The morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, August 12, 1887, Image 1
i ESTABLISHED 1850. )
} J. H. E6TILL, Editor and Proprietor, f
A HORROR OF HORRORS
Cars Crash Through a Blaz
ing Bridge.
OVER AHUNDRED KILLED
Scores Injured Be
yond Recovery.
BRAVE Ml FIGHT TIRE.
Hands Used as Shovels For Four
Weary Hours.
ALL ON AN EXCURSION
The Train Bound From Illinois
to Niagara Falls.
SHRIEKS AT MIDNIGHT.
Heartrending Scenes Lit Up
by the Flames.
Chicago, Aug. 11.—A Chicago Times
special from Forest, 111., says:
All the railway horrors in the history of
this country were surpassed three miles
east of Cliatsworth last night, when an
excursion train on the Toledo, Peoria and
Western railroad dropped through a burn
ing bridge and over 100 hundred people
were killed and four times that number
more or less badly injured. The train was
composed of six sleeping cars, six day
coaches, one chair car and three baggage
cars. It was carrying 000 passengers, all
excursionists, and was bound for Niagara
Falls. The train had been made up all
along the line of the Toledo, Peoria and
Western road, and the excursionists hailed
from various joints in Central Illinois, the
bnlk of them, however, coming from Pe
oria. Hume of the ]>a isengers came from
Canton, El Paso, Washington, and in fact all
the stations along the line, some from as far
West as Burlington aud Keokuk, la A
special and cheap rate had been made for
the excursion, and ell sorts of people took
advantage of it. When the train drew out
of Peoria at 8 o’clock last evening it was
loaded to its utmost capacity. Every berth
in the six sleepers was taken and the day
ears carried sixty jieoplo each. The train
was so heavy that two engines were hitched
to it. and when it passed this place it was an
hour and a half behind time.
RUSHING ON TO A BURNING BRIDGE.
Chatsworth, the next station east of here,
is six miles off and the run was made in
seven minutes. The terrible momentum of
those lifteen coaches and two engines shoot
ing through space at the rate of a mile a
minute onn be understood. No stop was
made at Cliatsworth, and on and on the
heavy train with its living freight sped
through the darkness of the night. Three
miles cast of Cliatsworth is a little slough
and where the railroad crosses a dry run
about ten feet deep and fifteen feet wide.
Over this was stretched mi ordinary wooden
trestle bridge, and us the excursion train
came thundering down on it, what was
the horror of the engineer on the front en
gine when be saw that this bridge was burn
ing. Right up lie fore his eyes leaps! the
bright llames, and the next instant fie was
among them. There was no chance to stop.
Hud there been a warning it would have
taken half a mile to stop, and the
train was within 100 yards of the
red tongued messenger of death
before they Hashed their fatal signals into
the engineer's face. But he passed over in
safety, the first engine keeping the rails.
As it went over the bridge fell beneath it
and it couM only have been the terrific
spend of the train that saved the lives of the
engineer and his fireman.
INTO THIS JAWS OF DEATH.
The next engine went down and in
stantly the deed of death was done. Car
crashed into car, coaches piled one on top of
another, and in a twinkling, of an eye
nearly 100 people found instant death and
• 11 more were so hurt that they could not
hvo. As for the wounded 1 hey were every
where. Only the sleeping coaches escaped,
and ns the startled and half dressed passen
gers came tumbling out of them they found
anch a scene of death as is rarely wit
nessed and such work to do that it seemed
8 s if human hands were utterly ineapable.
It larked but five minutes of midnight.
Down in the ditch lay second engineer 51c
! lintock dead and fireman Applegate badly
injured. On top were piled three baggage
cars, one on top of another like a child’s
curd house after he bad swept it with his
band. Then came the six day coaches.
I hey were telescoped as cars never were
wfore, and three of them were pressed
'O' into sluice enough for one. The
second ( , ar | m d mounted off its
Du ks, erashod through the car ahead
u * *t, crushing the wood work aside like
finder and lay- there resting on the tops of
i " seats, while every passenger in the front
J’ ni watt lying dead and dying underneath,
bit of that ear but four
Hi top of the second car lay the third, and,
although the latter did not cover its barer
ns completely as the one beneath, its bottom
tots smeared with (he blood of its victims.
Hie other three ears were not so badly
crushed, but they were broken and twisted
Hi every conceivable way, and every
crushed timber and beam represented a
crushed humuri frame nail broken bone.
shrieks of the passengers.
Instantly the air was filled with the cries
the wounded and the shrieks of thoso
tfisuit to die. The groans of men and the
S' lcmni of women united to make an appall
ing sound, and above nil could be heard the
agonizing cries of little children, as in some
■iixtnncm they lay pinned beside their dead
P " onto. There was another term ■ ■ danger
jetto be met. The bridge wasstiil burning
*ud the wrecked cars were lying oil
"!“> around the fiercely burning embers.
Everywhere in the wreak were wounded
unhurt men, women and children whose
fpic Jinfiting
lives could be saved if they could be gotten
out, but whose death in most horrible form
was certain if the twisted wood of the
broken care caught fire, and to fight the fire
there was not a drop of water and only
some fifty able bodied men who still had
presence of mind gild nerve enough to do
their duty. The only light was the light of
the burning bridge and with so much of
its aid the fifty men went to
work to fight the flames. For four hours
they fought like heroes, and for four houre
victory nung in the balance. Earth was
the only weapon with which the foe could
be fought, and so an attempt was made to
smother it out. There was no pick or
shovel to dig it up, no baskets or barrows to
carry it, and so desperate were they
that they dug their fingers down into the
earth, which the long drought had baked
almost as hard as stone, and heaped the
precious handfuls thus hardly won upon the
encroaching flames, and with this earth
work, built handful by handful, kept back
the foe.
