The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-03


Few details of the shooting were known
at police headquarters with the excep-
ton of the report of Police Sergeant
Almon of Ensley. He reported ]. r.
Meadows had shot his stepfather. II. ].
Spicer three times in side once in the
head and once in the abdomen. The
which would require him to make up
time and, take a risk while running in
fog and as far as l know, he re-
ceived no instructions to make up
time"
Chief Engineer Elwell said tonight
that the New Haven had been twice
advised by the public utilities commits
sion to abolish the banjo" system.
once last December and again in March
following minor wrecks. in both OF
which the blame was laid at the door
of the banjo" system.
Passengers in both trains were
asleep when the collision occurred. The
White Mountains engine, 1887, twin of
the new Pacific superheater locomo-
tive that figured in the Stamford wreck
of last June, ploughed through the two
parlor cars of the Bar 1Iarbor.
Silence, Then Screams
For several minutes after the first
shock there was silence, and then
sounded the screams of the wounded.
Passengers from both trains turned out
to the work of the rescue. They found
the dead and injured strewn on both
sides of the track, but there were few
in the wreckage. The terrific force of
the impact had literally reduced the
two Pullmans to the merest kindling
wood and the bodies of the passengers
leither fell upon the wreclage or were
hurled over fence into watermelon
patch.
The vestibule Of one Pullman, set
ting astrde the pilot of the locomtive,
and the vestibule of the other tossed
into the ditch, were the only parts of
the two cars not demolished. Tonight
| the wreckage was burned by the rail-
road officials.
Trolley cars We're pressed into serv-
ice to bring to New Haven both the
dead and injured. A part of the White
Mountain train took some of the in
jured to Meriden and the undamaged
cars of the Bar Harbor train were used
to bring others to this city, where they
were placed in hospitals.
There are Is in the hospitals here and
some are in serious condition. Some
of the less seriously hurt went on to
New York.
Death List Grows
The death list grew from 13 to 81
during the afternoon and evening. Sew
eral of those badly injured died on
their wav to hospitals after reach
| ing there.
| Daniel Dunn, a former Yale football
| star and athletic instructor of the boy
campers, and Harry l.. Mooney, who
is in charge of them, came out of the
wreck unscratched and led in the res
cue work. Practically all of their young
charges We're in the overturned third
car, the Chisholm.
| First steps to determine who was
| to blame were taken in secret Nor
will the inquest be public, if Coroner
Mix adheres to his announced plan.
At the preliminary hearing this after
noon trainmen of the two trains We're
iexamned. Later what purported to be
a synopsis of the testimony was given
out
| According to this recital, every pos
sible precaution was taken. The flag
man of the Bar Harbor express went
back when his train stopped, placed
ltorpedoes on the track and stood ready
to stop any train that might be fol-
lowing. He was recalled by an engine
whistle. The engineer of the oncom-
| ing train saw him, heard the torpe-
does explode and saw the red bulls
| eye of the banjo" block signal leap
out of the fog-but saw and heard too
late to stop.
President Elliott did not visit the scene
| of the wreck, but directed operations by
| tele phone from his offices in New Haven.
| He promised tonight that every effort
| possible would be made by the company
| TO give full information to the public
authorities and TO the press of all facts
| that may be developed
! Every officer and employe of the road
| is full OF sorrow over the dreadful occur
rance" Mr. Elliott said.