Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-12-06
JUMPED TO HIS DEATH
Engil {. II. Baldwin Had Both
Legs Cut of in Wreck.
Engine, Backing Up with Passenger
Train, collided with Freight Train
Air Brakes Did Not Work.

Engine bdCNln9 Up WHIT PASSENGER
Train, collided with Freight Train
Air Brakes Did Not Work.
A railroad accident, unavoidable, yet
terrible in it's results, a collision be-
tween freight cars and a passenger
locomotive occurred in Vernon about
1 o'clock Tuesday afternoon in which
Engineer Enrico Harris Baldwin, so,
of South Londonderry, was horribly
mangled, so that death resulted about
an hour and half later. There was
no neglect of duty, and so far as
learned no blame is attached to any
body for the accident. The locomotive
and two or three freight cars were
damaged, but no one but Mr.. Baldwin
was seriously hurt
Mr.. Baldwin and Fireman A. f.
Shattuck of South Londonderry ran
passenger locomotive from South
Londonderry to Brattleboro that morn
ing and took the 1915 passenger train
on the broad guage road to Millers
Falls as usual. They were due back
in Brattieboro at l o'clock. Between
u and 1 o'clock a freight train with
two locomotives and about so cars,
in charge of Conductor Grover left
Brattleboro under orders to meet the
passenger train in Vernon. Engineer
Baldwin also had orders to meet the
freight train in Vernon.
The freight train was the first to
arrive and pulled off from the main
track to the side track as far as pos
sible. The train was so long, how
ever, that some s or IS cars extended
out on the main track. Mr.. Baldwin
I
to stop his train beside the freight
and allow the freight to move on,
leaving him a clear track.
At the proper time the air brakes
We're applied, but either they failed
to work or the wheels slid, or account
of the snow on the track. and the
train did not stop. Mr. Baldwin saw
that a collision was inevitable and
jumped. AS he did so his head came
in contact with what is called a mail
catcher a frame work erected beside
the track to take mail pouches from
passing trains and he was thrown
back under the pony truck, the loco
motive being run backward. Fireman
Shattuck followed close behind En-
gineer Baldwin, but was not injured.
Almost instantly after the men left
as the men could recover themselves
they looked for Mr.. Baldwin and found
that he was under the small trucks
of the locomotive, having slid along
the track several rods. He was un-
conscious. He was taken into the
station, where it was found that both
legs had been cut off. the right leg
just below the knee and the left one
above the ankle, the right arm was
crushed near the shoulder, and there
was a long cut over the right eye,
probably made by contact with the
mail catcher 1t is supposed that
Mr.. Baldwin was stunned by the blow
over the eye. Medical aid was sum-
moned from Brattleboro, but the loss
of blood was so great that it was i'm
possible to save his life. He died
about $50 o'clock
A wrecking train was sent from
Brattleboro, but it was Z O'Clock before
the track was cleared. Meanwhile the
body was brought to Bonds under
taking rooms in Brattleboro The
locomotive was not overturned but
was derailed and the tender which
was running ahead, was turned cross
wise of the track The death of Mr..
Baldwin left a vacancy in the posi-
ton of engineer which has been filled
by the promotion of Bert Gates, en-
gineer of the narrow gauge freight
engine. Fireman Shattuck has been
promoted to the position of engineer
of the freight engine.
Engineer Baldwin was born in
Sharon, this state, March 81, 1851,
and was a son of Eleazer and Lucia
Brown Baldwin. He entered the EN-
ploy of the railroad company when
he was 20 years old, and for the past
20 years he has been an engineer
having the narrow gauge run about
10 years. He was one of the best
known engineers in this section and
was highly regarded by his associates
His wife. who was a daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Ross of South Londonderry
died about eight years ago. Mr.
Baldwin leaves one daughter, 10 years
old He also leaves five brothers and
three sisters, George w. and William
A. Baldwin of Sharon, Eleazer Bald
win of Arlington, this state, Adella l.
Baldwin of Boston, Francelia E. Bald
win of Sharon, Dec d. Baldwin
of Carthage, S. D., Mrs. E. L
Wells of Lyndonville and R. C. Bald
win of West Lebanon, n. H. His
father lives in Sharon.
R. c. Baldwin and Mr.. Wells came tC
Brattleboro Wednesday and yesterday
the body was taken on the lilo train
to Sharon for burial. Mr. Baldwin
was a member of the Bellows Fall;
lodge, Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers, a member Of the Masonic
lodge in White River Junction. anC
was an Odd Fellow.