The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-30
INDIANA POLITICIANS
HURT IN RAILWAY WRECK
At OUTSKIRTS OF PERU
Baggage Car and Locomotive of
L. E. & w. Train Smashed by
Running Into Freight Engine.
FIREMAN BADLY INJURED
Well-Known Residents of Kokomo
and Other Cities Bruised,
Skinned or Severely Shaken.
FIREMAN BADLY INJURED
,ci1 to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
PERU, Ind, March Blake Erie q
Western passenger train No. %, leaving
here at 7:20 p. m, ran into an open switch
and collided head-on with switch engine
in the yards south of this city about 7.3O
o'clock this evening. Fireman Robert Har-
ris, of Peru, was seriously and perhaps IA
tally injured, all the passengers were bad
ly shaken up and several of them suffered
severe bruises and sprains. The more seri-
Gus cases were:
ROBERT HARRIS, Peru, fireman; con-
cussion of the brain.
ROLL COOPER, Kokomo; injury to back.
E. A. SIMMONS, Kokomo; left knee Sc
verely strained.
The official list of injured included in
addition the following:
HARRY B. MOORE. Peru. express mes
senger; hip sprained.
JOHN JOHNSON, Bunker Hill; wrist
sprained.
w. +. THOMPSON. Miami; elbow
sprained.
N. a. FANDIFER, Miami; arm bruised.
JOHN MORROW. Kokomo; arm bruised.
]. HAROLD, Miami; arm bruised.
F. N. COUCHER, arm bruised.
l.. p NEWLY, Knightstown; knee
bruised
C. w. REMRIETA. Kokomo; arm and leg
sprained.
A.. JOHNSON. Kokomo: elbow sprained.
j. E. BLUE, Bunker Hill; leg skinned.
JOHN ABROM, Benefits: shin skinned.
JAMES COUCHER, BENEFITS: elbow
bruised.
MRS B. B. KYLE, Peru: head bruised.
III. STUDOR, Indianapolis, brakeman;
wrist Spralned.
JAMES ROMERS, Greentown; arm
bruised.
Engineer Frank Connolly did not JUMP
and suffered no injury beyond a severe
shaking up, while by jumping Fireman
Harris badly hurt.
The train carried unusually large num-
ber of passengers, many of whom were
politicians, who had been in attendance at
the Eleventh district Republican congress
sional convention held here to-day. Among
the prominent men on the train were l.. p.
Newby, of Knightstown. and Walter l..
Ball, of Muncie, candidates for the Repub-
lican nomination for Lieutenant Governor;
Horace c. Stilwel, of Anderson, who is
we'll known in traction circles, and Z. A.
simmons. of Kokomo, who is the chair
man of the Howard county Republican CEN
trail committee.
When the train reached the yards south
of the city, where a new switch had been
made. the engine, No. 33, took the switch
and ran into a freight engine which was
standing on the siding. The train was NOV
ing at a rate of only six or eight miles an
hour the accident would undoubtedly
have proved much more serious. AS it was
the shock was sufficient to break the en-
gine loose from the train. which threw the
emergency air brakes on the coaches The
cars recoiled and stopped with shock that
sent the passengers sprawling and loosened
many of the seats. Both engines were SO
badly damaged that they will be sent to
the shops. while the baggage car was
smashed and the baggage sent in all direc-
tions.
Fireman Harris. in jumping. was thrown
against rail and his head was cut open.
Ii was thought at first that he was dead
but il was soon learned that he was only
unconscious, and upon examination at the
hospital II was found that his skull was
not fractured. He will probably recover.
Another engine and baggage car were
procured and the train left on its trip south
an hour and half late None of the in
jured passengers taken to the hospital