Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-09-04
Harry Mooney
Tells of Disaster.

New York, Sept. S.-The New York
World, today says:
Probably more people in New York
and other towns are interested in Har-
ry Rich Mooney than any other in
dividual on the fatal train Mr. Moon
ey is young man about 30. He lives
al Monmouth. Ne. and when he is in
New York puts up at the Elks Club.
He haa in his care IS boys, the sons
of wealthy families of New York,
Philadelphia, Pittsburg and towns In
the Southern states. 1t was the 18th
year they had been confided to his
care at Camp Cebbossee at Monmouth.
He broke camp, Monday afternoon. and
with his S. special charges and Is or
20 hands, including two japanese ser
wants. boarded the Bar Harbor Elk
press at Monmouth
The youngsters were happy as Iarks
Most of them occupied the sleeper
Chisholm. Before turning in they had
read messages from their parents in
forming them that they would be at
TIE Grand Central to welcome them
home.
The boys were restless said Mr..
Mooney, and / did not sleep very
well myself. | confess that something
worried me, though | had nothing to
trouble lie at that moment The sea-
son had been most pleasant one. en-
tirely free from sickness CT petty ae-
cidents Of any nature.
Our car was the third from the
rear. Shortly after o'clock. l stir
red, and leaning over my berth, an
upper one, l called out to satisfy my
self that everything was all O.. X.
There was no answer from any of the
berths, and | was just going to turn
over again when voice from the
rear called out, Gee. there's some
fog out here" | bounced out of the
berth and discovered three of my lads
Ginning on the rear of the ear, be-
tween the second car from the rear
and the Chisholm, which we occupied.
They were Walter Sehuster, Elton
Banman and Joe Hennessy, all New
York boys, | decided then TO stay up.
4 thought of going to shave, and
while | was celebrating whether |
should put on my trousers or go Ill
my pajamas the crash came. The
engine of the White Mountain Ex
press ploughed through the rear of
our train clean to the front end Of
the car behind us. 1t was nothing
short of a miracle how these three
boys escaped. Just a second before
the crash | heard a brakeman yelling,
and l suppose it was at them-'Jump,
young fellows, for your lives
Our ear was completely turned
over on its side AS soon as | realized
the situation | called the boys, urg-
ing them not to be panic stricken, but
to keep their heads. And l think
some of that training we gave them
came in good for most of them.
One boy, Bert Stroek. did get ex
cited. He grabbed hold of my hand
| bag and smashed the window nearest
him, then dived through il in such ii
fashion that | thought he would have
been killed But though he was bad
ly torn by the glass about the hea
and face his injury was not serious.
LAS a matter of fact we all had to
break and smash our way out of the
car. The two boys that We're killed.
Al Greene and William Altshul. had
occupied the rear berths of our car.
think We lost also two Japanese ser
wants who We're in the car behind us
with other employees.
As soon as we got to our feet we
forgot our little bruises and the fact
that few of us had any outer clothing
on. The boys worked like Trojans,
helping to tear away the debris and
drag out body here and there 1t
was not until after the rescue train
had arrived that we missed some of
our comrades. The fog was very thick
and it was hard to distinguish any
body in ii. Then We missed one of
the three Altshul Boys and Al Greene
can't say another word about this
It's tough to lose two lads, even il it
was the first serious accident we had
in II years. But the wonder was we
did not lose more. The three lads on
the rear platform would have been
ground to pieces but for that timely
warning of the brakeman. | learned
|afterward that Shuster just threw
Banman from the car and pulled Hen
Messy after him He was standing
between them.
CATHERINE SWEENEY.