New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-11

the situation to clear itself. Then willing hands
turned in to drag the dead and injured
The men and women imprisoned In the two
wrecked coaches were screaming and begging
for help. The emergency tool boxes in the un-
harmed broken open. and the pas
sengers and the village folk started to work to
cut away the timbers which pinned down those
caught in the cars.
The work quickly done. The fifteen killed
were laid beside the track. while the injured
were carried to the nearest houses, all of which
had been thrown open for their reception. AL
most the injured began to be taken
from the wreckage many women, bearing linen
and other articles that could be made use of in
caring for the injured appeared Foremost in
caring for the injured were two New York
physicians who spending their vacations
at Midvale.
other physicians soon the scene were Drs.
Colfax. Washburn Mains and Young, Of Mid
vale. and Hass. Smith and Young, of Little
Falls. An engine and cars were sent from Little
Falls to the scene Of the wreck and as rapidly
as possible the most seriously hurt were pre-
pared for transmission by train to Little Falls
and thence to Jersey city and Hobokeu. The
less severely hurt stayed under treatment in
Midvale until later in the day.
SOME BODIES CRUSHED TO PULP.
j. Easton Drew. Lawrence Benton, l. \. Wat
son and samuel Goodfellow, Of Midvae. took
thirteen injured and seven dead persons from
the wreck.
1T was the most pathetic scene have ever
Witnessed said Mr.. Drew. One poor fellow
we dragged out OF the wreck was pinned under
tons Of lumber. We had succeeded in releasing
all but one foot, when it seemed as if the wreck
age was about to fall on him. He, too, seemed
TO realize his danger. and he called out to us,
For Gods sake. drag me out, even if you have
TO drag my leg of"
81 must see my wife and children he de-
clared
His wife ana children were in the forward car
we learned afterward. and he had left them be-
fore the crash came to go into the for
refreshments BY means Of ropes we dragged
him out, and in doing the lower part of one
leg was torn off We restored him to his wife
and children.
Another poor fellow hung out Of a window
his body and leg being crushed between broken
seats He called for some one to shoot him and
thus put him out Of his misery. We took out
some bodies that were crushed TO pulp.
DR.. Maines of Poupton. was one of the first
physicians TO arrive He was called on to at
tend Mrs Holwedden. who had given prena-
.ure birth to a child at the shock OF the sight
of her husband and son. who were among the
dead.
When the news of the wreck spread through
the village OF Midvale Father Felix. of st.
Bonaventura's Church, at West Paterson.
offering mass in a house used as a church on
Sundays. He left the altar and soon anon.
the dead and dying administering the last rites
ENGINEER FLEEs FOR HIS LIFE.
When the passengers who were uninjured re-
allied -tAe extent OF the accident there was a
demand for vengeance Several of them armed
themselves with axes and other weapons and
started in search of the engineer of the ex-
sponsible for the disaster He fled for safety.
",rice" Rome. who conducts a hotel near the
scene OF the wreck, locked the engineer In a
room and kept him there until the anger of the
crowd had cooled off.
Each of the two trains drawn by two en-
gines Charles d. Iandmesser was the engineer
OF the first engine of the second regular excur-
sion train His fireman was Martin Bowers The
engineer of the second engine was Michael Nc
Keon a. ]. Vandcrhoff was conductor of the
special excursion train and Martin White and
Captain the engineers.
The operator in the tower whom many blamed
for the accident was Walter Richards He and
his brother John have charge of the tower and
alternate days and nights. Both are said TO be
careful men, Walter Richards was relieved by
his brother soon after the accident He had
nothing to say
County Physician Mcbride. who was on the
scene an hour after the wreck had the bodies
placed in an empty box car. Later in the day
they were transferred to Little Falls There
Assistant Prosecutor Ralph Shaw. of Passaic
County. offered his barn for a morgue This
was accepted. DIR. Mcbride directed that one
body be held until this morning. All the others
identified were removed. Tomorrow morning
Coroner Blauvelt and jury will view the body
held.
STATEMENT OF RAILWAY OFFICIALS.
The railway officials make the following state
ment:
About o'clock a. m. excursion train 32l OF
twelve coaches. drawn by engine I'm charge
hoof conductor, left Hoboken with the First Platt-
deutsche Company of Hoboken Just west of Mid
vale station, the train stopped at the water crane
to take water. There is n curve there. a
moment later regular train. 500. drawn by engine
S55, with Engineers Landmesser and McKeoun IN
charge. Conductor F. Gumichio. ran into the rear
Of the excursion train. The operator at the
Mdvale station failed to show the signal that the
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