Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, August 12, 1887, Page 1

s - of people supposed to be killed. SEVENTEENTH YEAR. OMAHA. FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 12 1887, " THE .OMAHA ‘DaiLy BEE NUMBER 55! determine where rests the responsibility of the dreadful catastrophe. That the train comprising 8o large & & number of cars created too greata weight with which to test the strength of the strong- est bridee seems to be a well established fact. Had the traln been. run in sectious the chances are the accident would not have hap- pened, A VILLAGE TURNED INTO A HOSPITAL. CraTswontH, [il, August 11.—|Press. |— Charnal houses and hospitals make up to- night what has been the peaceful villaze of Chatsworth. Of 800 merry excursionists journeying by here to the falls of Niagara twenty-four hours ago, fully half the number have since passed through a maelstrom more fearful than all the whirling waters they were traveling far to see. Eighty- four of them, blackened, mangled corpses, are scattered in the depots, school houses and engine houses here and at Piper City, a orrebeing carried on trains in all directions to their homes, while 115 ban- daged and moaning cripples are stretched on all available mattresses, chairs and floors in this vicinity, struggling for a little lease of life. The streets of Chatsworth are fillad with crowds of auxious seekers for friends and relations, and with other crowds of bustling people hurrying for wmedicines, slowly bearing rude pine coffins to trains, or talking earnestly of the horror that has caused consternation, The littleditch which the culvert spanned was about ten feet deep and the timbers had been burned away by the fires which have been raging in this vicinity. The heavily-laden train, rushing down [y grade of about forty - eight feet to the mile, struck the culvert. The eye of the engineer could not detect the burned frame work beneath the track because enouch of the culvert remained in position to hold the rails in position, but as the wheels touched it the crash came. The rapidity with which the train was going may be im- agined when It is understood that the first engine leaped over the chasm and holding the track went on but little in- jured. ‘The secoud engine plowed its way along the track for nearly 200 feet and finally went over on its side, a most complete wreck. Piling on top of and telescoping one another came the regular passenger coaches with their loads of human freight. And such a mass, such an indescribable tangled mass of splintered cars and mangled bodies. All night long and all day the work of removing the dead and wounded occupled the good people cf the vicinity and many helpers who came from adjacent cities. At 9 o'clock this evening, when the Associated press correspondent left the scene, 1t was thought all but six or seven bodies had been removed. CAUSE OF THE CATASTROPHE. Indirectly, the catastrophe was ascribed to the origin of so many other recent great calamities, viz.: unprecedented drought. ‘The tall grass under a little culvert on the Toledo, Peoria & Western road a few miles east of Chatsworth had been rendered by the sun as dry as tinder, and last night a loco- motive spark set it ablaze. The timbers of the culvert caught fire and weré smeldering unsesn when the train of sixteen coaches of ANOTHER ASHTABULA Frightfal Wreck On the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railwav, PLUNGED INA BURNT CULVERT. One Hundred Passengers Killed and Double the Number Injured. FIFTEEN CARS TORN TO PIECES. An Appalling Midnight Oalamity Near Ohatsworth, IlL Heartrendiog Scenes Witnessed By the Few Survivors. WORST DISASTER EVER KNOWN., Two Passengers, Orazed By Suffering, Blow Out Their Brains. ACCOUNTS OF THE ACCIDENT. Beveral Thrilling and Hairbreadth BEs- capes By Passengers, COWARDLY VANDALS ON HAND. Misoreants Out Off the Fingers of the Dead to Secure Rings. MANY OTHER VALUABLES TAKEN A Noble Woman Works For Hours Ministering to the Wounded and Dying — The People of Chats- worth Highly Praised For Good Deeds—Full Par- ticulars of the Horror. A Midnight Disaater. CHATSWORTH, 11, August 11.—|(Special Telegram to the BEk.|—At an early hour this morning this hitherto quiet little village ‘was thrown Into the most violent convul- slons of excitement when the terrible news spread quick and fast that the entire train on the Toledo, Peorla & Western rallroad, con- slsting of fifteen coaches, including five Pull- man sleepers, had gone through the bridge crossing the Vermillion river, and hundreds The train was loaded with perhaps a thou- lonists came along., There was sand merry people on thier way to Niagara | excurs! Falls, it being an excursion train destined to | & terrifio _crash, -nfli -: mm;‘:fi that great national wonder. almost unprecedented in horror, passed into history. That was the briet story gleaned on the streets of Chatsworth this evening. A short ride brought one from the sickening sights of the city to the place where the catastrophe occurred. The tangled iron and wood and various debris presented much the same appearance as it did at the time of the accident. The engine, shattered out of all shape, lay in the ditch about two hundred feet- beyond the culvert, and broken cars were strewn all about. The culvert, which was about thirty- two feet in length, showed broken and burned timbers, und gave evidence at a glance of the cause of the accident. Dr. Hazen, of Fort Madison, Ia., says the train was running about thirty miles an hour. He felt a sudden jar and found him- self and wife fastened under the seats. e pulled the backs off of two seats before he could ret his wife out. She was bruised on the body and had both feet inashed. His shoulder was dislocated