New-York tribune., 1918-04-16
Broken Rail Sends Four
Cars Plunging Down
Embankment
Federal Inquiry
Started at Once
Uninjured Soldiers Climb
From Wreckage and Cool
ly Rescue Comrades

CENTRAL ISLIP. Long Island, April
15.-A broken rail on the main line of
the Long Island Railroad caused the
wreck, two miles east of here, of a
troop train carrying three companies
of National Army regiment from
Camp Upton at 1880 this morning.
Three of the soldiers were killed and
thirty-seven injured. several seriously.
Though no one in authority will ad-
NIT that the accident might have been
the work of German agents, Federal
officials are known to be making an in
vestigation. Officers of the Long ISL
and Railroad who inspected the scene
of the wreck are unable to explain it.
The train was composed of a loco
motive and twelve steel cars, each con-
tanning about fifty men. The engine
and the first three cars pounded over
the break and did not leave the rails.
The fourth car broke its coupling and
was derailed, but remained at the top
of the twenty-foot embankment. The
fifth. sixth, seventh and eighth cars
tore loose from their trucks and rolled
down the slope, breaking away from
the rear cars, that toppled perilously,
but did not fall.
The men in the cars that fell were
thrown about like dice in cup. When
the cars finally came to rest they were
piled in heaps with their rifles and
equipment According to the list
given out tonight at Camp Upton, the
casualties were:
The Dead
Privates Oswald Hudson, Edward
Mohan and George Murphy.
The Injured
Sergeants William Z. Langan. James
Nolan and Edward A. Walsh, Corporals
Arthur Gross, George Carras and Ed
ward Wallencamp.
Privates Charles W. Alcott, Arthur
Anderson. Wallace Banks, Thomas
Cashin. Edward j. Campbell, Nathan
Colensky, Dominica A. Comiglio,
Floyd P. Carson, Frank Derman, Will
fred ]. Ducharme, Harry N. Eagel. Nor
ris Fried. Philip Feigensen, William
Guage, Isadore Hoffman, Rosario Isa-
nello, Morris Kalischer. Charles G..
kennellopoulos. Frank Lagos, Gabriel
Malo, Joseph A. Meyers, Melville NJ
Nicholson, Pasouale Maestro, Attila
d.
Sheridan. Albert Sherager, Maurice
Stauber, Louis W. Smith and Stanislaus
Skonloski.
Private Edward Mohan, one of the
dead. lived before he was drafted at
30 Wilson Street, williamsburg Until
December he was employed in the ltho-
graphing department of the United
States Printing Company. He was then
sent 20 Upton. His sister died recently,
and he was not permitted to come home
to the funeral, which was held last Fri
day. His brother James yesterday re-
ceived letter from him saying that he
hoped to see his dead sister in heaven.
A few hours later James learned of his
brothers death.
Soldiers Coolly Start Rescue Work
Private George Murphy lived with
his widowed mother at 73 Marcy Ave-
nue., williamsburg. He was clerk for
the Wells Fargo Express Company be-
fore he was sent to Upton, in Decem-
Der.
Immediately after the accident sig
nal men of the regiment tapped wires
and sent calls for aid. The physicians
of the Central Islp Hospital responded
and the severely injured were taken to
that institution. The troops worked d
coolly and with great presence of mind
in rescuing their injured comrades
from the overturned cars
For several days rumors have been
ahoat on Long Island that there would
be extensive troop movements to-day
Railroad men say it is possible this in
formation may have inspired some
enemy agent to action. They also say
trackwalkers have found an unusua
number Of spikes pulled from ties re-
Gently. They are unable to explain the
break in the rail by natural causes.