The log cabin Democrat., 1914-05-30
STORMY" R|FFF IS
 HERO OF WRECK WRECkERS DITCH TRAIN CONWAY YOUNG WOMAN WAS PASSENGER ON ILLFATED
 TRAIN.
THE INJURED.


 Engineer M. B. Ref, Little Rock. gash scalp wound, internal injuries and badly burned neck and arms. se- 1 rious but expected to recover.
 Fireman Tom Pierson, Little Rock. bruised about body and crushed left arm.
 William Bowden, Little Rock, mail clerk, badly bruised about head and arms, sprained ankle.
 J. L. Rozzell, Little Rock, assistant mail clerk, bruises about head and body.
 Fort Smith, May 30.-One of the most dastardly deliberate train wrecks in history of railways in this section occurred at l o'clock Friday morning when unknown parties pried loose a rail on the Iron Mountain road two miles east of Van Buren to wreck east bound passenger train No. 105. The engine, tender, baggage and mail cars left the track when the train hit the loosened rail. Engineer Rieff was seriously injured but has a chance to recover.
 There is no doubt but that it was a deliberate attempt to wreck the pas senger train, according to statements lof Iron Mountain officials and special agents. Bloodhounds from this city were rushed to the scene of the wreck. in charge of Detective Aikers of the police force, but lost the trail of the wrecker 300 yards from the wreck on the Van Buren-Kibler pike. Several clues to the identity of the train wreckers are being worked out by special agents of the Iron Mountain.
 The train left here at 11:50 D. m. Due to the fact that the train was hardly out of the Iron Mountain switching yards at Van Buren the train was running at moderate rate of speed. When Engineer Ref felt the engine jump he shut off steam and applied the air brakes. This saved the lives of the many passengers as the train was stopped within 100 feet, although it nearly cost the life of the brave engineer, He was found pin toned beneath the overturned locomo- tive with scalding water running on him. Fellow trainmen and passengers dug him from under the engine. He was taken to his home in Little Rock on train No. 106, which was run back to Little Rock as No. 105, passengers transferring. The other injured were taken to their respective homes in Lit tie Rock. Bey ond slight shaking up no passengers were injured.
 As further evidence of the dehber- ate attempt to wreck the train a crow bar, belonging to the Iron Mountain. vas found ill field 100 yards from the scene of the wreck. A close eX- animation of the rail disclosed the fact that the spikes, holding the rail in place, had been pried loose the length of one rail. Connecting rods were also loosened,
 Superintendent c. w. Wildman, of the central division of the Iron Moun- tain, issued statement to the effect that the wreck had every evidence of being deliberate one. He stated that an extra west bound freight train passed the scene of the wreck an hour prior to the time 105 was wrecked, indicating that those who were re- sponsible for the wreck were familiar with the time of the trains.
 The wreckage was cleared up at noon and train No. 119, which was tied up in Van Buren for six hours, went through at 12;30 o'clock. Pas sengers on the wrecked train were transferred to No. 106, due here at 3;45 from Little Rock, and No. 106 passengers were transferred to No 105. The trains were delayed over six hous.