The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-22
Indiana Trolley Accident Worse
Than First Reported.
Thirty Nine Dead and a Score
Are Injured.
CARS ARETELESCOPED
Heavier One Passed Almost En-
tirely Over the Other.
Scenes of Horror Greet the
Survivors.

Fort Wayne, Ind, Sept 22-Thirty-
nine dead is the toll exacted by the
Fort Wayne-Bluffton interurban dis
aster yesterday. SO far as the check
| early today shows.
The officials of the company refuse
to give an opinion as to where the re-
sponsibility lies. The crew of the
| special" train which was speeding
south from Fort Wayne, empty, know
ing the "local'' was ten or more min
| utes late, it is said, took chances on
making siding and failed.
Six of the injured are in the hos
pitals in Fort Wayne.
Practically all of the dead were per-
! sons living near Bluffton. It was Il
holiday throng bound for Fort Wayne
! to attend the state fair. The local was
! filled to the last seat and there were
several persons in the aisles or on the
platforms. The crash was without
warning. Running at it's highest speed,
the empty Special sped out from the
wood on a curve and plunged into the
"locaT' which was running at high
speed
OF all in the car, probably go passen-
gers, scarcely one escaped injury or
death. That an effort will be made to
place the blame is made apparent by
t. e action of the Indiana state board
D
short time of the accident Commits
sioner Shane, who also, is the special
investigator for the board, had reached
the scene and had begun Interrogation
of traction officials and witnesses. This
morning Mr.. Shane declined to make
known the results of his investigation,
saying that 1t would have to be given
out by the state board.
Superintendent of Transportation
Hardy said:
70 hi inc in f1rrr
power to care for the dead and injured.
| =. e have begun careful scrutiny OF
| train orders bearing on the case. The
public soon shall know where the re-
| sponsibility lies"
| Around the undertaking establish
ments in Bluffton and Fort Wayne and
at the hospitals in this city this MORN
| ing were gathered crowds of anxious
men and women. For the most part
| the bodies have been claimed but in
| some instances where mutilated, made
| Identification difficult or the victim
was not actually related to any one in
| the district, there was delay and con-
| fusion.
Among the victims of the wreck was
| Miss Pearl Saylor daughter of Mrs.
Clara Saylor of Bluffton, and a sister
| of Banker J. B. Saylor of Watseka.
! ILL.,, who was shot and killed by DR.. w.
r. Miller a year or so ago. For the
| crime, which attracted widespread in
! terest, DR.. Miller and Mrs. Saylor now
are serving prison sentences.
| Bluffton, Ind, Sept. 22.-The details
| of the trolley wreck between this place
and Fort Wayne on Wednesday after
noon make it one of the most frightful
| horrors of the year. Thirty-nine are
dead and a score are injured.
Following are the dead:
w. E. Bowman. BlufftOn.
| A. E. Hyde, Pennville.
S. e. Stuckey, Vera Cruz.
William 5. Beers, BluftOn.
| Lloyd Brown, Bluffton.
l.. C. JustuS, BlufftOn. general man.
aoer BIuffton, Geneva & Celina trac-
ton lines.
Mrs. Garrett Maxwell, Garrett, Ind.
| S. III. Robinson.
HI. D. Cook.
Ernest Grouse.
| Ralph WalSer.
w. ID. Burgan.
Oscar thinner.
| Miss Pearl SayIer.
John w. Trobolet.
Thomas Gordon.
Harold Nelson, son of Lloyd Brown,
about 1S years old.
Mrs. Hiram Folk.
Mary Daugherty.
j. Il. SwartZ.
Joseph sawyer. (An of Bluffton.)
SiIas Thoms.
F. B. Tamm.
Frank King.
Mrs. Frank King. (All of Warren,
Indiana.)
r. f. Folk. Washington, Ind.
Jacob Swartz. UniOndale.
Blanche ArchboId Ossian.
Charles Reber, UniOndale.
John johnson. Marlxle.
Jesse Hoffman, Marion.
DIR. S. e. Thompson, Ann Arbor,
Michigan.
Mrs. Myrtle Haley, daughter of Mrs.
Folk. BlufftOn.
Daniel Debach. Petroleum. Ind.
T-I-- 81
John Reed, Battery e, Fifth artiI-
lery, New York.
Joseph Edins, Hartford City.
George Semthurst. Warren.
Ben Cramer, Frankfort.
Among the more seriously injured
are:
John E. Robbins, Concordia, Kan.
probably fatally injured on head.
Mrs. s. Sto1ley and two children
Denver. internally injured.
Robert Sadler, Los Angeles, Cal
right leg broken.
Lewis Kidder, Little Sioux, badly
bruised.
Accident on Curve.
The accident occurred on a curve
On both sides, particularly on that
tangent approaching from the north
there was a curve. screened by dense
woods. Bearing down from the north
came the empty car. Speeding toward
Fort Wayne was the coach filed with
men and women.
Even the time of the accident is in
doubt. Probably it was about a hall
hour after noon. Out of the ends OF
this short curve near Kingsland, eigh-
teen miles south of Fort Wayne, came
the two cars. 1t was only a flash; q
breath. The cars were together. The
southbound car seemed to take the
right-of-way- Like a giant missile, il
plowed its way through the traffic
packed coach coming in the opposite
direction. Its heavier frame cut like 6
keen knife, pathway half the length
Continued on Page six.)