Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-21
Finest Train on the St. Louis and Frisco
Line Goes Into the Ditch
Freight Crew Leaves Switch Open and the Fast Train Known
as Meteor WreckedWa Running at Terrific Speed
Nearly Every Passenger the Train More Less Seriously
Hurt-Accdent Occurred Early In the Morning.


fast train on the st. Louis and San
Francisco railroad. was wrecked at
Godfrey, fifteen miles south of Fort
Scott. Kas., early today. The train
ran into an open switch and all ex-
cept the sleeper were derailed and
turned over. Nine persons were killed
and twenty-one injured. The injured
were taken to Fort Scott.
The wrecked train was one of the
finest and fastest in the service and
consisted OF two baggage, one mail car,
smoker, two chair cars and a sleeper.
When the train reached Godfrey it was
behind time and was running at full
speed to make up time. The crew OF
: freight train that had preceded the
Meteror, left switch open and the
passenger train jumped the track and
rolled down a slight errbankment. All
save the sleeper turned over and so
fast was the train running the engine
and forward baggage car landed nearly
eixty feet off the road bed before 1t
stopped. The sleeper remained up
right and none of the passengers in
this car was injured.
Baggage car was completely wreck
ed and the smoker badly damaged.
Five OF those killed we're in the for
ward end Of the smoker and four OF
them were killed Instantly. A news
agent, who was Oadiy mangled. died on
the relief train that carried the dead
and injured to Fort Scott.
Engine Grow Killed.
Engineer Devices, of Fort Scott, Con-
ductor Roy, of Topeka, and Fireman
Bishard. of Fort Scott, ali were in
stantly killed. Express Messenger
John Bell, OF Kansas City, was SER
iously injured
The sothers OF the crew and almost
every passenger on the entire train,
except those in the sleeper. who es-
capped with severe shake up, were In
5ured, some seriously.
Darkness Adds TO Confusion.
It was still dark whenfth wreck
occurred and utmost confusion foilow-
I'd. It was some time before those of
The crew who escaped injury were able
with the help OF the passengers who
were unhurt, to aid the injured.
The wrecking crew carrying physi-
clans did not leave Fort Scott for the
scene until several hours after the
wreck occurred and 1t was II o'clock
before the dead and injured were
brought to Fort Scott.
Eighteen persons were seriously IN
1ured. two fatally and fifteen others
slightly. Most Of the injured were bad
II burned as we'll as being manned.
Responsibility for the wreck Is laid at
the door Of brakeman of the freight
crew, who failed to flag the passenger
train. He has disappeared. The en-
xine on the freight had become dead"
and the crew was ordered to remain on
the main track and turn the switch for
the passenger. then about due. brake
man being ordered to flag the Meteor.
This he neglected to do. nthe crash
the baggage car telescoped the engine
and landed in cornf1eld, while the
smoker and two chair cars were piled
IN a mass on top of the engine. Most
Of the injured were In the chair cars.
(which took Are soon after the wreck
secured.
The Dead.
Conductor George Hoyt.
News Agent. John Brubaker, Kan
sas City.
James H. Twyaman, Colored.
Asa Moreland, Kansas.
John Corbin.
Joe corbin. Okiahoma.
Unidentified man.
The Injured.
Sheridan Kanable, Oklahoma.
B. r. Garrowa. Jonesboro. Ark, ia
tally.
Among the seriously injured are:
j. D. Bryant. Davenport, Ia; j. w.
GULL. Ottumwa, Ia.
Joseph H. Donohue, Franklin, III.
Express Messenger Bell died later.
making the total number of dead ten.