Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-26
TRY TO BURN KATY BRIDGE
Engineer Robertson Stays With
Engine and Gives Life in
Applying the Break.
BL00DH0UNDS ON THE TRAIL
Follows Threats That Com
panies Handling Troop
Trains Would Pay.

Three trainmen were killed yester-
day morning as result of a wreck
on the Frisco seven miles south OF
Henryetta when train 511. travelling at
the rate of 25 miles an hour. crashed
into ra,l which had been chained to
the track by |. w. W. members but n
Few moments before. IL was the sec
oni attempt to interfere with railroad
facilities in eastern oklahoma within
IL hours. the first attempt being tina.
made by members OF the J. w. W. 20
destroy the NJ. X. q r. bridge ut Usage
Saturday night about 10 o'clock.
DashinG around sharp curve seven
miles south OF Henryetta and twp
miles north Of Weleetka. Engineer j.
S. Robertson In the cab OF his engine
saw ahead OF him a steel rail bound
to the track by chains. Realizing
that only the brakes could save his
passengers he applied the emergency,
hut before they could make any ap-
parent reduction in the speed his
train was travelling the engine crashed
into the rail and plowed thru n small
embankment and then rolled into a
rnvine, twenty feet below. dragging
tho baggage and mail car after for a
distance of several yards.
Three Arc Killed.
Robertson. the oldest engineer IN
ont OF service with the Frisco. was
killed instantly. as was w. III. Wyre,
student fireman in the cab for his
first run. Bart Ford. the regular fire
man. was so seriously Injured that he
died last night at Henryetta. where
ne had been taken for medical atten-
ton.
As soon as the train had crashed
into the rail- the passengers rushed
from the coaches and on learning the
cause OF the trouble Immediately
formed themselves into posses and un {.
der the directions OF sheriffs OF
Hughes, Pittsburg. Okfuskee and Ok
mulgee counties began to scour the
surrounding country for four men who
had been seen at the scene OF the ac-
cident not more than half an hour
before the train crashed into the rail.
Led by bloodhounds from the state
penitentiary at McAlester, the posse
was successful I'm capturing four men.
said to be members of the l. w. w.
and who answered In every particular
the description given of the men who
visited the scene of the wreck before
the accident.
1t was discovered after the wreck
that another rail had been chained
across the track about fifty feet be-
purpose of making sure OF the wreck
! ing of the train. Railroad officials de-
clared that the track had been used
but 45 minutes previous by a freight
train, which indicates that only pas
senger traffic was to be interfered
with by the men responsible for the
wreck.
Try to Burn Bridge.
The first attack made on railroad
| property durmg the twelve hours In
which the wreck at Henryetta was an
attempt made to destroy the Missouri.
Kansas X Texas railway bridge 1T
| Usage. over the Arkansas river.
This attempt to burn the bridge a!
| Usage was made late Saturday nigh.
and was discovered by track walker,
who found the north approach of the
structure in flames Coal oil had been
poured on the timbers of the bridge
| and matches and a matchbox were
| found, showing that a deliberate at
/ tempt had been made to wreck the en-
| tire bridge.
| According to the chief OF police at
| Usage. two men were seen walking in
| the direction OF the bridge II short
time before the fire was discovered.
They were carrying can. which Is
now suspected of having contained the
two men. according TO the same
source OF information, were to be seen
on the streets of Usage for three days
preceding the fire, and in u descrip-
ton sent out. one is described as be-
ing an elderly man. with mustache.
while the other, several years his
Junior, was an-shaven.
Two stations Burned
i Last Friday night the passenger
and freight stations at Henryetta were
burned. following threats received by
railway officials that plan to destroy
as much Frisco railway property as
possible had been perfected by |. w
w members. The search for the per-
sons guilty of burning the stations al
Henryetta was in progress when the
wreck OF the passenger train occurre
yesterday morning. and railway detec-
lives believe that the same party OF
firebugs is responsible for both Of
fenses
4 Several weeks ago. before an at
tempt was made to derail the Frisco
passenger train at Sapulpa by throw
I ing a switch in front of the night
train. officials of that line received
threatening letters in which 1t was
declared by the anonymous writer
that all railroads which had conveyed
troops were to suffer, and that the
| Frisco was to be the first In Okla