.

Tupelo. Miss. June 26.-A railway
accident occurred at $40 this after
noon in which four soldiers lost their
lives and others received fatal injuries.
This afternoon Colonel Torrey's regi-
ment of Rough Riders from Cheyenne,
wyo., reached this place via the Kan
a City. Memphis and Birmingham
railroad. The first section had stopped
to take water and had whistled 10
the sharp curve just before the town
is reached and dashed into it. In the
rear OF the first section was the sleeper
Seville" containing Colonel Torrey
and his regimental staff. This car was
completely demolished, yet strange to
ed except the colonel who is injured,
though not seriously.
The chief fatalities occurred in a
coach which stood in the center OF the
first section n which carried troop
c, from Laramie. Wyo. This coach
vas completely telescoped and the SOL
diers within were damned and bruised.
In the second section a baggage car
was thrown into the ditch. but in his
train few were hurt and none danger
ously. Action on the part of the SOL
dierS was immediate to save their i'm
perilled comrades and with axes and
ropes and buckets of water they work
ed like demons tearing away the
wreck to get at the wounded and dead
and quench the fire which had started
in the sleeper Seville" The wounded
were removed TO a vacant building in
town.
The sections contained troops A. c.,
E, L., CT. and NJ, forming part Of the
regiment being transported to Jack
~sonville. Fla. It is the second United
States volunteer cavalry and was rails
ed by Colonel Torrey, its commander.
in the Rocky Mountain region. includ-
ing the states of Wyoming, Colorado,
Idaho, Nevada and Utah. Those kill.
ed and mortally injured are from the
first named state. The regiments had
the misfortune to meet with a wreck
in the yards at St. Joseph. Mo, Friday
in which two OF the train crew were
killed, and at st. Louis Saturday one
of the soldiers was accidentally killed
by being Suffocated and falling from
the train in the long tunnel at that
place.
The fault Of this accident, it is said,
probably lies with the engineer Of the
second section, who was running too
last dIlb IlCd1 tEtc SN1lloli.
The name of the engineer is Rawls
and he has disappeared. The soldiers
have threatened to lynch him if he is
found. Not a horse was injured,
| though some Of the stock cars were
badly smashed. The killed were: Sam
ored porter, Cornelius Lehman. troop
c. The fatally injured were: Henry S.
Mapes, troop c., both fegs cut off; in
ternally injured.
The injured We're: r. D. Staley, troop
NJ, elbow disIocated; E. Perkins. troop
L., both hips damned, Wallace Hodge,
troop G., ankle broken, George Gard
ner, troop c., hip hurt, Rudolph Wide
mar, officers mess cook, back S~prained
Hiram T. Davis, troop c., ankle sprain-
ed, Henry Steltz, troop c., leg broken.
VIII. G~rovenor, troop c., leg bruised,
Joseph Aaron, troop c., back sprained,
w. H. Robbins, troop A., ankle dislo
Gated, Joseph Wilkinson. troop L..
slightly injured, -Schneck, troop
c., leg badly bruised.
Colonel Torrey was in the state room
of the sleeping car which was separat-
ed from the engine of the econd sec
ton by a short caboose. The force of
the impact carried the first section for
ward 300 yards. When the train stop
ped Colonel TOrrey found himself out
side beneath the wreckage and al
though his feet were badly bruised he
managed to Chamber up the embank-
ment. His other injuries are several
bruises about the head. The wounded
are receiving all possible attention.
LATER.
Private Mapes is now in a dying con-
ditiOn. The engineer who was report
ed missing was seen tonight but was
nab to talk. He received internal
injuries that have caused several hem
orrhages. He is completely overcome
on nnnArr1t of tho donlnnnLlo aefai.