The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-21
CAUGHT ON IRESlE
Fearful Experience of a Party
of Visiting Friends.
TRAINS ROLLED OVER 'EM
And They Lived Ages II
AwfuIneSs of a Moment.

FishkiI, n. Z, March 2o--Trapped on
the narrow trestle of the New York Cen
trail railroad, near Duchess Junction, BY
trains bearing down on them from oppo-
site directions. four girls and a young
married couple faced last Night what
seemed certain death.
They had reached the middle span
when the warning shrek of the whistle
OF the Albany express. southbound. ter
rifed the group. An instant later a local
train no. 70 on the northbound track
whistged for the trestle.
Sick with terror the women tottered
and would have fallen but for the cry of
the man who commanded:
Jump between the tracks. Lie down,
a.
His cry sounded above the roar OF the
oncoming trains and the women blindly
obeyed. The trestle sawed as the
trains rushed over it. He said later he
lived a score of lives before he raised
his head to peer into the darkness ahead
and count the PROSTATE forms between
the tracks. All save two of the party
were seriously injured and two may die.
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Pelequin enter
taned at dinner yesterday in their pretty
cottage at Duchess Junction. Nellie
Grennan, II: Mamie Grennan, 10; Susie
Luzon, 10, and Joseta Luzon, Is. The girls
living in Byrnesville, about two miles
from Matteeawan, and a mile and half
from Duchess Junction.
A tresde crosses an arm Of the Hudson
river about three hundred yards from
the signal tower at Duchess Junction.
This trestle is forty-fve feet above the
water and is about one hundred yards
long.
The Grennan sisters and the Luzons
sisters had walked from their homes
to Duchess Junction early in the after
noon, and the girls did not make ready
to return to their homes until shortly
after o'clock.
accompanying the guests for a part of
the way.
Mrs. Pelequin led the way with the
lighted lantern, while her husband
brought UP the rear.
They had reached the middle span when
Mrs. Pelequin called out to her husband.
She had caught the sound of the ap-
preaching Albany express. Before Pei
equin could answer all were warned of
their danger by the Shrek of the whistle.
The headlight of the engine was already
lighting up the track ahead.
THE other track" shouted Pelequin, as
he half raised Susie Luzon in his arms
and placed her on the northbound track
His wife and the threA other girls had
just complied when blast from the
whistle of the local sounded behind them.
The light of the lantern sAone in the
white faces Of the four girls, nerveless
with horror Nellie Grennan moved
space towards the edge of the trestle.
The significance Of the movement
alarmed Pelequin who displayed great
human calmness and courage throughout
the ordeal.
stop" he shouted to the girl. She
wavered back from the edge. The din
Of the onrushing trains grew into roar.
Pelequin seized Susie Luzon by the
shoulders. The next instant she was
thrown PROSTATE between te tracks on
the narrow board running highways OF
the trestle.
Jump between the tracks" he
screamed. "AI lie down"
The women OWNED his order as much
by his seemingly brutal tnrusting of
Susie Luzon to the runway as by his
words All threw themselves face down
ward. Inc trestle shook under the
weight of the trains as they rolled over
the structure at the same time.
Mrs. Pelequin dropped her lantern and
the express caught it. broke it into little
pieces and scattered burning oil over her
clothes.
Counter currents Of air forming sue
ton threatened 20 draw the forms of the
Dust and smoke choked them. When
the trestIe ceased TO tremble and the
roar died away, Mrs. Pelequin says the
silence was almost as terrifying as had
been the roar Of the trains. AS Pele-
quin tottered 70 his Get uninjured. he
saw Mamie Grennan crawling painfully
to where his sister lay. Nellie Grennan
was covered with blood, and Mamie. see
ingg this, fell a swoon across her body
Both Mrs. Pelequin and josette Luzon
had apparently been hit by the steps OF
the express, the former being wounded
on her~back and the Iatters shoulders
being Iacerated. Pelequin and Susie Lu-
ION alone were uninjured-
Pelequin ran back to the signal tower
at Duchess Junction and reused George
Harris. the operator, and his assistants.
They got doors on which the