Monon - articles and wrecks - Putnam

On last Monday afternoon a terrible wreck occurred on the Monon wherein several persons were killed, many maimed for life and many more injured. The north bound mail train, heavily laden with passengers en route from Louisville to Chicago went over a 60’ embankment, two miles north of Crawfordsville at 3 pm.  The accident occurred on a curve while the train was running at a rate of 25 miles an hour. It was due to a broken rail. The rail seemed to be tight, but the strain was too great and death and disaster came without a moment’s warning

The locomotive and two baggage cars remained on the embankment, the mail car, the smoker, the first class coach and Pullman parlor car, “Minerva” going over the steep hill, tearing themselves to pieces and mangling the helpless occupants within among the bolders, stumps and trees. The cars, fortunately, separated as they rolled down the embankment. To add to the horror of the scene, the smoker and the first class coach were set on fire by overturning stoves and burned.  A baby belonging to a woman, a member of the City Club Vaudeville and Burlesque Company is said to have been burned and a search is being made for the bones, if there are any left. The first-class car rolled over three times and in this coach the slaughter occurred. At one of these turns, a stump was struck and this crashing through the car disembowled Ben Hamburg, a Cincinnati drummer and Madame Irmo Von Rokey of the City Club company. Soon as the uninjured recovered from the shock, they began to render assistance to the dying and injured.  They were taken from the wreckage and tenderly carried to as comfortable a place as possible. The wind was fearfully cold and the poor unfortunates had to be laid on the frozen ground until cushions could be procured on which to lay them.  Engineer James Bowles ran back to Crawfordsville and summoned all the physicians of the place. Followed by hundreds of citizens, they hurried to the scene of the wreck to care for the suffering.  

Had it not been for the cushion formed by the trees which grow along the sides of the embankment there would have been a terrible loss of life. As it was, the cars could not tumble to the bottom of the high hill. The parlor car was stopped half way down by striking a large oak and the occupants escaped with light injuries compared with those in the other cars. The scene at the wreck was horrible; bleeding and senseless passengers were being carried from the burning cars and frenzied men and women rushed frantically to and fro looking for their missing friends and relatives. The City Club Vaudeville and Burlesque Company was aboard the train on the way from Louisville to Chicago where they were booked to appear Monday and its members are the worst sufferers.

The Dead:

Madame Irma Von Rokey, City Club company; horribly mangled.

Ben Hamburg, drummer, from Cincinnati, remains terribly mangled.

C.N. Cheek, Greencastle, Ind, lumber merchant

Fatally Injured:

Mrs. Rosa Evans, Greencastle, Ind, head and side crushed.

Miss Nellie Hanley, City Club Company, home New York, crushed.

E. Whitesides, Franklin, Ind back broken.

William Bishof, brakeman, Lafayette, Ind, severely burned about head, shoulders and back.

Mrs. Robert Fulton, City Club Company, injured internally and dying.

Mack Rogers, City Club Company, badly hurt on legs and back.

Others Injured:

J.W. Thompson, Creston, Ind right leg and left should crushed.

Presley E. Davis, Wheatfield, Ind, side crushed.

MG Ruthledge, colored porter of chair car, face mashed.

John Foust, Crawfordsville cut about head.

J.N. Davison, Crawfordsville, head crushed.

William Hall, Crawfordsville, cut about head.

Riley Fox, of New Albany, mail agent, gashed on head and leg badly mashed.

Eugene Dyer, Lafayette, head cut.

C.W. Loden, Salem, Ind leg badly crushed.

C.F. Hoyt head, side and back hurt.

Miss Eva Marshall, Ellettsville, side and face crushed.

Miss Ann Hibbs, Wheatfield, Ind left arm broken, right hand cut off.

Mrs. Dr. Breyfogle, New Albany, burned about head and face mashed. Injuries serious.

Dr. William Breyfogle, New Albany, ex-president of the Monon, slightly hurt.

George W. Gardner, Ladoga, back injured and right arm broken.

J.J. Enright, Chicago, knee and head hurt.

Dave Malsbury, Romney, eye gouged out and arm and leg broken.

OM Cornwall, supervisor of Bridges of the Monon, Bloomington, back hurt and internal injuries.

W.N. Snyder, newsboy, Chicago, shoulder broken.

John Winchester, Louisville, baggage master, back hurt.

Melvin McKee, Chicago, head, hip and back hurt (from kz – internal injuries)

John Bills, Conductor, internal injuries.

Miss Bible, Crawfordsville, face mashed.

Nat Beally (Beatty?), Crawfordsville, injured internally and about the face.

