The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-01
115 BODIES HAVE
BEEN RECOVERED
Not All Bodies Have Been TAX
en- From Inflated Mar
lama Mine.
GHOULS ARE AT WORK.
PREPARATIONS MADE TO MAKE
SHORT WORK OF ANY CRlMI-
MAILS CAUGHT OPERATING
MONEY STOLEN FROM BODIES.

Mariana, Penn, Dec. 1-One hun
dred and fifteen bodies are now in
the improvised morgue, the remains
of the victims of the Inflated mine
shaft few feet distant.
There remain at least 40 bodies at
the bottom of the shaft, but there is
no hurry to bring them up. yhe facil-
tiles of the coroner and of the under
takers assistants already have been
overtaxed with caring for the bodies
that have been brought up. Several
of these men have tainted from ex-
haustion.
Frank Ellinger, in Memorial Hospit-
al, at Monongahela, is in a critical con-
dition. 1t is now feared that his mind
may not survive the shock of IL hours
In the pit of death and darkness.
A race of nearly 1000 miles is now
on to the bedside of the injured sur
vivor. Ellinger's wife and four chill
dren in an interior town of England,
have been cabled for by the company,
which hopes they will arrive in time
by preserving his reason.
Survivor Tells Of Disaster.
Frank Elinger, the only miner to es-
cape after the explosion, said today:
When the explosion happened, l
did not see the beginning of it, and for
that reason I cannot assign cause. I
did hear, however, kissing sound,
and instinctively concluded some
thing was wrong. This was the burn
ing OF the gas preceding the report of
the explosion. l Immediately buried
my face and head in the dirt and mud
and then pulled my coat over my head.
The explosion came along. 1t struck
me and threw me with terrific force
against one of the mine walls. For
was unable to move.
II never lost consciousness, although
i was badly stunned, but was unable
to move. Every part of my body
ached. As hour after hour passed.
heard my comrades grooming all
around me, but gradually the groaning
grew less and less and I knew that
they were all dead. I was In the mine
twelve hours after the explosion and
was ultimately rescued by Fire Boss
William Underwood"
/. WrNe the officials at the mine as
sert that they do not know what caus-
ed the explosion, many of the rescuers
who had been at work on another shift
in the mine. profess to have reached
a satisfactory conclusion. They as
sert, that, while the hydraulic drill
gas. and while the gas was escaping
into the mine the drill struck piece
Of rock, caused spark and the explo-
sion followed.
In spite OF the two squads of state
constabulary on the grounds and the
IS deputy sheriffs, which surround
the mine mouth, human ghouls have
invaded the town and have reaped a
harvest The pockets of at least a
score of persons were picked.
Coroner Sipe was robbed of $3.50 in
cash while he was examining a body.
Someone jolted him as he bent over
the corpse, and when the coroner g,1s
his glasses again his money was gone;
SO were two young men who had jolted
him.
The state constabulary forces have
loaded their guns with ball cartridges
and announce that they will make a
good Job" of the first ghoul caught.
Money Belts Rifed.
Coroner Sipe said that money belts
on many Of the bodies had been rifled.
Q majority Of the miners carried their
savings in such receptacles.