The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-29
Samuel Spencer, Head of Southern
System, Meets Awful Death.
Private Car Smashed and
He Is Burned to Crisp
Under Engine.
Two Guests and Dispatch-
er Also Perish--dhouls
Loot Wreckage.

Lynchburg, Va, Nov. 29.-Presid
Samuel Spencer of the Southern Rail
way system, who was en- route to the
south on his annual hunting trip, was
lision at Lawler, fifteen miles south
Of Lynchburg.
The private car in which he was hid
ing was struck and split open by the
colliding locomotive. 1t Immediately
caught fire and the body Of Mr.. Spen-
Ger was burned almost beyond recog-
milton.
Others of Party Killed.
In the car with him were Philip
Schuyler of New York city, Mr.. Spen-
GERS private secretary, Merrill, and
his private dispatcher, D. w. Davis, Of
Alexandria, Va: Davis was crushed
Schuyler was instantly killed, but his
body was not badly burned before it
was rescued by passengers.
Frank T. Redwood, 91S Madison ave-
nue., Baltimore, and Charles D. Fisher
OF Gill & Fisher, Baltimore, who were
In Mr. Spencer,s car, also were killed.
Charles D: Fisher was one Of the
foremost citizens Of Baltimore. He
was one of the founders of the grain
mad extensive business interests in the.
south. Mr.. Fisher was one of Presi-
dent Spencer's party. "a
Engineer Cherry, who was on the rear
train, was killed. Private Secretary
Merrill was wounded, but the nature sc
his injuries has not been learned
Twelve or thirteen passengers, most OF
e of %bo megie 70 tbo were wounded only one
,--s. Fire Follows Crash.
>. The collision was between train No.
No. 81, the Washington & Southwestern
vestibuled limited. ~
The Jacksonville train stopped on
the top of a very high grade q mile
north Of Lawyers depot. to repair \
slight breakdown. and before...a flag.
man could get back TO protect the train
the, Atlanta train dashed into it. iK
said. ,sSssz -, sg''S5}
The heavy engine Of the train pla19s
Ger, IN which he and his guests ar
supposed to have been sleeping. f.
mediately the private car caught fir
The Wreckage was piled around the s..
CINE. as tho placed there by human
hands to be consumed. 3.
Spencer Found Under Engine.
Every piece OF woodwork on the en-
CINE was burned and the monster ma
chine stands there torn and twisted
and will haveat to be turned down the
embankment, as it is useless, e.
1t was under the locomotive that the
burned body of President Spencer was
found. 1t is evident that Mr.. Spencer
was killed instantly and that he did
not suffer the tortures of being burned.
Davis Conscious at Death
Dispatcher Davis was alive when he
was taken from under the wreckage.
He was crushed about the lower por-
ton Of the body and was conscious
until the end: He asked that word be
:, The death of Mr.. i Davis was touch
ing. He stated to his rescuer that he.
knew he was dying and knew that the
end could not be far off.
Place your finger on my mouth, -
he said, cit feels so cool and good, 2,
He pleaded with the gentleman, who
was also a passenger on the train, not
to leave him, and for ten minutes this
man stayed with him until he saw that
nothing more could be done for him.
Porters Loot Wreckage.
One Of the worst phases of the acct
dent was the heartlessness with which
a few passengers and some attaches,
some of the porters Of the
Atlanta train, ransacked the wrecked
cars for plumber.
F.. M. Curtis Of Jamestown. N. Y,
who was a passenger on the Jackson
vile train, saw one negro porter 90
thru a woman 8 grip. He saw him
throw away such things as were Of no
value to him and appropriate those
things that he wanted. Mr.. Curtis de-
clared that he would have certainly
killed the porter If he had something
to do it with.
Not q few passengers engaged in this
ghoulish business, and large number
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