and had to be pulled into place as soon as he could get out of the wreck, and in helping others pulled it out of place again, and had to have it pulled into place a secona time. ‘L'here were mnine per- sons 1n his party, and he can only hear from It was & party made up largely of the better class of people of the surrounding country. To many it was their holiday after the labors of the summer. A merrier party freed from the cares of duty never before embarked upon an excursion of pleasure. There were husbands and wives taking thelr first day of recreation of the season. The merry laugh of the young people, as they had entered the train at their respective stations had scarcely died away in the re- pose of slumber when the awful crash came. ‘The scenes of happiness, galety and general good nature, with the fond anticipations of a pleasant journey and safe return were in- stantly transformed into that of a burning prison, when it apoeared hundreds were dead and dying. It was midnight, and through the relds of the boundless prairies echoed the song of mirth, and laughter of the innocent, the train, freighted with its pre clous load of pleasure-seeking humanity— onward and onward sped the two hionster wgreyhounds of the rall,” with lights In the coaches dimly burning, In the sleepers the drapery had been drawn but a few short mo- ments before the leap from the rail to the 8] ken, Th iur::h ::L‘ll:u ?:I m::l:secdhn;in b:‘;f:tny. {,:: three of them so far. He says he saw Mr. E, with the approaching weight of the D. Stoddard hand his boy out to a lady while great traln the structure gave way. Crash— | he crawled back to et his wife, who was killed. The following is & list of the dead so far as identitied: ANOTHER ACCOUNT. L11cAGo, August 1L,—The Inter Ocean’s Peoria special, referring to the Chatsworth wreck says: 1t was the largest excursion and the largest rassenger train ever taken out over tho Toledo, Peoria & Western rail- way. The train consisted of fifteen coaches, including five sleepers. Two engines were required to pull it, but only one of these was attached, the other being sent ahead to the other side of the [llinois river bridge. At the depot before the train started Engineer McClintock, who was killed in the wreck, expostulated with General Supertntendent Armstrong about the way the fitraln was made up, Insisting that it should have been sent out in two sections, but his words were of no avail. 1t is said that very few of tue bridges on the ‘L'oledo, Peoria & Western road can stand the strain of two such heavy engines as drew this train, and this seems to be borne out by the fact that the railroad officials did not deem it best to trust both engines on he bridge across the river here. Tho awful calamity occurred on a comparatively small culvert about ten feet long and not more than twelve feet high, The engineer on the forward engine saw the fire as ho neared the bridge, but supposed it to be grass on fire. Too late he saw it was the culvert itself ablaze, and upon this totter- ing structure the train plunged, going at the rate of thirty miles an hour. The first en- gine passed over the chasm safely. The see- ond went into the diteh, burying and killing McClintock, and in after it came the rest of the train, all the coaches except the sleepers piling in ana telescoping. For an instant bang went the fifteen coaches all in a heap. Xate had done its work. As if with the touch of electricity & hundred souls had perished. Face to face and embraced in each others arms, went out the lives of husband, wife, father, mother, son and daughter. Falr woman, loveliness in the same car with the sturdy sweet heart, death came ‘without regard to pledges or promise of af- fection. 1n one compact space not over the length of two cars were piled the train of fifteen coaches of a minute betore. For a moment, and but a moment too, fol- lowing the derailment all was silent as the nightt A groan a ecry, o hundred groans—yes a thousand cries and peals. Upon almost every spot trickled the blood from a thousand wounds. From tho darkness of the night broke forth the burning fires, when It appeared as if but a minute more and all would be wrapped in one solid flame. ‘The cries of anguish grew more intense as the flames seemed destined to envelop the promiscious wreck. It was not long, how- ever, until one by one of those able to extri- cate themselves from the mass of timbers began caring for their less fortunate com- panions. ‘The night was dark, the rain began falling and for a time amid the natural confusion and suffering it seemed that none were to be left to tell the tale, Lifeless bodies in numbers were taken from the wreck, not by the gentle hands of friends or kindred, but by those whose man- hood was equal to the occasion. For hun- dareds of yards the cold and partially charred remaius were laid side by side upon the burnt stubble in the adjoining field, with lit- | the sound of crushing timbers was tle drops of rain pelting in their pale faces, | stilled, tuen from out of the It was a sickning, horrid sight. Thescenesof | awful slence rose groans and cries suffering, death aud despair cannot here in this brief dispatch be told. Limbs were torn from bodies, skulls frac- tured and a thousand different kinds of wounds inflicted. It was the most fatal acel- dent ever recorded in tho history of railway travel. As quick as could be done the news of the fatality was dispatched from one end of the road to the other. A relief train was ordered and loaded with all the availablo surgical and medical skill from the adjacent citles and towns, Before the dawn of day the rain had ceased ‘and the sun came up with all its brightness and splendor, As its rays fell full i the faces of the dead and