Mail Clerk Clark, Covington, badly cut and bruised.

Of the City Club Company, the following are injured:

Miss Cora White, ear torn off and side crushed.

Gus Rogers, concussion of spine.

Miss Helen Lane, injured internally.

Ollie Lewis, brushed about the head.

Harry C. Bryant, Philadelphia, head bruised and back badly sprained.

Miss Madge Larner, Pittsburg, head badly bruised.

Paul Allen – head crushed.

Thomas Miaco, internal injuries

Ray Reynolds, hurt internally.

George Matthews, hurt internally.

Marca Matthews, shoulder hurt.

WG Everett, bruised.

WJ Morrison, bruised.

Addie Renza, spine hurt.

Miss Fannie Everett, St. Louis, internally injured and bruised.

Curtis Speck, shoulder bruised.

Harry Speck, finger cut.

Thomas Rooney, shoulder hurt.

A special from Crawfordsville dated Jan 11

Outright seemed miraculous after viewing the scene – no more were killed. A half mile this side of the scene of the wreck a force of 100 men were engaged in putting up ice. They heard the crash, but thought nothing of it until the uninjured came running back and the whistle began screeching. They left in a body and with pikes and poles rendered good assistance, not only putting out the fire but saving several lives. CN Cheek of Greencastle, had a leg cut off and was pinned beneath a pair of trucks. He showed remarkable presence of mind, and coolly directed the relief corps how to release him. The fire was fast approaching and he ordered that both of his legs be cut off if necessary but a jack was procured from the engine and the unfortunate man released in the nick of time.  He was removed to town but can not survive the night.  (Note he died on the 15th)

In its passage down the ladies’ coach encountered a big walnut stump which penetrated the side and probably caused the death of Mme. Van Rokey of the burlesque company and Ben Hamburg, the Cincinnati drummer. The lady was found by the side of the stump, her head crushed to a pulp and brains scattered around. She was also disemboweled and a lad is said to have found her heart and carried it home.  Hamburg was lying on the stump, horribly mangled and almost beyond recognition.

Mr. William Durham, of Linden, formerly of this city, a son-in-law of Mr. Ben Peck tells the story of the wreck as follows: “JN Davidson and I sat together. We were talking, when suddenly the train gave a frightful lurch and began to bump over the ties. I knew it had left the track, and my heart stood still, when, blancing out, I saw we were on a steep embankment 60’ high.  After 100 yards, the train parted and the smoker, one coach and chair car began a terrible rush for below. The experience was simply awful.

The cars have great jumps and lurches; there was a sound of crashing timbers and shivering glass as we tore tree tops and stumps and high above the awful din resounded shrieks of the injured and terrified passengers.  I grasped the seat in front of me and gazed out. It seemed a long time but at length the car in its mad rush began to careen and I knew it was going over. I waited my opportunity and as the topple came leaped into the space above the car window, with Mr. Davidson right on top of me. The stop was instantaneous and for a space of perhaps two seconds dead quiet reigned. Then began the agonized cries of the injured and not long after I heard the crackling of the flames, telling me the wreck was on fire and would soon be destroyed. Faint with my bruises and dazed by the shock of the sudden stop, I struggled to my feet and with Mr. Davidson I began to help the passengers from the cars.

Some were badly injured and cried pitifully as we helped the out. Others were pinioned down by seats and timbers. Dense volumes of black smoke rolled through the car, choking and blinding us as we worked. It was impossible to attempt to control the fire as the flames leaped at once, and we had to fight hard to help the passengers out. When I first stepped from the car I ran right over a well-dressed many lying dead on the bank, his entrails running out and crimsoning the snow. The cars were burning and soon as we had gotten out all the people I came on to town to wire my wife that I was safe.”

Word of commendation are heard on every hand on the actions of Conductor Bills and Brakeman Bishop who, although badly hurt, the former scarcely able to walk and the latter without the use of an arm, worked like troopers and did all in their power for the miserable passengers. The remains o Ben Hamburg of Cincinnati, have been prepared and a brother arrived at midnight to take them home for burial.

Madam Van Rokey, the great danseuse in the City Club Burlesque is a foreigner without a relative in the US and her remains will be interred here.

In Greencastle the news of the fearful catastrophe caused much concern and great excitement because of death and injury to our people who were aboard the ill-fated train.