UNDER THE CARS.
While this was going on, other brave men
crept underneath the wrecked cars,
beneath the fire and wooden
bar which held as prisoners so
many precious lives, and with pieces of
lioards aud sometimes their hands lieat hnck
the flames when they flashed up alongside
some unfortunate wretch who, pinned down
by a heavy beam, looked on helplessly
while it seemed as if his death
by fire was certain. While the
fight was thus going on
the ears of the workers were filled with the
groans of the dying men, the anguished en
treaties of those whose death seemed cer
tain, unless the terrible blaze could be ex
tinguished, and the cries of those too badly
hurt to care in what manner the end were
brought about so it only would be quick.
So they dug up the earth with their hands,
reckless of the blood streaming out from
broken finger nails, and heaping it
up in little mounds, while all the
time came the heartrending cry:
“For God’s sake don’t let us burn
to death.” Finally the victory was won.
The fire was out, after four hours of en
deavor. and as its last sparks died away the
light came up in the east to take the place
of the flames, and dawn came upon the
seene of horror. While the fight had been
going on men had been dying and there
were not so many wounded to take out of
the wreck as there had been four hours be
fore. In the meantime the
country had been aroused, help
had come from Chatsworth, Forest and
Piper City, and as the deal were laid rev
erently alongside of each other out in a
cornfield, there were ready hands to take
them into Chatsworth, while some of the
wounded were carried to Piper City.
THE DEATH LIST.
One hundred and eighteen was the awful
total of the dead, while the wounded num
ber four times that many. The full total
of the deal cannot, however, be told yet
for days. Chatsworth was turned into a
morgue to-day. The town hall,
engine house and depot were
all full of dead bodies, while every house in
the little village has its quota of wounded.
There were over 100 corpses laying in ex
temporized dead housess and every man and
woman was turned into an amateur but
zealous nurse. Over in the lumber yard the
noise of hammers and saws rang out in the
air and the busy carpenters were making
rough coffins to carry to their homes the
dead bodies of the excursionists
who, twelve houre before had
left their homes full of
pleasurable expectations of the enjoyment
they were going to have during the vaca
tion which had begun. When the news of
the disaster was first flashed over the wires
prompt aid was'ht once sent. Dr. Steele,
chief surgeon of the Toledo, Peoria and
Western road, had come on a special tram
and with him were two other surgeons and
their assistants. From Pooria also came
Drs. Martin, Baker, Fluegler and Johnson,
and from every city whence the unfortu
nate excursionists had come their physicians
and friends hurried on to help them. From
Peoria had also come delegations of the Red
Men and Ancient Order of United Work
men, numbers of both societies 1 icing on the
ill-fated train, and so after 8 o’clock in the
morning there were plenty of people to do
the work that needed such prompt atten
tion. In the town hall was the main hospital
and in it anxious relatives and sorrowing
friends sat, and fanning gently the
sufferer’s faces, queried the attending
surgeons as they bound up the wounds
aud insisted that there must be hope. Down
in the dead houses, fathers, husbands,
brothers, sisters, wives and children tear
fully inspected each face as it was uncov
ered and sighed as tho features were un
known, or cried out in anguish when the
well known face, sometimes fearfully man
gied but yet recognizable, was uncovered.
The entire capacity of the little village was
taxed, and kind hearted women drove in
for miles to give their gentle ministrations
to tho sufferers.
ROBBERY AMONG THE WRECKAGE.
No sooner had the wreck occurred than a
scene of robbery commenced. Some band
of ulispeakahle miscreants, heartless, and
onlv with animal instincts, was on hand
and. like the guerrillas who thronged a bat
tlefield the night after the conflict, and filch
from' the dead the money which they re
ceived for their meagre pay, stealing even
the bronze medals and robbing from the
children of heroes other worthless emblems
of their fathers’ bravery, so last, night did
these human hyenas plunder the dead from
this terrible accident and take even the
shoes which covered their feet. Who these
wretches are is not known. Whether they
were a band of pickpockets who accom
panied the train or some robber gang who
were lurking in the vicinity cannot lie said.
A horrible suspicion, however, exists, and
there are many who give it credit, that, the
accident was a deliberately planned case of
train wrecking, and that the bridge was
sot on lire by miscreants who hoped to
seize the opportunity offered.
The fact, that the bridge was so far con
sumed when the train came along, and the
added fact that the train was an hour and
a half late, are pointed out as evidence of
a careful conspiracy. It seems hardly pos
sible that man could bo so lost to all the or
dinary feeling which animates the basest of
the human race, but still men who will rob
dead men, who will steal from the
dying, and will plunder the wounded
held down by the broken beams
of wrecked cars, wounded, whoso
death by (ire sremed imminent can do most
anything which is base, und that is what
these fiends in human form did.
APPEALS FOR MERCY UNHEEDED.
They went into the cars when the fire was
burning fiercely underneath, and, when the
poor winches who were pinned there
begged them: “For Gist’s sake to help them
out,’ stripped them of their watche* and
jewelrv, and searched their jss-kets for
money. When the dead bodies wore laid
out In the cornfields, these hyenas turned
them over in their search for valuables and
Mint tlie plunder was done by an organized
pang was proven by the fact that this morn
ing out in a corn field sixteen purees, all
empty, were found ill one heap. It was
ghastly plundering and had the plunderers
been caught this afternoon they would
surely have Ixs-n lynched.
DRIVEN TO SUICIDE.
