On the night of February 29, 1896, Joseph H 'Joe' Reddish was a fireman for the Southern Railway. He was working on passenger train #10 that left Macon (Georgia) at 7:30 p.m. At 7:55 p.m., the train reached the Stoney Creek trestle, which was located about eight miles south of Macon. Without any warning, the train was "hurled" from the trestle into the creek and bottom below. The lights went out, which made the situation even more scary to the passengers and crew. A few folks had managed to stagger out into the darkness when a freight train, which had been running 10 minutes behind the passenger train, slammed into the trestle and fell down on top of the passenger train.
The passenger train consisted of an engine and five cars. The freight included an engine and four heavily ladened freight cars.
While the train office immediately started hearing rumors of what had happened, they were vague and nothing definite could be surmised. It was midnight before they finally got word from "a reliable character" from the wreck about the situation. Two doctors were immediately dispatched and by 1-2 a.m., a representative of the Macon newspaper was there to get the story.
The crewmen involved and officials knew immediately that this was the work of train wreckers. Though no strange persons were seen near the trestle or surrounding area, it was obvious that the damage had been done just before the accident as other trains had crossed over the same trestle "just about dark" and had no issue. The rail had been removed from the left hand track going down. Another fireman on the passenger train was coaling at the time so he didn't see the damage, and the engineer could not see the track.
Two people died immediately:
F.W. Whippler was the baggage master of the passenger train. Luggage pinned him in the baggage car when the train flipped on its side, and he drowned in the two feet of creek water that came in.
Robert Mercer, the fireman on the freight train, was not killed instantly, but his injuries were so severe that he died within a few minutes after being removed from the wreckage. He was badly crushed about the head and body.
There were eight others injured; five passengers and three railway employees. One of these was Joe Reddish. He was scalded. When the train plunged off the trestle, Joe was in his usual spot on the engine by the furnace. The engine turned about half way over, and Joe was pinned down by the furnace door and the hot water poured over him. Because of the severity of his injuries, rescuers and medical personnel had a difficult time getting Joe to a hospital. He was too badly injured to be handled and moved across the creek to be taken to Macon by a shorter route. So they ended up taking him much further south to Eastman.
 |
| Published in The Macon Telegraph Sunday, March 1, 1906, Page 5 |
Added March 10, 2024: Transcription of the above article by ChatGPT:
"TWO MEN KILLED
Horrible Wreck on
the Southern Railway Early Last Night.
MANY PASSENGERS
HURT.
It Was Caused by
Dastardly Work of Train Wreckers at Stone Creek, Near Macon.
TWO TRAINS CRASHED
THROUGH.
Baggagemaster
Wippler of Macon and Fireman Mercer Killed Outright and Others May Die from
Injuries Received—Great Excitement Prevailed.
The whole city was
startled last night by information that a passenger train on the Southern
railway had gone through the trestle at Stone creek, eight miles below Macon,
and that a freight train following behind had also piled on top of the
passenger train.
All sorts of rumors
as to the number of killed and injured were rife, and as the report spread the
excitement became even greater than when the Knights of Pythias wreck occurred
about five months ago. Everybody wanted information, but the railroad authorities
themselves could obtain only the vaguest news from the scene of the wreck, and
nothing definite could be learned at this end of the line at first.
At midnight,
however, the train dispatcher’s office began receiving information of a
reliable character from the wreck, and, knowing the intense feeling of
relatives and friends of people on both trains, he freely gave out such
information as he received.
Drs. McHatton and
Williams were sent down on the wrecking train and a large crowd remained at the
depot all night to learn something of what had occurred. A representative of
the Telegraph was dispatched to the scene of the wreck and the details are best
told in his account from Bullards, as follows:
Bullard’s, March 1—2
a.m.—(Special)—Two lives lost, two trains wrecked and many people injured are
the results of one of the most dastardly crimes ever perpetrated by train
wreckers in this state.
The wreck was
effected at Stone creek, about one mile north of Reid’s Station, at 7:55 last
night on the Southern road and the plans that caused it were complete in every
detail, showing a devilish ingenuity on the part of the criminals. Two trains
are now lying on their sides at the scene of the wreck and the dead and wounded
are being cared for in neighboring houses and cars sent there by the road.
The dead are:
- F. W. WIPPLER of Macon, baggage
master of the passenger train.
- ROBERT MERCER, fireman of the
freight.
The wounded are as
follows:
- M. E. Agborn of Cincinnati,
passenger, scarred and bruised about the face; not dangerously injured.
- B. F. Newberry of Macon,
passenger, face cut and side bruised.
- Mrs. Mamie Cresswell of Reid’s,
shoulder hurt.
