New-York tribune., 1912-01-23

car
The dead
HARAHAN. James T.. OF Chicago. former presi-
dent Of the Illinois central.
HELCHER. Frank O.. second vice-president of
PIERCE, + Is, general counsel of the Rock
Island.
WRIGHT Eldridge T.. Of Memphis, vce-rresi-
dent Of Rock Island bridge company md a
of Luke r. Wright. former secretary Of
War
The heavy engine of No. s. which was n
solid train of steel sleeping cars, ploughed
half way through Mr.. Harahans private
car. The four other occupants, Byron b.
Curry, secretary to Nice-President Melcher;
Thomas Buzbee. local attorney of the Rock
Island at Little Rock, Ark and two negro
porters, escaped with bruises
Victims Bodies Mutilated.
The bodies of the four victims were
mutilatcd. Their arms were torn off, and
the top of Mr.. Harahan's head was cut
away. The car was reduced to junk Citi-
zens of Kinmundy aided the train crews
and passengers in removing the dead from
the debris.
Friends of the officials took the bodies
Of Mr.. Harahan, Mr.. Melcher and Mr.
Peirce to Chicago. Mr.. Wrights body was
taken south TO Memphis.
The trainmen injured are:
BERT. C. j.. fireman Of limited.
GILBERT. Jesse fireman Of express
STUART Robert, engineer or limited
They were taken to their homes in Cham
paign. Bert has fractured skull, Gilbert's
lip is broken and Stuart is suffering from
coucussion of the brain.
Witnesses were examined by Deputy
Coroner Grant Weatherlng. and the in
quest was continued until Friday to enable
the crew of the engine of the limited TO
testify;
The deputy coroner expressed the opinion
that the responsibility lies between Stuart
and Henry j. Broecksr, fagman Of the eX-
press
Mr. Buzbee in speaking of the escape
from the private car said:
| retired only few minutes before the
wreck, and had hardly fallen asleep when
] vas aroused by a terrific crash as the
locomotive of the limited split our car In
two. When / got my bearings | found my
self and Curry, who WAS asleep in the up
. per berth of the same compartment, Nirtu-
ally covered by debris. =.
II We assisted each other to arise. and after
q great deal of difficulty managed to make
our way out OF the car at the forward emu
\ cruwd had gathered by the time we got
out, and we searched the ruins OF the pri-
yate car finding the bodies of Mr.. HaTa-
han. Mr. Melcher, Mr. Peirce and MT
Wright A. ,.,,,u,..,,,,
were sleeping was in the forward END
of the car and to this fact we prooaply
owe our lives 1t IS marvellous that we
escaped as il was.
Curry said he retired about 1915 and had
hecn sleeping soundly a long time before
the crash.
Broecker testifying at the Inquest. said
he was riding in the next to the last car
lat vi StODDed
at Kinmundy for water, he ran back with
his lantern. and a block and half to the
rear gave the onrushing limited signal.
He testified his signal was answered by
the engineer by two blasts of the whistle.
Brakes Failed to Stop Train.
Stuart, it was said, applied the brakes,
but the train was going at too great
speed to be stopped. The force of the
collision was so great that the standing
train, with brakes locked, was showed two
hundred feet ahead.
John II. Brainard conductor Of the eX-
press, corroborated the testimony of his
nagman. At Efingham, he testified that
he told the nagman that the limited was
less than ten minutes behind. and to make
quick run to the rear when the train
stopped at Kinmundy for water.
Indirectly the cold weather, it was said,
may have been a contributing cause OF the
wreck All trains according to an an
uouncement are under orders TO stop at
Kinmundy for water, because Of the short
age Of water along the road caused by the
cold freight train Immediately ahead
of the express delayed it in getting water
as soon as expected.
Rroecker. while tcsufying advanced the
ri, Il
failed 10 hold the limited the full ten min
utes after the express had passed, but
superintendent Baxter said there is no
night operator 1t Edgewood
Chicago. Jan 22.-The bodies of James
T Harahan. f. o. Melcher and +. B.
Peirce arrived here on board a special train
this afternoon Leading railroad officials
escorted the bodies from the station to the
homes Of the decedents' families. The
body of Mr. Peirce later was taken to Fort
Smith Ark. for burial.
James r. Harahan was born AT Lowell,
Mass. I'm 1888 lie worked his way in the
railroad world from water boy TO presi-
dent. His first employment was with the
Orange & Alexandria Railroad, at Alex
andria Va. Subsequently he was with the
Nashville e. Decatur Railroad, at Nash
Vile, with WHICH ne Htiu NdiA AO1'' p'"'''O''''
He then became superintendent OF the
louisiana e. Northern Railroad. with head
quarters at New Orleans For many years
ne was general manager Of the Illinois
Central Railroad being made It's president
in November, 1906, after the late r.. H.
Hartman secured control Of the road TO
succeed Stuyvesant Fish. lie was retired
bv the Illinois Central on a pension a few
months ago. He was succeeded as presi-
tent by G. n. Markham
Mr. Harahan was recently elected presi-
dent OF the Arkansas. Memphis Railway
Bridge and Terminal Company. the ROCK
Island officials we're going with him TO
MempL, I'm connection with the proposed
construction OF 100000 bridge across the
Mississippi River there. Extensive termi-
naIs at each end Of the bridge also were
planned.
Three years ago Mr. Harahan mad
narrow escape IN a similar wreck AT Odin'
H. near Knmundy. where yesterday
accident occurred He was In his private
car, which was stationary, when Baih-
more & Ohio freight train crashed into 1t
from the rear The private car was de-
molishod. but Harahan was not hutI
Six months after that he had ahother
close call In collision at Memphis mara
han also had been I'm many minor wrecks
James r Hsrahsn. jr, Is confined IN 81
LIKES Hospital here. Ills arm was DioHeh