dying, it might have carried one’s mem- ory back to the dark days of the civil war, ‘when upon the battle tield lay coutless heroic sons. The saduvess here, however, was tenfold, for in the same line of the dead had been Iaid the bodies of several ladies, With all the confusion that exists at the presont Hime it Is quite out of the question to of agony, flames leaped into the darkness and a storm arising, the wind and rain added terror and dismay to the awful scene. Fven in her cruelty fate was lenient, for she willed that the most of those who were killed sheuld dle instantly. A passenger who was on the third coach says that he was first con- scious of a jar and that when the cars went togetlier the noise resembied ared hot iron toucling water. The trucks dropped off, letting the coaches down. All the sur- vivors tell similar stories. Most of' the l'eorians being in the sleepers, more of them escaped than would have otherwise been the case. Many of these were aslecp and were only conscious of a jarriog when the accident occurred. The latter speak in the highest torms of the noble efforts of the people of Chatsworth to give succor and relief. Yet ail who went there did not give aid. One of the survivors re- lutes that asthe first engine cleared the briidge the brush beneath it flamed up as if oll had lgnited. Ho was fast in the wreek and called for assistauce, -He was grasped his watch and tors it from him. other man was robbed of his chain, the van- dal failing to get his watoh. The fingers of engineer aided by someone outside and as soon as he was safely out of the wreck his mv{‘ur ne the dead were also cut off upon which wero valuable rings. ‘The robbing of the dead and infured gave rise to the terrible report that the bridge had been fired and the traln purposely wrecked for the sake of plunder, but no contidence is placed in the report here. It is believed that the robbery was the work of vandals who happened to be on hand. Six out of four- teen who started from Eureka were killed and four of the seven who left Abingdon. Of the five from one family on board four perished. A PULLMAN PORTER'S STORY. The only man on the wrecked train who lingered on the scene till to-night unharmed was the porter of the only Pullman car dam- aged. It was the foremost of the six sleepers completing the train. The tenth passenger coach was a total wreck, as were all its pre= decessors, but the sleeper stopped with the forward end over the burning bridge. The colored boy’s story was about as accurate an account as could be gotten from any of the passengers. He said it was about 11:30 and the train had been sailing along at abont thirty miles an hour when they reached the top of the hill about two miles beyond Chatsworth, *‘At the top of this grade there is a turnpike crossing and I rememper the whistling for it as s the custom, and then down grade we went with & dash. A moment later came the crash. Everybody was shaken violently and many in our car bruised. 1t was an awful jerk, a lunge and ther an abrupt stop and we were standing still, yere 80 horror-striken we couldn’t tell what to do. When we in the car looked out we Our car was afire in front and all ef- forts were directed to extinguish- ing the flames. The veople in the sleeper behind us were mnot 80 roughly handled as we and came to our rescue. As many of us as were able then went to work to help those in the day coaches ahead. It was dark as pitch and the cars were heaped so promiscuously we could not get at them at all. The awful sights and groans and horror of the whole thing was more than I could stand. The news was sent to adjoining towns as soon as 2possible, 1t was a dreadful wait before any assistance came, although I suppose it was only a little while, We were little better off then, for their provisions were inadequate for the great work on hand. Phy- siclans were soon summoned from all neigh- borlnfi towns, and by 8 o’clock in the morning the ofticials of the road were on their way from Springfield with all the doctors they could muster. Two hours after the wreck andto add more suffering to its horrors rain began to pour and for several hours drenched the suffering and dying. sut the horror might have becn worse had not the burning culvert been extinguished when it was, as the debris would have burned, causing a dreadful dreds who escaped it either or injured would have been burned to death. which hun- wounded holocast, in Not asoul in the forward ten cars could have survived. But the engineer of the first engine returned to the wreck and gave us what water he had and after that gave out we extinguished the flames with dirt thrown upon the burning timber.” THE INQUEST BEGUN., Back in the little city, atter the dead had been cleared from the floor of the school houseand the weary Samaritans were ar- ranging for watches during the night at bed- sides elsewhere, the coroner’s inquest was | begun, ‘T'he superintendent of the road and his assistant were sworn, but before any material facts were reached an adjournment was taken till to-morrow. THE WORK OF VANDALS. For one of the worst features ot the affalr no excuse is possible, There were vandals at work at the wreck. In one instance a wounded man called to a passer-by to help him. Instead of doing so the villain reached down, took the watch from the injured man’s vocket and fled. In another Instance the dead body of a woman was robbed of all the jewelry on her person. A HARROWING SIGHT, Perhaps the most harrowing incident was the case of one man who, wounded, crawled out and lay in an adjacent cornfield here. He groaned and sent forth piteous appeals for a short while, and then came a sharp crash and all was over. His misery had un- nerved him and drawing his pistol from his