The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-12-17
In Delaware and Hudson R.
R. Wreck Near Fair Haven
SLEEPING In THE CABOOSE
Edward w. Skeels and Michael Malone
Were Victims of the ACCIDENTAL
Efforts to Save the Men
Proved of No Avail.

Fair Haven, Dec. 1.-Two men we're
killed and burned so they could hardly
be recognized and several cars destroyed
by fire in freight wreck about half
mile east of the Delaware & Hudson
station yesterday afternoon at o'clock.
The men, Edward w. Skeels of White
hill, N. u, repair man for the rail-
road company, and Michael Malone, a
cattle buyer, were asleep in the eaboose
Of the train known as the "hill freight
when an extra train. running special
from Castleton to Whitehall, crashed
into the rear of the train which was left
standing on the main line while the
engine was shifting cars in the yards.
The caboose Of the freight together
with two freight cars and the engineer
Of the special train left the tracks and
rolled down a six-foot embankment, the
wreekage taking fire from a small stove
in the caboose All efforts to save the
imprisoned men proved useless and as
the accident occurred outside the vil-
lage limits there was no fire protection.
The caboose and two ears which had
separated from the others were COM
pletely destroyed by fire
No statement would be given out by
the railroad officials last night but it
Is claimed that the freight, which was
standing on the main line, had flag
man out but on account of the darkness
at this hour, it is possible that the en-
gineer of the extra ran past him.
Train No. 75S had 10 cars and the
caboose in charge OF engineer James Con-
nif and conductor Joseph Royal. At
this point the caboose and a number Of
the cars were left standing on the main
line half mile towards Rutland while
the engine with the other cars was
switching in the yard Train No. 734,
in charge Of engineer john Murray and
conductor J. d. Beattie. left Castleton
shortly after the freight The engine
was backing mp and when the crash
came the tender hit the rear end Of the
eaboose.
There were three men in the cabuose
the third one being Henry Shovack. He
was not asleep and he saw the approach.
ing light of the extra and at once noti-
fled the others, He said afterwards that
he shook them as they lay half asleep
on the benches in the caboose but he
did not have time TO stay long. He
Just had time to jump from the steps
when the trains came together with a
terrible crash.
The trainmen attempted to open the
door Of the car but il was an impossible
ity Both the men, Malone and Skeels,
were burned to a crisp They gave no
outcry and it may be possible that they
were killed outright as the rear car was
badly smashed.
Mr. Skeels was about 60 years old and
besides his son, William Skeels. OF Rut-
land, he is survived by his wife. But
little could be ascertained concerning
Michael Malone. the otha victim. He
was evidently about "a years old and
he was just returning from Brandon,
where he had been buying four head of
cattle Of l. ~ Chase, He was making
the purchase for the Spencer Task
stock farm in Saratoga, y. Y.
The main line track was blocked for
several hours, the wreckage not being
cleared away until after midnight
Trains transferred passengers around
the scene.