- Miss Sallie Shaw of Reid’s, mouth
injured.
- Mrs. Mamie Williams of Bullard’s,
side and shoulder bruised.
- A. P. Dowell, conductor on
Pullman car, serious body injuries.
- T. A. Joiner, engineer of
passenger engine, bruised about the body.
- Joe Reddish, fireman on passenger
engine, scalded.
WORK OF WRECKERS.
There is no doubt
but that the fatal catastrophe was the work of wreckers. Every detail in
connection with the wreck points plainly to the fact that men thoroughly
accomplished in the business worked the crime. There was not a detail in the
preparation for the act that was not carefully executed, and the wreck was
consequently complete.
The trestle over
Stone creek is about ten feet high and 300 feet long. Under this structure runs
a small stream of many feet wide and two or three feet in depth. The great
length of the trestle is used to cross the marshy approach to the creek. The
wreckers removed an entire rail thirty feet in length from the north end of the
left hand side. The spikes and angle bars used to hold the rail in place were
all carefully removed and the rail slided across the trestle until it rested
against the other rail.
This completed the
arrangements for the wreck, and they were entirely thorough.
NO. 10 GOES DOWN.
Passenger train No.
10 going south left Macon at 7:30 p.m. in charge of Conductor J. I. Lowery. It
was running along at the usual speed, being on schedule time. It ran into the
trap at about 7:55 and without warning of any sort it was hurled into the
trestle into the creek and bottom below. In the fall all the lights were
extinguished, and darkness added horror to the situation. Before more than a
few of the passengers and crew could struggle out of the overturned cars,
freight train No. 52, which was running ten minutes behind the wrecked
passenger, crashed into the trestle on top of the passenger train. A more
horrible accident could not well be imagined, and it is wholly miraculous that
the dead and wounded number so few.
The wrecked
passenger train consists of an engine and five cars, all of which lie upon
their side in the creek.
The freight engine
and four heavily ladened freight cars also went down.
KNEW HIS DUTY.
Conductor J. I.
Lowery of the passenger train was cool and collected all through the trying
calamity. Not for one moment did he forget his duty. While in the wrecked car
he thought of the freight train that was following, and realizing the dreadful
consequences its weight being added to the wreck, he scrambled out through a
broken window, waded the creek and started back to flag the approaching train.
Bruised and wounded,
his headway was but slow, and before he could get more than thirty yards from where
the trestle began the freight appeared. Without lantern or flag, Conductor
Lowery had to depend upon his voice and a few matches he had in his pocket to
arrest the progress of the train. The freight engineer saw the feeble light and
recognized the conductor. Brakes were applied and the engine reversed, but
already it was too near the brink to be brought to a halt, and the engine and
four cars surged over the broken trestle.
Panic had already
seized the passengers, but from all reports the trainmen did their duty well
and went to work to extricate the passengers from the wreck.
Word was sent to
Bullard’s, the nearest telegraph station, and as quickly as possible a relief
train, with doctors onboard, was hurrying to the scene of death. On this train
were Drs. McHatton and Williams, who worked hard to alleviate the pains of the
wounded. Every attention was given them.
DROWNED IN THE CREEK.
Baggage Master
Wippler’s death was the result of drowning and not from bruises or wounds, as
might be supposed. There was not an injury on his body that would have caused
death. He was drowned in the two feet of water which ran through the baggage
car as it rested on its side in the bed of the creek.
The unfortunate
victim was well advanced in years and not possessed of the strength that in his
earlier days might have saved his life. When the crash came the baggage in the
car was dislodged from the positions in which it had been placed and one or two
turnks [sic] pinioned Mr. Wippler to the floor. The water covered him and death
from drowning was the result.
Fireman Mercer was
not killed instantly, but his injuries were of such a fatal character that he
died in a few minutes after being removed. He was badly crushed about the head
and body.
ENGINEER JOINER’S STATEMENT
Engineer Joiner of
the passenger train had no warning of the impending wreck until his engine was
on the cross ties, and before he could scarcely think it had plunged into the
creek below. The displaced rail was on the fireman’s side and he was engaged in
shoveling coal, and in consequence the trap was not discovered until the plunge
occurred.
DID THEIR WORK WELL.
The wreckers did
their work well. Not a detail that would interfere with the completeness of the
crime was omitted. Not only were all the spikes and angle plates removed, but
the displaced rail was put on the fireman’s side of the track and the chances
taken that he would be firing at the time and not be on the look out. The plan
carried thoroughly and the result was the completeness of the wreck.
