The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-11
SERIOUS ACCIDENT
AT POPLAR STREET
WAGON CONTAINING TWELVE
MEN WAS RUN DOWN.
Ten of Them Were Prisoners Who
Were Being Returned to the Coun-
ty Jail After Days Work on the
Newton Turnpike-They Were in
Charge of overseer John E. Phil
lips Who Was Seriously injured.
Louis Harris the Driver of Wagon
Also Badly Hurt.

Five prisoners from the county Jail,
Overseer John f. Phillips, who was in
charge of the party, and Louis Har-
ris, the driver of the wagon in which
they were riding were quite seriously
injured last evening at the Poplar
street crossing of the Delaware and
Hudson railroad, between Capouse and
Wyoming avenues. Phillips sustained
the most serious injuries. 1t was his
first day in the position of overseer of
the prisoners. who were on their way
back to the Jail after a days work on
the Newton turnpike.
Phillips and one of the prisoners,
John Finnegan, were taken to the
Lackawanna hospital. The other pris-
oners were cared for at the jail Driv-
er Harris. who is employed by Bellies,
the liveryman, was taken to his home
in West Scranton.
1t was about o'clock when the
large wagon carrying ten of the pris-
oners was run into by an engine. Over
seer Phillips is a brother of Deputy
Sheriff W. A. Phillips. and is a soE Of
John Phillips, of 1915 Jackson street.
Yesterday was his first day as a fore
man, he taking charge of the gang in
the absence of the regular overseer,
Robert Allen. At the hospital it was
seen that his injuries consist of a
broken shoulder blade, a lacerated
scalp, general bruises of the body.
and it is also suspected that he is suf-
fering from internal injuries. If his
injuries permit his being moved, he
will probably be taken to his fathers
home today.
DRIVER INJURED.
Driver Harris is badly bruised, one of
his hands is cut, and it is feared that
he is also internally injured.
John Finnegan, the prisoner who
was taken to the hospital, it is feared,
has several ribs broken. The other
men injured were Joseph Holtham,
whose back was bruised; William Wall,
generally bruised John Liddich. Will
liam Navin and Anthony Confield, ali
of whom suffered bruises. 1t was re-
markable that these men were nor in
jured worse than they We're, and it is
almost miraculous that thev all cs-
capped being caught under the wheels
of the engine.
Two wagons with prisoners lett the
West Mountain at 4 o'clock, The one
contained ten prisoners, the driver and
Foreman Phillips, while in the other
We're seated eight prisoners, the driver
and Overseer Henry Lotus. They
drove from West Scranton to the city
| coming up through Carbon street, and
| then going up Capouse avenue as ia,
! as Poplar. They drove up this street
| and there had to cross the Delaware
and Hudson railroad tracks.
The wagon in which Overseer Phil
| lips was sitting was about forty feet
| in advance of the one in which over
seer LOTUS and his gang of men were
| They started to cross the track and
| the horses had cleared it when tho
| wagon was struck with terrific force
| by one of the Delaware and Hudson
| engines, which was going northward
with some of the circus cars, it being
engaged in shifting them.
HURLED IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
The men in the wagon, which was a
| large lumber wagon, We're hurled in al
| directions, all of them, however, beina
so fortunate as to escape the deadly
| wheels.
The horses were untouched, but the
wagon was hurled fully thirty feet ant
| made a total wreck. Every man ir
the wagon received some injuries, hui
only the injuries of those given above
were in any way serious.
Overseer Phillips was picked up un.
conscious, the blood flowing from sew.
eral cuts in his head, he having beer