Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-01-15
NEW YORK MEDICAL MAN THE HERO.
Seventeen Killed in Wreck on Inc
Long Island R. R.

Topeka, Kan. (SpeciaD.-Seventeen
persons were killed and 81 injured by
he collision OF the Rock Island Kali
.oad's California and Mexico express
with freight train at 1856 o'clock a.
m., two miles west of Willard, Kan.
Willard is ID miles west OF Topeka.
Most of the injured are in hospitals
N Topeka. The doctors announce that
all will recover except Mrs. NJ. A. Hill,
Of Greensburg, Kan.
1t is thought that careIessness by
!rainmen caused the wreck. Instructed
10 meet q special stock train at Will
lard, the engineer and conductor OF the
Inflated passenger train, noting that
freight train stood on the side track
at Willard, rushed through, thinking
that the cars they had seen were the
ones they had been instructed to pass
Upon seeing the freight train on the
siding, Engineer S. J. Benjamin threw
open the throttle Under the impetus
Of full steam the passenger train leap
ed into the darkness and dashed along
at rate which, the passengers say
was fully O. miles an hour. Not note
of warning OF the impending danger
made itself known.
General Superintendent Gruber, OF
the Rock Island, made this statement;
The engineer Of the passenger tram
had orders. to wait at Willard for the
special stock train. Nobody else IS to
blame so far as our information goes,
The hero of the wreck was DIR. r.
NJ. Bell, of New York city, a young
physician, himself cripple walking on
clutches. DR.. Bell, although slightly
hurt as a result OF the collision, was
the first man to leave the Pullman
sleeper, which was not damaged. Strug-
Cling heroically forward on his crutches
he assumed charge OF the rescue work:
First he ordered the chair car and
sleeper cleared. Then, after directing
the removal of the injured to theSe;
cars, he allayed the pain Of the inJureec
as much as was possible without medl-
cine or instruments, bandaged broken
legs and arms with strips torn at MS
| QlreCtlOl ny OlISIo llOlI
pillow slips, administered what wins
XIV was at hand to deadcn the injuries
until the relief train should arrive, anc
saved the life of the fireman by tying
an artery with the aid Of penknlte ane
4 piece Of string.
After working until nearly exhausted
DR.. Bell gave way only when phys3i
clans arrived from Topeka with med
cines and instruments. He was on hi
way to FL Paso, Texas for his health
Soon after returning to Topeka from
the scene Of the wreck he boarded an
other train for the South.
when the collision came" said Or
Bell before his departure, I'VE in tho
sleeper were in Our berths. | wa:
thrown from mine and Immediately goi
into my clothes to see what was wrong
Il saw that medical assistance wa:
| the first thing needed. There. were
.wo Young women in my car who OF,
;ered their services, and they worked
unhesitatingly with the injured Al
The people in the sleepers were bun
lied out to make room for the injured
with one exception, those in the
;leepers devoted themselves unseltlsh,
" to the care Of the wounded. nal
exception was man who wouldn't
give ND his berth. | told some men tc
ERIK him out. They jerked him out
md I haven't seen him since"