There is no clew [sic]
as to the perpetrators of the crime. No one has appeared who even saw strange
men about the place. The work was evidently done shortly before the wreck
occurred, for just about dark other trains passed over this strentch [sic] of
track and everything was reported in good shape.
Trainmaster Begg, as
the representative of the Southern, did all in his power for the wounded. Every
aid that medical science and attention could suggest was rendered.
MR. F. W. WIPPLER.
Mr. Wippler, one of
the victims, is an old and respected resident of Macon. He has lived here for
years and reared a large and prosperous family, the members of which will mourn
his loss. Of a genial disposition, he made many friends, who will greatly regret
his death.
The deceased leaves
a widow and four children—Mrs. F. W. Loh, Mrs. James Mason of Virginia, Mr. W.
F. Wippler of Atlanta and Miss Mena Wippler of this city."
By the time Joe reached Eastman, he was sinking rapidly. The Trainmaster ordered a special train to bring Joe's wife of only three years, Sidney Anna Tapley Reddish (1872-1937), to Eastman. It appeared that Joe was too far gone to even recognize his wife. He died on Sunday, March 1, from his injuries. He left, along with his wife, a baby daughter, Polly Jo Reddish.
The news spread across the state:
 |
| Published in The Savannah Morning News Savannah, Georgia Monday, March 2, 1896, Page 1 |
TRAINS LEAP FROM A TRESTLE.
THREE LIVES LOST IN A WRECK NEAR MACON.
A Rail Removed From Its Place by Robbers—A Passenger Train on the Southern the First to Fall Into the Trap and a Freight Follows Ten Minutes Later—Several Persons Injured.
Macon, Ga., March 1.—Stone creek trestle on the Southern railway, nine miles below Macon, was the scene of a terrible railroad wreck at 7:55 o’clock last night.
A rail was removed from its place, and robbery is supposed to have been the motive of the wreckers.
There is strong circumstantial evidence against three men suspected of removing the rail, but no arrests have been made.
The passenger train which left Atlanta at 4:10 o’clock yesterday for Jacksonville, was the first to strike the trestle. It ran 300 feet on the trestle before it fell over into the stream below.
Ten minutes later, and before it could be signaled, a freight train came on the scene, ran for some distance on the trestle and plunged down into the river. The freight locomotive was not a car length from the rear Pullman on the passenger train.
Engineer Joyner of the passenger train and his fireman, Reddish, did not discover that the rail had been removed until the engine jumped the track. The engine plunged forward on the trestle and broke through, falling to the bed of the creek.
The freight train left Macon ten minutes behind the passenger.
The wildest excitement prevailed at the scene of the wreck for two hours. The uninjured quickly began the work of rescue, but two of the crew had been instantly killed. Others were picked up dangerously hurt and they were given the best attention possible.
The railroad officials sent word of the wreck to Macon, and a crew of surgeons and officials left shortly afterward for the scene. Several detectives were on board, and others were sent from Atlanta with a wrecking train at midnight.
Superintendent Beauprie and Roadmaster Lermmons, both of Atlanta, went down on the wrecking train.
That the wreck was the work of train robbers seems certain. The rail was removed from the left hand track going down. Mercer, the fireman on the passenger, was coaling at the time and Engineer Joyner could not see the track.
Conductor Joyner of the passenger train quickly sent back one of his train-men with a lantern to stop the freight, but it was too late. Engineer Green on the freight saw the trainman’s lantern and attempted to bring his train to a stop, but it plunged into the broken space of the tracks.
Whippler, the baggage master, was discovered in two feet of water in his car. The baggage tumbled into the creek and Whippler’s body was pionined down in the water which rushed into the car. He was found with his feet in the air, and his head a foot under water.
A coincidence is that the wreck occurred within one mile of a similar wreck one year ago, and Roland Reed’s company, who were in last year’s wreck, were also in last night’s accident. He and members of his company have suits pending now against the road for $40,000. None of the actors were hurt last night.
The trestle over Stone creek is about ten feet high and 300 feet long. Under this structure runs a small stream of not many feet wide and two or three in depth. The great length of the trestle is used to cross the marshy approach to the creek. The wreckers removed an entire rail thirty feet in length from the north-end of the left hand side. The spikes and angle plates used to hold the rail in place were all carefully removed and the rail slided across the trestle until it rested against the other rail.
 |
| Published in The Atlanta Journal Atlanta, Georgia Monday, March 2, 1896, Page 2 |
Story of Death and
Injury in the Catastrophe at Stone Creek on the Southern Road.
HOUNDS AFTER THE WRECKERS
Two Trains, a
Passenger and Freight, Precipitated Into a Creek With Horrible Results.
Special to The
Journal.
