The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-02-25
HEROINE OF A WRECK.
Mrs, Harksen Tells of Incidents
of WestfieId Railway Disaster.

The following incidents of the recent
railroad disaster near Westfield, n. j.,
were described for the New York
American by Mrs. Emma Harksen, the
heroine of the wreck, who had the
dead and injured taken to her home
near the scene of the accident. In tell
ing of the collision of the two trains
she says:
| 1t was the most awful crash ever
heard. 1t began like clap of thunder
and ended in long, low moan. In
stantly the whole train seemed to flare
I'D, and, Just like the action Of cider
press, the locomotive crushed into the
rear car, while at the same time men
and women jumped, fell and were
pushed ont Of the windows.
l saw the people in the other cars
Jump to their feet and then fall back
again, and then began the awful
shrieks of the injured and dying. 1t
all happened in a minute. Part OF
what l saw then saw over my shout
der while l was running to Mrs.
Glueck's in the next house to ours,
who has a telephone. At Glueck's door
met Mrs. Glueck's son. Quick"
cried. Telephone to the police and
fire department and have as many doc
tors come as you can get! An awful
accident has happened!'
Then l at once went back 10 my own
yard, where l seized a Ratchet and
started down to the fence which sep
arated the yard from the railroad
tracks. Already some of those who
had escaped and others who were only
slightly injured were trying to get over.
l chopped away an opening as quickly
as 1 could and allowed them to come
in. Already they were beginning to
carry the dead and wounded away
from the wreck. Shouting as loud as
l could, l told the rescuers to take
them up to my house.
When l got back here, there wasn't
q room on the first floor that didn't
contain dead and dying. They lay ev-
erywhere in the greatest agony, and
the doctors were hurrying about the
house trying to find bandages. l ran
upstairs end got all of the clean linen
from the chest and carried it down to
the doctors. Then l placed myself at
their service.
The scenes were heartrending. One
man who was carried looked at me ap-
pealingly and said:
woman, if you have the courage to
be here, you must have the courage to
put me out of my misery. Have pity
on me, and kill men
His legs had been cut off close to the
body, and death soon came TO MS re-
lief.
1t was just after one Of the victims
had died that l discovered strange
man, rather young, who, l think, lives
in Westfeld, bending over Charles X.
Langworthy of Plaintield, over whom
| had thrown q coat. l am not certain
that the man intended to steal any
thing, but he was feeling in the pocket
Of the coat; so l said:
what are you doing there? Is that
your coat"
EYES," he replied.
"Let me see,' said.
bent over and lifted up the coat.
A human arm was still hanging in the
sleeve.
"You have told lie," said. "Now,
get away from here"
He didn't leave, so l ran over to the
dresser, where l keep my husbands
revolver and, taking it out said:
"If you don't get away from here and
stay away, l will shoot you" He left
then. l don't know whether l would
have shot him, but l was terribly
worked up. l used to be considered a
good shot when l lived in POUCH
keepsie.
From 7 o'clock until II they carried
the bodies into the house, mangled be-
yond recognition, burned and bloody.