Imperial Valley press., 1922-07-03
THIRTY THREE
INJURED IN
CRASH
Philadelphia Train Goes In
to Ditch at Speed of 20
Miles An Hour
SWITCH SET WRONG
Aged T0werman, Crazed by
Disaster, Pleads for
Death Relief

WINSLOW JUNCTION, N. j., July
3-Nine persons were killed when the
Philadelphia and Reading "Midnight
Flyer shot through an open switch
and was completely wrecked here to-
day, the New Jersey state police an
nounced this afternoon. Thirty three
persons are known to have been lnJur-
ed.
Seven Of the dead have been posi-
lively identified. They are:
Joseph Dilasua, 35, Pleasantville, N.
Sol Worth, Nays Landing, N. }.
William Westcott, engineer, Glouces-
ter, N. J.
William S. Souder, 30, Atlantic City.
Francis l.. Corbett, 2S, Philadelphia.
John Lynnhan, "a, Philadelphia.
James Owen, negro porter, address
unknown.
Old Switchman Crazed
John De Walt, 60, the tower man at
Winslow Junction, was found in his
home by a detail of troopers under
Lieutenant William Sickler, who went
to question him. An attempt was made
to take the old man to Jail but his en-
feebled condition made it impossible.
Troopers, one on each side of him, at
tempted to help him through the door
of his home on the way to jail. The old
man became hysterical and collapsed.
"My God," he screamed, 81 sent
the engine through the wrong switch. L
sent those people to their death.
"Let me die-I don t dare live any
longer. l want to join those whom l
sent to DEATH"
II l. ka1r - %h1 lar, ,oH
if he RECEIVERS.
De Walt, according to physicians
that were called when he broke down,
was crazed over the wreck.
ellis mind is shattered,' said an at
tendant. "He may get his wish of join
ing, the dead
French De Walt, the tower mans
son, declared his father was blameless.
Bodies of the dead were removed to
the Camden morgues and the wounded
were taken to Atlantic City by relief
trains.
The train was completely wrecked
and it is feared the tangled ruins, over
which crews worked franctically, held
other victims. Deep yellow mud lay be-
meath the train.
The accident was caused by the i'm
proper setting of switch, according
to reports here. 1t threw the flyer onto
a curve leading into a branch line to
Wildwood and Cape May. The curve
was set for slow freight train.
The Flyer was travelling at speed
of 20 miles an hour. The engineer did
not slow down as he reached the june
tion, expecting a clear straight track.
The train was made up of two Pull
man ears, one club car and four
coaches.
The speeding train took the switch at
a leap, plOughed go feet across the
ground and curled up into heap Of
wreckage.
Relief trains were rushed from At
lantie City and Camden. They carried
Red Cross nurses and several corps of
physicians. The trains and wrecking
trains carrying railroad workmen were
given the right of way.
Red Cross nurses and American Leg
ion men in nearby towns were organ
lied and rushed to the scene. They
worked frantically to extricate the in.
jured. A man, covered by debris, died
just as he was being taken from. the
wreck.
bride, too hysterical to give her
name, watched workers remove her
husband from the wreck. His back
was broken and he was near the point
of death when rushed to hospital in
Atlantic City.
When the flyer hit the curve, the
emergency brakes were jammed on.
The ears swayed over but held the rails
for moment. Then the engine leaped
from the tracks and dashed into mud
dy bank, followed by the coaches.
The noise was deafening as the
coaches piled upon each other, carry
ing with them the 100 or more sleep
ing passengers.
Screams Heard Above Crashing
The screams of the injured and
frightened passengers could be heard
above the roaring of the steam from
the wrecked powerful engine. The ears
had been ripped open and were twisted
as they piled high one upon another.
The train left the track with such
| terrific force that the road bed was
plowed up for $50 feet and an electric
light pole pulled down, gripping the en-.
tire light system at Winslow Junction.