The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-12-22

A~A~~s
Coroner Herbert, OF Asfyury Park has
begun an investigation of the grade
crossing accident Friday night which
resulted in four people being instant.
ly killed. two being fatally hurt and
two receiving injuries from which they
may recover
The disaster occurred at Allenwood
located on the Pennsylvania Rail.
road, nine miles from Freehold
Eight people in wagon. who were
returning from Asbury Park, where
they had been on a Christmas shop
ping expedition. were struck by 8
train and hurled from the track.
The dead are:
MRS. ALLIE ALG0R.
BESSIE ALLEN.
MRS. ELkIRA ALLEN.
JESSIE CRANMER.
The injured are:
Mrs. Catherine Allen; will die
Chester Allen, five years old, may
recover.
David f. Allen; will die.
William Allen, may recover
All of these persons were related,
and it is as though half of family
had been wiped out. II e whole
village IuOuEl1es
The party started Friday ii, an old
fashioned, three seated fam wagon,
for Asbury Park to do their hrist-
mas shopping. The children we're
delighted by the treat. They aeh-
ed Asbury Park early in the afterAt on
and after spending two or three hours
in the stores. started hOmeward. I.
Under the seats and hidden in the
pockets Of the grown folks were the
mysterious packages that were to de-
light friends and relatives on Christ
mas morning. All the party were
merry, joking with each other about
the gifts.
BY the time home WIS in sight, al
6:45 o'clock, it was quite dark, and
the little ones hailed the lights with
shouts Over the frozen roads the
wheels ratified loudly, SO that as the
wagon approached the well-known
road crossing near the Allen home,
none of the party heard the roar OF
the eastbound train.
Allenwood is g flag station The
small, barn-like structure that serves
for a station is just east of the cross
ing. There was no agent on duty:
No De ssengers were waiting to board
the train, and seeing that no signal
to stop was up, the engin neer AL.
Bouse sent his train forward at full
speed
Joyful at getting home and care
less of danger the party drove onto
the track not fifty feet before the
rushing train. For just an instant
their frightened faces.
- hrrf
we're cut short by fearful crash as
the great engine tossed the obstruc-
tion from the track.
In a grocery store only few yards
from the crossing Thomas A. Allen
was serving his customers. At the
crash all rushed out doors. Allen
stumbled over the body of his wife,
which had been flung almost 10 his
very door A few feet away lay the
BODY of his cousin. The man was
dazed with grief.
Lanterns were brought, and men
and women came running from other
houses. Among them was-Joseph
Cranmer. The train, which had stop
ped a quarter of a mile down the
track, backed up to the station and
Cranmer ran to speak to the engine
driver. He found the body of his
daughter. Jennie. wedged in the pilot
Of the engine crushed and lifeless.
David Allen, brother OF Thomas,
was found fifty feet down the track
unconscious and bleeding from fearful
wonnds The BODY OF Mr1 Algor
was nearby. William Allen, who
had the reins when the accident oc.
cured. was unconscious, but APP
parenfly not fatally hurt.
The horror stricken neighbors in a
few minutes found Thomas Aliens
mother. She was in dying condi-
tion. For several minutes they could
discover no trace of Chester Allen,
the baby. Then be was found q hun
dred feet down the track, badly
bruised. but safe. No one knows by
what fayoring chance the little fellow
was carried so far without being XIII
ed.
Members Of the train crew and pas
sengers assisting the residents of tht
village, the dead and dying were gath
cred up and carried into neighbor
ing houses. Everything that skill
ed tenderness could do was done
and when the train went on 1t WA
with instructions to hurry doctors q
the scene from Manasquan. Severa
left there as soon as the word was re
ceived.
Allenwood Is shrouded in gloon
over the tragedy. The Aliens are th'
principal family; the place was nam
/ ed for their ancestors.
! Thomas Aliens grief is pitlable
His wife and cousin were killed, ant
his mother. brother and baby bo.
are among the injured. Two OF thes
will probably die.
The engineer says be failed to oh
serve the approaching vehicle. ant
claims 10 have sounded the usua