MACON, March
2.—Three lives lost, seven persons seriously injured, and two trains wrecked
are the results of a catastrophe on the Southern railroad at Stone Creek, eight
miles below Macon at 7:55 o'clock Saturday night.
The Dead and Injured.
The dead are:
F. W. WHIPPLER, of
Macon, baggage master of the South-bound passenger train.
ROBERT MERCER,
fireman of the freight train, No. 52.
JOE REDDISH, fireman
of the passenger train.
The wounded are as
follows:
M. E. Agborn of Cincinnati,
passenger, scarred and bruised about the face; not dangerously injured.
B. F. Newberry of
Macon, passenger, face cut and side bruised.
Mrs. Mamie Cresswell
of Reid’s, shoulder hurt.
Miss Sallie Shaw of Reid’s,
mouth injured.
Mrs. Mamie Williams
of Bullard’s, side and shoulder bruised.
A. P. Dowell,
conductor on Pullman car, serious body injury.
T. A. Joiner,
engineer of passenger engine, bruised about the body.
Work of Wreckers.
The trestle over
Stone creek is about ten feet high and 300 feet long. Under this structure runs
a small stream of not many feet wide and two or three in depth. The great
length of the trestle is used to cross the marshy approach to the creek. The
wreckers removed an entire rail thirty feet in length from the north end of the
left hand side. The spikes and angle plates used to hold the rail in place were
all carefully removed and rail slided across the trestle until it rested
against the other rail.
This completed the
arrangements for the wreck, and they were entirely thorough.
Passenger train No.
10 going south left Macon at 7:30 in the charge of Conductor J. L. Lowery. It
was running along at usual speed being on schedule time. It ran into this trap,
at 7:55 and without warning of any sort, was hurled from the trestle into the
creek and bottom below. In the fall all the lights were extinguished, and
darkness and horror to the situation. Before more than a few of the passengers
and crew could struggle out of the overturned cars, freight train No. 52, which
was running ten minutes behind the [illegible] passenger, crashed into the
trestle [illegible] of the passenger train. A more [illegible] accident could
not well be imag- [illegible] it is wholly miraculous that the [illegible] wounded
number so few.
[Illegible] ecked passenger
train consisted [illegible] gine and five cars.
[Illegible] reight
had four heavily ladened [illegible] cars that also went down.
Drowned in the Creek.
[Illegible] age
Master Whippler's death was the [illegible] of drowning and not from bruises or
[illegible] s, as might be supposed. There was [illegible] n injury on his body
that could have [illegible] d death. He was drowned in the two [illegible] of water
which ran through the bag- [illegible] car as it rested on its side in the bed
[illegible] he creek.
The unfortunate
victim was well ad- [illegible] nced in years and not possessed of the rength that
in his earlier days might [illegible] ave saved his life. When the crash came [illegible]
he baggage in the car was dislodged from [illegible] he positions in which it
had been placed and one or two of the trunks pinioned Mr. Whippler to the floor.
The water covered him and death from drowning was the result.
Fireman Mercer was
not killed instantly, but his injuries were of such a fatal character, that he
died in a few minutes after being removed. He was badly crushed about the head
and body.
Mr. Reddish was
taken to Eastman and died yesterday. A special train bearing Mrs. Reddish and
her family from Macon was ordered, and he died in the care of his loved ones.
The Conductor's
Coolness.
The passenger train
ran for a considerable distance on the crossties of the trestle before it took
its deadly plunge, and as soon as the first bumping, cracking noises were heard
the passengers realized that something was wrong. Mothers grasped their babies
to their bosoms and screamed in terror. Men started wildly from their seats.
Conductor J. I. Lowery arose in the end of the firstclass passenger coach and
in tones meant to reassure, said:
"Be quiet people, it’s all over."
His lips had hardly
closed after the words before the crash came. As the report echoed and
re-echoed through the dense swamps of the Ocmulgee river, a few moans and a few
sobs, mingled with the steam escaping from the wrecked engine made a noise that
sent a thrill of horror through those who could understand what had taken place.
Every light was out. The water pouring into the engine furnace made a volume of
smoke and steam which obscured verything [sic] for a few awful moments, and
then the huge locomotive and its train of cars lay helpless at the bottom of
the trestle.
Tried to Stop the
Freight.
