The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-11

three persons were killed in a COILS |
ion early today in the Grand Trunk |
yards between two sections of Wallace |
brothers circus. Seven Of h e
lare in a mo-gue unidentified. Only
Twenty were more or less seriously in
ljured. Coroner Farrer this afternoon
l~impanelled a jury which viewed the
remains and adjourned until August IA, |
when the inquest will be held. Follow |
ling are the dead:
JAMES MCCARTHY, trainmaster. |
lGrand Trunk road between Port HUI
ron and Battle Creek.
A. ". LARGE. special officer Grand
Trunk. Battle Creek.
JOHN PURCELL, Peru, Ind, boss
lcanvassman.
LAFE LARSON. Cambridge. Ohio.
six horse team driver.
G. THOMAS, residence unknown.
member of stake and chain gang.
HARRY ST. CLAIR, residence I'M
known. reserved seat man.
JOHN LEARY, Springfield, Ills. boss
lof ring stock.
ANDREW ROWLAND. New York
Estate. canvassmar
FRANK THORP. Dundee. Mich.
trainmaster of circus train.
ROBERT RICE. residence unknown.
lh~arnesSrnaker.
GEORGE SMITH, residence I'M
known. blacksmith.
JAMES TOFFELMIRE, Orient. Iowa.
CHARLES SANDS. Peru. Ind. driv-
Ier.
JOE WILSON. Pittsburg.
w. ]. MCCOY, Columbus, Ohio. can
lvasS man with side show.
w YORK Terrea HaTte Ind
UNKNOWN MAN. driver of band
Iwagon.
unknown MAN. home said to be in
Indianapolis. rider in circus races.
UNKNOWN MAN. home said to be
in Louisville. four horse driver.
unknown MAN. four horse driver.
UNKNOWN MAN, suffocated to
death.
Two unidentified men are also dead
lat the hospital.
James 5. Foley. of Detroit. special
I~Officer of the Grand Trunk, was SER
Iiously injured and j. j. Meadow, of
Anderson, 5. c., was also among the
injured.
After last nights exhibition at Char
lotte the TWO trains left for Lapeer
lover the Grand Trunk road. the sec
ond section leaving a half hour after
the first. 1t was 3.45 o'clock when the
irst section pulled in to the west end
OF the Grand Trunk yards here. A red
liz IS hung on the rear car to stop
the second section. Engineer Probst.
Iof Battle Greek. who was running the
enSine OF the rear train. says he saw
ithis light and anDlied the air brake.
He says it refused to work. He re-
versed his engine, but the momentum
of the heavy train behind was too
great and with a crash hey aroused
lall of the town neal the yards. the two
TRAINS met. Three CAR of the sta
~tionary first section were t~elescoped
and the engine and five cars of 20
lmOving train were demolished. The
lrear a Of the first section was a ca
boose. in which the trainmen were
sleeping and the next two were filed
with sleeping circus employees. The
sre"test loss of life was in the ca
boose.
One Of the wrecked cars Of the sec
ond section was occupied by five ele-
iphants n several camels. One or
the elephants and two camels were
killed outright. while the other animals
and their trainer eScaped. With the
exception Of this car, non of the
menagerie was wrecked. the other de-
molished airs containing canvass or
wagons and there was comparatively
little excitement among the wild ami
jmalS. AS SOOn as hev from
the first shock. the trainers rushed
among the cages Quieting the few
beasts that We're excited. The ele-
plants in the wrecked car behaved
with surprising calmness. and were
led out Of the wreck without trouble.
The escaping steam and screams and
cries of those pinned in the wreck
made a horrifying ~~ectacle in the
gray Of the early morning. when the
trainmen IN the yards. and the aroused
towns people first reached the scene.
Many feared at first that some of the
gerie had escaped. as some of the
animals could De heard crying. The
fire whistle was Immediately sounded
land the whole town was aroused. The
I~reScuers could see unfortunates
Through the tangled wreckage and
went ~furiOusly to work without wait
ling for tools TO eXtricate them. a
wrecking crew is kept in the yards
here and il was OF the scene in a very
few minutes bringing tools and equip
ment in plenty. All the phyusicians
land trained nurses in town were sent
flor n those in nearby places were
rushed TO the scene on hand cars. The
Hotel Richelcu was converted into a
Temporary hospital and scores of vol
unteers with StretcherS were in readi-
mess TO carry h injured there as fast
las the rescuerS could eXtricate them.
The lead many of them SO terribly
mangled that identification seemed we'll
might impossible. were carefully laid
on the green Sward a short distance
from the scene.
Engineer Probst, Fireman Golfer and
head Brakeman Benedict. who was also
on the engine of the second section all
Iagree that if the brakes had worked as
Ithey ought to have when the engineer
tried TO use them there woul ave
been no collision.
Fireman Golfer and Brakeman Benz
Idict. when they saw that a collision
fonI,lS mot he oEorfQd inmno6 En-