The Times' Forest, 111., special says:
“There was one incident of the accident
which stood out more horriblo than all of
fiose horrible scenes. In the second coach
SAVANNAH, GA., FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1887.
was a mail, his wife and little child His
name could not be learned to-day,
but it is said he got on at
Peoria. When the accident occurred the
entire family of three was caught and held
down by broken woodwork. Finally, when
relief came, the man turned to the friendly
rescuers and feebly said: ‘Take out my wife
first, I’m afraid the child is dead.’ So they
earned out the mother,and as the broken seat
was taken off her crushed breast, and the
blood which welled from her lips told how
badly she was hurt. They carried the child,
a fair haired, blue eyed girl of three, and
laid her in a corn field, dead, alongside
her dying mother. Then they went
back for the father and brought
him out, Both his legs were broken, but he
crawled through the corn to the side of his
wife, and feeling her loved features in the
darkness pressed some brandy to her lips,
and asked her how she felt. A feeble grnyui
was the only answer, and the next instant
she died. The man felt the
forms of his dead wife and child
and cried out: ‘My God, there is nothing
more for me to live for now,’ and taking a
pistol out of his pocket pulled the trigger.
The bullet went through his brain, and the
three dead bodies of that, little family are
now lying side by side in Chatsworth wait
ing to be identified.”
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
There have been many guesses as to the
origin of the fire which weakened the
bridge and caused the accident, but so far
they are nothing but guesses. The most
probable one is that a spark from the fur
nace of the engine of the train which
pissed two hours before caused the
blaze. The season has been very
dry hereabouts for a long time,
and almost no rain has fallen, and so the
woodwork of the bridge burned like tinder.
A live coal dropped on it would fire it at
onee, aud as a result the accident soon fol
lowed. Another and startling theory is one
of train wrecking. This is au awful one to
contemplate but has its adherents. They
point to the fact that there were a lot of
thieves about, and to the additional fact that
they seemed to bo members of an organiza
tion working together, and the dia
bolical heartiessness with which they
went about their work indicated
devilishness which would stop at nothing.
The news of the disaster was brought to
Chatsworth by one of tin* passengers about
midnight, and the inhabitants around se
cured buggies, lumber wagons and every
kind of vehicle to reach the fatal spot. As
fast as the corpses were taken from the wreck
they wore laid out on the side of the
track. Before daylight the work of recov
ering the dead and moving them to Chats
worth was begun. As soon as the corpses
were received they were placed in a large
empty building lately occupied as a store,
in the public school houses and depot wait
ing rooom. The residents of the town
threw open their houses for the
reception of the dead and wounded,
but the former were taken to improvised
morgues. The friends and relatives of the
dead came to Chatsworth with the remains
and the scenes in the different places where
the bodies lay were most heartrending and
distressing. As the day passed bodies were
being continually brought in from the scene
of the wreck. A majority of them were
mangled in a most frightful manner, many
of them having their faces entirely torn
away, leaving their brains exposed, while
others had their fingers and legs torn off.
ONLY SIX SAVED OUT OF ONE CAR.
The Times' ttalesburg. 111., special says:
“A number of Galesburg people who were
on the excursion train returned to-night. W.
Gucker and wife were in the rear end of the
chair car. ‘The shock came about ten min
utes to 12 o'clock. I was roused,’ said Mr.
Gucker, ‘by the smashing glass and the
breaking of the car timbers,
and by shrieks of pain and
cries for help. Our car had been teleseoj>ed
and w'as standing nearly on end, one end
being fifteen feet in the air. I broke the
car window and managed to slide down the
side. Others of the party did the same.
The car was a sight. The top was parted
and the. sides crushed in. At the
time of the accident there were thirty in
the car. Six of ns got out alive. It was
horrible. There were hardly any lights to
be had.- There was no water. The cars
caught fire; switches and earth were used to
put out the flames.
MOST PATHETIC SIGHTS.
“I saw most pathetic sights, parents car
rying dead children in their arms, children
clamoring for their parents, wounded per
sons crawling painfully into adjacent corn
fields and cries for water and tor help pre
vailing on ail sides., A woman sitting in
front of me had her head taken
off. Six young men from Canton
ill the front car were saved by being thrown
by the shock through the parted roof. I
heard that one man who had lost his wife
and child committed suicido." Other Gales
burg people agree in the statement about
the flimsy character of t e bridge.
P. P. Vinliew, of Galesburg, was in the
chair car mentioned. A moment before the
accident he walked to the end of the car
that .suffered most aud was dangerously in
jured.
William Collins, of this city, was killed.
Mrs. E. M. Snedaker, of Abingdon, was
killed and her little son lost a leg.
Mrs. SS. M. Smith, of Galesburg, was badly
injured.
Mrs. A. J. Me Cure and her baby were
killed. Her husband is a railroad contractor
now employed here. Most intense excite
ment has prevailed here all day.
CHATS WORTH’S CHARNEL HOUSES.
Chatsworth, 111., Aug. 11.— Charnei
houses and hospitals make up to-night what
has been the jieacoful village of Chatsworth.
Of the 800 merry excursionists journeying
by here to the falls of Niagara twenty-four
hours ago fully half that number have since
passed through a maelstrom more fearful
than all the whirling waters they
were traveling fur to see. Eighty-four
of them are blackened, charred corpses, are
scattered in depot", schools and engine
houses here and at Piper City, or are being
carried on trains in all directions to their
homes, while 115 bandaged, moaning crip
ples are stretched on all the avail
able mattresses, lieds, ebuire and floors
in this vicinity struggling for
a little lease of life. Tho streets of Chats
worth are filled with crowds of anxious
sis'lie is for friends and relatives, and with
other crowds of hustling people hurrying
for medicines, slowly 1/earing rude pine
coffins to the trains, or talking earnestly of
the horror that has caused tho consternation.
