The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-31
IS DEAD, 81 HURT
IN COLLISION
Terrible Accident at Mat
toon, Ill, When Troll
leys Crash.
MOTORMAN IS BLAMED
Car Bearing Holiday Crowd on Way
to Fair Telescoped By
Heavier Vehicle.

Mattoon, I'LL, Aug. 30.-Fifteen per
sons We're killed and fifty-two Injured
many of them so seriously II is be-
heved they will die-when a trolley
car of the Mattoon- Charleston electric
line was crashed into this morning by
a heavily laden freight car of the same
line on a. sharp curve one mile west of
Charleston.
The victims were on their way to
Charleston to attend the county fair.
and thee ar in which they were riding
was crowded to it's capacity. many of
the passengers being women and chill
dren.
Responsibility for the disaster was
placed tonight by the traction company
on the shoulders of Benjamin Nc
Cleary, motorman of the express car.
who disappeared Immediately after the
crash
Trims Crash Curve.
The collision occurred on danger
Gus curve half a mile west of the
Glover Leaf" crossing. The cars which
crashed were the regular freight No.
IA, in charge of Motorman Charles
Bolts and Conductor Frank Quicker,
man Benjamin McCleary. Both trains
were running at high speed and the
impact when they came together was
so terrific that the passenger trolley
was telescoped by the freight
There were no warning whistles and
no chance for escape for any of the
passengers by jumping. The motor
man had not time to even apply the
ofs fro Ira HaF A.
Long wnIt: for Aid.
Owing to the fact that the telephone
apparatus with which each car was
eauipped was ruined, there was no way
to summon assistance until some of the
survivors ran to Charleston, mile
distant
AS soon as the frenzied passengers
who escaped injury realized what had
happened, they rendered every assist
ance possible in taking out and caring
for the injured
Improvised stretchers were made of
car seats and the rescue work began
promptly. The traction officials were
notified from Charleston of the disas-
ter and a city car was pressed into
service. carrying almost every ply
sician and surgeon who could be To-
Gated in the short space of nmel which
elapsed before the car left.
A fast run was made to Urban Park,
where the cars bearing the dead and
injured to Mattoon were passed. Sew.
eral of the physicians returned to Mat
toon. caring for the injured en- route.
the others continuiNg to the scene of
the wreck to assist the Charleston plNr-
sicians In caring for the injured still
lying on improvised stretchers and the
ground.
The heat OF the day added greatly
to the suffering of the injured and to
the hardships under which the rescu-
ers worked.
Racked by fever and pain the unfor-
tunates manned in the crash. cried out
in vain for water. Delirium followed
this plea in many cases, but there was
no water Immediately available. no
way to get it until the relief cars ar
rived
The search by survivors for missing
ones added to the confusion about the
wreck. Women sobbing, ran about as
If half demented. AID swooned when
they found the lifeless body of the one
they hunted. Men broke down and
wept at the pitiful scenes enacted
about them.
Dead and Injured Removed.
Physicians from Charleston were the
first to arrive at the wreck, and at once
began the work of easing the pain OF
the Injured Soon afterward the car
from Mattoon reached the scene of
carnage and the removal OF the dead
and wounded was begun. The bodies
of those killed were brought here and
removed to various undertaking rooms.
where eager crowds were gathered in
an EFFORT to find relatives or friends
reported slain.
The wounded were taken to the
Methodist hospital. where those who
sustained severe injury were placed in
rooms and wards. while the less ser
iously hurt were given attention and
then conveyed to their homes or those
OF friends at Mattoon.
The disaster has cast gloom over the
entire city The theaters are closed
and will remain so until after the
funerals of the victims.
Coroner Begins His Work.
Late this afternon Coroner Grimes
impaneled a jury Of inquest TO investi-
gate into the cause of the disaster.
The jury viewed the bodies OF the
victims and then adjourned until to-
morrow. Meanwhile search is being
made for the missing motorman. Me-
Cleary who disappeared Immediately
after the crash
Superintendent Moore Of the traction
company tonight gave out a statement
in which he places responsibility for
the disaster on McCleary, who was mo-
torman OF the express car
Orders Are Ignored.
During this week. while the county