The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-11-16
WRECK OF A G L TRAIN
DELIBERATE ACr OF a VICIOUS
YOUTH WIIO CONFEsSEs.
Tho Coast Line VIII Prose cuto Him for
Murder if He Docs not Execute Ills
Threat OF Suicide
Especial News and Courier)

elle'llle, n. e., at o'clock ycster.
day morning, as Il result Of tho in.
juries received in the wreck of train
IS at IIopo Mills, N. G., on Satur.
day, was brought to Florence last
night. Tho train was met by Il del
egation of his fellow ongincors and
hundreds of friends.
During the evening tho McGowan
homo WAS visited by hundreds of
frionds. At 3 o'clock this afternoon
tho funeral services wero conducted
at tho Presbyterian Church, tho Rev.
Melton Clark, pastor, assisted by the
Rov. }. Thos. Pate, d. D., oliciat
ing. Tho church building WAS filled
with friends Of the deceased, among
whom were Il large number Of his
brother officials. The funeral ser
vlco boing concluded tho procession
moved to Mount Hopo .Cometory,
whore the body was inferred. The
mound Of tho grave was hidden by
beautiful flowers, n.ny Of which
were cmblems Of lovo and esteem
from friends beyond tho city. The
pnllbearers wero all engineers and
were rs follows: NIcssrs. Jas. II.
Brunson, George A. Wilson, Horny
D. Jaeger, John NJ. Donlan, Do Witt
House and Il. G. Dotts.
Fireman Marion Brockintcn, who
was in the wreck, Is in q critical con
dilon and it is reported will not be
able to last long, His leg is broken
and he was internally injured.
Postal Clerk Charles Sale is re-
ported rs not being seriously hurt
and is improving.
The true story of the wreck has
Just boon obtained from ono who has
boen at the wreck. 1t was q precon-
ccived affair on tho part of Ezra
Tart, young white man, who ted
spike on the rail, on tho high side
Of the curve, tho lip Of tho spike be-
ing fastened between thejonts of the
rail so that it could not slip either
way, and the spike tied down with
q pocket handkerchief. This being
done ho stood upon the bank and
watched for tho train to sweep down
the steep grade around the curve
and to its destruction. The fellow
then ran away, went to tho homo Of
friend, George Lovett, and told
what he had done. Mr.. Lovett after
ward identified the handkerchief as
Tart's, as Tarts nose had been bleed.
ing that morning and lie had used
it in wiping the blood from his nos
trils. The handkerchief showed
blood spots Blood hounds were at
once put on the trail by the sheriff
OF tho county, and it is reported this
afternoon that he will capture the
criminal unless he browns himself
first, which ho told Lovett he in
tended doing.
Train 7S had orders to moot No..
200, the fast south bound freight,
ut Hope Mills, just few hundred
yards from whore tho accident oc.
Cured, and Engineer McGowan had
just blown the station signal and
was in tho act of easing off tho
brakes, which lad been applied in
order to slow down to call passing
numbers, but was still running at q
high speed when tho accident oc-
cured.
The engine struck tho spike,
mounted the rail, on which it ran
four or five feot, then ran off on the
ties for fifty or sixty feet, and drove
horself into the high bank Of dirt,
turning almost upon it's side and
completely end for enl. The ten.
der turned over and tho NAL car
slid beyond it, tearing itself to
pieces. The cypress car stopped
alongside Of the engine and was also
wrecked. The baggage and Jim
Grow cars were badly wrecked. The
other cars remained in position on
tho track, consequently none of them
were injured to any extent.
Engineer McGowan was thrown
from his engine under the debris.
His legs, arms and ribs were brok.