The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-03

Indianapolis. Ind. October I.-Fif-
teen persons We're killed and over fifty
injured. some fatally, this morning by
= collision between u special passenger
tram on the Big Four railroad and
freight engine, drawing coal cars.
The accident happened on the edge
of this city. The passenger train of
twelve coaches was carrying 954 pei
sons. nearly all of whom were students
of Purdue University and their friends
from Lafayette to Indianapolis. for ine
annual football game between the Pur-
due team and the Indiana university
squad for the state championship.
which was to be fought this afternoon.
In the first coach back of the engine
were the Purdue foot ball team sub
stitute players and managers. Three
players. the assistant coach. trainer
and seven substitute players of the
university team were killed. and every
one of the fifty three other persons Ill
the car either fatally or seriously H.
jured.
Following is the list of dead:
CHARLES CRUDE. Butler. Ind.
substitute player.
CHARLES FURR. Veedersburg. Ind..
guard.
E. {. ROBERTSON. indianapolis.
assistant coach and captain of the
team two years ago.
WALTER L. ROUSH. PIttsburg. Pa.
substitute
r. ]. POWELL. Corpus Christ
Texas. end player.
w. D. HAMILTON. Lafayette. center
rush.
GABRIEL DROLLINGER. LaFay-
ette. Ind. substitute.
SAMUEL SQUIBB. LawrencebUrg.
JAY HAMILTON. Huntington. Ind,
substitute.
" r. HOWARD. Lafayette. presi-
dent of the Indiana Laundry Mems Az
sOciatiOn.
PATRICK McCLAIR. Chicago. IL.
SAMUEL TRUITT. NobleSvilIe. InI..
substitute.
G. L. SHAW. Lafayette. Ind.
BERT PRICE. Spencer. Ind. subSti-
tute.
J. Z. COATS. Berwin. Pa.
From the twelve coaches were COM
ing the joyous cries of 4 thousand
rOOters for Purdue. clad in gala dress
with cOIOrs streaming. while in the
front coach sat twenty muscular fell
lows. trained to the hour. on VIII ON
the hopes of a brilliant victory on the
SriJirOu was entertained.
Around the curve at the 18th street
cut. Engineer Schuman found directly
in front IF him. the freight engine ana
coal ears moving slowly from 4 switch
leading To- Il gravel pit. He reversed
his engine and jumped. The crash
hurled the passenger engine ana three
front coaches against the Steel freight
cars. loaded with coal. that pIOuShed 4
pile OF wreckage. weighing many tons.
fUIly sixty human beings.
The first car. in which We're the play
srS. was completely demolished. the roof
being torn away and landing across
a car OF coal. while the body uf
the ear was reduced TO kiuding woud
against the side of the steel freigh;
ears. The second coach. containing
the band II musicians was partly teIH-
scOped. while the third coach WAS
overturned and hurled down fifteen
foot emhankment. The other coaches
did not leave the track.
president Stone of the nIVerS' Y
with his family was in the fifth coach
and was not injured. Immediately af-
ter the shock. the passengers. men anu
women began the work of tearing away
the wreckage and pulling out dead and
dying class mates and fraternity DrOtE-
erS. The young women performed he
role work. Though the bodies were IT
several instances horribly mangled-
one completely and one partially De-
headed. they took upon their laps the
heads OF the dying and injured and
soOthed their sufferings as gest they
could until the surgeons arrived.
A general alarm was sounded and
every assistance the city could afford
was rushed to the wreck which WAS
three miles from the business center
While the dead and injured were beine
carried to the morgues and hospitals
the work of tearing away the wreck
and reScuing those pinned benea tn
went on. Big muscular students wep