Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1893 — FIVE MEN KILLED IN A WRECK. [ARTICLE]

FIVE MEN KILLED IN A WRECK.

Walter Main’s Circus Train Ditched Keat Tyrone, pa. Walter Main’s circus was wrecked ol tho Tyrone and Clearfield branch of th« Pennsylvania Railway at Vail Station, about five miles north of Tyrone. Fiv< persons were killed and ten Injured, The circus was en route to Lewistown from Houtsda'.e. The engineer lost control of the train when going down the mountain, and it jumped the track when going at a speed of forty miLes an hour, throwing fourteen cars over a thirty-foot embankment. The most o! the animals are badly hurt and a number escaped to the woo Is, but were recaptured. Those killed are: William Fock, Newport, Ky.; William Henry, brakeman, of Tyrone; Frank Train, of Annapolis; Wm. Multainey, Geneva, Ohio; John S. Layer, of Houtsdale, Pa. The cars rushed down the grade at a irightful speed, which increased every moment, while above the rattle and rush of the runaway train arose the shrill cries and roars of the caged animals that were as frantic with fear of the impending disaster as their human attendants. The flying train struck a sharp curve. The cars leaped clear of the roadbed and with one tremendous crash the wreck was oomplete. The screams of the wounded men. the hideous cries of the Injured and terrorcrazed animals, and the unearthly shrieks of the mangled horses arose in chorus from the pile of death and disaster. From the menagerie section th 9 lions, tigers, leopards, hyenas, wild cats, wolves and other dangerous animals were liberated, and soon scattered to the cover of the woods in all directions. There were 175 persons with the circus and 173 horses. When the news of the wreck reached Tyrone a relief party with physicians and surgeons was promptly organized and sent by special train to the scene. As soon as the injured and killed were cared for the living started out to capture the escaped animals. The elephants made little trouble, but the members of the big cat family were out for liberty or blood. In the capture of some of tha smaller brutes several of the employes had their clothing nearly stripped off, and were so clawed and bitten and bloody that they looked to have been hurt more than they were. Several ol the larger feline animals refused to be taken alive and, having tasted the fruits of freedom and of some of the farmers’ live stock in that vicinity, had to be killed. Engineer Steven Cresswell has disappeared. The killed and injured, except Brian and Haverly, were helpers about the circus and cook tents. Tha loss to Proprietor Main is $150,000.