The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-21
ATTEMPT MADE TO WRECK
LONG EXCURSION TRAIN
Cordwood Piled on Track as Pres:
byterians Return From
BuCkroe beach.
LOCATED BY sEARCHLIGHT
Later Fast Freight Crashes Into An.
other PHO of Wood, but Grew
Escapes Without Injury-Detec-
tiycs Arc Investigating.

lives Arc investigating.
Tho attempted wrecking OF tho
third section of tho Presbyterian Sun
day school excursion train last Thurs
day night became known yesterday,
Notwithstanding efforts of officials Of
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Company to prevent It's becoming pub
lie. A largo amount of long frewood was
placed on tho tracks near Loonexa, 1t is
said. and but for the fact that the en-
glneer OF the excursion train saw tho
obstruction by the piercing beams Of
tho electric headlight, tho lives Of
moro than a thousand cXcursionists
would have been seriously endangered.
That the cordwood was piled there
with the intention Of either wrecking
the train with itY load of humanity. or
with the idea OF bringing II to a stop.
was shown by the fact that First SO.
through fast freight train. crashed
into another pile of the wood as 1t
passed tho place about a half hour
later. No serious damage was done.
The front part OF the engine was some
what battered. and cordwood was scat
tered in every direction, but the en-
gine did not leave the rails, and was
brought TO a stop u few rods from the
place where the wood had been placed.
RAILROAD DETECTIVES
ARE INVESTIGATING
Railroad detectives were Immediately
dispatched to tho scene, following the
arrival of the excursion train In Rich
mond. but up TO last night had made
no arrests. They arc conducting a
thorough investigation. and should tho
guilty parties be apprehended the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company
will prosecute to the utmost. The
offense is punishable by Il term in the
pcnitcntiary. 1t is not believed that
the attempt to wreck or 10 stop the
train WAS made with the intention OF
holding II up.
But few OF the hundreds who were
travelling on the train knew anything
of the narrow escape.
Officials of the railroad were very
rc;icent with regard to the affair. 1t
was learned. however. that they were
OF the opinion that the wood had been
placed on the tracks by a party or
parties OF frog hunters or fishermen,
who desired to catch ono of thvsc
trains back 10 Richmond. According to
this Information, II has long been {,
practice for parties to 30 to this vi
entity for night hunting or fishing,
trusting TO chance to be able 10 catch
freight train back TO the city
frequently stopped by placing on the
tracks one of the red signal lights
from switch standards. but recently
All OF these lights have been ordered
removed Finding Themselves without
means to signal the train into stop
ping and thus obtaining the oppor-
| tunity TO board II and to return to
Richmond. 1t is believed that the hunt
ers adopted more dangerous means
HAVE USED SWITCH LAMPS
TO SIGNAL TRAINS
Railroad men have made no secret
OF the fact that these parties frequent
l. go out from Richmond on the late
afternoon passenger and freight trains.
| hnd that they have often signaled with
the switch lights, the trains into stop-
ping AT such times the train crews
have returned the lights to their
proper places and have proceeded on
their way to this city, tho fishermen
ana hunters secreting themselves In or
on the cars as soon rs the train starts.
when the passenger train came to
stop before the mass OF wood on the
track the train crew hurried off To the
location of the obstacle. y brakeman
made his way to the house OF n sec
tionmaster. It Is said. and, arousing him
and his crew. soon had the track
cleared
The excursion train proceeded on 10
Richmond. y half hour later. First
,? crashed into another pile of wood
almost on the same spot. The freight
did not have an electric headlight. and
the rays from the oil light failed tn
Visciose tho wood on the track, until
1t was too late TO prevent hitting 1t.
The train was brought to a stop rs
! soon as possible. and II was found that
no serious damage had been dono.
The locomotive pilot was somewhat
smashed. and cord wood was scattered
in every direction. but the engine IT.
self was unframed
Telegraph offices between Richmond
and Williamsburg are closed at night,
and railroad officials located here
were not Informed OF tho attempted
wrecking undl after tho excursion
train arrived at Main Street Station.
ONLY A FEW STICKS on TRACK,
SAYS SUPERINTENDENT
The investigation was placed in
charge of Chief Claim Agent Luther
y. Scherer, and Special officer NJ. l.
Angle was assigned TO tho case. What
progress he has made could not be
learned last night, as both ne and Mr.
Angle had made no report Of his worle
10 T.. l. Ford. division superintendent
before he left the city.
When asked concerning tho report OF
the attempted wrecking last night. Mr..
Ford said that such n report had been
made him, but that this report said
| that there were but n few sticks OF
the wood found on tho track, and that
no mention was made of tho freight
train striking the obstruction. lie was
inclined to treat the matter as unim-
portant. but admitted that It hns been
placed in Mr.. Schcrcr's hands for
thorough investigation.