Without stopping to find the extent of his own
injuries, Conductor Lowery's thoughts were for the crew of the big freight that
came lumbering along only a few minutes behind. He himself had been thrown
across the car and half dazed he began to scramble out of the mass of cushions
and prostrate forms of human beings that had been thrown against him, and
breaking through a window on the upper side of the coach, crawled up on the
scattered timbers of the fallen trestle and made his way back across the creek
to signal the engineer of the freight. He had no matches and could make no
light. He had hardly crossed the demolished trestle work before he saw the
headlight of the freight engine. His voice could not be heard above the
rumbling of the heavy freight train, so he waved his handkerchief and attracted
the eye of the engineer. But it was too late. Brakes were applied and the
engine reversed, but the motion of the heavy cars lifted the engine and shoved
it right along to destruction.
Light Property Damage.
It is estimated that the damage to property will
not be much more than two thousand dollars. This is due in a large measure to
the fact that the passenger coaches did not go to pieces. They rolled over on
the side and sustained little damage beyond breaking the window frames and
panes.
The engines can each be put together and repaired
for a few hundred dollars. A few freight cars loaded with coal had to be dumped
into the creek, but this was not a heavy loss. The trestle work is almost
completely demolished, but a great many of the timbers are yet in perfect
condition.
The famous bloodhounds of Marshal John Rogers of
Cochran, were put upon the trail of the wreckers yesterday and one man has
already been arrested, but he has convinced the officers that he was not the
guilty party. It is presumed that robbery was the motive of the wreckers but
that they were frightened away. Every effort will be made to locate them and
several detectives are now on their trail."
 |
| Published in The Macon Telegraph Macon, Georgia Monday, March 2, 1896, Page 5 |
"HORRORS OF THE WRECK
The
English Bloodhounds of Marshal
John
Rogers of Cochran Fol-
lowed
Two Tracks.
THERE
IS EVERY EVIDENCE of CRIME.
Hundreds
of People Walked From Macon to
the
Scene of the Stony Creek Wreck
Yesterday-Clearing
the Wreck-
age-Fireman
Reddish Dead.
One
more victim of the wreck on the.
Southern
Railway died from his inju-
ries
yesterday. Fireman Joe Reddish
and
Engineer Tom Joiner of the pas-
senger
engine were put on a special
train
in charge of Dr. Howard Will-
iams
and sent down to Eastman. It
was
intended to take them on to Hele-
na,
and by the Sam road to the Geor-
gia
Southern, and then to Macon, as
it
was known that Mr. Reddish was
too
badly scalded to be handled and
moved
across the creek to be brought
to
Macon by the shorter route.
When the train reached Eastman
yesterday
Mr. Reddish was rap-
idly
sinking, and that he could not live.
His
car was stopped at Eastman, and
Trainmaster
Begg ordered a special
train
to take Mrs. Reddish to her hus-
band.
Dr. Williams returned to Macon.
yesterday
afternoon, and said he did
not
think Mr. Reddish could recognize.
his
wife when she reached him. He
was
too far gone. The flesh had been
cooked
from about the pit of the stom-
ach
to the feet, and on each arm. The
head
and bust were not burned.
Engineer Joiner, it is believed, will
recover.
He sat up yesterday and
called
for a cigar. He will be brought
to
Macon today.
At the time of the wreck, the passen-
ger
engine went at least seventy-five
yards
with the wheels on one side
bouncing
over the cross-ties, and then
plunged
forward into the mud under
the
trestle. It turned about half over.
Engineer
Joiner and Fireman Reddish
were
in their accustomed places on
the
engine when the plunge was made.
Mr.
Joiner was shaken and bruised,
but
Fireman Reddish was pinned down
by
the furnace door and the hot water
poured
over him.
CONDUCTOR
DONNELL
Of
those injured the greatest con-
cern,
after Mr. Reddish's death, was
felt
for the condition of Sleeping Car
Conductor
A. P. Donnell of Cincinnati,
who
is now at the city hospital in Ma-
con.
Mr. Donnell has serious body
bruises,
but the railroad’s physicians
offer
the assurance that his life is not
in
danger. He was brought in from
the
wreck last night at 4 o’clock, on
the
same train which brought the bod-
ies
of Messrs. Mercer and Wippler.
ENGINEER
GREEN.
Engineer Charlie Green was in
charge
of the freight engine on which-
Fireman
Robert Mercer was killed. The
engineer
suffered yesterday from gen-
eral
muscular soreness and contusions
of
the body. He is thought to be in no
danger
from the injuries. The passen-
ger
engine and train had passed en-
tirely
over the creek and the rear
coach,
which was a sleeper, rolled off
the
trestle just at the edge of the
water.
The freight engine plunged to
the
ground and drove its pilot into the
rear
of the sleeping car. In this plunge.
Fireman
Mercer met death and En-
gineer
Green was injrued [sic].
The two sleeping car porters were
only
slightly hurt, and the three pas-
sengers
in the sleeping car were shaken
up
but not seriously injured.
