The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-09

cued number or injured people Irom
the first-class car. He was looked up
and asked to tell the story of the dis
aster as he saw it. He commenced by
saving that previous to boarding the
train be had been told that the Fish
inc Creek trestie was believed to be IN
az dangerous condition and as the train
approached it it was running at i've
ly gait, and he involuntarily grasped
the arms Of the seat in which he sat.
The next instant the coach commenced
to fall and it appeared to be dropping
hundreds of feet. Passengers were
thrown in every direction, some ap-
parently the length Of the car, when it
finally stopped. About fifteen passen-
GERS were on board, including three
women and three children, the balance
being men. Words could not describe
the scene. Five Of the men, including
Williford, were only. slightly injured,
and four out of the five left the car at
once in the face of Williford's entrea-
ties to remain and help him rescue the
women and children, none of whom
we're seriously injured, and also to get
out the others who we're seriously hurt.
The four men, who were unknown to
Williford, left the Car, some going TO-
wards Yorkville, while others went to
the creek and washed blood flowing
from slight wounds from their faces and
limbs. Williford, then, single-hand-
ed, succeeded in getting all the women
and children from the car, and as soon
as kelp arrived assisted in removing
those too badly mangled to be handled
bv one man of his size, he not weigh
ing over 80 pounds.
In speaking Of, the matter, Will
ford said he almost felt that he would
have been jnstifed in shooting the
strong, healthy and, unhurt young
men, who deliberately refused to as
siss him in rescuing those in distress.
From the best information obtain
able at this time, there were thirty-one
persons on the train, including pas
sengers and operating crew. Of this
number it is certain that six we're
killed outright as follows: Henry
Brickman, engineer, aged 40, whose
home was Blaclzsburg; Fred Rhyme,
fireman, aged about 81, home, Blacks
burg; C. j. Smith, colored, postal
clerk, aged about 40, home Char,
lesion and three unknown negroes.
It is claimed by scme that there we're
one or two others killed, but no
others were found.
The following are supposed to be
fatally injured: Julian Johnson, aged
about 20, whose home is Rock Hill.
He was hurt Internally; W. T. Slaught-
er of Hickory Grove, S. c.; badly
bruised and hurt internally, and three
negroes, VIM Beard, Frank Burris and
Alex Huey, all injured internally.
The following we're seriously, but
not necessarily fatally, injured: z. G.
Hicks, travelling salesman for Rich
mond grocery house, right leg broken
below knee and otherwise serious in
iured. His home is Lancaster, S. c.,
r. A. Willis, Edgemoor, S. c., leg
broken and otherwise injured; Mar
vim a. Morrow, Blacksburg, right
leg broken at thigh and other injuries;
Edward Turner, conductor, Blacks
burg, shoulder blade broken and pain
full wound in side; P. Bomar Wilson
ant, Aagman, Blacksburg, leg seri-
ously injured; D. F. Dukes baggage
master and express messenger, painful
II injured; Mrs. Il. B. Buist. Rock
Hill, painfully hart on shoulder.
The following is list of the pas
sengers who escaped with slight
bruises OF were hurt at all: P, ".
Spencer, Roddey's. S. c.; Fred Foag,
Lancaster; j. n. McL.aurih, Bethune;
Mrs. j c.. Boyd, Pressly, n. c.; W..
Harry Wylie, Jr., Rock Hill; B. F.
Williford, Charlotte, n, c.; E. Y.
Hall, Rock Hill; F. Mills Stevenson,
Kershaw; Mr.. Cunningham, Lancas-
ter, Sudie McCaskell, Kershaw; Wal
ter and Mary jenkins, Rock Hill: Miss
Jessie Love, Sharon.
While all the doctors Of this place
have large clientage in the surround
ing country and necessarily are out of
town a large part OF the time 1t SO
happened that all Of them heard Of
the disaster and arrived at the scene
in time to render valuable services.
An extra train was sent from Rock
Hill bearing friends and relatives Of
victims OF the tragedy, arriving
within one hour after it occurred. On
the train were several Rock Hill ply
sicians. A number of the wounded
were brought to Yorkyille, and are
being nursed by the people of the
community. Others were taken to the
homes in the vicinity of the wreck
while still others were taken back to
Rock Hill.
G. j. Smith, the postal clerk killed
in the wreck, was running his first
trip as a substitute. and it is said he
received his commission only yester-
day.
Fred. Rhyme, the fireman, was a
most excellent young man and a gener-