Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1895 — FRIGHTFUL PLUNGE. [ARTICLE]

FRIGHTFUL PLUNGE.

Trolley Oar in Cleveland Goes Through an Open Draw. It Drop* too Feet Into the Cuyahoga Hirer - Fifteen Bodies Have Been Recovered—Four fenoui Are Missing. Cleveland, 0., Nov. 18. A southbound Jennings avenue trolley car, packed with men, women and children, plunged through the open draw of the Central viaduct at 8 o’clock Saturday night. It shot into space with the rapidity of a bullet from a gun. For one brief moment it remained poised in the air. Then it turned over on its forward end and plunged headlong 100 feet down into the dark waters of theCuyahogt river. One wild shriek came from the interior of the car, which was cut off as the car struck the upright piling below. There came a crash of splintering wood and shivering glass and then all was-still as the shattered car,with its load of human freight, disappeared beneath the waters of the river.% reteen Dead. Up to 6 o’clock Sunday evening 15 bodies" had been recovered. This accounts for all but four of the passengers known to have been on the car at the time it made its dreadful plunge. The verified list of the dead and ini ss in g is ns follows: Thb Dead— James MoUHiighlln. baseball player, 77 Trowbridge avenue; Henry W. Mecklenburg, merchant tailor, 58 Mary street; Edward Hoffman, conductor, 121 East End avenue; Mrs. John A. Sauernheimer. 76 Professor street; Miss Bessie Davis, school-teacher in Sackett school, lived at 107 Noyes street; Harry W. Foster, clerk for Root & Mcßride Co., 61 Mentor avenue; Mrs. Minnie C. Brown, 10 Thurman street; Curt Clemens, pianist, 66 Jennings avenue: Mrs. A. W. Hoffman, 30 years old, 1508 Pearl street; Mrs. Martha Palmer, 44 Grant street; Marie Mellgen, 21 years old, domestic, lo Joseph street; Augusta Sarinski, 207 Central avenue; Gertie Hoffman, three years old. 15u8 Pearl street: Louis F. limetz, mail carrier, 38 years old. The Missinu—Louie Voth, Branch avenue; Miss Martha bauernheimer, 15 i Merchants avenue; B. C. Page, residence un*treet. Got the Signal to Go Ahead. Augustus Rodgers, the motorman in charge of the cur, vvus arrested a*, hia home and brought to the central statioii, where he was questioned by thd coroner and police officials. He stated that Conductor Hoffman gave him the signal to go ahead. Asked as to how the conductor could have given hint the “all right" signal, in the face of the fact tiiat the red light signuls, showing that the draw was open, were hung on the closed bridge gates, Rodgers replied that Hoffman probably thought that the draw was just* closing instead of opening. Rodgers was released after giving bond for $5,000. death Hint Numbers Eighteen. Cleveland. 0., Nov. 19.—Two more of the bodies of the victims of Saturday Mg-ht's bridge horror were taken from the river Monday afternoon. They were Martha Suuehcimer and Edward Caljai, n This makes 18 bodies, that have been recovered. It is believed that the Insr of the bodies have been found, as in. more persons are reported missing. The/ blame for the accident hits not been fix/ci. The coroner w ill begin bis in4<Mig;ition to-day.