Twenty-four passengers were more or
less
hurt, but none seriously. They
were
all able to travel, and were sent
to
their destinations.
In trying to get out of the wreckage
by
walking over the side of the up-
turned
sleeping car, one of the passen-
gers
stepped through a window and
was
badly cut about the face and
head.
THE
FUNERALS.
Perhaps no man on the road had
more
devoted friends than had Mr.
Robert
L. Mercer, who lived on Fourth
street
in Macon. Not only did his death
crush
the hopes and ambitions and
tear
the hearts of a loving and confid-
ing
bride of three months and an aged
and
devoted mother, but it caused in-
tense
sorrow throughout his large cir-
cle
of acquaintances. His remains will
be
interred at Jones Chapel this morn-
ing.
Rev. Mr. Southern will officiate.
The
pall-bearers will be from among
Mr.
Mercer's fellow-employees on the-
Southern
railroad.
The remains of Baggagemaster F. W.
Wippler
will not be interred until Tues-
day,
in order to give one of his daugh-
ters,
Mrs. James Mason, time to reach
here
from Virginia. Mr. Wippler's
death
is peculiarly sad. He was a de-
voted
father and a highly esteemed
citizen.
In the wreck, he was buried
under
the piles of baggage and trunks
that
fell over him, and was pinned
to
the floor under the water, his coach
having
fallen into a big lagoon near
the
edge of the creek. It
was
thought he died from drowning,
but
a deep gash in the back of his
head
indicates that a blow from the
edge
of a trunk probably caused death.
A request was sent to the railroad.
authorities
last night for the remains.
of
Fireman Joe Reddish to be sent for
interment
to Odum, Ga., a station
down
the road.
CONDUCTOR
LOWERY’S COOLNESS
The passenger train ran for a consid-
erable
distance on the crossties of the-
trestle
before it took its deadly plunge,
and
as soon as the first bumping,
cracking
noises were heard the pas-
sengers
realized that something was
wrong.
Mothers grasped their babes
to
their bosoms and screamed in terror.
Men
started wildly from their seats.
Conductor
J. I. Lowery arose in the
end
of the first-class passenger coach
and
in tones meant to reassure, said:
“Be
quiet people, it’s all over.”
His lips had hardly closed after the
words,
before the crash came. As the
report
echoed and reoched [sic] through
the
dense swamps of the Ocmulgee
river,
a few moans and a few sobs,
mingled
with the steam escaping from
the
wrecked engine made a noise that
sent
a thrill of horror through those
who
could understand what had taken
place.
Every light was out. The water
pouring
into the engine furnace made
a
volume of smoke and steam which
obscured
everything for a few awful
moments,
and then the huge locomo-
tive
and its train of cars lay helpless
at
the bottom of the trestle.
Without stopping to find the extent
of
his own injuries, Conductor Low-
ery’s
thoughts were for the crew of
the
big freight that came lumbering
along
only a few minutes behind. He
himself
had been thrown across the
car
and, half-dazed. he began to
scramble
out of the mass of cushions
and
prostrate forms of human beings
that
had been thrown against him, and
breaking
through a window on the up-
per
side of the coach, crawled up on
the
scattered timbers of the fallen
trestle
and made his way back across
the
creek to signal the engineer of the
freight.
He had no matches and could
make
no light. He had hardly crossed
the
demolished trestle work before he
saw
the headlight of the freight engine.
His
voice could not be heard above
the
rumbling of the heavy freight
train,
so he waved his handkerchief,
and
attracted the eye of the engineer.
But
it was too late. Brakes were ap-
plied
and the engine reversed but the
motion
of the heavy cars lifted the
engine
and shoved it right along to de-
struction.
ANOTHER
HERO.
Flagman Fred Solomon of Atlanta
was
passing through the first-class
coach
when the crash came. He also
remembered
the approaching freight.
Breaking
the glass in the end of the
car,
he got the axe, and cutting the
door
of the coach, he made his way
to
the top of the sleeping car. He had
a
few matches, but his lantern was
lost.
He stuck a match to his time card
when
he thought the engineer was
close
enough to see him, and this he
waved
at the approaching engine until
the
monster machine rolled off the
broken
trestle and struck the sleeping
car
at the end only a few feet from
him.
He couldn’t tell whether or not
his
efforts were accomplishing any-
thing
but his one thought had been
for
the men who were rolling through
darkness
to death. The burning paper
in
one hand, he had raised the other
toward
heaven and was briefly pray-
ing:
"O God, save us.”
The crash hushed his simple prayer.
He
had done all that was in his power.
