Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-07
Is DEAD AND 50 INJURED
Football Players Mangled in Railroad
Wreck.

Football Players Mangled in Railroad
Wreck.
1000 PERSONS WERE ON THE TRAIN.
The First Coach Containing Members of Per-
due University Team. Was Smashed to
Kindling Wood and the Bodies Of the VIC
tins Were Fearfu!Iy Mangled-Death List
| Likely to Grow.
indianapolis, Ind. Especially Fifteen
persons were killed and over 50 injur-
cd, some fatally, by collision between
a special passenger train Oh the Big
Four Railroad and freight engine
with cut OF coal cars. The accident
happened OH the edge OF this city. The
passenger train OF IL coaches was car
rying o54 persons, nearly all OF whom
were students OF Purdue University
and their friends, from Lafayette to
indianapolis, for the annual football
game between the Purdue team and
the Indiana University squad for the
State championship. which was to haze
been fought III the afternoon.
In the first coach back of the ell
CINE were the Purdue football team,
substitute players and managers.
Three players, the assistant coach.
trainer and seven substitute players of
the University team were killed, and
every one OF the fiity-thrce other per-
sons were either fatally or seriously i'll
jured.
From the IL coaches were coming
the joyous cries OF a thousandvrooters
for Purdue, clad i'll gala dresses, with
colors streaming. while in the front
coach sat 20 muscular fellows, trained
to the hour, on whom the hopes of a
brilliant victory on the gridiron were
confidently placed.
Around curve at the Eighteenth
street cut Engineer Schumacher found
directly in front OF him the freight ell
CINE and coal cars moving slowly from
switch leading to gravel pit. He
reversed his engine and jumped.
The crash hurled the passenger Ell
ginc and three front coaches against
the steel frcights loaded with coal, that
plowcd their way through and buried
under a pile OF wrcckagc weighing
many tons fully 60 human beings.
-,
players, was completely demolished,
the roof being torn away and landing
across a car of coal, while the body of
the car was reduced to kiMdling wood
against the side OF the steel freight
cars. The second coach, containing
the band of musicians, was partly tele-
scOped. while the third coach was over
turned and hurled down I5-ioot en-
bankincnt.
The other coaches did not leave the
track. President Stone, OF the univer-
sity, with his family, was i'll the fifth
coach and was not injured.
Immediately after the shock the pas
scngers, men and women, began the
frantic work OF tearing away the
wreckage and pulling out dead and dy
ing classmates and fraternity brothers.
Young women performed heroic work.
Though the bodies were in several in
stances horribly manglcd. one COM
plctely and one partially behcadcd. they
took upon their laps the heads OF the
dying and injured and soothed their
sufferings as best they could, until the
surgeons arrived. Their bloodstained
and grimy garments were gloomy wit
nesscs of their lleroism.
n general alarm was sounded, and
every assistance the city could afford
was rushed to the wreck, which was
three miles from the business centre.
Surgeons dashed up in automobiles,
fire wagons, ambulanccs. express wa
CONS, undcrtakers' vehicles, private
convcyanccs, and even delivery wa
CONS. were sent to carry away the dead
and injured.
While these were being carried to
the morgues and hospitals the work of
tearing away the wreck and rescuing
those pinned beneath went on. Big
| muscular students wcpt aloud as they
stood over the bodies of their dead
friends and felow-workcrs or gazed
helpless upon the sufferings of their
college mates writhing i'll pain.
TO add to the horror the wrcckage
caught Hrc, Dut the names were cXtln-
guished by the students after hard
fight.
All the young men killed were i'll the
first coach They were found lying
tangled and bleeding, with the injured
pinned against them. The coach held
about 70 persons.
While the work OF rescue was goine
on there arrived i'll the city over goo
cheering followers OF the red and white
OF Indian University, at Bloomington
Banners waved, college ycls were be-
ing hurled from the windows and
streamcrs were displayed from the viii
dows of the car bearing the university
football team.
AS the happy and excited students
poured from the train news of the trag-
cdy to the black and gold OF Purdue
was received. Instantly all was sad
ness and sympathy. The throng melt
cd into Borrowing groups that scparat-
| ed to search morgue and hospital for
friends, or took cars for the scene OF
the wreck to lend any possible aid.
Welsh Miners Deported.
Philadelphia Especial - Twenty-Five