The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-01
EIGHT CARS OFF
TRACK, MEN ARE
THROWN IN HEAP
Accident in Humboldt Yards at
1850 O'Clock This Morning.
Santa Fe Believes Switch Was
Thrown Under the Train.
ENGINE CREW ESCAPED IT
Only Soldiers Endangered by
the Near Catastrophe.
Train Carried Troops and the
Kansas Volunteers.
Only Soldiers Endangered by
the Near Catastrophe.
Train Carried Troops and the
Kansas Volunteers.
BELIEVE SYMpATHIzER DID IT
Adjutant General and Santa Fe
of Same Opinion.
Authorities in Search for the
Wrecker Today.

Humboldt, Kan, Dec. 1-Jammed
together in a struggling mass. MEM
bers of the Fourth Kansas regiment
and members of the college teams of
volunteer miners. awoke early this
morning to the real seriousness of the
emergency for which they had been
called out by Gov. Henry Allen. at
4:50 o'clock the special which was
bearing them to Pittsburg for duty at
the coal mines left the rails, a switch
having been thrown as the train was
within one hundred and fifty yards
of the Humboldt station.
Corp. Guy A. Sterritt of the Topeka
guards was injured, but only slightly.
He did not require medical attention.
Tho eight of the ten cars of the
special were thrown from the tracks
and two of them balanced, threaten
Ing to overturn at any minute. none
of the college men or state soldiers re-
ported any casualties from the first
enga cement of their newest campaign.
The vestibules of the cars were
crashed INTO kindling wood and most
of the windows were shattered. but
the only real hurt done outside the
bumps and bruises the men received
In the rude awakening, was a cut on
the head received by Corporal Sterritt,
who had been 30 near one of the
breaking windows.
AT High Rate of Speed.
The train was passing thru Humboldt
al a. speed of fifty miles an hour.
according to the engineer. The en-
gine tender and two baggage coaches
passed clear. but a switch thrown
under the first troop coach. by the
unknown switchman, derailed the re-
mainder of the train, with the excep-
ton of the last coach, C0nraining the
Washburn miners.
The other coaches were thrown zig
gag across the two tracks leading into
Humboldt their vestibules smashed
and windows broken. The tracks were
torn up and the first coach containing
the members of the Topeka. company
of guardsmen, was tilted on its side,
balance precariously. threatening to
overturn with it's load of human
freight. AS far as could be learned
no one on the train was injured with
the exception of one unidentified man
who was cut on the scalp by flying
glass. -+......-
AS soon as the first shock of the
wreck was over, Capt. John Ashwerth
commander of the Topeka company
had his men detrain from the balanc-
ing sleeper, for a Gordon of guards
about the scene of the wreck, and as
sisted the other guardsmen and mem
bers of the mining crews on board tc
eXtricate themselves from the mass OF
wreckage.
Train Carried Topezans.
The train carried the Topeka, Law
renee and Emporia companies of the
Kansas guards as we'll as the Wash
burn. Manhattan and K. U. teams oi
volunteer miners. The Washburr
miners were in the last coach and
were thrown to the floor in a strug-
Cling mass when the smash came
None were hurt. Practically the same
occurred in all the other cars of the
train, except the third coach. occu,
pied by the Kansas university miners
This coach was tilted on edge like thai
occupied by the Topeka company and
the men inside so badly shaken VI
that it was some time before they
were able to get out of the car tha
threatened to turn over at any min.
ute and cause real injuries. Bruise;
and bumps. the college men and sol
diers reported, were their sole casual
ties
Passenger Train Ahead.
The wreck took place one hundred
and fifty yards outside of Humboldt
just five minutes after fast Santa F.
passenger train had passed thru. Rail
way men declare that the slipping o
the switch could not have been acci
dental and that the man responsible
for the attempt to seriously cripple tn
state military forces must have beel
Continued on Psge Two.J