pocket he quieted all pain with a bullet through his head. LIST OF THE KILLED, ‘The Journal’s Forest, IIL, special gives the following names among those killed : Ep McCLINTOCR, engineer of No. 7. SoN or Ezra MEEK, Eureka. Miss MAY Laws, Eureka. ArTuuR MCOARTHY, Enreka. JAMES BLAIR, Eureka. Mns. DR. DucAr, Forrest. Wife of traveling man of Kankakee. GODEL, fatuer and son. BiLL STEVENSON and two daughters. CAPTAIN DAHLKE. MRs. JAMES DEAL. Mgis. WILLIAM ALLEN, Mugs. P. Cress, Washington, Ill. Mgs, WiLLIAM BALL. SusIE BALL. Miss PEARL ADAMS, WiLLIAM REGAN. Mi. FRENCH. PuENA FRARM, Mgs. VALENTINE. Mzs. VALDEGO and daughter. MRS, ZIMMERMAN. Frep WEINNET and daughter, PEARL, of Peoria. Mgs. KATE CrEss, Washington, CoRrA SwmitH, Peoria, fatally injured and impossible toget well. R. E. 8tockER, Peorla. Miss STEPHENS and tather. Mike REGAN, Binghampton, N, Y, WiLLIAM CRAIG, Cuba, II1. HENRY HECKER, Pekin, 111 Noar HAVERMORE, Canton, 11L M. Smirn, Metamora, 1l GEORGE A. SyiT, Peoria, Mns ZIMMERMAN, Peorla. Rosa and MaGeie Murpay and mother, Peorla. Miss MAGGIE MALROW, Peorla, Miss NEAL, Mossville, IlL EMELINE CARRUTHERS, Evans, LIL JEss MEEK, Eureka, 111 SHERMAN, Brimfield, Ill PrArL FreNcH, Peorla. W. H, PorTeR, Bushnell, Tll, Mgs. J. M. CrLAY, Eureks, 111, J. D. RiIcHARDS. Mgz3. BREEZE, Peoria. W. GERERETSEN, Peoria, — TrevVILLO, Peorla. E. F. Avauns, Fairbury, W. . Lor, Elmwood. Avpre WERSTER, Peoria. Mgs. WILLIAM ALLEN, Peoria. Mg. W. VALEGO, Peoria. Mgs, H. B. McCLuRE and daughter, Peoria. Mngs. MiLLER, Peoria. Mnr Wriaur, Peoria Mns. Jasmes DAoL, Peoria Mgs, WiLLiAM Barr and - daughter, Pearla. . Mgs. F. B. WyxETT, Peoria, Mns. E. GODDELL and som, - DR. WirLiAM COLLINS, Galesburg. J. Boyp. J. 8. Kavrzn, Breeds Station, 111 Mns. Joun Mureny, Peoris, Il HeNRy SieaLEsoN, Keokuk, Ia. ONEY SPA1TH, Gresn Valley, Ill JouN A, Moore, Jaeksonville, Iil. J. D. A. McFADDER, Peoria CAPTAIN AHKLE, A. MARTIN, Bloomington, J. A. GreEN, Breeds Station, And about twenty dead at Piper City. 1In addition to the list of killed given above there are at this hour still between thirty and forty bodies in different places awaiting identification. Among them are eight or ten children, NAMES OF THE WOUNDED, The following are the names of the wounded as faras taken: E. W. Parker and wife, Peoria, wounded in head and 1imbs. Mrs. Emina Regan and son, Peoria, slightly injured. John Fry, Peoria, leg broken and back in- jured. H. L, Ogden, Grayton, Il1,, head and foot injured. Florence Boucher, Bayard, Ia., arm hurt, Pat Brady, Gilman, lll, foot and head hurt, Sophia Pauline, Peoris. [Il,, head hurt. C. W. Young, West Jersey, hand hurt. O, W. Swank, West Jersey, foot and shoulder hurt. G. A. Scott, Toulon, 1IL, ankle hurt. Thomas Trimms, Pagkridge, 111., arms, hips and legs Injured. Theodore Godell, Pegria, head and legs in- ul . Mrs. Edith Chellew, Glassford, 1lL, leg broken and ankle bruised. Mr. Chellow, Giassford, leg dislocated. i Joe Neal, Mossville, IlL, head and limbg urt. Mrs. Joe Neal, Mossville, arm and leg broken: baby killed. Miss Julia Valdejo, Peoria, IlL, injured in- ternally. Abbie Edmonds, Desco, 111, ankle hurt. Dr. E. P. Hazen and wife, Fort Madison, Ia.. heads hurt. Miss Emma Alter, West Point, Ia., head and limbs hurt and shoulder dislocated, Mrs. H. G. Thorne, Risk, Ia., injured in- ternally. H. H. Bond, Colchester, I1l, injured Inter- nally, Mrs. Thomas McAvery, Peoria, 111, injured internally, Mrs. I. W, Grant, Peoria, Ill,, injured in- ternally. Mary Morries, Peoria, Ill., bruised. Mr. Robert Zimmerman, Peoria, 1L, head and spine. E. F. French, Peorla, hips and body. Eatcn Watets, Peorla, hips and body. Otto Johnson, Burlington, Ia,, legs. Mrs. R, M. Ciark, Riolstown, Ia., legs. G. W. Cress. Washington, ILil, head and chest. iy J. E, Dechman, Pearia, ankle. Madge T. Harris, Peorla, ankle. Arthur McCarty, Eureks, 111, both eyes Rone, DavidCrawfor, Ritton, 1iL, head, limbs and hips, A. T. McGee, La Harpe, Iil., log and spine. Mrs. R. S. Borden. Tanica, 11, feet. & Wilham Forbes, Elmwood, 1lL, chest and head. Elizdbeth Sellers, La Harpe, Il1,, limbs, ] Mrs. Lidia Walters, Peuria; nose, jaw and eg. { H, Abraham, Peoria, internally, ‘Wm, 8mith, Peorla, head crushed. Frank Taylor, Macomb, I1l, internally. John Steer, Rushville, 111, leg. J. W. Stearns, Green Valley, 111, lea. Adam Shamberger, Peoria, hip, side and heel. 8. L. Belsley, Deer Creek, Ill, head and ankle, Patton Cress, Washington, 111, leg. J. B. Kelly, Beeds, 111, hip, leg broken. Frank Sladicker, Abingdon, Ill., head, leg broken. ¢ Dantlel Rock. Rusefiold. 111,, head, leg and hands. A. C. Jordan, Danville, 1a., leg. C. A. Gregg, Danville, Ia., leg. C. E. Allen, Galesburg, Iil, head, A. E. Eilis, Peorla, head. Linnie Vaugsdale, Peoria, leg broken. Calvin Gaves, Peoria arm. Conductor Stillwell, head, atm and leg. C. H. Carter, Burlington, Ia., body. Harold B. Lawrence, Burlington, Ia., body. H. B. Lawrence, Burlinzton, Ia., body. John McMaster, Peoria, body. ) Frank Brown, Peoria, hand, Mrs. Kellogg, Fremont, body. Mrs. M. J. Welsh, Peoria, body. Mrs. Isaac, Whiteslde, IIL, body. Catherine Let, Peoria, body. Blanche Allen, Peoria, body, A MINISTERING ANGEL. A noble girl named Gannle Brebner, of Farmington, [lL, was one of the notable heroines of the wrack. She went through the disaster unhurt and hour after hour from that ever acted as nurse for the dying vic- tims, Sogreat were her services that the physicians finally placed under her exclusive charge two injured boys from Peoria and a photographer of Burlington, Ia. They were all badly huet, and if they recover eventually they will owe it almost wholly to her ministrations. It was she and a score of others like her who redeemed contidence in human nature after the sight of