The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-07-19
FATAL TRAIN WRECK,
BURLINGTON FAST MAIL RUNS IN.
TO OVERLAND EXPRESS NEAR
CHICAGO.
CARS ARE TELEsCoPED.
Victims Crushed and Wreck Takes
Fire-GhohIs Believed to Have
to Have Robbed
Bodies.

Chicago, Illinois. - Thirteen persons
were killed and Is or 20 were injured
in a wreck on the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy railroad at Western
Springs, a suburb Of Chicago.
Coming through a fog, with sup
posedly a clear track head. train No.
8, fast mail. ran at full speed into
the rear Of train No. Q. known AZ the
Overland Express from Denver. which
was standing on the track. telescop-
ing two OF the Overland's Pullman
cars
Railroad officials refused to fix the
blame until after the wreck had been
Investigated thoroughly.
Mrs. F. A. Wilcox. who was In
charge Of the tower from which the
block signals we're controlled. said she
was certain the block was thrown
against both trains. She collapsed al.
ter the accident and still is in high.
ly nervous condition.
Fire Starts In Wreck.
All the dead except Engineer
Brownson we're taken from the rear
CINE Of No. plowed through this
car, halving 1t. and crushing the help
less passengers, many OF whom still
were In their berths. On into the sec.
ond coach the engine continued. Half
way through that car It veered to the
left. derailing the sleeper. The engine
was stripped when II stopped.
oto
In the sleepers. Immediately broke
out.
Believed Bodies Were Robbed.
Members OF the fire departments Of
Western Springs and La Grange were
on the scene within a few minutes
after the wreck and they put out the
fire with lines of hose.
Ghouls are believed to have robbed
the dead before they reached the
morgue In La Grange. More than a
dozen large diamond sets we're miss
ing from jewlery, and although most
of the dead appeared to have been
persons in comfortable circumstances.
a ten-cent piece was the largest sum
of money found on any OF the bodies.
Coroner Hoffman promised a thor.
ough investigation Of this feature of
the accident and an Interstate com.
merce commissioner was on the scene
early. gathering material for an In
vestigation. Coroner Hoffman ordered
all the bodies embalmed Immediately
and early In the afternoon empanelled
Jury to investigate the wreck.
Another Story Of Cause.
Another story of how the wreck oc
Cured differed from that of Mrs. vii
cox. 1t was that No. 2. having beer
blocked by a signal. had sent back /,
brakeman to set torpedoes to war;
No. s.
identified Dead.
Francis A. Barcley. aged 90 years
Billings. Mont: George Brownson. ag'
IS. Galesburg. Ill. engineer on trail
No. s: A. E. Bunch. aged 80. negr,
porter on Pullman car on train No. 2
Mrs. C. NJ. Hart. wife OF a physician
Of Canton, Ohio: Mrs. z. G. Pohlman
San Franiisco; NJ. e. Stern. Chicago
G. w. Tudor. aged 40. Lacey. Iowa.
Unindentifed Dead.
Unidentified woman, IS years old
gray hair. black and white stripe,
waist and skirt. Unidentified woman
20 years. light hair. medium build
blue serge dress. black patent leathe
shoes with white tops. &C. L. p" I
IL. p. H." engraved on jewlery. Ur
identified woman. "a years old. brow,
hair. b'ue eyes. two gold crown teeth
on upper left side OF mouth. Under
titled girl. 8 years old. light hair. gol
band ring, blue and white silk dress
Unidentified boy. years old. line