South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-09-23
COX'S TRAIN
WRECKED IN
ARIZONA TOWN
Nominee and Party Escape In
jury-Engineer Suffers
Broken Leg.

PHOENIX. Ariz., Sept. 22.-Gov.
Cox's presidential campaign train
was wrecked about 4:3O o'clock
. Wednesday, IA miles north of here,
while enroute to Prescott, Ariz.
The democratic presidential cahdi-
date and his party were severely
shaken when an engine and four cars
of the special train were ditched, but
all esca ped serious injury. The most
seriously injured was Charles A.
Nichols, engineer, of Prescott, who
had suffered a broken leg in jump
ing from his cab when his engine
tOppled over.
Cause of Wreck
Spread rails were assigned by
railroad men as the cause OF the
wreck which compelled the governor
and his party to return here We'd
nesday night and cancel his evening
address at Prescott. is future
itinerary also was upset.
The accident occurred a half mile
out of Peoria, a village on the Santa
Fe railroad. The train, consisting Of
six cars and drawn by two heavy
engines, needed for the upgrade to
Prescott, left here at four O'Clock.
About q half hour later, while run
ming at a speed estimated at between
35 and 80 miles an hour the train
Jared suddenly, as if in collision,
and then application Of the emery
ercy brakes, humping over broken
rails and ties, and the careening Of
cars, tod passengers the story.
Four Cars Ditchcd
The four forward cars were
/ ditched, the governors private car
at the rear and the adjoining com
| partmert car of newspapermen. ex-
cept for its forward truck, remaining
on the rails.
A baggage coach turned over on
its side. Two passenger coaches and
| another compartment car partly top
! pied over.
The first engine Of the double
header, Engineer +. c. Sutton. Of
Prescott, said, left the rails first and
| then jumped on again, but the second
engine tOppled over amid a cloud Of
escaping steam. The tender of the
forward engine also fell over, while
/ the first passenger coach ran the
length Of the overturned baggage
/ car and jammed it's forward end
into the tracks.
All or the passengers on all car
were thrown topsy-turvy. Some suf-
/ tcred bruises and cuts from flying
glass. IN the rush to escape several
women passengers in the coaches
were put through broken windows.
Gov. Cox was i'm the dining room
| Of his private car going over papers
with DR. Robert c. Goldsmith. his
assistant in the League Of Nations
question when the crash occurred.
Cox Shaken Up.
What's that2" he shouted. rising
TO his feet only 10 be thrown heavily
across the car againt its vail. He
was shaken UP but rushed out TO
assist the injured and this accom-
plished. cOolly smoked a pipe while
waiting for a wrecking train 10 ar
rive and take him back 10 Phoenix
Personal effects Of all members OF
the train were scattered and broken.
Charles Nichols. engineer, was
taken TO Phoenix I'm a lassing auto
mobile and first aid was given to
several others. Philip Alton, of Pres
colt, brakeman, who was alone in
the baggsg &c car, when 1t turned over,
suffered scalp iaceratiOns
That Gov. Cox escaped injury was
due. II was said. 10 delay in a con-
ference with the Prescott reception
committee. J. J. SinnOt representing
the democratic national committee.
on the campaign trip, and Chairman
Norris, o. the Prescott committee,
were enroute to the private car 10
get the governor 70 go forward 10
the first coach. where the reception
CONTINUED or PAGE FOURD