the vandalism of tha wreck. The action of the men there was so bad in certain cases that a rumor was started to-night that the wreck was not an accident but had been wrought solely for robbery. A LUCKY MISS, R. G. Risser, of Kankakee, says: *I was at El Paso and the express train by less than five minates, then took a freight, twenty-six minutes later, and when we got to Forest the conductor had orders to leave all his loads, secure all the physicians he could and proceed to a wreck three miles from Chatsworth. Upon arriving at the scene of the disaster wy found the most heart- rending and indescribable scene ever wit- nessed. Men, women and children were begging to be taken from the wreck. What made the situation still more appalling was the tire on the bridge, with no water av hand v_vl;h which to do apyghing. All on the train and such engers as were uble to do so procmm and tried In every way possible to smother the fire. They were 80 far succeasful as to prevent its get- ting bold of the wrecked cars. Had it reached the wreck hundreds of wounded aund im- prisoned passengers wonld have perished in the flames. We worked from the time of the arrival of the train tillabout 1:00 a. m. in try- ing to extricate the suffering who were in such dread of fire. At thattime a friendly shower of raln relieved them from all fear of fire. Wethen wentto work more deliber- ately and continued up to 8 o'clock, during which time we removed fifty-eleht dead and three or four times as many wounded. A relief train from the east took a large number of wounded out to Piver City, The ity hall and school house at Chatsworth were improvised into hospitals and eltizens came to our relief with coffee, bread and butter and everythingipos- sible, especially bandages, and medicine for the suffering.” - Mr. Risser stated that they bad nething with which to carry the dirt to the wreck but their hands, He stoed ‘be sickening work of relieving the wounded and getting out the dead until he came to the dead bodies of two girls about the age of his own, when his humanity gave way and he was compelled to stop. Mr. Arch Creswell and wife, of Peoria, were enroute to visit their parents in Kankakee, with thelr six- weeks-old infant. Mrs, Croswell occupled a seat at the front end of the car next to the door. Mr, Croswell was unable to got & seat with his wite and took another position a few seats back along the car. When the concussion came the front end of the car was crushed in and Mrs, Cros- well killed. The babe was found in the center of the car with but slight injuries. It ;vu taken to a farm house near by and cared or. PEORIA PASSENGERS' DESCRIPTION. PEORIA, 111, August 11.—Several thousand people were at the depot this afternoon when the train arrived bearing the first of the wounded from Chatsworth. The crowd was 80 large and so eager to obtain a view that It was difficult to control it Accounts of the disaster were obtaiued from several passengers on the train. Mr. J. M, Tennery was in the first sleeper, and said: “1felt three distinct shocks and then heard & grinding sound, and on looking out saw that the carin which we were was directly over the fire, which was slowly blazing on the stringers of the bridee. I got out in safety, and the scene presented to the eve and ear was one I wish 1 could forever eftace from my memory, but Lknow 1 never can. The shrieking of the dying and the glaring faces of the dead will always stay with me. To add to the horror it was pitch dark, save a fitful light ot the fire under the sleeper, which lighted the faces of those about only to make their fear and anguish visible. On the mouths of most of the corpses could be seen toam, which showed that they dled in agouy. At last we secured some feeble lights, but the wind blew them out and about 2 o’clock the rain poured down in torrents on the unprotected dead and dying in the hedves and cornfields ad- Jjacent. Our efforts were divided between trylng to put out the fire and rescuing the dying, whose cries for help were heartrend- inz indeed. One poor fellow whose legs were crushed beneath the timbers cried out in his agony, “Relieve me or I will kill myself,” which in a short time he did by shooting himself with a revolver which he took from his pocket. Mothers rag wildly about crying for lost children and Wives for husbands. Strong men were weeping coplious tears over the forms of their beloved wives. Prayets and entreaties and groans filled the air until daylikht, when relief parties gotto work and removed the dead and wounded from the scene, The bridge was on fire before the train struck it.” C. Falroth, who was one of the fortunate ones accupyIng a berth, was one of the first to begin assisting the injured. He says the first work to be done was the quenching of of the flames, which Immediately began ta devour the bildge and coaches, all of which were more or less filled with dead snd dylng. No water was to be had and not a moment to lose. All assisted with L) will with such tools as oould be found on the cars to further de- stroy and tear away all the wood wook pos- sible to remove, and with dirt, weeds, dry Krass, coats and clothing, in fact anything -that would act as a weapon against the fierce flames was used, so that after a terrl- ble struggle the fire was put out and all then gave their @ontire attention to the sufferers. Mr. Falroth, on passing one of the coaches, .was requested *for God’s sake to “take my child,” a babe, which he immedi- ately did, and leaving it in as safe a place as could be found went into the car and found the mother, Mrs, Neal, of Mossville, just d-ad. The scene in the cars was bugond description, One young child was found fastened near thu roof of the car, head down, where in the jar and