The St. Louis Republic., 1903-01-30
Two Officials Will Summon Wit
nesses Regarding Accident
That Cost % Lives.
EIGHT BODIES ARE IDENTIFIED.
Smoke From Burning Cars Visible
at Tuscon Many Hours After
Disaster-Railroad Off
Gals Reticent.

the killed and injured in the collision on
the Southern Pacific yesterday morning
near Walls places the number of dead at
twenty three. of which eight have been
identified. The injured number twenty-one
There Is a conflict between two Coroners
as to jurisdiction in the case Of yesterdays 8
wreck which is likely to seriously delay
matters.
The dead: - e..
John w. Bruce. engineer of No. l. Tucson.
r. WiIkie engineer of No. s. Tucson.
George McGrath, fireman of No. T. Tucson.
J. NJ. Hilton. capitalist. Cambridge. Mass.
]. f. Cassidy. volunteer soldier. Texas.
Eugene P. Willard, San Francisco.
Mrs. Eugene P. Willard. s3in Francisco.
s. s. Elder. Jr.. Bisbee. Ariz.
A child about years of age. unidentified.
Unidentified. fourteen.
One Coroner had a deputy on the ground
who took possession of the bodies of the
victims. The other Coroner arrived after
the bodies had been put on the train and
on the way to Tucson. They have sum-
moned witnesses to appear In the courts.
The body of J. NJ Hilton of Cambridge.
Mass, has been positively identified. 4
keyring was found this morning on body
brought from the wreck last night with
the wording. u. L. Martin. Passenger
Agent. c. Pr The last word is indistinct.
Two charred bodies that were not idend-
fled yesterday are now believed to be those
of Mr.. and Mrs ". Eugene p. Willard Of
San Francisco.
CHILp's BODY FOUND.
The body of small child. probably 6
years old. was discovered among mass of
bones and flesh that had been dumped into
rough board box at the wreck yesterday
and brought to the mergue.
S. S. Elder of Bisbee.. Ariz., arrived this
morning and identified his son as one of the
victims in the morgue. On one of the
bodies that was examined to-day brass
button was found clinging to a burnt piece
of coat. with the letters. IN. G. W."
The conductor of No. s says there was no
one on his train up to the time of arriving
at Tucson that wore a uniform.
The wreck was burning all last night and
this morning smoke could be seen from this
city, sixteen miles distant. 1t is a settled
fact that four negroes lost their lives in the
wreck They were buffet men on No. 8.
That all the bodies have not been taken
from the wreck is further strengthened by
the odor Of burning flesh which permeates
all parts of the wreck. especially at the
point where the smoker and the second
Pullman of No. s were telescoped.
SCORES OF INQUIRIES.
Scores of messages are arriving from all
parts of the country, making inquiries as
to people on the two trains.
Word has just been received from Bis
bee that makes It almost certain that ].
B. Angus. a prominent merchant of that
place. is among the victims OF the wreck.
His body has not been recovered.
The opinion Of the passengers who were
on the wrecked trains is that the loss Of
life may be fifty or sixty. One of them
said this morning that It would not surprise
him il It were even greater.
Railroad officials would not make any
statement further than that Operator
Clough at Walls was responsible on account
of his failure to deliver the second order.
Clough himself is under instructions to say
nothing until called to the witness stand
at the inquest. Conductor Parker will make
no statement.
Lynn Helm. an attorney of Los Angeles.
and his wife. both Of whom were passengers
n, on the westboun1 ives Sunset Limited; were were
the escape Of the two Pullman cars Of the
westbound train to the nerve OF Engineer
air brakes. Mr.. Helm says:
THREE DISTINCT SHOCKS.
The crash came at 3:11, as was iliscov-
cred later by the stopped watch OF one of
the dead engineers.
There were three distinct shocks, the
first resulting from the setting OF the pow
erful brakes. So suddenly was the air
thrown on that the rear trucks of our car
This was the greatest shock to us. Then
followed the two other Jars.
II looked out OF the window Immediately
was caused by the burning cars. The bag
gage, postal and day coaches seemed to
flash UP in one blaze at the touch Of the
engines 1t was the most sudden confiagra-
There were no groans from the twenty
mass. All must have been killed instantly.
were not killed. instantly by the shock must
have perished within minute or two from
the intense heat. The grand crash must
have signaled the death Of all, and, there,
fore, the complete destruction of cars and
inmates mercifully saved victims from the
tortures of the flames.
the wreck for passengers, the heat Of the
flames precluded this: The passengers who
were unhurt Immediately arranged mat
wounded to the improyised couches. We
saw nothing Of the victims Of the burning
cars. The second section of our train came
up and removed all passengers.
HEADS BRUISED.
Passengers in the unin1ured Pullmans
without exception, sustained bruised heads
1t was a matter Of general comment aft
erwards that each passenger had one or
more bumps on his head, caused by the sud-
den stopping Of the cars. which threw the
sleeping passengers against the headboards
with considerable force.
II saw one narrow escape. The agent for
Wells, Fargo & Co. was in the car and the
shock threw about ton Of trunks and
grips upon him. He, literally was buried
deep with baggage. A baggageman pushed
the obstructions of. and the WelIs-Fargo
man came out without injury. I saw one
fellow come through car window with the
fire right behind him. He said he had wait
ed to get his Shoes and. while cropping for
them. dropped his pocketbook containing
all his money and ticket. The fire became
his yaluables"