The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-13
Many Of the Victims Were Returning
from the Hartranft Statue UnveiI-
ing Exercises at Harrisburg.
SEVERAL CARS TELESCOPED
AND MOST OF THE OCCUPANTS
EITHER KILLED OR INJURED.
Meager Details OF the Disaster-Col-
Iision ON the New York Central
and One Man Hurt.

READING, Pa. May IA collision Of
passenger trains occurred on the Philadel-
phia & Reading Railroad at Exeter. about
six miles south of this city. tonight. and a
great number OF people were killed and in
5ured There Is no telegraph Office at Exeter
and details. therefore. are difficult to obtain
at this writing. The number killed is vari-
ously stated to be from fifteen to twenty
i've. Fully fifty others are injured. The
regular express train from Pottsville to
Philadelphia connected at the station in
Reading with train from Harrisburg,
which was crowded with excursionists who
had been to the state capital to witness the
ceremonies in connection with the unveiling
OF the Hartranft monument. Many of the
Harrisburg passengers. at Reading. went
aboard the Philadelphia express. but, it be-
ing found that all could not be accommo-
dated. 1t was decided to send an extra train
TO Philadelphia, to run as the second section
Of the express. The extra train left twenty
minutes later than the express.
AT Exeter the express stopped for orders.
ami while standing still the extra train
crashed into it while moving at great speed.
Three OF the rear cars OF the express were
feIescored and the first car Of the extra train
was also wrecked. The passengers in these
cars were terribly mangled, many being
killed outright. while others had limbs and
bodies MANNED.
Word was at once sent to Reading and
q special with physicians and nurses was
sent to the scene as quickly as it could pos
sibly be put In readiness. The identified
killed are:
JOHN LEAF, Montgomery county.
WILLIAM STALER, Norristown.
COL GEORGE SHAW. Norristown.
CHIEF JOHN SIINGLUFF. Norristown.
JOHN JOHNSON. Mount Clair.
WILLIAM LEWIS, Norristown.
HARRY HUNCHDINGER, Norristown.~
GEORGE Sewers. Norristown.
GEORGE Fl. ANDIS. Norristown.
HARRY wENTZ. Norristown.
SAMUEL. BATTY. Conshohocken.
HARRY THOMPSON, Norristown.
HIRAM SHELLY. Hatboro.
BENTON SILvIS. Reading.
1Lo iuJulcus ID Aaf - ZIG AdinSS Couiu %
obtained, are;
EDDIE SMITH, Norristown.
CHARLES WHITE, Norristown.
NATHAN O'NEILs Norristown.
LUTHER CUSTER, serious Pottstown.
JOHN JOHNSON. serious. Mt. Clair.
PATRICK KERN, Norristown.
PASCAL WALTERS. swedelaad.
HARRY LEISTER. serious. Phoenixville.
L. B. vANDERSLICE. Phoenixville.
THEODORE ADDLE. Norristown.
WILLIAM FREDERBORN Norristown
CHARLES MADDIS. Conshohocken-
JOHN EARL. Conshohocken.
HARRY KANTZ, Norristown.
DAVID CARNEY. Norristown.
A ]. AsHENFELDER, Norristown. hurt
IN the chest.
The express train. which should have left
here at $50 p. m. for Philadelphia, was be-
hind schedule time in leaving and stopped
at Exeter for orders. A special train from
Harrisburg bearing excursionists left here
twenty minutes later than the express train
and at Exeter. while going at a rapid speed.
crashed into the express.
Great excitement prevails throughout the
city. The railroad officials offer no explana-
ton OF the accident. The coroner will insfi-
tute an investigation at once. Returning
passengers at Lao a. m. say the scenes
around the wreck are of the most fearful
description Shortly before midnight a
train bearing nurses and doctors was sent
TO the scene OF the wreck. Exeter is a flag
station and has no telephone communica-
ton 1t is stated that the passengers In the
second train were mostly from Norristown.
The second relief train left Exeter at
$50 a. m. 1t brought to Reading twenty
additional bodies. The names are not yet
known. Most of the seriously injured were
brought here on the first relief train The
rest of the injured were taken to Potts
town and Norristown- The north-bound
track has been cleared and the frst train
through to this city from Philadelphia was
the Buffalo express. which left Philadelphia
at IL :s5 p. m.