concussion it had been thrown and was dead when taken down. Others were found in all concelvable shapes, all thrown off their seats, piled in the end of the alsle of the cars, bleeding from gashes on the face. arms or other portions of the body, in all the most sickening sight he ever wit- nessed. William Ellis, one of the badly injured, was thrown four or five seats forward, stunned, and when he recovered himself found others lying upon him. His watch was smashed in and stopped at 12:13. He I8 of the opinfon that the bridge was set on fire by loungers around there, whose motive it was to plunder the dead, as he saw some of these suspiclous looking fellows taking rings from fingers and money and valuables were taken from the pockets of others not able to resist. A Journal special from Chatsworth, Iil., says: It was a wila and excited throng which surrounded the Union depot in Peoria this morning. The news of the wreck of the Niagara excursion train of fifteen coaches and two engines sproad like wild fiue. Four hundrea excursionists from Peorla, Clinton, Eureka and other places, many of themn well known and highly respected through central Illinois, were aboard. All sorts of rumors were floating abroad, and the number killed was variously estimated at from six to 100, The first regular traln left Peoria at 8:30, At all stations along the line large crowds of ex- cited people had gathered to hear the latest from Peorla. Some wild rumors prevailed, but nothing of an authentic nature could be learned. When the relief train reached its destination it wus a sad and ghastly sight brought to view. Ten coact ad either gone through the bridge or were piled in & promiscuous heap, crosswise and lengthwise of the wreck. The shrieks and groans of the dying and wounded could be heard. ‘The bridee through which the cars went was a small one. It had been on fire, which caused it to weaken, thus causing a frightful holocaust. So far over seventy bodies have been recovered and conveyed to the town hall, school house and depot plat- form. Not one has been taken from under the cars and not even a sound can be heard from them. 1t is feared all are dead, and the number killed 18 estimated at 200, The wounded so far number 150. Another train arived at 1 o'clock with twenty-six bodies and seven wounded. A later train will bring fitteen wounded and six bodles. BLOOMINGTON PEOPLE SAFE. BrooMiNGTON, I, August 11.—0. W. Klemm and H. A. Nichols and wife, of this clty, were on the ill-fated train and all es- caped. Klemm’s brother-in-law, Gehrman, of Springfield, is also safe. Gray Harris and Nicholas Stauffer, traveling men of this city, were oo the train and have vot yet been heard from, H. A. Nichols, of this -city," with his wife and child, was on the train wrecked at Chats- worth, and arrived this afternoon., Mr. Nichols gives an account of the wreck and says none of the Bloomingtor party were in- jured, BURLINGTON'S QUOTA. BuRLINGTON, la., August 1L.—Among the passengers on the Niagara excursion train from this vicinity were W. H. Grupe and wife, W, L. Linder, Harry Lawrence, Cuarles Carter, M. H. Davis and wife, John Austin, F, Burns, Mrs, M. E. Johnston and son, Otis, Mrs, Stoddard and child, West Point, 1a., Dr. Hazen and wife, Fort. Madl- son, and five from Middletown, 1a, whose names cannot be ascertained. BANQUETING CAMERON, Distinguished Amerioans and Eng. lishmen Are the Guests Present. [Copyright 1887 by James Gordon Bennett.] LoNDON, August 1L.—[New York Herald Cable—Special to the BEE. |—SImon Cameron sat this evening on the right of Consul Gen- eral Waller at a dinner given the former at the St. George club in Hauover square by the latter. Covers were laid for thirty American and twenty English guests, Among these weroe Senator Hawley, Chauncey Depew, Murat Halstead, James R Oseood, Bret Harte, Lord Ronald Gower, Major E. J. Hale, General W. B. Chapin, District Attorney Ridgeway, Olark Bell, John Gilmore Speed, Daniel Bixby, F. A. Burr, of the Philadelphia Times, and H. L. Horton. General Cameron responded to the toast ‘‘Queen ana Presi- dent,” standing as erect and speaking as roundly of voice as if he were forty-seven in- stead g of eighty, After these loy: toasts Mr. Depew vroposed “The Press.” In the course of a characteristic speech he remarked upon the latest phase in American politics in that presidential canai- dates now want to go to Eumpe to elec- tioneer. There was Blaine in Ireland, with his friend Carncgie (assisting in Scot- Iand. “No sooner had the three white house huntsmen bezan,” he said, “than, hearing of it, our friends here, Cameron and Joe Hawley, crossed the ocean also a8 the nominee of the Herald crossed to be followed by Murat Halstead, ‘who has come to care for John Sherman. I was asked at theraces yesterday by a lady whether there was in America any preference for color in horses. 1 answered, “Most certainly, the preference is for dark horses.” “'All of us here are dark horses, Weare all distinguisbed Americans, yet not a London paper has noticed our arrival. Buch is not the silence when any even half distinguished Englishmen visit America. They are en- countered off Sandy Hook by a press bout. ‘They are asked all about every shade of European politics and their opinions sought about our country before they have landed In it.” Mr. Depew gave a humorous comparison between the spirit und method ot the press of the two countries and showed the greater ex- cellence of the papers of his own land but abruptly closed after a reference to some re- porters by saying, “I now stand on the brink of dangerous preeipices and before I fall will sit down,” Murat Halstead in behalf of the American press. Other speeches followed, and then the company, especially the Englishmen, gathered around the veteran ex-cabinet minister, who seemed over- whelnied with the attention, and who con- versed with gre: nimation. el ol Tom Keene in Court, NEw YoRk, August 1L.