A
JUMP FOR LIFE
Lige, the negro brakeman on top of
the
freight, jumped as soon as he saw
the
impending fate of his train. He
couldn’t
see the ground at the foot of
the
high embankment, but, shutting
his
eyes, he sprang from the top of
the
car into the black chasm beneath.
Luckily
he landed on the edge of the
embankment
and rolled to the bottom
without
a scratch.
SLIGHT
PROPERTY DAMAGE.
It is estimated that the damage to
Property
will not be much more than
two
thousand dollars. This is due in
a
large measure to the fact that the
passenger
coaches did not go to pieces.
They
rolled over on the side and sus-
tained
little damage beyond breaking
the
window frames and panes.
The engines can each be put together
and
repaired for a few hundred dollars.
A
few freight cars loaded with coal
Had
to be dumped into the creek, but
This
was not a heavy loss. The trestle
work
is almost completely demolished,
but
a great many of the timbers are
yet
in perfect condition.
TRAILED
WITH BLOODHOUNDS
As soon as Superintendent Beau-
prie
received information of the wreck
Saturday
night he hurriedly left At-
lanta
on a wrecker, and came to Ma-
con
to see what was necessary to be
done.
Trainmaster Begg was already
at
the scene with Drs. McHatton and
Williams
and a crew of the relief train.
When
a search was made for the cause
of
the wreck, it was found as described
in
the Telegraph yesterday morning.
A
long rail had been removed from
the
left-hand side of the track leading
from
Macon. This rail was placed
across
to the opposite side of the track
near
the opposite rail. Not a spike,
bolt,
angle bar or fish plate could be
found.
The imprint of a pull bar was
plainly
seen on the cross ties at each
place
where a spike had been drawn.
It
was supposed that the spikes, bolts,
Etc.,
had ben thrown into the creek
Below.
It was known that on Thursday
night
Sectionmaster Melton's toolcar at
Reid's
station, a mile below Stony
Creek,
or the scene of the wreck, had
been
broken open and a pull bar and
a
wrench stolen.
When this information was tele-
graphed
Superintendent Beauprie at
Macon,
he telegraphed to Marshal John
Rogers
of Cochran, asking that the
marshal’s
famous English bloodhounds
be
taken to the scene of the wreck.
Marshal Rogers and Deputy Mar-
shal
Willis immediately left with the
dogs
and reached the wreck at about
7
o'clock.
As soon as the dogs were given the
scent
of the removed rail, they circled
around
a few seconds and took up a
trail
through the swamp on the left-
hand
side of the trestle. A party fol-
lowed
the dogs and through two dead
paths
out of the swamp two sets of
tracks
were plainly seen. The tracks
were
of persons wearing about No. 8
shoes,
both tracks being about the
same
size. The swamp is very dense
and
muddy, and the tracks occasional-
ly
left the paths. The dogs followed
the
tracks eagerly and it was found
that
the two men met in the edge of
the
swamp and crossed the open field
of
plowed ground together, going
around
in a semi-circle toward the rail-
road
track. At one place in the edge
of
the field the tracks indicated that
the
parties had stood for some time.
The
rain of only a day or two before
made
the ground very susceptible to
the
imprint of footsteps, and it was
found
that the left-hand shoe of one
of
the parties had no heel. The shoes
of
the other party were probably in
good
condition, as the tracks were al-
ways
plainly made.
The dogs became confused at the
railroad,
and could follow the track no
further.
So many people had passed along
that
way the dogs finally gave up and
continued
to bark over the track in
the
field.
A measurement of the tracks was
taken.
DAN
GLOVER ARRESTED.
Sectionmaster
Melton stated that he
believed
the tracks to correspond with
those
of Dan Glover, who had recently
been
discharged from the service of the
company
on that section of the road.
Glover
was at the scene of the wreck
on
the night before, and it was be-
lieved
that if he had any knowledge of
it,
he might have gone through the
swamp
toward his home, waited with
his
partner at the edge of the swamp
until
he heard the crash, and then
going
from the direction of his house,
joined
the crowd who would naturally
rush
to the scene.
Glover was arrested, but his manner
soon
convinced the officers that he was
not
the guilty party, and he was al-
lowed
to go when it was found that
his
foot made a larger track than
either
of those in the field."
The Southern Railway offered a Thousand Dollar reward:
 |
| Published in The Macon Telegraph Macon, Georgia Wednesday, March 4, 1896, Page 5 |
Added March 10, 2024: Text Recognition powered by transkribus.ai
A BIG REWARD.
