Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-09-09
Believed They Attempted Train
Wreck on the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad.
REWARD OF $4,000 OFFERED
One Of the Men Has One Leg and the
other One Eyc-One Was Former
" a brakeman and Received
No Damages for the LOSS
OF Ills Leg.

Newcastle. Pa. Sept. s.-A one legged
man and one eyed man arc in the New
castle JAIL charged with being suspic-
ious persons They were brought here
from Elwood city early to-day and for
IL hours have w!thstood the gruelling or
deal OF five shrewd police officials Ex-
animation will be resumed tomorrow.
In these two men the police believe
they have the perpetrators of the train
wreck on the Baltimore e. Ohio railroad
at Chewton Siding on Friday night. For
the apprehension Of the wreckers the
Baltimore & Ohio has offered a reward
Of $4,000.
Frank Coates of Euwood city, one OF
the suspects under arrest. was formerly
brakeman on the Pennsylvania rail-
road. A year ago he fell under a Balti-
more e. Ohio train at Ellwood city and
lost his right leg. He received no dam
ages.
DETAILS OF THE WRECK.
The Royal Blue express Of the Ralti-
more & Ohio railroad bound from New
York to Chicago was the train wrecked.
Three are dead and II seriously injured
Tho dead are:
@. A. Dill. engineer Of train. crushed
under his own machine when il went
over. He lives at Chicago Junction. Ohio,
and was married.
George Wheatcraft haggagen,aster of
wrecked train. crushed in wreck, died on
being taken from wreck He lived at
Chicago Junction, Ohio. and was married.
Edward T. Cavanaueh. chief boiler in
spector OF the Baltimore & Ohio Died
from injuries to-day He lived at se7
Columbus avenue. baltimore
The more seriously injured are:
Henry Willard Of La Fargo, Wis, a
broker and Mrs Seneca Dippen Of Tiff
An. Ohio both of whom are in the hospi-
tai AT New Castle. Pa. and may die.
Mr.. Willard had $500 in a satchel with
him and IT is thought the train wreckers
were after this as well as s25OUo which
was in the express cars under heavy
guard. All the money was saved
All of the injured now at the local
hospitals will recover. II was learned
tonight. Seventeen persons are be-
ing cared for at The railway company's
expense.
$4,000 RECOVERED.
Late yesterday $4,000 was depo sit
ed at a local bank by railway secret
service men to the credit CT Henry
Willard OF I.aFarge Wis. who lies in
jured at the Shenango sanitarium.
Willard carried a grip from New York
city containing the amount In negoti-
able bonds, securities and cash. and
placed the satchel under a seat in the
day coach. When the train was
ditched the satchel was lost for a
time. but recovered by railway en-
ployes.
FIREMAN SAVED PULLMAN CARS.
That hundred lives were not lost
in tho wreck is due. II Is now known
to the quick action OF Fireman Pur
cell, who escaped death by a leap from
the engine cab as the heavy engine
and two cars somersaulted over a
steep embankment.
Purcell tells how, when ne felt the
heavy engine lurch and leave the
rails. he jumped to the right side of
the cab and threw over the emergency
brakes. thus saving the ditch'ng OF
the two Pullman sleepers attached TO
the flyer. The freman's story Is
borne out by the fact that the brakes
on the Pullman car were found TO be
tightly set and the cars immovable.
The train was making vt least 80
miles an hour. A drizzling rain was
falling. Into the death trap the heavy
twisted mass of timbers. iron and
steel were all that were left OF an
engine, a heavy tender, two cars. one
baggage and the other a passenger
coach.
NO CHANCE TO ESCAPE.
Engineer Charles a. Dill and Bag
gagemaster George Wheatcraft had no
chance TO escape. The engineer jumped
In the path Of his ditched engine and
his life was crushed out. Wheatcraft
was mancled between heavy trucks In
the forward end Of his splintered car.
Later f.. F. Kavanauch, chief boiler in
spector OF the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road, died at the Newcastle hospital
The more seriously injured passengers
were in the day coach, which, rolling on
Its side down the steep enbankment
was fired by hot Goals and engine oil
as soon has It reached a resting place In
the cutters Of the ill-in.
According to General Superintendent,
r. Ffnney, II was deliberate case OF
train wrecking. The rail on the right
side was cut at the point by some one
and the spikes piled on both sides nearly
the entire length Of the rail, The APP
preach rail was moved in far enough
to clear the wheels. The spikes were
pulled by a bar. Tho bolts and nuts of
the Joint showed they had been removed
with a wrench. One splicebar was placed
between the rails to keep them from
going together.
A. NEW PRIZE OFFERED.