The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-11-09
WORK OF FIEND
Az Open Switch Causes Wreck OF Pas
senger Train at Swansea
ENGINEER WAS KILLED

Train Wrecker Causes Passenger To
Crash Into Box Cars, Causing the
Engine to Turn Over Crushing the
Life Of the Engineer and Hurting
Others.
Lawrence Robinson, celored was
arrested Monday, charged with the
breaking of the switch which caused
the wreck of Seaboard passenger
train No. 43, at Swansea, early Mon
day morning, when Engineer W. Ed
ward Pritchard lost his life and Fire
man Prince Davis, Express Messen-
ger II. G. Freeman, and Mail Clerk
Y. w. Moore we're injured. No. 43
ran into an open switch and crashed
into eight empty box cars standing on
the siding, overturning the engine,
express and mail cars, and tearing up
the track for a considerable distance.
Evidence showed that the switch
had been tampered with and blood
hounds of Penitentiary Guard John
Robbins were put on the trail and
followed it to the house Of Lawrence
Robinson, coored in the town Of
Swansea. Robinson was away from
home, having gone on a wagon to a
mill. The officers soon found him
and put him under arrest. He was
carried back to Columbia and taken
this afternoon to Lexington and lodg-
ed in Jail. Robinson denies the
charge and protests his innocence.
He admitted, however, that he had
served a three years sentence on the
Lexington chain gang, beginning in
1903, for attempting to tamper with
a switch at DiXianna, on this same
read, pleading guilty on the charge
when arraigned in Court. He is
negro Of medium height and the only
distinguishing mark about him is his
lips, which are all covered with sores.
Constable Tod Martin, of Swansea,
took him to Lexington and turned
him over to Sheriff Miller.
Engineer Pritchard was pinned
under the engine and killed before
he could be rescued. Fireman Prince
Davis, colored, escaped, although he
was badly bruised and shaken up.
Express Messenger Freeman received
o deep cut in the back of his head,
eight inches long, and his right
shoulder sprained. Several of the
Passengers we're shaken up, but fortu-
nately the day coaches and the Sleep
ers stuck to the rails. Mr.. Ed Prit-
chard, the engineer, who was killed
in the wreck was resident Of Sa-
vannah, Ga, and his body was ship
ped there. He leaves wife who re-
sides there.
The wreck occurred between l and
2 o'clock Monday morning. a freight
conductor, who went to the scene OF
the wreck and who talked to the Co.
lumDia representative of the News
and Courier. said it was plainly seen
that some miscreant had broken the
lock Of the switch and caused the
wreck of the train. The switch lock
showed that some heavy instrument
had been used in battering it lose,
and tits gentleman said he found the
switch lock all broken and hammered
up, about ten feet away in the weeds.
Bloodhounds were taken from Co.
lumbia by officers, in an attempt to
follow the trail of the miscreant, who
is thought to be responsible for the
wreck.
The man in describing the wreck,
said that one box car was thrown
across the main track by the force OF
Lhe contact. He said that the hotel
keeper at Swansea stated that the no.
tel shook from the effects of the con-
tact of thc train with the stationary
box cars. He said that the box cars,
thrown upon the embankment by the
force of the contact, caused some
lumber nearby to be thrown over the
main track, thereby adding to the
debris. A considerable amount Of
damage resulted from the wreck. al
though the wrecking crew soon clear
ed the main line and allowed the
trains to get through.
Mr.. Pritchard had been in the en-
ploy of the Seaboard for some time
and was highly esteemed by the Off
cials and men. AS stated, Engineer
Pritchard was pinned under the en-
gine at the time Of the wreck. A leg
was cut off and there was severe
cut on the chin, besides other bruises
on the body. Express Messenger
Freeman. who was injured by cash
In the head and his right shoulder
sprained, is a new man on this run,
this being the second time he made
it. He is a native Of Jacksonville,
Fla.
The colorcd fireman, Prince Davis,
also resides at Savannah. and has
been on this run for several years. He
was able to walk off the train when
brought back this morning. with the
assistance of those attending him. He
is at a local hospital. Swansea is a
little over twenty-one miles from Co.
lum ba. and the wreck occurred Just
five. hundred yards from that place.
MbneYnr il was that hammered with