MIRSED THE TRAIN BY FIVE MINUTES.
R. G. Rinser, of Kankakee, said: “I was
at El Paso and missed the excursion train
by less than live minutes, i then took a
freight twenty -six minutes later, and when
we got to Forest the conductor had orders to
leave all his load, secure ull the physicians
he could, and proceed to a w reck three miles
east of Chatsworth. Upon arriving at the
scene of the disaster, we found the most
heartrending and indescribable scene ever
witnebaed. Men, women and children were
lieggmg to lie taken from the wreck. What
made the situation still more aiH/ulUng was
the fire on the bridge with no water a I han/l
with which to do anything. All on our
train and such iiassengci-s a- were able to
do so procured dirt and trjfd in every way
itoesihle to smother the fire.
They were so far successful
as to prevent its getting hold of the
wrecked cars. Had it reached the wreck
hundreds of tho wounded and imprisoned
passengers would have perished in tlie
(lames AVe worked from the time of the
arrival of the train till about 1:30 o’clock this
morning trying to extricate the suffering who
were in such dread of fire, und at. that time
a friendly shower of rain helped us. We
then went to work more delitieratoly and
continued up to 8 o'clock, during which
time we removed fifty-eight bodies and
three or four times as many
wounded. The relief train from
the East took tlie wounded out
to Piper City. The city hall and school
house at Chatsworth were improvised into
a hospital, and the citizens came to our
relief with everything possible,” Air. Risner
said thut they had nothing with which to
carry dirt to tho wreck, but their
hands. He stood the sickening work of re
lieving the wounded and getting out the
dead until lie 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. Arch Crosswell and wife, of Peoria,
were on their way to visit their parents in
Kankakee, with their ti-weeks-old baby.
Airs. Crosswell occupied a scat, in front
of tlie car next to the door. Air. Cross well
tieing unable to get a seat with his wife
took another position a few yards back.
When the concussion came the front end of
the car was crushed in and Airs. Crosswell
was killed. The baby was found in the
centre of the car with hut slight injuries.
It was taken to a farm house near by and
cared for.
PINNED DOWN BY THE SEATS.
Dr. Hazen, of Fort Madison, la., says tho
train was running about thirty miles nil
hour when the accident occurred. He felt
a sudden jar and found himself aud his
wife fastened under the sqats. He pulled
the backs off of two seats before he could
get his wife out. She was bruised on the
body and both of her feet were crushed.
His shoulder was dislocated, aud lie had it
pulled into place as soon as lie could get out
of the wreck. In helping others he put it
out of place again, and had to have it pulled
into place tho second time. There were
nine persons in his parly and he can only
hear of three of them so far. He says he
saw E. D. Stoddard band his boy out to a
lady, while he crawled back to get his wife,
who was killed. Following is a list of the
wounded as far as identified. It is slow
work as the bodies are horribly mangled:
E. AV. Parker and wife, of Peoria, had
their head and limbs injured.
Airs. Emma Regan and son, of Peoria,
suffered slight injuries.
John Frye, of Peoria, had a leg broken
and his back injured.
H. L. Ogden, of Grayton, 111., had his
head and foot injured.
Florence Boucher, of Bayard, la., had her
arm hurt.
Pat Brady, of Gilman, 111., had his foot
and head hurt.
Sophia Pauline, of Peoria, 111., is injured
about the head.
C. W. Young, of West Jersey, had a hand
hurt.
C. W. Swank, of AVest Jersey, had his
foot and shoulder injured.
G. A. Scott, of Toulon, 111., had an ankle
injured.
Thomas Trimms, of Parke Ridge, 111., is
injured about the arms, hips and legs.
Theodore Godel, of Peoria, is injured
about the head and legs.
Mrs. Edith Chollow, of GNssford, 111.,
had a leg broken and an ankle bmisod.
Air. cTiellow, of Glassford, 111., has a leg
dislocated.
Joe Neal, of Mossville, 111., is injured
about the head and limbs.
Mrs. Joe New, Mossville, had an arm and
a leg broken. Her baby was killed.
Aliss Julia A’aldenno, of Peoria, 111., is la
terally injured.
Abbie Edmonds, of Dix, 111., hal an ankle
injured.
Dr. E. P. Hazen and wife, of Fort Madi
son, la., had their heads hurt.
Aliss Emma Ulter, of Westpoint, la., is
hurt, about the head and limbs.
Mrs. H G. Thorns, of Risk, la., is in
jured internally.
H. H. Bond, of Colchester, 111., is injured
internally.
Mrs. Thomas AlcAvery, of Peoria, 111., is
injured internally.
Mrs. J. AV. Giant, of Peoria, is injured in
ternally.
Alary Morris, of Peoria, is bruised.
Robert Zimmerman, of Peoria, is injured
about the head and spine.
E. T. French, of Peoria, has a hip and
his body injured.
Eaton Waters, of Peoria, is hurt about
the hips and body.
Otto Johnson, of Burlington, la., had his
legs hurt.
Airs. R. H. Clark, of Riotstown, la., had
her legs injured.
C. AV. Cross, of AVashington, 111., is in
jured about tho head and chest.
J. E. Dochman, of Pooria, had an ankle
injured.
Madge T. Harris, of Peoria, had an ankle
broken.
Arthur AlcCarty,of Eureka, 111., had both
of his eyes put out.
David Crawford, of Hilton, 111., is injurod
atiout the head, limbs and hips.
A. F. McGee, of Labarp, 111., is hurt about
tho legs and spine.
Mrs. S. R. Boidon, of Tonica, 111., had a
foot hurt.
AVilliam Forbes, of Elmwood, 111., is in
jured about the chest and head.
