The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-19
City Resident Dead; Three
Other Men, Both Rail
Employees, Hurt.
BIZ United Press

MONTICELLO, Ind, March 49,
Engineer George Marlowe, SIS, 1850
North New Jersey street, Indian
apolis, was killed and three other
indianapolis men we're injured seri-
ously early today when a Chicago
bound Monon passenger train was
struck head-on by an indianapolis
bound double-header freight train
at Guernsey, seven miles north of
Monticello
The hfty-six passengers escaped
injury.
Marlowe, engineer of the first
freight engine, was crushed to death
in his cab. His fireman, Grant Will
bank, 1851 Bellefontaine street, In
dianapolis, escaped serious injury by
jumping before the crash.
John w. Miller, so, of 1929 Ashland
avenue, Indianapolis, passenger train
engineer, sustained a broken left leg
and crushed right knee. His fire.
man, Art Robinson, 80, of 1852 Belle
fontaine street, Indianapolis, was
injured on the head and chest The
injured were taken to st. Eliza
beth's hospital, Lafayette, in am
balances from Monticello.
Travelling at Slow Speed
Marlowe, a bachelor, roomed at
the home of Mrs. Ethel Moore, 1850
North New Jersey.
A brother, Elmer Marlowe, en-
gineer for the Monon on the south
ern division; two sisters, Mrs. Lucy
Dyer and Mrs Clay Downing, all
of Lafayette, survive him.
Marlowe had been employed by
the Monon for twenty-five years.
The crash occurred on the main
line at 4:10 a. m. as the passenger
train, having the right of way, was
standing on the main track, wait
ing for the double-h freight
train to take the switch.
Monon officials said Marlowe ap-
parently misjudged his speed and
was unable to halt his freight train
in time to take the switch The
freight train was said to have been
travelling only about ten or twelve
miles an hour when it struck the
passenger engine.
Attempted to Leap
Lack of prompt ambulance serv-
ice forced both Miller and Robinson
to lie on the ground at the scene
of the crash for nearly two hours,
according to brothers of Robinson
who hurried to Lafayette when they
learned of the accident, and re-
turned to take Mrs Robinson to her
husbands side.
Both men suffered so from ex-
posture, the Robinson brothers said,
that physicians we're forced to use
a number of hot water bottles to
warm the injured men to a degree
that surgery would be practicable.
Robinson, his brothers said, at
tempted to leap when he saw the
oncoming freight would De unable to
make the siding, but was hurled
against the engine cab wall with
such force that his left ear nearly
was torn off by an iron plate and
the entire lower side of his left jaw
mangled.
The Millers have two sons, Rus
sell Miller, living in Broad Ripple,
and Theron, living at home, and
the Robinsons have one son, Bobby,
aged 3.
Officials asserted few if any of
the f1fty-six passengers on the nine
coach passenger train even were
shaken by the impact, those in the
rear coaches not knowing of the
crash until later.
Investigation Is Begun
The line was cleared for traffic
after being blocked about an hour
and half. Although neither the
passenger locomotive nor the first
engine of the freight train was
derailed, they were damaged badly
and could not be used.
With the second freight engine
the freight train was moved to
siding and the same engine used
to take the passenger train into
Chicago.
F. N. McCulloch, Chicago, was
conductor on the passenger train
and Barney McConahy, 1922 Belle
fontaine street. indianapolis, was
freight train conductor.
Investigation of the cause of the
crash was begun Immediately by E.
F. Thompson Of Lafayette, Monon
northern division superintendent.
The interstate public service COM
mission and the Indiana public
service commission we're to be noti-
fed by railroad officials and we're
expected to conduct separate inves-
legations.
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