Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-12-12
ANOTHER ". M. WRECK
Two Trains Crash Head.On
Near Pen-Mar.

MARYLAND railroad near Pen-Mar, another
of greater monetary loss of life occurred
between a train of empty passenger
coaches going east from Hagerstown ano
a heavy freight train going west, at al
most the same place late Friday night,
Dec. 9Th, which resulted in the death OF
five men and the injury of six, practical.
w demolished two locomotives, reduced
eight freight cars and baggage car te
the trucks and wheels and tied up the
whole line for nearly "a hours.
The list of killed and injured is giver
as follows:
KILLED.:
Frank M. Letter, Highfeld, baggage
master.
j. L. Helbig, Hagerstown, freight en-
gineer.
William Eichelberger, Hagerstown,
freight conductor.
William, also known as Harry Clayton,
Hagerstown, freight fireman.
J. McFatlin, tramp, Billmyer, Lancast
er county, Pa.
WOUNDED:
]. J. McWhorter, Jr., Baltimore, fire.
man on the second freight engine.
j. H. Thompson, Hagerstown, SECOND
freight engineer.
Coleman Cook, Baltimore, passenger
engineer.
P. ]. Burgan, Hagerstown, freight
brakeman.
D. B. Booney, freight brakeman.
Charles McGunn, Chicago, tramp.
Oscar Bixler, Westminster, tramp.
With the exception of Bixler, who was
sent to the Washington County Hospita
at Hagerstown, all the injured were able
to go home.
Fireman Clayton, alive when taken out
Of the wreckage, was sent with Bixlei
and died at 10 o'clock Saturday morning.
The passenger train was the train
which runs between Gettysburg ano
Hghtield, but because of it being two
hours late and missing connection witt
the westbound train from Baltimore a,
the latter place, it was ordered to Hag'
erstown. Returning the train left Hag'
erstown at 10 o'clock for Highfield anc
was running about rs miles an hour uf
grade when it met with the double-head-
err freight going west Mr.. George Pearl
well known at this place, was fireman or
the passenger engine, but owing to his
wife being seriously i'll at their home IL
Hagerstown, he remained at home; one
of the train crew, Frank Letter, taking
his place on the engine.
AS the accident occurred in Pennsyl-
vania, Coroner J. p. Macklav, of Cham
bersburg, selected jury of six men,
who, together with representatives OF
the Interstate Commerce Commission
of Maryland and Pennsylvania, met al
Waynesboro on Monday, and after hear
ing facts in the matter fixed the respon
sibility for the accident and loss of life
on the following parties:
Frank NJ Letter came to his deatf
on December 6, 1912, near Pen-Mar Sta
ton, on the Western Maryland railway
by means of head-on collision between
freight train No. 757 and extra passen
ger train No. 157, which collision was
due to negligence on the part of the trair
dispatcher, w. C. Fleigh, and Conductors
J. w. Butts and j. H. Fauver, and alst
to lax discipline on the part of the West
ern Maryland Railway management. y
The body of VIM. Eichelberger wa'
the last to be removed from the debris
his body being under cement which fel
from the wrecked cars. He was almos
unrecognizable owing to the cement hard
ening on his face. Engineer Helbig wal
thrown in bed of cement and held dowl
by an iron bar, and before he could b'
freed, suffocated. Fireman Clayton wa
caught by the ankles between the engine
and tender and hung head down. Whel
found he was smoking cigarette, but
realized that he had but short while tt
live. He begged that his legs be cut OF
that he might die on the ground. Hi
request was granted soon as surgeon
from Hagerstown arrived.