THE DISASTER

RHINE, WOODS, DICK, MENDENHALL, ALLEN, COOPER, EVANS

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 3/11/2007 at 14:19:47

The Chariton Patriot
Chariton, Iowa
June 23, 1875

On the first page of this paper will be found a copy of our extra, published
on the morning after the recent railroad disaster at this place, giving a
full account of the calamity. And we simply add the following items of
additional interest in regard to the killed, injured, &c..

Coroner Millan impaneled a jury composed of MESSRS. H.H. DAY, S.H. MALLORY
and W.L. ALEXANDER, who, after an investigation, decided that no blame was
attached to the employees of the company for the accident.

The company took charge of the dead bodies and after providing coffins for
them, sent them to their friends at different points.

MESSRS. MARTIN RHINE and DAVID WOODS, two of the injured, are still at the
Sherman House and doing well, and each have relatives with them and good
care. MR. WOODS was not expected to survive the injury to his spine, but we
are glad to learn that there is a prospect for his recovery. JAMES DICK has
returned to his home near Russell, while MESSRS. MENDENHALL, ALLEN and
COOPER, who were at the Clinton house, were all sent home on Monday, of this
week. They were each doing reasonably well. We called on MESRS. MENDENHALL
and COOPER, at their request, and they wished that we should mention
especially their physicians, MESSRS. HEED & BAIRD, as having been unusually
attentive and kind to them, and we think that as much could be said of all
in any way engaged in waiting on the various unfortunate strangers, who were
left temporarily in the care of our people.

MR. MARCUS L. EVANS, of this county, was taken to Russell on a special train
soon after his death, and buried at the Salem Cemetery in Benton Tp. on
Friday, an unusually large procession of his friends and neighbors following
him to his grave. He was in comfortable circumstances and leaves a wife and
eleven children.

By the accident the B. & M. accounts for the first passengers ever killed
upon its road. This speaks well for the safety and management of the great
trunk line of the West, over which hundreds of thousands of people have
traveled. Employees have been killed but never before a passenger.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
March 2, 2007