The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-10
TRAIN DERA|LED
BY M|SCREANTS
Special Loaded With Animals for
Exhibition Wrecked Near
the City.
EVIDENCES OF CRIME FOUND

The second section of a passenger train
of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad,
containing several passenger coaches, in
Guiding one Pullman and four or Ave
cars OF wild animals consigned to Bos-
tock's Wild animal show at lakewood,
ran into I'M open siding about a mile
and a half west Of Richmond yesterday
afternoon. and the engine and several
cars were derailed. The accident was
due to an open switch. which, 1t Is
thought. was tempered with by parties
bent on wreckinE the train.
From the evidence of persons visiting
the scene there Is reason to believe that
a deliberate attempt was made To wreck
the westbound passenger train due to
leave Richmond at 2 z. NJ. But for the
running of a second section to eastbound
No. 6. which train was derailed, the
westbound passenger train, loaded with
passengers for Cincinnati. Chicago and
Hot Springs, would no doubt have been
wrecked.
The train which took the spill con-
sisted of three carloads OF wild animals
with their trainers for the Bostock Wild
Animal Show, AT lakewood. These three
cars. with the engine, were dcrailed at
Baldwin's siding, about one and a half
miles west of Richmond, on the land of
r. w. Christian, at LES p. NJ yesterday.
Evidences of Crime.
Officials OF the Chesapeake and Ohio.
who inspected tho location. express the
belief that the wreck was deliberately
caused by some person as yet unknown.
Tracks were found leading down the bank
to and around the switchstand. They
saw marks OF where a hammer or hard
instrument, or a rock, had been used to
break the lock holding the switch. The
lock had been wrested from Its chain
holding it, and has not yet been found,
though search had been made for 1t yes
terday and last night by searching parties.
At 11:25 A. NJ, one hour and three
quarters before the wreck. freight train
No. 90, from Charlottesville passed safe
" over the main line. The switch at that
time was closed and locked. The train
which was wrecked was known as the
section section of No. 6, and was running
six hours late. The alleged wreckers
could hardly nave known but that this
train had passed. as it was six hours
overdue.
That the engineer and crew OF the train,
and the animal trainers and helpers, to-
gether with the valuable animals, were
not all killed was no doubt due to the-I
the fact that a large carload of sand had
been left OF the siding. The engine
this, demolishing entirely the
wooden dump-car, while the sand acted
a buffer. ,
Trainer Was Injured.
Two of the cars of animals were con-
siderably jolted up. Mat Johnson, one
of Bostock's expert trainers, was caught
a den of tigers, which was broken
in the shock. but fortunately escaped
serious injury. Although the
shock of the spill broke open several of
the cages OF animals, no animals escaped,
and the cages We're turned so as to bring
the broken sides against the sides of the
cars.
Engineer Joe Vass was bruised about
the back, hips and shoulders.
The main line of the Chesapeake and
Ohio was blocked for two hours and fif-
teen minutes. Passenger train No. 5, for
West, due to leave Richmond at 2:I5
p. NJ. was sent out over the Seaboarl
Line tracks to Acca and thence over
the Richmond, fredericksburg and Poto-
to boswell junction. AT $3.50 O'Clock
Yesterday afternoon the main line was
reported clear.
At the point of the wreck there is a
sharp curve, and the engineer could not
see the switch target until in 100
yards of 1t, and 1t was then too late to
stop the train. The actual objects, OF the
alleged w~reckers is a1mystery.I The Ches-
and Ohio Railway will no doubt
make the most careful investigation of
the whole matter.