Thousand Dollars.
have given official notice that they will
pay $1,000 for the arrest and conviction
of the party or parties who removed
the rail from the trestle over Stony
Creek Saturday night and thereby mur-
dered F. W. Wippler, Robert Mercer
and Joe Reddish.
to do everything in their power to aid
the civil authorities in running down
the fiend or fiends.
Atlanta, who is in charge of the ma-
chinery department of the entire
Southern system, has been at the scene
of the wreck during the past several
days looking after the rolling stock.
hand."
 |
| Published in The Macon Telegraph Macon, Georgia Thursday, March 5, 1896, Page 5 |
Added March 10, 2024: Text Recognition powered by transkribus.ai
HE WAS INSURED.
Widow and Mother Provided For.
mother and young widow of Fireman
Joe Reddish, who was killed in the
Southern Railway wreck last Saturday
night, consolation to know that Mr.
Reddish's life was sufficently [sic] insured
to leave them at least temporarily pro-
vided for.
Mr. Reddish was insured in the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
for $1,500 in favor of his mother, and
in an Atlanta accident company for
$2,000 in favor of his wife. The policy
for the latter insurance was taken out
last month, and the first payment was
not due until the 17th instant. This is
the second policy the same company
has been compelled to pay recently be-
fore a dollar in premiums had been re-
ceived.
Three men were arrested within 10 days of the wreck. They had a doozie of an excuse of why they did such a thing. Two of the men had wives on the passenger train that night. They were hopeful their wives might be killed in the wreck and the husbands could sue the "road" (??) for damages.
 |
| Published in the Waycross Weekly Herald Waycross, Georgia March 9, 1896 |
Added March 16, 2024: Text transcription by ChatGPT.
Stone Creek's Train Wreck.
Atlanta, Ga., March 9. – The preliminary trial of three white men, Tom Shaw, Warren Cresswell and Johnnie Ammerson, who were arrested Saturday by Deputy Sheriff Smith of Twiggs county on suspicion of having wrecked the Southern train at Stone Creek, did not take place today at Bond's store in Twiggs county, near Reid’s station, but was deferred until Wednesday, when it will occur at Jeffersonville. Justices Bull and Horn were expected to hold a commitment hearing this morning, but it was considered best to postpone it. Opinion is divided as to the guilt of the parties. It is said the evidence is strong and sensational against one of the three men, the theory of the detectives being that the prisoners deliberately planned to wreck the train in order that the wives of two of them, who were aboard, might be killed in the wreck and the husbands then sue the road for damages. So far the railroad has taken no part in the arrest and prosecution of the men. Deputy Sheriff Smith of Twiggs is the leading spirit in the prosecution.
 |
| Published in The Savannah Morning News Savannah, Georgia March 25, 1895, Page 2 |
Added March 10, 2024: Transcription of the above article by ChatGPT:
STONY CREEK'S TRAIN WRECK.
Warren Criswell Said to Have Made a Confession.
Atlanta, Ga., March 24. — The Constitution’s correspondent at Cochran, Ga., wires that Warren Criswell, the suspected train wrecker, made a confession to him to-day.
Criswell claimed that the Shaws, father and son, compelled him by threatening to shoot him, to draw the spikes from the rails at Stony Creek, on the Southern railway below Macon.
Criswell’s wife says that she overheard the Shaws state that they had paid two negroes $10 to steal the tools with which the spikes were drawn.
Criswell does not account for the motive of the Shaws in wrecking the train. He will have a preliminary trial to-morrow.
Macon, Ga., March 24. — The trial of Criswell and two negroes named Glover for wrecking the Southern railroad train February 28 will take place at Bands Store, in Twiggs county, to-morrow. The railroad people are confident the men will be bound over.
 |
| Published in The Macon Telegraph Macon, Georgia Thursday, June 25, 1896, Page 1 |
Added March 10, 2024: Transcription of the above article by ChatGPT:
WARREN CRISWELL.
Motion for New
Trial of His Case Has Been Set for July 14.
July 14 has been set for the hearing at
Jeffersonville of the motion for a new trial of Warren E. Criswell, who a few
weeks ago was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for wrecking the
train on the Southern railroad at Stone creek on the night of Feb. 29, when
Baggagemaster Whippler, Engineer Joe Reddish and Fireman Robert Mercer were
killed. Criswell’s is the case in which Attorneys Joe Hall and Nat Harris had
their celebrated tilt. The speeches of these two gentlemen on the case were
said to have been the best ever heard in the Jeffersonville court house.
 |
| Published in The Macon Telegraph Macon, Georgia December 3, 1896, Page 8 available on Georgia Historic Newspapers |
OCR Text Representation below provided by Georgia Historic Newspapers (with a lot of correction by me!)
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