Elizabeth Settlers, of Laharpe, 111., had
her limits injured.
Mrs. Linda Walters, of Peoria, bad her
nose, jaw and leg hurt.
H. Abraham, of Peoria, is injured in
ternally.
Williiyn Smith, of Peoria, had his head
crushed.
Frank Taylor, of McComb, 111., is injured
internally.
John Stear, of Rushville, 111., is injured
about the legs.
J. W. Stearns, of Green valley, 111,, is hurt
about the legs.
Adam Hhamberger, of Peoria, is injured
about the hip, side and heel.
S. L Belsfcv, of Doer Creek, 111., had his
head and ankle injured.
Paton Cross, of Washington, 111, had a
leg injured.
J. li. Kelly, of Bood, 111, ha/1 his hip and
leg broken.
Frank Snadicker, of Abingdon, 111., had
his head hurt and leg broken.
Daniel Rock, of Rosefleld, 111., hnd his
head, leg and hands broken.
A. C. Jordan, of Danville, la, hnd a leg
hurt.
K. A. Gregg, of Danville, la., had a log
hurt.
Airs. C. E. Allen, of Galesburg, 111,, had
her head injured.
W. E. Ellis, of Peoria, ha/I his head in
jure/1.
Minnie A’aughsdale, of Peoria, had a leg
broken.
Calvin Davis, of Peoria, ha/1 an arm in
jured.
Conductor Stillwell bad his head, arm and
leg hurt.
C. H. Carter, Jr., of Burlington, la., is
injured about the body.
Harold E. Lawrence, of Burlington, la.,
is injured about the body.
H. B. Lawrence, oT Burlington, la., is in
jured about the body.
John Momnetor, of Burlington, la., la in
jureii abovt ti"- body.
Frank Brown, of Peoria, is injured about
the bend.
Mrs. Kellogg, of Tremont, is injured
about the body.’
Mrs. K. G.’ Welsh, of Peoria, is injured
about the body.
Mrs. Isaac Body, of Whiteside, 111., is in
jured about the body.
Catherine Lot, of Peoria Is hurt about
tho bodv.
Blanch Allen, of Peoria, suffered bodily
injuries.
R. E. Stock, df Peoria, is injured about
tlie body.
LIST OF THE DEAD.
Miss Stephens and her father; Alike Rea
gan, of Biughonipton, N. Y.; William
Craig, of Culm. Ill,; Henry llieken, of Pe
kin, 111.; Noah Havemere, of Canton, 111.;
H. Smith, of Mntamore, 111.; George A.
Smith, of Peoria; Airs. Zenunerumn, of
Peoria; Rosa and Maggie Murphy and their
mother, of Peoria; Miss Aggie Alai vow, of
Peoria; Aliss Neal, of Alassville, 111.; Emi
line Carrithers, of Evans, 111,; Jess
Meek, of Eureka, 111.; Sherman
Brimfleld, of Illinois; Met’lintoek, engineer,
of Peoria; Elizabeth Cross, of Washington,
111.; Mrs. E. D. Stoddard, of AA’est Point,
la.; Mrs. Pearl Adams, of Pooria; Pearl
French, of Peoria; W. H. Potter, of Rush
nell, 111.; Airs. J. M. Clay, of Eureka, 1 111.;
J. I). Richards, Mrs. Breeze, of Peoria; AV.
Oerreteroi, of Peoria; E. F. Attains, of
Fairbury; AV. H. Let, of lillwood; Adtlie
Webster, of Peoria; Mrs. AVilliam Alien, of
Pooria; At. AV. A'alejo, of Peoria; Mrs. H.
11. McClure and daughter, of Peoria; Airs.
Miller, of Peoria ; Mr. AV right, of Peoria;
Mrs. James Dale, of I’eoria; Airs. AVilliam
Ball ami daughter, of Peoria;
F. 11. AA r ynett, of Pooria; E.
Godell and son, Dr. William
Collins, of Galesburg, 111.; J. Body, J. S.
Kaler, of Breed's Station, 111.; John Mur
phy, of Peoria; Henry Siegelson, of Keokuk,
la.; Oney Spaith, of Green Valley, 111.;
Johu A. Moore, of Jacksonville, 111.; J. D.
MeFadden, of Peoria; ('apt. Ahlko A. Mar
tin, of Bloomington, III.; J. T. Green, of
Breed’s Station, mid about twenty dead are
at Piper City.
M’CLINTOCK DECAPITATED.
The most horrible death of all was that of
Eugene McClintock, the engineer of the
soetnid engine of the double header. Tho
first engine, which engineer Sutherland was
running, passed over the burning bridge in
safety, out it was under its weight that the
half consumed bridge gave way and the
tender dropped back in tlie
dry slough. Engineer Sutherland’s
engine kept the rails in safety, such wax the
awful speed of the unfortunate train. Ato-
Clintocfe’s engine plunged down into the
black hole, and os the tender mounted on
top of the cab it took McClintock in the
back of the neck, and cut his bead clean off
his shoulders. The trunk was found under
the engine, but the head could not bo discov
ered, and the presumption is that it was
ground to atoms in tno horriblo millstones
of the engine and tender.
WOUNDED ARRIVING AT PEORIA.
Peoria, 111., Aug. 11. —Several thou
sand people were at the depot this afternoon
when the train arrived bearing the first of
the wounded from Cliatsworth. Theerowd
was so large and so eager to obtain a view
that it was difficult to control it. Accounts
of the disaster were obtained from
several passengers on the train.
