The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-08-09
FAILURE TO HEED SIGNALS
CAUSED AWFUL WRECK
One OF Ghouls on Scene Found with
Bible Belonging to Dead Preacher
In Possession. Five OF One Family
OF Six all Lose Their Lives.

OF Six all Lose Their Lives.
sulphur Springs. Mo-. Aug. 6.-F'ail-
ure Of an engineer to heed a block sig
nal caused the rear end collision on
the Missouri Pacific here last night
in which SO persons were killed ana
about t37 injured, 30 seriously, ac-
cording 80 John Cannon, assistant gen.
eral manager Of the road.
Train No. 4. fast passenger vesti-
bule steel train running at full speed
crashed into No. 80, local composed
OF five wooden day coaches, baggage
and an express car as the engine was
taking on water with the coaches
stretching back on trestle over
Glaise creek
The I'M act hurled two of the local
coaches down 90 foot embankment
edging the Mississippi and telescoped
four other coaches crushing a number
OF passengers TO death in their seats.
Both trains were behind time, the fast
passenger. running from Fort Worth
to ST. Louis. carrying $50 passengers.
and the local 100 persons.
| According 70 Mr.. Cannon, Matt En-
ger Glenn. OF ST, Louis, engineer Of
the fast passenger, failed to heed a
block signal warning him the track
was not clear ahead. Glenn, 81 years
old, an engineer for So years without
q black mark aginst his record, was
l-;IIad ,rbe,- No inp,nad from, b;c ~ -; n
just before the crash. Edward Tins
ley, also OF St. Louis. fireman OF No.
(. remained at his post and was in
jured seriously.
Engineer Glenn shortly before ar
riying in sulphur Springs received or
ders "on the run" to pull over on a
siding at Cliff Cave, 10 miles north Of
here to allow Sunshine Special No.
/" en- route from St. Louis to Texas
points. 10 pass and Mr. Cannon eX-
planned the engineer failed 10 heed the
signal because he apparently was
readig these orders when he passed
the block The orders were found near
his body.
Ghouls appeared on the scene short
y after the crash and robbed the dead
and dying. Or,.y one was arrested and
ne said he was William Hill, of ST
Louis. Several pieces Of wearing ap-
rarcl taken from the unfortunates
We're found on his person and a Bible
was in his waist The Bible, it was
said. had been the property Of the Rev
IL. o. Pcnsiey, Of DcSota, one Of those
killed The dead and injured were
ispraad over an area Of several cit!
blocks, and chicken crates, automobile
cushions. baggage and the railroad
:. tracks constituted their couches. Thi:
little village OF 80 inhabitants was
unable to care for the injured and the;
along with the dead were taken tt
ST. Louis and DeSoto. Dr.. W. ". HUI
vas the only physician administerin;
- the injured for several hours unit
!cief trains arrived.
Had had some assistance W.
might have saved some Of the dying
DR.. Hull told a representative Of Th
Associated Press. "At one time l wa
trying to treat % persons simultane
ously'
The cries of the injured had to 6,
unhc eded in many cases. Mothers
begged for news Of their babies an
children cried for their parents On
i-months-old child, unable to tell he
i name, was found a mile from tn
scene Of the disaster asking 70
y mamma. A woman from st, Loui
took her in charge.
One Of the saddest scenes reporte
was that of the Degania family, O
i ST. Louis. Five Of the family OF si
were killed and the father is reporte
dying in a ST. Louis hospital. Fou
, Of the Degania children, Mildred
, years old; Ralph, 6, Melvin, an,
{ Robert, II months, lay dead to tn
| right of their father before he coul,
+. be removed, and Mrs. Degania lay dea,
to his left
!, Mildred had been mumbling audi
bly, the Lords prayer and just as sh
recited, "Thy will be DONE" deatl
sealed her lips. Mr.. Degania in hi
delirium clasped his infant son to hi
breast repeating between groans o
pain, Thank Cod Bobby, we're al
: alive" not knowing the hearts Of hi
wife and children we're stilled.
IN the confusion several bodies wer,
, placed on the relief trains before be