South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-07
Unheeded Signal Cause of
Disastrous Railway Wreck
Nearly Two Score Die, Includ-
ing Four of One Family
Bodies Robbed.
SULPHUR SPRINGS. Mo. Al

SULPHUR SPRINGS. Mo-, Aug. s.
-(By A. P.)-Failure Of an engineer
to heed a block signal caused the
rear-end collision on the Missouri
Pacific here las night in which 81
persons were killed and about 1871
injured. % seriously, according to
John Cannon. assistant general man
ager Of the road.
Train No 4, fast steel passenger
train running az full speed, crashed
into No. 81, a local composed Of five
wooden coaches. a baggage and an
express car as the engine was TAX
mig on water with the coaches
stretching back on a trestle over
Glais creek. The impact hurled two
OF ths local coaches down a 50-foot
embarrassment edging the Mississippi
and telescoped four other coaches,
crushing a number of passengers to
death in their seats.
Engineer Killed.
According TO Mr.. Cannon. Matt
Glenn of St. Louis, engineer of the
fast passenger failed to heed a block
signal. warning him that the track
was not clear ahead Glenn, 81
years old, an engineer for IS years.
without a previous black mark
against his record. was killed when
he jumped from his cab just before
the crash. Edwin Tinsley, also of
St Louis, fireman of No 4. remain
ed at his post and was injured seri-
ously.
Engineer Glenn, shortly before ar
irving in Sulphur Springs. received
orders ION the run" 10 pull over on
a siding at Cliff Cave, 10 miles north
of here. 10 allow Sunshine Special
No. 1" enroute from St. Louis to
Texas points, TO pass; and, Mr.. Can
non explained, the engineer failed
TO heed the signal because he appar-
emily was reading the orders when he
passed the block. The orders were
found near his body.
GhOuIs Rob Bodies.
Ghouls appeared on the scene
shortly after the crash and robbed
the dead and dying. Only one was
arrested, and he said ne was VIII
liam Hall OF St. Louis. Several
pieces of wearing apparel, taken
from the unfortunate. were found
on his person and a Bible was in his
waist The Bible, II was said, had
been the property of Rev. V. o.
Pensley Of Desoto, one of those
killed.
The dead and injured were spread
over an area Of several city blocks,
and chicken crates, automobile cush-
ions. baggage and the railroad tracks
constituted their touches. This little
village of $50 inhabitants was unable
10 care for the injured and they,
along with the dead, were taken 10
St. Louis and Desoto. DR.. w w.
Hull was the only physician admin
istering 10 the injured for several
hours, until relief trains arrived.
Had 7 had Some assistance, we
might have saved some Of the dying,
DR.. Hull told the Associated Press.
AT one time l was trying 20 treat
% persons simultaneously"
Five of Family Die.
The cries Of the injured had TO go
unheeded in many cases. Mothers
begged for news OF their babies and
children cried for Their parents. One
I4-months-old child, unable 10 tel
her name. was found a mile from the
scene OF the disaster asking for
mamma" A woman from St, Louis
took her in charge.
one OF the saddest scenes reported
was that OF the Degania family OF
ST. Louis Four Of the family OF six
we're killed and the father Is report
ed dying in a St. Louis hospital.
Three Of the Degania children, Ralph
6: Melvin. 5: and Robert Il months
lay dead at the right Of their father
before he could be removed, and Mrs
Degania lay dead at his left.
Mr. Degania in his delirium
clasped his infant son to his breast
repeating between groans~of pain
Thank God. Bobby. were all alive,
not knowing the hearts OF his wife
and children were stIlled.
Identification Dlffic1It
In the confusion several bodies
were hustled on the relief trains be-
fore being checked. leaving the mum
Der Of dead for a time uncertain
Many OF the bodies could not be
Identified because their effects had
beor, scattered over such a wide area
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