Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1886 — DEATH’S CRASH. [ARTICLE]

DEATH’S CRASH.

Seven Persons Lose Their Lives Near Columbia, Term., in a Fearful Railroad Collision. A Number of Italians Maimed or Silled Near Bridgeport, Ooun., in a Similar Disaster. [Nashville (Tenn.) special.] A special engine coming north collided with the regular train on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad near Duck River, fortyeight miles south of Nashville, and seven men were instantly killed. The collision occurred in a deep cut with a sharp curve, making it impossible to see each other. Both engines are a total wreck. Tiie following is a list of the killed: Henry Lauman, engineer of the accommodation train; Robert Brown, fireman of the accommodation train; Thnd Beech, engineer of engine No. 519; Pat King, fireman of engine No. 519; Monroe Wilson, baggagemaSter; A. P. Robertson, of Louisville, Ky., a passenger agent, formerly a ticket agent of the Louisville & Nashville Road at Nashville; Henry Whittemer. There were only two passengers injured. The sight is most horrible, the bodies being tom to pieces and scalded by the escaping steam. As soon as the terrible news reached Columbia every available conveyance that could.be secured was en route to the accident. There were between fifteen and twenty passengers in the ladies’ coach, who were uninjured. Engine 519 exploded, throwing the tender 150 feet. Robertson was instantly killed, being disemboweled by a piece of iron. Henry Whittemer was found with a flag in his hand, wedged between the locomotive and the side of the cut. The train was running at a speed of forty miles an hour at the time of the collision. - t Fatal Railway Disaster In Connecticut. [Bridgeport (Ct.) dispatch,] The Boston express on the New Haven road, which left New York at 11 a. m., collided to-day with a gravel train on which a large number of Italian laborers were riding. There is bnt one track at the place where the accident occurred. The gravel train had the right of way, and the signal Was set accordingly. The engineer of the express failed to observe the signal. Ephraim Slayback, engineer of the express; jumped to the ground and received serions injuries. The fireman also jnmped, bnt escaped injury. Two Italians, one named Michael Ross, were killed and six were seriously hurt. One bad his skull crashed in, and it is thought he will die. All were more or less hurt internally. Slayback was arrested on a charge of manslaughter.