The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1912-07-18
TRAINS WRECKED
THIRTEEN KILLED
BURLINGTON FAST MAIL RUNS IN
TO OVERLAND EXPRESS NEAR
CHICAGO.
CARS ARE TELEsCoPED
Victims Crushed and Wreck Take,
Fire-GhohIs Believed to Have
to Have Robbed
Bodies.

Chicago, July 16.-Thirteen persons
were killed and is or 20 we're injured
in wreck on the Chicago. Burlington
and Quincy railroad at Western
Springs, a suburb of Chicago.
Coming through fog, with sup
posedly a clear track head. train No
8, fast mail, ran at full speed into
the rear of train No. 2. known as the
Overland Express from Denver. which
was standing on the track, telescope
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 tha
block signals we're controlled. said she
was certain the block was thrown
against both trains. She collapsed af.
ter the accident and still is in high.
ly nervous condition.
Fire Starts In Wreck.
All the dead except Engineer
Brownson were taken from the rear
coach of the Denver train. The en-,
gine Of No. 8 plowed through this
car. halving it. and crushing the help,
less passengers. many of whom still
were in their berths. On into the sec.
ond coach the engine continued Halt
way through that car it veered to the
left. derailing the sleeper. The engine
was stripped when it stopped.
Fire. starting from the .;as lights
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 tho
fire with lines of hose.
Ghouls are believed to have robbed
the dead before they reached the
morgue in La Grange. More than q
dozen large diamond sets were 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
a jury to investigate the wreck.
Another Story Of Cause.
Another story of how the wreck oc.
Cured differed from that of Mrs. Will.
cox. 1t was that No 2. having been
blocked by a signal had sent back a
brakeman to set torpedoes to warn
No. 8.
Identified Dead.
Francis A. Rarcley aged 20 years,
Billings, Mont: George Brownson. age
IS, Galesburg. ILL.,. engineer on train
No. 8: A. E. Bunch. aged 20. negro
porter on Pullman car on train No. Q;
Mrs. G. M. Hart. wife of physician
of Canton, Ohio; Mrs. E. G.\Pohlman
San Franiisco: M. T.. Stern, Chicago:
G. w. Tudor, aged 40. Lacey. Iowa
Unidentified Dead.
Unidentified woman, As years old
gray hair, black and white striped
waist and skirt. Unidentified woman
40 years, light hair. medium build
blue serge dress, black patent leather
shoes with white tops, &c. L.. F." to
IL. P. H." engraved on jewlery I'm
identified woman, "a years old, brown
hair, blue eyes. two gold crown teeth
onsupper left side of mouth. Uniden.
titled girl, 9 years old, light hair. sold
band ring, blue and white silk Dress
Unidentified boy, years old. linen
dress, red socks and black sandals