The Portland daily press., 1900-04-26
II Was Loaded With Cotton Haste
and TeOk Fire.
Man Was Locked in and
Was Burned to- Crisp.
Story of Man Who Claims TO
Know the Person Burned.

An Unknown man, presumably tramp,
was burned 10 death late Tuesday Eight
tsyo7d Soarboro Gre ssinR In freight
car full Of cotton wsste trom Lewistof.
The oar wrs ssaled and 1t IL supposed
that the man lighted pipe to enjoy
smoke and d t hre TO the car. 9hs train
was moving at the time and %. the doors
were fastened the man could not get out
OF the burning car which bscame bis
funeral pyre.
Ersighs train No. 60s, which left
Portland at 1927 o'clock Tuesday night,
was In charge CT Cond uctor Berry and
was bound for Boston over the Western
division. Ths train was OF about the
ordinary length and In the middle OF it
was one car loaded with cotton waste
from the Lew iston mills. The train
stopped for q minute at Scarboro crossing
where the conductor signed the register
at IL O'Clock. When this was done the
train pulled ont towards Boston, and
when about mile and q half the other
side of Scarboro Crossing. the engineer
looking back discovered that the train
had broken 10 two. The cabocs, and one
car had broken away and the fireman
started back alongside the train TO see
II the conductor and rakeman were all
right. When he was passing this car load
fireman SAW q light within the oar and
also heard the groaniag Of a man in dis
tress. As quickly az possible the fireman
broke the seals OF the oar and pulled
open the heavy door. As he DID so the
flames. famed into q blaze by the
drauRht this afforded, burst out iato
hi, face. He SAW the figure Of a man
outlined for an instant amidst the smoke
and flame and then 1t fell back into the
sesthing mass again ana the groans and
cries for help were stillsd.
The fireman did what he could to ex-
ti1guish the IRE, but in an instant saw
that his efforts were useless. He then
unshaoklsd the burning car from the one
In front Of 1t and from the one behind
1t ana the engine soon shunted the other
cars of the train away from the burning
car. Every thing about the car that was
wood was consumed, leaving only the
iron work on the track.
In the midst of this iron wreck was
found the remains of man. burned to
crisp. There lie bothing left by which
1t could be idsr III ed and in fat It was
in such q condition that tt ere IL l. tie
about it that resembled the figure of
man.
1T Will be i'm pose BILE In all probability
t. ever sstlblish the ider ty Of the un-
foitluat3 victim Of tais 'rrible accident
I'D lhof IN
way to Boston on this rain and had
probably boarded the ain at Lswift1n
before tie doors were sealed. The core
ner, MIR. Ebsn N. Perry, who had the case
in charge. says tat he believes tas
tramp mutt have Hgt t I'd bis pipe and SCI
the wests on fire. While the train was
in me tlon he could net Ii AXE himself
heard, nor could he get out of the oar. He
paid dearly for his st ,ien ride, whoever
he was. The body is at Rich's undertak.
ipg rooms.
Last night = young man named Daniel
EArly, who lives on Mount'oIt street, in
this G ty, but who 10 an sssii t1nt steward
on the Itaammship Breoktield, now In
this port told a story to Mr.. Rich which
may lead to the ident ,tics tlon Of the
mans body. There are some things about
tas tale which seem improbable, but there
is no doubt tiit Mr.. Early ia falling the
facts of this Gaze as they were told to
him. II the person who related the story
to Early can be found psrhaps some
light can be thrown on the mattsr.
According to EAriy's account maa
named Meloh, who had been one voyage
on the Breck1e as oattlemAn returned
yesterday morning to the ship and said
to hin:
''Gusss what has happed?"
"What has hAppsnsa?' asked Early.
"SIim has been burned to DEATH" said
W.l,h,
Now this "Slim," as hs was o lied on