—[Speeial Tele- gram to the Bek.|—Thomas W. Keene, the actor, tow known In the courts at least as Thomas R. Eagleston, got into the supreme court yesterday in a suit begum by William R. Hayden, who asserts that he has overpald Keene about $7,000, and this he wants back. In 1881 a contract was made between the two, Hayden says, for mutual aid and tinanclal comfort, Keene to have 875 a week for three years. After 1858 the arrangoment still wenton. In Kansas City, in 1838, Keeno was stricken with paralysis, was nursed by Hayden, ro he avers, and was taken by him 1o Staten Island. Keene, after partial re- covery and relapse later in that year, was unable to go on with his engagement with Hayden, who now says he has paid out over $10,000 in the actor’s behalf as a salary, loan- ing him $3,000 when he was ‘“hard” up” in Cincinnati. and ¢Incurring $3%0 obligations besides for him. A motion was made in be- half of Keene before Justice Donohoe yester- day in chambers for appointment of a re- cetver of assets and urofieny of the Keene- Hayden combination. Keene lays claim to the costumes, properties, otc., among them a parlorcar. layden calls this claim an evi- dence of ingratitude. He, too, lays claims wnxea)mpemas. Hayden wanpts a reforee instead of a receiver. " Justice Donohue took the papers. A Fight for the Northern Pacific. New Yonrk, August1l.-—|Special Telegram to the BEE.|—The Times says: There is a good deal of interest in the allezed contest for control of the Northern Pacific at the September election. The fight s being made by Elijah Smith in the Interest of the Unlon Pacific, Oregon Trans-Continental and Ore- gon Navigation company, rivals of the North- ern Pacific in the far west, and the Wiscon- ain Central, which wants to get control of the Northern Pacific’s Chlcago business, Smith has 1ssued a circular to stuckholders, slgned by himselt and a number of brokerage firm of this city and Philadelphia, who have stock belonging to the Union Pacific party in their name. 'There is no doubt that these parties are larze holders of Nortitrn Pacitic, the Oregon Trans.Continental company itself holding 135,000 shares, and it is on this ground that Smith asks for proxies. The fact is concealed, however, that the gentie- men have paramount interest fn companies which are antagonistic to the Northern Pa- cific, and 1f they get into power thelr inten- tion is to use the Northern Pacitic to benetit those rival concerns. spoke —e Wisconsin's Groat 8torm, MILWAUKER, August 11.—Specials to the Evening Wisconsin from every portion of the state show that last night's rain storm was general, and that the draught stricken districts have been effectually rélieved. The storm was accompanled by high winds, which in places did considerabie damage to trees, fences and_buildings, A daughter ot Jensen Mitler, at Fulton, and a Miss Hender- son, of Illinols, were drowned by the capsiz- ing of a boat in a storin on Lako Necgonsa. At Muscade two barns were struck by light- ning and consumed with all contents. Near Lancaster 'Thomas Beethams’ barn ~was struck and destroyed. Buetham and daughter were rendered insensible, and the cows they were milking were kille S Hohl Shor SALT LAKE, August 11.—I'red Hoh, alias Welcome, was shot to death to-day, having elected that mode of expiatinghis crime over the alternative of hanginz, This was the fourth time the death sentence had been passed on him. In July, 1580, he murdered bis benefactor, a son of Sherift Turner, stole three span of horses, two wagons, and a camping outfit, all of which he sold and fled to Wyoming. He was subsequently ar- rested, tried, convicted und sentenced to death. On lrpflll to the United States su- preme court the judgmant was reversed and a new trlal ordered. ‘Lhe second trial was a duplicate of the firstin all particulars. Bet- ter success attended the third, the supreme court affirming the judzment and ordering the execution of sentence, On one occasion Hohl narrowly escaped lynching, and on an- other oceasion the governor stayed execution halt an hour before it was to occur. -— California Train Robbery. SAN FrANcisco, August LL--The west bound express was robbed last uight thirty miles east of Tueson, Arizona, The traln was ditched and the express car ransacked by four robbers, The sheriff and posse are on the trail, which leads to the Rincon wmountains. ——— The Coke Reglon, Prrrsnura, Pa, August 1L.—A confer- ence of coke operators and employes Is being heid at Kvanston, Pa,, at which the long pending dispute about the wage scale for the coké region workuen wili & probably . be seltied THE LLOYD-CHAPIN SCANDAL Llyod Pays the Oosts, But Farther Suits Aro Threatened, A DOCTOR AND A MILLINER. They CreateExcitement at Flatte Oene ter By an Esocapade—A Gay Old Man at Olinton, Ia.—~Other lowa News, A Platte Center Scandal PLATTE CENTER, Nob., August 11—|Special Telegram to the Brk.|—Dr. Hamilton Mead was arrested at 1 o'clock this morning in his store. With him was & young lady who runs & millinery store here, She has rug away. Heis now in jail to await his trial, He formerly lived at " Plattsmouth and Iate terly at Ogden in charge of the Union Pa= citlo hospital at that place. The Nebraska City Scandal. i NEBRASKA City, Neb, August 1l- (Spacial Telegram to the Brr.]