The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-05-17
0Hk CAUSED
THE WRECK.
Curiosity Led to Yesterdays Sacrifice
of Human Lie.
THE GUILTY ONE CONFESSES
Taken Into custody Shortly After the Dis
aster Near Tamsqua, a Farmer Lad
says,He Placed me Fatal Spike
to See Train Flatten II.

The wreck Of the passenger train on the
P. & r. Railway, near Tamaqua, yesterday.
whereby Engineer Grier was killed and two
iremen were fatally injured, has been
followed by surprising developments and the
arrest of the party responsible for the dis
aster. who is young man whose curiosity
over-balsuced his common sense and has
caused his Incarceration in Jail.
John Short, the fireman Of the freight
train who suffered in the wreck, is an inmate
of the Pottsville hospital. The officials there
stated to-day that the victims condition con-
tinued as it was yesterday, and that there
are no hopes for recovery. report from
Shamokin to-day regarding the condition Of
Fireman Kersteller was of a similar nature.
The other victims are improving.
The young man under arrest for causing
the disaster is Oliver Oil. He is in the Potts
willie Jail. and will in all probability remain
there until after the Grand Jury acts on his
case, and possibly until he is tried by jury
in court.
Oil is seventeen years old. He was accom-
panied at the scene of the wreck by Arthur
Stiegerwalt, who is about the same age.
Both are sons of farmers Of West Penn.
Stiegerwalt is under surveillance as a wit
ness.
Both parties reside about nine miles from
Tamaqua. Yesterday morning they drove
| from their homes to place along the rail-
road near the point of the wreck with a
load Of railway sils which they loaded on
railway truck standing on siding. While
there Oil placed spike on a rail Of the
main line for the purpose Of seeing how =
train would hatten the spike. 1t was this
spike, in connection with the sharp curve
near the place, that caused the passenger
train to leave the track.
After the wreck occurred OIL and his COM
panion drove hOmeWard. Their actions had
excited suspicion and two officers were sent
in pursuit of them. The men detailed for
this work were G. & l. Policeman Daniel
Goudge OF Ashland, and T. d. Fister, a
special p. & r. Railway officer located at
Tamaqua Young Stiegerwalt was first over
TAKEN at his home. When charged with the
terrible deed he denied it, but suggested that
the officers arrest Oil, as he could tell all
about it, The latter was arrested shortly
after. He made no denial, but said that he
was not prompted by malicious intent in the
act that he had simply placed the spike on
the rail to see what effect train would have
in passing over it, the idea that the train
would be thrown from the rail, or that any
other accident would happen, never entering
his head.
The officers took Oil to the Pottsville Jail
where he was held until this morning, when
he was taken before Justice Stidfole, al
Tamaqus, and given hearing. Oil pleaded
guilty and told his story with reservation
exoneating his companion from any com
plicity in the matter Oil was then com
mitted to Jail without bail.
The Deputy Coroner at Tamaqua and {
jury viewed the scene of the wreck and tool
testimony last night and this morning. A
verdict will not be rendered until this even
ing