The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-10
WRECKED BY DESIGN?
The Passenger, No. Al, Had Scarcely
Gone Down in a Mass Of Splintered
Wood and Iron When Light Freight
Closely Following Piled in a Pyramid
of Ruin Above.--Eyidence of a Mali
cious Attempt to DeraiI the Train.
Especial to News and Observer.


Monroe, N. c., Sept. "a terrible |
disaster befell Seaboard train No. Al at
Catawba river twenty-five miles south
OF this point about 2 o'clock this morn
ing.
This is a local passenger train run
ming from Monroe to Atlanta, and left
here at 1880 o'clock last night. The
train was in charge of Conductor X.
T. West and Engineer G. H. Meares.
Just after crossing the Catawba
bridge and while the train was yet on
the trestlework leading from the
bridge the structure gave away, letting
the engine down about twenty or
thirty feet, all the coaches falling in a
mass behind it. The flagman was too
badly injured to get out and protect
his train; consequently it was but
few minutes before a second disaster
a freight train following closely
dashed upon the ill-fated passenger,
the cars piling up in heaps.
Up to the present four dead bodies
have been taken from the wreckaSe,
including Engineer Barksdale. of the
freight train, and the colored fireman
of the passenger.
The intelligence of this sad affair
was promptly telegraphed from Ca
tawba junction to Monroe and an
emergency train at once hurried to the
scene of disaster, having on board a
good force Of surgeons and nurses.
who at once administered to the wants
OF the injured during the night
The Dead and Injured.
Early this morning the dead and in
jured were brought here, the dead
bodies to be cmbalmed and prepared
for shipment to their homes. The in
jured were placed in the Monroe-Stew-
art Sanitarium where their injuries
are being carefully looked after.
1t is heart-rending to hear the
story told by some of the survivors Of
their thrilling experience. The fol-
lowing is a list of the dead:
Engineer E. Y. BarlSsdale. of Abb
beville, S. 6.
Fireman Ed. Roberts, colored, of At
lanta. Ga.
Mrs. T. T.. Black, Nicholas, Ky.
A lady. whose name as yet has not
been discovered.
The injured are: Mrs. Jas. Clay.
Oakland, Tenn, fractured jaw; Z. c.
Jerome. Atlanta, Ga, badly bruised; !;
Mrs. Jerome, shoulder and head badly
injured; DIR. Edwards Banks, Athens.
Ga, back injured; Mrs. Hubert
Maitland, Fla. left leg badly crushed
Smith, White Oak, S. g.; Andrew
Greene, s. c.: Arthur Brewer. McCor-
mick, s. c.; V. s. Flerby, the Pullman
porter, slightly injured.
Every possible measure has been
taken by our people to make it as
comfortable as possible for the unfor-
-tunates, and there is a gloom cast over
our entire city today. The coroner,s
jury is now on the scene making some
investigation.
1t will be several days before trait
Gc can be opened up. In the mear-
time the passengers will detoured via
Southern Railway.
Who the Unknown Is -.
Latter telegram from Thos. Nc.
Manus identified the lady killed in
last nights wreck, as Mrs. Thomas
McManus. Wilmington, n. G. Her hus-
band will arrive tonight. Mrs. Hubert
Maitland, whose leg has been aclpc.s-
ted is resting easy A small child.
eleven months old. was the only per-
son to escape uninjured.
The wreck has cast a gloom over the
entire city. Both train crews werH
from Monroe and excitement ran high
as the dead and wounded were being
hauled in this morning
Mr. T. T. Black. of Kentucky, wa,,
the first to inform the outside woric;
of the disaster After finding his wife
dead he walked to the next station
broke open the telegraph office and
wired to Monroe about the terrible
calamity He is now lying woun le('
in the hotel While his wife is q corpse
in the hands of the undertaken