The Mena weekly star., 1919-08-07
may never KNOW
CAUSE OF WRECK
Occurred on Straight Track, Consid
cred Best on Road-Lips of Only
Persons Who Might Have Told,
Sealed in Death.

The cause of the wreck of train No.
B which occurred last Saturday near
Lyons, Ok, and thru which Engineer
A. F. yesterday and Fireman Fred
Holt came to their death, and five
others were injured, will likely never
be known since the lips of the only two
persons who could tell how it hap
pened are forever sealed in death.
The wreck occurred on a straight
run of track, just after rounding a
curve about two miles south of Lyons,
and trainmen who passed over the
track on previous train had pro-
nounced it 100 per cent as to condi-
ton. 1t is reported that a section
foreman 200 yards away, looking at
the approaching engine, saw it rear
up, then topple over, turning once and
half over down the embankment
against a rock bank, then settle back.
The front trucks were released and
ran so to 100 yards down the track
ahead of the wrecked engine. The cab
was torn loose and pushed back over
the tender. Engineer Easterday was
seen to crawl out of the cab venti-
lator and then to climb up the 8-foot
bank and sit down on the track Later
he walked to the Pullman, and even
after reaching Stillwell, walked to
the office of the doctor, insisting there
should be no worry about him but that
attention should be given to care of
the fireman. Mr. Easterday died four
hO.r,.n offnx, f1n oootlr,,+ .....-.~l.
ate cause of his death being ascribed
to the inhalation of steam. Fireman
Holt was held under the wreckage by
having one foot pinned fast and al
most crushed off. When he was pried
loose he collapsed. dying about 40
minutes later.
The remains of Mr. Easterday were
brought to Mena on train No. 1, which
reached Mena Sunday morning about
10 o'clock and were then taken
to the Frazier undertaking parlor,
where they lay in state until the hour
of the funeral Monday at 10 o'clock
r. L. Shannon and J. L. Stockton,
mail clerks on the run from Sloan
Springs to Mena, and M. E. Linscott,
baggage and express messenger, were
the trainmen injured. All three are
we'll known in Mena, the mail clerks
making stopovers here between trains,
and the express messenger having his
layover here, Mr.. Stockton was cut
on his right arm and received serious
body bruises. Mr.. Shannon's injuries
were to his back, and Mr. Linscott was
seriously cut and bruised by being
caught between a safe and the side of
his car. The mail clerks were both
taken to their homes in Sloan
Springs and on Monday were reported
as resting well, and having somewhat
recovered from the shock.
Mrs. w. H. Hawkins of Saylor, Ok,
and r. w. Green, colored minister of
Texarkana, were the passengers in
jured, the first receiving injuries about
her head and shoulders by jumping
from a car window, and the latter had
his back wrenched. Other passengers
were severely shaken up, for all of the
cars except the two Pullmans left the
track, the engine and mail car being
completely demolished.
A relief train with doctors and nurs-
es came from Stilwell, nine miles from
the scene Of the wreck, and gave first
aid to the injured traipmen and pas
sengers, who were later taken by spe-
cial train, some to their homes, and
others to the company hospital at
Kansas City.