The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-04-15
WRECK NEAR DENMARK.
Seaboard's Fast Train Derailed by
Wreckers-No Lives Lost.

The Seaboard's through south
bound passenger train No. 43, carry
ing a Pullman, one day coach, a
baggage car, express car and mail
car from New York to Florida points
with about 20 passengers aboard,
was wrecked by running into an
open switch at Hicks Station, AZ
miles south of Columbia, near Den
mark, at t,1:15 this morning.
All of the passengers and every
member of the train crew received
some slight bruises, though none Of
the passengers was seriously injured.
Perhaps the wost injured man is
Mail Clerk Rudolph McDavid, for
merly of Abbeville and once of Co.
lumbia, but now of Jacksonville,
who was probably internally injured.
The only man carried to the hos
pital is the engineer, Mr.. ]. NJ. Asae-
ley, widower, Of Savannah. His
engine was completely demolished,
and when Mr.. w. R. Black, Co.
lumbia passenger, and Conductor H.
w. Butler went to his assistance he
was pushing his own way out OF the
wreckage. He greeted the crowd
that expected to see him hauled out
in pieces with a smile. He said he
was attempting to make up lost time
when the wreck occurred and must
have been pulling the train at a
speed of 60 miles an hour, Day coach
passengers think, however, that the
dazed engineer overestimated the
speed. They do not think the train
was exceeding speed of 40 miles.
Four negroes were carried to the
Taylor Lane hospital, the fireman,
who has broken leg, and three ne
groes who were beating their way,
one of the three a train hand.
There is clear-cut evidence that
the wreck was deliberately planned,
but what the motive of the criminal
or criminals was is a mystery, as
there was no attempt at robbery
after the wreck. The switch lock
had been broken and the switch
turned so as to throw the rapidly
moving train into the side track
against a section of freight cars,
which were demolished and thrown
into the swamp. The switch lights
were thrown away, and in order that
the engineer might not save the
train by observing the change in the
switch by his engine headlight a wad
Of newspaper "a copy of the Augusta
Chronicle of March 81 was stuffed
between the switch point and the
main rail and this darkened with
layers of mud Several railroad de-
tectives at once got busy on the
case, but though dogs were promptly
secured, no important clue has so far
been discovered.
A view of the wreck causes one to
wonder that not half the people on
board were killed. The Pullman was
the only coach that did not leave the
track, but though the engine was de-
molished the mail car was the only
thing to be overturned. There were
three other mail clerks in this be-
sides Mr.. McDavid, Clerks Smith, of
Savannah, and Stanley and Gordon,
of Jacksonville, none Of whom was
seriously injured. The Pullman was
driven up to the parting OF the
switch, the day coach off the track
just ahead of it. The big heavy rails
of the main track, as well as those
of the sidetrack, were snapped in
two, some of them without bend
ing.
In the sleeper were two ladies
with their husbands. One of these
was bride, who did not leave her
berth.
For the present the Seaboard's
trains are all being detoured over
the Southern's lines around by Den
mark, though the passengers on
the wrecked train were brought
back here on special that was
sent to the scene for that purpose
from Columbia.
The day conductor, Mr.. Harry w.
Butler, was painfully bruised, but
the Pullman conductor, Mr.. Wiley,
was just badly Jared. The negro
fireman acted the part of a hero in
helping with the injured, although
he himself had a broken leg. Bag
gagemaster Fleming received some
bruises, but he is walking about
cheerfully.
Governor Ansel this morning re-
ceived the following telegram from
ex-Chairman C. W. Garris, of the
railroad commission, now living at
Bamberg, which is near the scene of
the wreck:
''Seaboard Air Line 43 was wreck
ed at South Edisto this morning. Cir
cumstantial evidence is strong that
the wreck was the result of criminal
design. Can you not forward blood
hounds promptly? I have seen the
situation myself"
After consultation with the rail-
road people the governor decided not
to send any dogs, the railroad detec-
tives having very little confidence in
dogs in a case of this kind. The de-
tectives had already been on the
scene and preferred not to have any
dogs mess" with the case.-Colum-
bia Record, Saturday, April 10th.
The Generous Lawyer.
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