The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-06-23
CIRCUS WRECK VICTIMS
NOW TOTAL SIXTY-ONE
Continued From Page l.)

NOW IOIAL SlxIY-ONE
Continued From Page l.)
some from rushing into the blazing
wreckage. Hours after he crash
bodies charred black still were be-
yond recovery as the derrick of
wrecking trains thinned out the pile
of debris.
Joe Coyle wept bitterly as he lay
on stretcher and told how his wife
and two babies had joined him only
recently after months of absence,
and how they had been crushed to
death at his very side.
"The kiddies had been SO glad to
see their daddy he said. "I wish
| could have died with them"
Wild rumors spread that several
lions had escaped from the train to
the woods south of the wreck. Cir
Gus authorities said no wild animals
were on the train. They also dis
credited reports that one circus
woman, demented, had evaded the
doctors and raced off into the woods
clad only in night clothing.
he circus was to have PLAYED to-
day at Hammond.
A number of the dead and injured
are negroes employed as razor
backs"
Heroine Dies in Flames.
one woman screaming in agony
beneath the burning timbers, when
she saw the flames nearing those
who were trying to release her.
shouted Get away, get away, quick
or you II get burned too The res
cuers were unable to release the
woman and soon her cries were
stilled by the flames.
Among the injured at the Illinois
Steel Company Hospital were twen-
ty "razorbacks.'
William F. Curtis and his wife.
~Abo,' were at this hospital. Mr..
Curtis is superintendent of the show
and his wife acted as a friendly
banker for the "razorbacks." Tween
ty-hve thousand dollars OF their
money in her care was believed to
have been destroyed in the fire.
Among the injured here is A. F.
Roberts, Memphis, Tenn.
A rescue party found one woman
pinned beneath rail with her head
between two ties. She was dragged
out and when the dirt was washed
from her face, she opened her ewes
and soon afterward was found to be
unhurt except for broken nose and
bruised face.
Hammond. Ind, June p. - A
weeping and bandaged throng of
men and women gathered silently
about a red and gilt trimmed ticket
wagon on the Hammond circus
grounds this afternoon.
They were the survivors of the
Hagenbeck-Wallace show train
wreck and were seeking word OF
the fate of their friends and fell
low players, who today were to
have given Hammond its first cir
Gus of the year.
Charles Dollmer, manager of the
show. who escaped from the wreck
after throwing his wife from a win
dow, began the task of registering
the survivors and attempting 20
identify the dead. As the little line
filed past the ticket window, giving
the names and inquiring about
their friends and relatives. a big
crowd gathered to watch them.
One clown about whose head
was wrapped a stained bandage.
leaned against tent pole while he
watched the crowd on the edge of
the grounds.
"There1l be no circus in Ham,
mond tonight he said. THE kids
will get left this time Then he
Many Half Crazed.
Other survivors told of wander /
ng around half crazed and scantily /
clothed.
Most of the dead showed only I
superficial injuries. and evidently /
we're killed by suffocation or burn
ng.
There was no fire fighting appar-
ltus at lvanhoe and the circus wreck
'urned for hours. The bodies re-
moved were burned beyond decog-
li;ion.
Those who were thrown from the
wreck stood helpless watching the
lorror, and some were later found
half crazed in the woods
nd garbed only in their night gar
rents.