Evening star., 1918-06-22
From 100 to $50 Hagenbeck-
Wallace Show People
Reported Killed.
FOUR CARS DEMOLISHED;
WOUNDED DIE BY FIRE
Empty Steel Pullmans Crash Into
Filled Sleepers-Accident Near
Michigan City, Ind.

CHICAGO, June 22.-The personnel
of the Hagenbeck- Wallace shows is be-
lieved to have been practically wiped
out in disastrous railroad collision
between Michigan City and Hammond,
Ind, today.
According to meager details received
at Michigan Central Offices, hundred
or more persons were killed or injured
or burned to death. Four coaches in
which members of the circus were
sleeping were demolished by a rear
end collision.
The accident occurred at about 4 80
am. 1t was impossible to obtain wa
ter. The wreck caught fire and the
flames burned unchecked.
Perish in Flames.
Daylight was just beginning to
show when the crash came. Those
thrown free from the wreck stood
in their night clothes, helpless, while
surgeons and nurses were dispatched
from Chicago. Gary. Hammond, Whit
ing and other nearby towns.
Among those reported missing are
the Rooney family Of bareback rid
ers. the Meyer family Of animal
trainers. the Cottrell family, eques-
triennes; Harry La Pearl, Ed Devore,
Mark Adams and Joe Coyle. clowns
Heavy loss in dead and injured is said
to have occurred among the ballet of
100 girls.
Halted by Hot Boz.
The show was travelling in two Sec
tions OF Michigan Central train go
ing from Michigan City to Hammond
At East Ivanhoe a hotbox caused the
second section to stop. A train of
empty Pullmans, coming to Chicago,
crashed into it, the locomotive plUW-
ing Its way through the rear car and
four sfeeping coaches. The injured
were taken to hospitals at Hammond
and Gary. 1ssa-s.a r.. 3
A telephone message from Gary said
the heavy steel Pullmans Crashed
through the lighter circus coaches
like so much paper. The wreck was
complete.
Here and there in the wreckaee legs
fed to the suffering Of those still
alive Trainmaster Whipple Of the
Michigan Central was on the train
and was reported among the missing.
Fourteen injured persons from the
wrecked circus train were taken to
st. Margaret's Hospital in Hammond
and 1t was said that fifty others had
been taken to the hospital at Gary.
Ed Ballard. owner of the circus.
estimated the dead at fifty and the
valuable horses are believed TO have
perished also.
Missing Engineer Blamed.
L. w; Landman. general passenger
agent OF the Michigan Central. said tfat
his only explanation of the wreck vas
that the engineer Of the train of empty
cars must have been dead at the
throttle. o
I'm no other way can 1 account for
the fact that he ignored all Of the usual
danger signals placed by the circus
train, said Mr.. Landham. "He ran
past two block signals. two red Light
between the rails and throwing OF a
distance. A""e
This engineer is missing. NV In
formation Is that with the execution Of
the engineer, whose fate 10 a mystery.
hurt.
TT will be some time before an accurate
list Of the dead can be compiled. II is
the worst wreck in the history Of the
road, I believe"
The large number in the casualty list
is said to be due to the practice of show
trains Of sleeping two persons to a
berth. The coaches were Pullmans Of an
obsolete type converted into gaudiiy
painted show cars.
Dead May Number $50.
GARY. ILL.,. June 22.-Estimates of
the dead in the Michigan Central
wreck near Ivanhoe station vary from
100 to lS0. hTe wreck caught fire, de-
injured pinned under the debris.
Twenty-six persons were brought TO
Mercy Hospital. ten to the Gary Gem
sral Hospital. twenty to the illinois