J. M. Tierney was in the first sleeper. He
said: “I felt three distinct shocks and then
heard a grinding sound, and on looking out
saw that the car in which we wore was
directly over a fire which wus
slowly blazing on the stringers of
the bridge. I got out, and the scene
J (resented to the eye and ear was one I wish
could forever efface from my memory,
hut I know I never can. The shrieks of the
dying and the glaring laces of the dead will
always stay with me. To add to the horror
it was pitch dark, save the fitful
light of the fire under tho sleeper, which
lighted the faces of those about, only to
make their fear a nil anguish visible. On
the mouths of most of the corpses could be
seen foam, which showed that, they die/1 in
agony. At last wesecured feeble lights, but
the wind blew them out, anil about, 2 o'clock
the rain poured down in tor ents on the tin
protected dead anil dying in the hedges and
corn fields adjacent.
A TERRIBLE SCENE.
Our efforts were divided between trying
to put out the firo and rescuing the dying,
whose cries for help were heartrending
indeed. Mothers ran wildly about crying
for lost children and wives for husbands.
Strong men were weeping over the forms
of their beloved wives. Prayers, entreaties
and groans filled the air until daylight,
when the relief parties got to work
and removed the dead and wounded from
!he scene. The scene in the cars was beyond
description. Onn young child was found
fastened near the roof of the car, head
down, where, in the jar and concussion,
it had lieen thrown, and was dead
win . taken down. Others were
found in all conceivable shapes, all
thrown out of their seats, piled in the end
of the aisle of the cars, bleeding front gashes
in the face, arms or other iKirtions of the
body. ___
INTEREST PREPAYMENT.
The Secretary Declines to Accept Two
More Offers of 1 lO Flat.
AVashington, Aug. 11.— Application for
prepayment of interest on United .States
bonds were received to-day amounting to
$8,810,750, making the total to date $18,283,-
550. Secretary Fairchild to-day received
nn offer from Harvey Fisk A Sons, of New
York, to sell the government $2,500,000
•Uj per cent, bonds ut 110 flat,
and an offer was received from
the First National Bank of New York offer
ing $1,450,000 in 4,‘j per cents at the same
rate. These are the same bonds offered
yesterday at 110V4 and 1 lo'-j respectively.
The reduction is made in consequence of the
Secretary’s acceptance of the offer of the
Suffolk Bank of Boston at. 110 flat, The
Secretary declined both offers and tele
gruphed to Fisk & Sons and the First,
National Bank as follows: “The
plan adopted by the deiiartment for
the purchase of government bonds
and heretofore published provides
only for the consideration of these offers of
sale, which aro made pursuant to said plan
each AVfdnosdav at noon. This plan will lxi
strictly followed until public announce
ment is made of the adoption/if a different
plan. Therefore no further offers can be con
sidered until next Wednesday.”
Knights of Labor Grand Officers.
Mobile, Ala., Auk. 11.—The following
grand officers were elected at the Knights
of Ijltior eonvcllt.il ill to-dny: Moses Dickson
was re-elected Chief Grand .Mentor hy ac
clamation ; J. AV. Asls iry, of Memphis,
Vice Grand Mentor; A. R. Chism, of Glue
gow, Mo., Chief HccrcUiry; H. S. Parker, of
Missouri, Chief Treasurer; J. H. Jenkins, of
l iid/n/eiidence, Mo., Assistant Treasurer; ft.
F. Ifurley, of Aluhatna, Orator; Maty L.
Head, ’of Louisville, Chief Grand Preeep
tress, and Lutena Scott, of Holly Springs,
Aliss., Vice Grand I’le-optresx.
Clerks Pass the Examinations.
Washington, Aug. 11. —The reports sub
mitted by the Iseiril of examiners for pro
motions In the War Deliartuient show that,
all tlie clerks examined in tlie Paymaster
General’s office, twenty-three hi number,
pursed wooessfully, aud that but one clerk
out of twenty-four examined in tho office of
the Chief of Engineers failed to pass a suc
cessful examination.
Potarda at Madrid.
Madhio, Aug. 11,— lwo petards wore ex.
{ilcKied this morning on the staircase of the
tinkling occupied by the Ministry of the In
terior. No damage wan done. The perpe-
Jtrators of trie oiitrn;"' are ort. k”/)”>••>
IVES ASSIGNS.
The Liabilities $20,000,000 and the
Assets Somewhat More.
New York, Aug. 11.—The firm of Henry
8. Ives & Cos. has notified the Stock Ex
change of its suspension. There was intense
excitement in the Isiard as soon ns the nn
nouncement wns received. Mr. Cromwell,
of Sullivan <fc Cromwell, has lieon made as
signee. It is stated that the liabilities axe
fitsiut $20,000,000, with assets somewhat in
cxoeas of that amount. The announcement
was made just before the elose of the Stock
Exchange, and it caused stocks to make
slight advances.
1 ves’ suspension was read at the Stock Ex
change this afternoon. For a moment after
the announciment. there was silence in the
board room, and then came the utterly un
precedented feature of the brokers giving
three cheers at the news of the suspension
of a fellow member.
A MATTER OK CONVENIENCE.
In the course of an interview Mr. Crom
well said: “The assignment was rather a
matter of convenience than of
necessity. There were so many in
terests involved, ineluding the Cin
cinnati, Hamilton and Dayton railroad,
the Dayton and Michigan, the Mineral
Range, Dayton and Chicago, the Vandalia,
and other roads, beside individual creditors,
that it was absolutely necessary to have some
one man in control. To give this control Ives
& Cos. had to assign. All the creditors, < 'hris
topher Meyer, Fellows Morgan, Alfred Sully,
the Farmers’ Loan and Trust Com
pany and Mr. Starbuck were consulted
as to who should have control. They united
on me. In a few days I shall probably have
everything arranged, and with the assist
ance of a powerful syndicate 1 shall begin
liquidation at once. It is impossible for me
to give the amount, of the liabilities, but I
do not think they will exceed $10,000,(XX).”