—The Llovds Chaplin shooting and horsewhipping affaly was settled to-day as far ns the present charge is concerned by Lloyd paying all costs and tines and refusing to further push the case auainst Chavlin, who is now talking of a suit against Lloyd for perjury and mallclol prosecution. Mrs, Chaplin, {t is said, wil ring a suit for slander against a Press re E-rter unless a public apology is made, loyd is lr{mx to make a case against the Evening Times for criminal Jibel for express: ing his opinion of Lloyd, and the fun con« tinues. —_— Small ltems From Seward, SEWARD, Neb., August 11.—|Special to the BEE.]—Ground has been secured and ot arrangements made for the immediate eress tion of an oat meal mill to cost about $30,000, with a capacity of 1,000 bushels per day. ‘The old settlors of Seward, York and Buts ler counties will hold their third annual re- union at Lord’s grove in Butler county the 25th of this month. 1n the game of base ball between Sewal and David ~City, Hathaway, Seward’s pitcher, broke his " arm between the elbow and shoulder, E. A. Polley has been appointed express agent at this place, Tracklayers on the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley railroad have quit work here for the purpose of finishing up between Arlington and Omaha, when they wili return and complete this line. Broke His M n;I;lu Vows. PLATTE CENTER, Neb,, August 8.—(Speot ial Telegram to the Bir.|—For some time past a bit of gossip and scandal has been in circulation here over an rumour which culmi« nated to-day in the arrest of Dr. Hamilton Mead, aprominent physician of this place, on a chiarge of adultery with Miss Kate Duffy, 8 young lady about twenty years of aze. She ‘was highly respected and was regarded as mode! of virtueand eircumspection. As soon the doctor was placed undery arrest Miss Dufty took the train and went on to Omaha. ’l‘hgo is great excitement over the affair as Dr Mead is married to a most estimable lady aad. the opinion prevails that undue means "have been resorted to to procure the ruin and asn- grace of Miss Duffy. She is one of a family of six %rn\vn up girls that have always been reputable, Industrious ana intelligent, sup- porting themselves as teachers, dressmakers and milliners. Kearney's Great Real Estate Sale, KEeARNEY, Neb, August 1L--|Special ‘Tolegram to the Brr.|—Harrington’s gread lot sale to-day paunned out well. Seven thous- and dollars worth of residence lots and $10,+ 000 worth of business lots were sold. The lots brought good prices, and as nearly all were purchased by non-residents, it s evis dence that Kearney Is the coming city of Ne- braska. A carload of people came up from Omaha this morning and were among the heaviest purchasers, Howard County’s Crops. DANNEBROG, Neb., August 11.—[Special to the BEE.|—The following shows the standing of grain in Howard county: Wheat, 10 bushels per acre, last year 13 bushels; oats, 35 bushels per acre, last year 80 bushels: barley, 25 bushels per acre, last year 28 bushels; corn, 45 bushels per aore, last year 30 bushels. Corn on high land will vield 80 to 40 bushels. Corn on low lani will yield 60 to 70 bushels, Dry weather an chinch bugs did a good deal of damage to the wheat crop, Corn is suffering for wans of rain on high land. Unless rain fall soon some_of ethe corn will not be worth husking, Vegetables good and plenty. - Again Under Arrest. NEBRASKA Ciry, Neb., August 11.—|Spe- cial Telegram to the BeEk.] — Thomas Larsh, a son of the major, was arrested and jailed to-day for obtaining money under false pretenses, having stolen his “sister's watch and pawned it. This is the same fel- low who, some time ago, robbed his rooms mate at Council Bluffs and left u note usking bim not to think too hard ot him for the forced loan. The Koad Completed, NEnrAskA Ciry, Neb, August 11.—[Spe- clal Telegram to the Brr.|—"The Missourl Pacific this evening finished track laying from the north, so that the entire line is now completed to Omaha, though It 1s hot ex- mflal t{u\t trains will run much bofore Sep- ember 1, — In Harlan County. RepunLicAN Crry, Neb, Aungust 11— [Special to the Bik.|--Small grain 1s all harvested and threshing quite well sdvanced, There Is probably 10 per cent Inerease in average over last year, wheat yielding 8 to 14 bushels per acre, rye 20 bushels, oats 20 to 50 bushels and good quality. There is an in« crease in acreage In corn over 1556 of about 15 per cent. Some pieces of early planting will yield poorly, later planting fair to g yield nn( 25 to 50 bushels per acre, some Ppleces will yield 80 bushels. Potatoes will be AN average crop, 150 to 250 bushels per acre, Vegetables of all kinds are a good erop, Clover and timothy bring good prices. Prairie hay is fair to good. Dodge County Crops. Norri Bryn, Neb,, August 11 to the Bek.]-—Small graln is all harvested. Some farmers are threshing and report an average yleld of all sinall grains, Corn pros- pects are not so flattering as they were ten days ago, owing to the continued dr weather, Should” rain fall Jduring the nex five days there will 1 oubtedly be the largest “corn erop evor known in western Dodge. The increased acreage is npbout 3 per cent over 1846 e In Cherry County, ~E, Neb,, August 11.—[Special to the Bi Reports from all vortions of the county show the increase In acreage is about one-tnird, Some grain has been harvested, Wheat will yield about 20 bushels and oats 35 to 40, ‘The county has been blessed with plenty of rain and never in the Listory of the county nave corn and grass made such & shiowing,” Corn will yield about 40 bushels to the uere and grass 50 per cent over last year, VALE Min MILWAUKEE, shaft No. 1 of the Ashland mine near Hur, Wis,, caved in yesterday afternoon at 5:30 o'clock, kille ing three men and injuring another so badly he is not expected o live. o Sl R Killed by the Car e Algust 11L.—T'wo men riving home from a eircus at this © strick by the Chleago & Northe western train at a erossing about a mile oute side .6f the m(?' and instantly Killed, oo gether with thilr horse. . -