Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-01
GRAND JURY PROBE
Of FLYERS WRECK
ORDERED BY JUDGE

vestigation into the wreck of the
"Dixie Flyer on the Nashville,
Chattanooga and st. Louis railway,
Monday, in which two persons were
killed and fifteen injured, will be
made by the grand jury here on or
ders of Superior Judge M. c. Tarver.
Judge Tarver, hearing reports that
the train was running sixty miles
an hour over a newly-constructed
roadbed, ordered an inquiry, charg
ing that if the reports were true the
engineers of the train should be in
dicted for manslaughter.
The wreckage was cleared up rap
idly Tuesday morning, with indica.
tons that the line would be opened
to trains at 2 o'clock in the after
noon.
The revised casualty list shows
two dead, as follows:
d. K. Doak, of Atlanta, fireman
on the second engine, scalded.
r. H. Gourley, 81, of 1929 Wash
ington avenue, st. Louis, Mo-, mar
ried, a carpenter and Bible teacher.
Body thrown from the day coach and
the head and one arm severed.
| The injured:
A. A. Thorman, 60, Blairstown,
Iowa. Badly lacerated head and in
a semi-conscious condition. Condi-
ton doubtful.
Frank Everett, 6, Ringgold, Ga.
Seriously cut and smashed.
Mrs. J. E. Everett, Ringgold, GA
! Scratched and bruised.
| Will Hardin, Jr., 80, Murfreesboro,
Tenn. Head and hand badly smash
ed and lacerated.
J. Read Abrams, Forsyth, Ga,
travelling salesman. Both ankles
broken.
| J. B. Haubach, SO, grain dealer.
of dialogue, Ill. Head and hand
badly cut.
H. L. Blakeley, Union City, Tenn.
Scratched and bruised.
Engineer Hurt.
| Walt F. Henderson, engineer on
second engine. Slightly injured.
Dena Arcadia, Tampa, Fla.
Scratched and bruised.
Hugo Greenwaid~ 1855 North ked'
I,die avenue, Chicago. Scratched and
bruised.
G. W. Francis. AZ Rutledge avenue,
Nashville, Tenn. Scratched and
bruised. 90
David Wilcox, Lawrenceburg,
Tenn. Scratched and bruised.
w. A. Dusefint, West Salem, Ill.
Scratched and bruised.
M. M. Ralph, IS years OF age, Hart
ford, Ky. Scratched and bruised.
John Grubbs, Wilson, Mo. Scratch
ad and bruised
J. P. Moseley, of Macon, Ga, was
on the seat with Mr.. Gourley, but
was uninjured.
body of Gourley to be shipped Tues,
day to st. Louis, and the BODY OF
Doak Shipped to Atlanta.
The ten less seriously injured were
removed to Chattanooga on a relief
train.
The four injured persons too Sc
riously hurt to be removed were
resting we'll at the Calhoun hotel
Tuesday morning. They are: Mr.
Abraham, of Forsyth; Mr.. Harding,
of Murfreesboro, Tenn; A. j. Thor
4 man, Blairstown, Iowa, and j. b.
IHaubrook, of Lang, Ill.
Only one of the injured, A
A. Thorman, seemed in any danger
Physicians. expressed some doubt IS
to his recovery.
An element of mystery was pro
vided when authorities sought the
owner of an abandoned suit case
reported to have been left at the
side of the wrecked train by a young
woman who disappeared. The suit
case was brought to a Calhoun hotel
and held there for the owner.
The Dixie Flyer, a 'double-header,
was running about two hours late,
having left Atlanta at 1O:42 O'Clock
and was said by spectators to have
passed the local station at a rate OF
lspeed seemingly in excess of 90 miles
per hour.
When the train struck the curve
at McDaniel's crossing the second
: engine became detached from the
leader, and plunged off the track
1t turned over in the ditch, and car
ried nine coaches with it. Fireman
Doak, who was killed, was on this
engine. The lead engine did not
leave the track. The last three Pull
mans in the train did not leave the
track.
The track was torn up for more
than ZUU yarQS.
Diner Bridges Ravine
The steel dining car was thrown
across a big ditch, bridge-like. None
Of the passengel.. in the diner and
Pullmans was hurt.
The nine coaches which left the
track were the mail coach, baggage
coach, two day coaches, dining car
and four Pullmans.
J. 3. Haubach, Of dialogue, Ill.,
was the first passe ger out of the
wrecked train, being thrown through
window. Despite the serious in
juries to his head and hand, he
helped the trainmen batter their way
to the rescue Of passengers pinned
in one of the coaches.
Will Hardin, Jr., of Murfreesboro
Tenn, whose head and hand were
badly smashed and lacerated, also
heroically forgot his injuries and
fought to rescue other passengers
trapped in the wrecked coaches.
He brought young Frank Everett
and the boys mother from the
p wreckage before realizing that ne
was bleeding almost to death.
Mr.. Haubach said all of the pas
sengers acted calmly and there was
no sign of panic among them as he
aided the trainmen in breaking into
the coaches and making a way for
their escape.
Local people no visited the scene
of the wreck, passengers on the tram
and railroad officials, stated that bul
for the fact that this was an all-steel
train the casualties would have been
appalling.
The southbound Dixie Flyer Mon
day was routed over the Southern
railroad via Rome.
The first engine was in charge OF
Engineer c. w. McLain and FIRE
man H. D. Kelly. The second en-
| i :. In criKl Wv q III