The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-05-16


had to Avail, ions hours before relief
arrived.
Frightened women. peering through
the windows OF the undamagcd sleep
ing cars. tainted when they saw the
bodies OF their friends strewn along
the roadside. blood from the wounds
staining the sand drifts ell about Men
who tolled hard al the task or rescue
collapsed.
Woman's Body Driven Through Floor.
Mrs. John w. Cutler. OF bingham
ton. n. Y. was In the baggage car at
the time OF the crash 10 rcarrange her
trunk. Her body was driven through
the floor and the wrecked car had u
be lacked up before the body could be
released
Mrs. Fred Greenwood OF bingham
ton. was with Mrs Cutler. and also
went down under the tons Of baggage
and broken timbers. but she was Gov
cred by an avalanche OF trunks. When
rescuers reached the women Mrs
Greenwood reached out and grasped
the loot OF one OF the men and shout
ed: IN not let go until you get me
out" Then Scalding steam enveloped
her and she was terribly burned. She
was rescued alive. however. and was
among those taken 20 san Luis Obispo
When Miss Cora Young OF Cleve-
land. was taken from the shattered
dining car she was stiI alive. but
frightfully injured. Her entire body
had been showered with boiling wa
ter and when women friends removed
her corset the imprint of the staps
was left deep in the scalded flesh.
George Hagerman. OF Reading. Pa.
refused the aid OF his brother mobiles
after they had dragged him. fatally
hurt. from the wreck Il am dying"
he said: go help the women"
Mrs W. w. Essiek's Horrible Death.
Sander Deabold. Of Cleveland. work
cd heroically. but unavailingly. to save
the lives OF two women pinioned be
meath Burrowins his way down into
the smouldering. splintered wreck.
Deabold. with a hose he had wrenched
from car. spouted water from an adj
jacent tank and extinguished the
flames. He then reached down and
after cutting away the broken timbcrs
that held her feet. took Mrs. William
w. ESSick. OF Reading. from the ruins.
She was begging pieously for relief
when Deabold reached her. As he
lifted her from the wreckaee a stream
OF boiling water poured over her. and
the women passengers sought to re-
move her outer garments. but tainted
when the flesh came OF with the cloth
ing Mrs. Essick expired a few min
utes later. Deabold was unable longer
to endure the narrowing sight
1T was the most horrible sight |
ever laid eyes on" he said. when
ever ! touched her the prints OF the
fingers remained in the almost fluid
flesh"
Henry ]. Fischer. OF Cleveland. went
with his wife and her daughter. Miss
Cora Young. TO the baggage car Just
before the wreck The women were
killed, and he escaped almost unharm-
ed from the wreck Of the baggage car,
/ hurled through the roof to the Welding
sands OF the beach. He wandered daz-
eddy about the streets. asking mourn
| fully; How did escape2 Why
should they die and I live?'
A. ID. WATSON of Buffalo. was eat
ing at a corner table within six inches
Of the hot-water tanks. When the
rescuers neared him he yelled encour-
agingly. Dragged from the range OF
the scalding steam he murmured /.
| Thank God and died His wife aud
baby We're with him. and they escaped
/ injury.
Walter NJ Tyson. Of Reading. Pa.
is i'll az the Potter Hotel. unnerved by
his experiences. lie faced death many
times while dragging from the debris
the bodies OF friends. He finally col
lapsed under the strain.
IL was some time after the wreck
| occurred before a word OF II reached
the outside world AS soon as one OF
the uninjured trainmen could make
his way TO the station word OF the
wreck was flashed TO San Luis Obispo
| Immediately special trains were ar
ranged. Physicians and nurses. gath
cred hurriedly. were quickly on the
way TO the wreck
! Twenty-Five bodies lay on the sand
beside the track. The injured. many
OF them unconscious and dying. were
scattered about on piles OF bedding
and plush seats. brought from the
Pullmans
Many OF the dead were so severely
burned and mutilated as TO be almost
unrecognizable. The three undertake
ers rooms were besiegedd all night by
shriners who were still in the city and
by daylight all Of the dead had beer
| Identified