The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-28
ENGINE PLOWED
THRU COACHES
Scores Were Injured and Some
Are Dying.
Most of Killed Were Hit on
the Head.
RESPONSIBLE MAN IN HIDING
Michigan Central Struggles En-
gineer From the Scene.
Women HerOically Gave Under
wear for BandageS.
RESPONSIBLE MAN IN HIDING


list in last nights wreck remained in
complete this afternoon with indica-
tions that forty-three might be the
limit At noon there were forty
bodies in morgues and wreckers said
there were remains resembling three
more under the New York Central
engine
Last night the Canadian and the
Interstate Limited trains on the Mich
igan Central and the New York Cen
trail lines respectively, crashed at
crossing near here.
Ii was a diamond shaped crossing,
permitting the New York Central
train, which struck as the other
sp-awled. derailed, across the inter
section, to rake two Michigan Central
cars instead of cutting one at right
Gngl,s.
Altho mangled limbs and other bits
of human anatomy were still scattered
thru the wreckage, rescue workers be-
lieved these were parts of bodies al
ready recovered and did not believe
the death toll would run much higher.
Investigation into the cause of the
wreck was started by state and local
authorities today. The coroner's in
quest was to be held in Michigan City.
May Blame canadian Engineer.
According to information gat i
by railroad and police authoritie,, 80
day, blame for the wreck lay between
the engineer of the Michigan Central
and the towerman at the Diamond
crossing where the wreck occurred.
The Michigan Central train at p.
m. Sunday coming down on the dan
-1NNgr aN sRf
five miles an hour, hit the derail set
against it. The engine and all of the
cars left the rails.
The train was plunging along. lying
halfway across the Michigan Central
tracks which intersect the New York
Central rails. when the interstate ex-
press at a speed of sixty to sixty-five
miles an hour. plunged into the fore
part of the Canadian.
Most of the dead were from Michi-
gan City and this vicinity. The inter-
state express was running from Bos-
ton to Chicago and the Canadian had
left Chicago for Toronto and other
Canadian points about an hour before
the crash.
PIowed Thru Coaches.
The engine of the interstate express
powed thru two day coaches of the
deraied train. The coaches were
picked up like paper boxes by the mo-
gul engine and stacked up in piles of
debris fifty feet high.
After going thru the train, the loco
motive with parts of human bodies
still hanging on the pilot, spun en-
tirely around and then rolled over on
its side. The engineer and firemen
were killed instantly.
Passengers aboard the interstate eX-
press described their sensations as the
train plowed thru the wreckage.
I'VE hear a terrible sound as bits
of wreckage struck the windows, and
the car began to JAR" said John Gel
hart. Chicago.
1--WE heard rending steel and wood
crashes OF glass, kissing steam and a
mounting Shrek from the dying and
injured"
The work of rescue began immedi-
ately. altho it was until two hours
after the crash occurred that a wreck
ing train arrived from Michigan City
Four rescue and wrecking trains ar
rived shortly after s p. m, and begar
clearing away the debris.
Father Jules Deville of Gary. Ind.
led the rescue party. Then physician:
and nurses arrived.
Francis Kennedy, vaudeville star
whose nose was broken when sh
dashed against the wall of a car whel
the crash came. described the work @
the priest
Priest Was Hero.
"Three persons were pinioned un
scalds" she said. Their screaming
and shrieking was terrible. 1 starte,
to crawl in and try to help them ou
but some man pulled me back. w
realized there was nothing we coul,
do but pray for a quick ending o
their agony.
Father Deville crawled into TIL
steaming and smoking debris an
comforted them until finally thei
cries were stilled by death. Fire brok
out early from the wreck" The vol
unteer fire department of Porte
strung a hose several blocks and 500
had the flames under control
The rescuers were working only b
the red glow of the fire from the en-
gine boxes. Only few lanterns coul
be found on either train andAhere wa
practically no rescue equipment
few axes and two stretchers were a
that could be found to aid in the res
cue work.
Most of the bodies were taken t
Chesterton. while others were re
moved to LapOrte. Michigan City, Gil
son and other nearby points in auto