The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-07-21
RUNS Wild
SLEEPINGCOACHRIT
LOCOMOTIVE TORE INTO
REAR END OF CAR
DAVID EVANS INJURED
Thrown To Platform As He Was
About To Board North
western Train

- It was a lucky accident tnat oc.
CURED in the Chicago and North
western railroad yards last evening
shortly after six o'clock A North
western switch engine from some
unknown cause while left standing
on the Northwestern tracks south
of the union depot made steaIY in
the throttle and ran wild. 1t crash
ed into sleeping car attached TO
the rear end of Northwestern pas
senger train No 412, which was
standing in front of the union de-
pot. The front end of the switch
engine and the rear end of the
sleeping car were damaged consid-
erably. It is understood that the
engineer of the switch engine was
at the time eating his supper at
restaurant. The fireman had stepp-
ed of the engine for a moment, so
it is understood. The switch crew
was in charged Conductor SHORTY
Young.
MINNEAPOLIS, was in the act Of
boarding passenger train No. ALI
when the crash came He was
thrown to the platform with consid.
erabie force and his knees bruised
and his clothing torn.
Wild Rumors Afioat
Immediately following the acci-
dent there were some wild rumors
to the effect that some one got on
to the engine while it was left
standing alone and pulled the throt-
tie open. Investigation. however,
failed to prove that this was the
case. Railway men stated TINS
morning that the starting of the
engine could be caused by a leaky
throttle. Outside Of the slight in
juries sustained by Mr.. Evans no
one was injured.
The damaged sleeping car was le.
at this point. Its rear END
hoisted several feet In the air -
it was necessary to jack screw
coach IL, order to back out the loe'
motive. the front end of whiei
showed scars of the encounter. u
is said that the locomotive was ira,
cling at the rate of about tw ent
miles an hour when it struck ~
coach. The locomotive was stand
ing about two blocks away when i
started on its wild run. A caboose
attached to the locomotive was
shaken up considerable.
Passenger train No. Az, headed
for Chicaso, was delayed a short
time, and departed without the
usual sleeping car accommodations.
Report Sent To Superintendent
According to the report sent into
the superintendent of the North
western road by Conductor Nj. A.
Young. engineer L. Allen in charge
Of engine No. 1144 before leaving
the locomotive at 5:45 shut OF the
throttle, applied the emergency
brake. threw the direct air into
neutral and opened the pet cocks
of the engine This vas taking every
precaution known to engine men. For
that reason every one is at q loss
to know how the engine started up
and crashed into the rear end OF
train No. 412.
Omaha Section Foreman Carl
Weber in a statement to The Free
Free Press said that two men pref
tywell under the weather due to moon
shine, about the middle Of the af-
ternoon and been swearing and ours
ing strike breakers and "scabs.
Shortly before the accident those
two men went up through the yards
near where the engine was LETT
standing. Some of the railroad men
are Of the opinion that the engine
was started BY someone.
The west draw bar and buffer or
the sleeper Chaffee was battered IN
BY the impact Of the engine, and
the engine pilot was knocked Oh
and the front doors knocked n.