Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-07-06
misunderstanding of Or
ders Is Blamed for
Wreck at Latrobe, in
Which 80 Are Hurt.
ONLY ONE PASSENGER
ESCAPES WITHOUT HURTS
Freight Crashes Into Rear End
Of Train, TeIescoping Several
cars-chiIdren Going on
Outing Swell Death Toll.

1
tigation today resulted in officials OF
the Ligonier Valley railroad con-
cluding. that misunderstanding oi
signals was to blame for the wreck
near here yesterday, in which twenty
one verb killed and thirty others seri-
ously injured. Through an error, II
is said. heavily-loaded coal train
was allowed to go on when 1t should
have been held.
The accident was caused by a
double-header freight, which crashed
into the rear coach of the passenger
train, telescoping several cars. Ac.
cording to latest reports but one pas.
senger on the train escaped ir.ury.
The coaches contained Iare mum.
Der OF children who We're being taken
by Miss Matthews, nurse at the
home of George Senif, president Of
the Ligonier Valley railroad, for d
days outing. All the children were
either killed or sustained severe in
| juries
The freight engines ploughed
through the wooden coach, crushing
1t as 1t would an eggshell. The coach
| was ripped to pieces. All the occu-
pants were hurried to the roadbed
some fell in the path of the engines
| while others were imbedded partly
| in the cinder and stone ballasting.
The first engine of the double
header pulling the freight train
stopped after 1t had passed through
the passenger coach, turned half way
around and fell over on it's side. En-
gineer Frank McConnaughy was
thrown under the engine and scalded
to death by escaping steam. Fire.
man George Byers jumped, but fell
on the track, the wheels of the tender
cutting his body In half.
Engineer Smith P. Beatty, of the
second freight engine, jumped and
sustained a broken leg, while his fire.
man, John H. Ankney. fell beneath
car when he jumped and both legs
were severed. He died while being
taken to the Latrobe Hospital.
Conductor Charles H. Kuhn. of the
passenger train, leaped when he saw
the impending crash and received a
broken leg. Engineer Dunlap, of the
passenger train, stuck to his post and
was uninjured.
Farmers near the scene Of the acci-
dent and men who were at work at
the Denny race track went to the as
sistance of the injured. laying them
on the bank.
A messenger sped with all haste to
Ligonier and notified the residents
there of the accident. In a few min
utes every resident of the town who
was able to walk was on the way to
the race track.
A frantic call for physicians and aid
was sent to Latrobe. Five Latrote
physicians went to the scene in an
automobile, A special train was
made up on the Ligonier Valley rail-
road and sent to Ligonier to bring the
injured to the hospital.
Special Train Is Sent.
When notified of the wreck the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, of
which the Ligonier Valley railroad is
branch, sent a special train from
Pittsburgh to Latrobe to bring the in
jured from the overtaxed Latrobe
Hospital to Pittsburgh hospitals.
Inc TtSCuc u Gill vi the LlROD1cT
Valley steamed into the Latrobe sta
ton and was met by almost the en-
tire town.. Every conveyance in the
town was at hand and the injured
were taken with dispatch to the hos
pital, where everything had been
made ready for their reception.
The wreck train of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad from Pitcairn was or
dered sent here. 1t is thought there
may be more bodies In the wreckage
Coroner H. A. McMurray of West
moreland county. and several depu-
ties came here and took charge Of the
dead in local undertaking establish
ments. Fourteen dead are in Low
rey's morgue here. while the others
are in Staters and Hartman's NOR
que at Latrobe.
Frank McConnaughy, engineer 45,
scalded to death under engine;
George Byers, %, fireman. cut into
halves; Smith Beatty. 35. engineer,
died on way to Latrobe Hospital:
John Ankney, 35, fireman, mangled
under engine, died on way to hospital;
Louise Rhoddy, IL; Elizabeth Rhoddy,
IA; Samuel Brownfield, 4; George
Toysh, sS, wealthy farmer of Lig-
onier township.
Miss Edsal. 20. of Ligonier: Miss
Hoon. 20. of Ligonier; Mrs. Harry
Dillon and baby, of Wilpen, crushed
to death; William Campbell, of Will
pen; Mrs. M. Esse. "a. of Wilpen;
Mike Hudock, of Wilpen; Thomas
MUIR. So, of Latrobe. George Tosh,
OF, Wilpen; Frank Overton. 10, son
of John Overton. of Wilpen; Mrs.