Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-01-14
TRAIN WRECKERS.
CroSsticS Placed on the Della
ware Railroad Between Chess
void and Dover.

Two attempts to wreck Delaware
Railroad trains near DUPONT Station.
between Cheswold and Dover, since
early sunday morning has caused con
siderable excitement III that section of
the country
The first attempt was made early
Sunday morning That effort was
aimed ut the Norfolk express. which
leaves Wilmington at midnigh The
material with which To wreck it was
placed upon the track at about the same
point where the wreck occurred Monday
night That the first attempt was not
wreckerS did not have knowledge of
what trains Were ON the road. The
express messenger on the express We're
carrying considerable money and it is
thought Il knowledge of this caused the
wrcckcrs To commit the crime. Down
the road ahead of the express train
Sunday morning came an extra freight
train As the train nearcd DUPONT
Station Engineer Hickman thought he
saw an obstruction on the track. He
ut once reversed the locomotive and
whiStled for brakes His prompt action
saved the train from being wrecked
He succeeded in stopping the locomotive
just as it struck several crosSties that
had been piled on the track The train,
however, remained upon the track
The force Of the collision hurled the
engineer and fireman back i'll their cab
hut they were not injured.
Upon investigation il was found that
several crosstics had been placed across
the track. Ii was evidently the inten-
ton 10 place more and get them i'll
position for the Norfolk express to
strike The wreckcr> had no knowledge
of the extra freight, and it is supposed
that as il approached they became
frightened and ran away, leaving their
half completed job. Ii the express had
struck the obstruction it would have
been wrecked aud probably many per-
SONS injured.
The second attempt To wreck Il train
was made Monday night when engineer
Samuel Barron'S forethought in apply
ing the brakes saved - lives on south
bound passenger train No. %. leaving
Philadelphia ) - and Clayton S Ii p. III.
Remembering that on SUNDAY morning
an obstruction had been placed on the
track below DuPont's station, he resell
we'd To run slowly between that point
and Dover. Hardly had he gotten his
train under control than he saw Il great
dark object ahead. Applying the air
brake and quickly reversing his engine.
Barron saved the passengers. but could
not prevent a wreck
The pilot crashed into croSS,ic
heavier than two men could lift. hurting
il. and second one some distance from
the track. \ third one, however, de-
rallied the engine and stopped the train
So suddenly that the passengers We're
thrown forward i'll their seats
Conductor Hawkins hurried down
the track to Dover, and tclegraphed
report To Clayton. 4 wrecking train
was Immediately sent to the scene
News of this second desperate attempt
To wreck an express train at tins lonely
and wooded section of the Delaware
Road spread rapidly about Dover and
a large and excited crowds congregatcd
ut the scene.
Detectives and special officers have
gone To work on the ease. There were
passengers on the train from Philadcl-
phia, Wilmington and immediate points
along the line many of them enroute To
Dover. among the number being Miss
Josephine Batcmcn. one of the wit
neSses in the Botkin murder trial i'll
San Francisco. This is the second
wreck Miss Bateman has been i'll since
she left her home in Dover for San
Francisco several weeks ago