THE LIABILITIES.
From other sources it wns learned that
’ the liabilities would exceed $30,000,000 Of
this sum the Cincinnati,' Hamilton and Day
toil’s claim is for about $.'>,000,000, the Van
dalise about $2,.'>00,000, William Fellows,
and Morgan A Cos. *2,000,000, L R. Harri
sons, of the First National Hunk, $1,000,000,
Alfred Sully SIOO,OOO, the Farmers’ Loan
and Trust Company SOOO,OOO, Irving G.
Evans, of Boston, $2H7,000.
There are many other claims held by rail
roads and brokers in whose names the loans
had been made out. In the list of claims
aleivo givon, Christopher Meyer’s claim for
several millions is not included as Mr. Meyer
is charged w ith being a silent partner in the
linn. Mr. HtarhUck’s claim, , which is se
seeured l>v a mortgage on n yacht which he
sold Mr. Ives is also omitted as Just now the
street estimates no claim under SIOO,OOO.
A TILT OVER THE PACIFIC.
Senator Stanford Refuses to Reply as
to Bribery.
Ran Francisco, Aug. 11. —In the Pacific
Railway Commission investigation yos tor
day a few decided and somewhat Warm
words passed between the members of tho
commission and Senator Stanford. A few
of the questions propounded by the Commis
sioners ns to whether they hud been aided
by him to influence legislation, Mr. Rian
ford under advice from his counsel
declined to answer, while to others
he replied that so far as his
knowledge extended not a dollar bad been
expended for this purpose. When on a
voucher of $50,000 the question wns asked
lignin if any [sirtion thereof was used wifi)
intentent to influence legislation ho said:
“1 have told you three or four times that, I
know of no money being paid for that pur
pose. What is the use of you asking me the
same thing over and over again?”
BEADING THE RIOT ACT.
Chairmun Patterson—l wunt you to un
derstand, (Senator, that, I intend to ask you
on every voucher that I have ns to wtiy you
spent the sums of money mentioned in each
particular voucher, and if any of the money
was used to influence legislation.
Mr. Stanford Well, do you think it gen
tlemmdy to ask me over and over again tilt,
same question?
Mr. Patterson—lf I linve not noted gen
tlemanly i apologize. lam only influenced
by my duties as a Commissioner.
Mr. Stanford —Well, I will doeline to
answer your question.
Mr. Patterson—That is your right.
The plan was then adopted of asking
separate questions as to each voucher and
having separate answers given, as it was
stated by the commission that there would
no doubt In- an appeal to the courts in eon
m otion with toe refusal of the witness to
answer questions as specially us ttie com
mission desired.
EXECUTED BY SHOOTING.
A Murderer who Fought Hard for Life
Killed by Five Men.
Salt Lake, Aug. 11. —Fred Hopt, alias
“Welcome," wus shot to death in tho yard
of tho penitentiary, four miles from this
city, to-day. The firing i>arty consisted of
live men with rifles. Dr. Hamilton pinned
n rosette over Hopt’s heart, told him to Is)
Arm. and look straight at the guns, and
death would cone quickly. lie
would not lie mutilated if ho did
not flinch. The condemned man
showed tlic utmost firmness. This case is
remarkable for two reasons. Tho murder
for which Hopt was executed was one of
almost unexampled atrocity and boldness,
and was proven upon tlic first trial beyond
(he |x>sHihil ty or doubt. Tim man hud
lie ui a burdened criminal previous to this
murder, wusircsli from jail and was not
a man of moans, yet his
lawyers appealed to the United States Ku
pifino Court four times on technicalities re
lating to the court proceedings on tho con
struction of tho law. Three times a now
trial was ordered, but the fourth time the
appeal was dismissed. These proceedings
Imvo cost the United Ktutcn government
many thousands of dollars.
RAIN IN THE DRY BEDT.
The Downpour too I.ate for Crops, but
a Good Fire Extinguisher.
Chicago, All;;. 11. A light rain fell here
for several hours lost night, which had n
very beneficial effort iu cooling the atmos
phere and subduing the incipient prairie
fli es around the city. The shower appeared
to lie general throughout the Northern part
Of the State.
A special from Grand Rapids, Mich.,
says: "A heavy lain storm visited this sec
tion lost, night. It began at 11 o’clock, and
Ht. 1 o’clock the prospects word tliat. it would
coiitimie all nignt. It came too late to ben
efit erojis very much, though it will lessen
tho danger from fires.”
KOBTRCAHTKRK IOWA DAMPENED.
DCBI'QI'K, Aug, 11.—Rain fell lost even
ing throughout the whole of Northeastern
lowu. Alint two inches fell before it
cleared. Corn, grain and paxturugu are
greatly helped hy it..
Virginia’s Prohibitionists.
Staunton, Va., Aug. 11. — Petitions are
I icing generally circulated throughout the
State calling for a State convention of tne
Prohibition party. Staunton will probably
lie selected ns the place for tho convention,
and it wiil be held enrlv in Hcntemher
I PRICE H 0 A YEAR. (
j i CENT* A COPY, f
TROUBLE OVER A THRONE
RUSSIA VERY APT TO BITTERLY
OPPOSE FERDINAND.
The Prince Sent a Note to the Power*
Explaining His Action—Russian Ed
itors Think That the Signatory
Nations Have Been Too Completely
Ignored to Bear it in Bilence.
Vienna, Aug. It.—Prince Ferdinand, o!