Mr. CN Cheek in the prime of life, bright socially and an adept in business, goes to the beyond in this frightful wreck; maimed unto death he is pinned under the debris; willing hands endeavor to rescue him from the fast approaching flames; their effort appear unavailing and he directs them to cut off his legs, if necessary to save him from the fire; firm and thoughtful even though suffering most acutely. Just then a jack is procured and the timbers that hold him fast are lifted. His broken body is carried away to a place of shelter and the surgeons do all possible for him. A telegram is sent to his wife in this city, telling her the fearful news; at a moments warning she prepares herself and little daughter for the sad journey of 30 miles; a coupe is ordered and through the darkness of the night with its cold, piercing winds, the wife and daughter are driven by Mr. Cooper over hill and valley to the house where the dear one lay. Arriving at about midnight, the husband still lives; he recognizes the dear ones; the family circle is yet unbroken; three hours later the loving husband and dear papa has passed to the beyond – gone away from earth’s sufferings to the peace beyond. May He who is able give consolation to the stricken ones, be their ever-present shield and defence in the days to come.  The remains of Mr. Cheek were brought to his city on Tuesday afternoon and conveyed to the residence of Mrs. Crouch, his late home. The funeral took place from the family residence, on Thursday afternoon; the Odd Fellows of which order the deceased was a member, took charge of the funeral, and the burial was with the honors of the order. The services were most impressive and were conducted by Revs. Hurlstone, Town and Switzer. The same train that bore the remains of Mr. Cheek to this city brought also Mrs. Rosa Evans, terribly maimed and bruised. She made the journey upon a cot and upon arrival here was carried with all the gentleness and tenderness possible to the home of her daughter. Mrs Dennett in the second story of the McLean Block.  Her principal injuries are bruises and lacerations about the head and side and a fractured rib; the probabilities are favorable to her recover.

Mrs. Eugene Dyer, raised in our neighboring town of Bainbridge was badly cut about the head.

Express Messenger Chas. Cutler, a Greencastle boy, was considerably bruised. He came here on the midnight train, and after spending a few hours with his mother and sister took the afternoon train for Louisville.

Melvin McKee, a former resident of Greencastle, en route to Chicago from this city was badly hurt.

William Durham of Linden, a native of Greencastle was also in the wreck, but escaped with a few bruishes and scratches.

John Bill, an old Putnam County boy, well known in Washington and Madison townships was conductor of the train and earned the plaudits of all because of his devotion to duty and care for the injured, even though badly injured himself.

Notes: The Crawfordsville Argus News says; CN Cheek never rallied from the shock sustained in the accident. Mrs. Cheek was with her husband for three hours before his death. It was a sad scene to those who witnessed it and will not soon be forgotten by them.  The little daughter in her childish way told him that she had prayed to God all the way through to save her papa until she and mamma could see him and added that, “God had heard her little prayer and saved papa,” but alas for only a short time. The remains were taken in charge by McClure & Scott and prepared for burial and this afternoon were escorted to the Monon station by a delegation of Odd Fellows, and friends of Mrs. Cheek, Miss Fannie Scott accompanying her to Greencastle. A great deal of sympathy is expressed for Mrs. Cheek and her little daughter, who arrived a few hours before the death of Mr. Cheek. She found warm friends here in Mrs. John Black. Mrs. Lewis of the Lewis House and others who knew her in Greencastle. Her family is well known by many in the city.

The Crawfordsville Journal says: The news of the injury of CN Cheek of Greencastle was conveyed at once to his wife and she with her child, a girl of eight years and her cousin, Capt. Darnell, a prominent business man, left in the evening for this city in a carriage. The ride, a distance of 28 miles, was made in less than four hours and the party arrived here before midnight. Mr. Cheek lived two hours and was conscious almost up to the time he died. The parting scene with his family was a most affecting one and all present were moved to tears. Mr. Cheek, conscious of his approaching death, displayed a remarkable courage and fortitude and encourage his weeping wife and child.  Mr. Cheek was a prominent lumberman of great activity and business foresight, having a large milling business at Ullin, Ill.  He was 42 years of age and an exemplary man in every way. He died from the shock caused by having his leg mashed off and from loss of blood. The railroad authorities sent a special train to this city to convey Mrs. Cheek and family to Crawfordsville on Monday night. When the train arrived here Mrs. Cheek had started to Crawfordsville in the coupe.  Elder PE Davis of Wheatland who has been conducting a series of revival meetings at the Christian Church in Cloverdale was considerably cut and bruised in the wreck and lost all of his baggage.  Although badly hurt he helped Mrs. Evans of this city from the debris and conducted her to a place of safety.

‘Tis a long lane that has no turning. Only a few weeks ago this writer talked with Conductor Bills on his train coming south and our recollections is that he said that during all his years of railroad life he had never been in a serious accident and never had a wheel off on the main track. The record of Monday last breaks this record for genial John Bills.