Saxe, who is on his way to Sofia, slept last
night at Orsova. He resumed his journey
at 5 o’clock this morning. Ho sent a nota
to the powers yesterday stating that his
reason for starting for Bulgaria without
their consent was that he was convinced
that their opjsisitinn was not due to any
objection to him personally, hut was directed
solely to the manner of his election.
THE SELTAN’S NOTIFICATION.
Constantinople, Aug. 11.—Prince Ferdi
nand lias telegraphed to tlic Sultan notify
ing him of his <ie|>arture for Bulgaria, and
expressing the hope that he will accept his
election to the Bulgarian throne. He says
he goes to Bulgaria to aet in conformity
with the Sultan’s wishes, and that his inten
tion is to govern the country with love, jus
tice and equality as respects all religions.
He also sent tho Sultan a copy of a proMa
nmtton declaring that the Bulgarian people
aix> determined to walk in the ways of lib
erty and civilization.
RUSSIA NETTLED.
St. Petersburg, Aug. 11.— I The Journal
ih' St. [ytn-shitrgex presses its astonishment
that Prince Ferdinand’s journey to Bulgaria
should lie spoken of as an adventure. For
Prince Ferdinand’s sake it regrets that he so
promptly forgot all the necessary urohtni
nary conditions which should be oiiserved
before his election could take effect. The
Prince’s ohliviousness to all tho condition!
of legality and conventional procedure is
certainly not likely to induce Russia
to modify her views respecting the illegality
of his election. His disregard for the Porte
and {lowers is too manifest to permit of
their approving Ids journey. Other Russian
journals express similar views regarding
the journey.
WIDDEN DECORATED.
AVidden, Aug. 11. —The city is decorated
with flags and banners in anticipation of
the anival of Prince Ferdinand. A
triumphal arch lias been erected in the
Prince’s honor which I tears the inscription:
“Bulgaria triumphantly greets you. Her
happiness is in your hands. Hhe trusts you
to defend her independence. The country
and people will be with you.”
CLEVELAND’S PLANB.
He Will I.eave Washington During the
Last Week in September.
Washington, Aug. 11.—It is about defi
nitely determined that the President will
1-nve Washington the last week in Heptem
ltcr ami go directly to Rt. Louis, probably
by way of Indianapolis. He will spend two
days at SI. Louis and go from them to
Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, St. Paul,
Minneapolis, Kansas City, Memphis, Nash
ville and Atlanta, reaching the latter place
in time to iiiiwt his engagement for Oct. IS.
He will go by the ordinary line of travel
between the places named, and os his fixed
appointments will preclude any divergence
from the route to visit other cities all in
vitations outside of it will have to be de
clined.
The President told a committee
representing tho city of Providence,
It. 1., which lull'd upon him
to-day and asked him to top over in Provi
dence on his way to join idr . Cleveland at
Marion, Mass,, that h had no intention of
going to Massachusetts. He had previously
telegraphed them the same tiling. The
I’resident has made no plans for this month.
He will not go falling with Senator Kenna
and others in West Virginia, nor will bo go
fishing with .bulge Maynard and others In
New' York. He hopes to get away for a
little while, but ho does not know yet where
lie is going.
LANGSTON MURDER CASE.
Gov. Camerdn Dwells on the Law oa
Medical Treatment.
Petersburg, Va., Aug. 11.—Ex-Gov,
William E. Cameron opened the argument
for tile prosecution in the Langston murder
case this afternoon ami spoke for over three
house. Hu dealt with all tlic points in the
evidence ami laid special stress ou
tlic instructions of the court to
tlie jury, one of which is
that if a person unlawfully with malice in
flict upon another n wound which will
necessarily produce death, unless properly
trcatis] or ins-rated upin, or a wound which
endangers life, and ileatli results within a
year, that person is guilty of murder and
this is true, although it may up|s-ar that
the wounded person was improperly
treatod and that the treatment
may have aggravated tho wound
and contributed to death. The
law does not allow a person who unlawfully
inflicts a mortal wound to relieve himself
from responsibility for death or shelter him
seif behind any doubt which disagn-eing
doctors may raise as to the proper treat
ment. Gov. Cameron argued for justice
and a verdict of murder in tho first degree.
The defendant’s counsel will speak to
morrow.
RIGHTS OF DRUMMERS.
North Carolina Not to Make Any More
Arrests Under the License Law.
Baltimore, Aug. 11. —A. W. Henderson,
of Baltimore, who was arrested in North
Carolina on a charge of being a non-resi
dont and wiling goods without a State
license was to-day before Judge Bonner, of
the United States Circuit Court, on a writ
of hals'iis corpus. The Judge released him
on his own recognizance to apjiear before
the court in North Carolina on the last
Monday in November, with the understand
ing that the authorities of that State shall
make no more arrests for violation of their
law, which requires a license from non-resi
dents.
Killed by a Falling Stone.
Baltimore, Aug. 11.—About 10:30
o’clock to night a large’pieoe of ornamental
stone work on the front of Odd Fellows
Hall, on Nortti Gay street, fell to tin* pave
ment, a distance or about forty feet. An
unknown man who was passing was struck
and crushed to death. The stone weighed
nliout half a ton. Up to midnight the corpae
bad not t>en recognized.
Robbers Ditch a Train.
San Francisco, Aug. 11.—A west-bound
express train was robbed lust night thirty
miles east of Tucson, Ari. The train was
ditched and the express car robtied by four
robbers. The Sheriff and a jiosse are on the
trail, which leads to the Rincon Mountains.
Four Killed in a Shaft.
Milwaukee, Aug. 11.— Shaft No. 1, of
the Ashland mine, new Hurley, Wis.,caved
in yesterday afternoon, killing four men
ami injuring another ao badly that he is not
expected to iive.