Fatal Train Wreck
ENGINEER JOHN ALLEN KILLED LAST EVENING
JUMPED FROM CAB OF STERLING PASSENGER ENGINE
STRUCK HEAD UPON RAIL WHEN HE FELL John Allen, one of the oldest and best know engineers on the Galena division of the Northwestern railway, was killed last night at Flagg by jumping from his engine, which was pulling the Sterling passenger, and striking his head on a rail. The accident which caused Mr. Allen to lose his life also placed the life of his brother William in jeopardy and smashed up the engine, a way car on the freight train ahead of the train and several box cars. A special freight train in charge of Conductor Stewart, west bound, had orders to take a siding at Flagg to allow the Sterling passenger to pass it. The freight pulled past the station and ten back onto the siding, but owing to the fact that the freight was pulling 64 cars, the side track was too short and allowed the way car and two of three box car to go out onto the main line directly in the path of the oncoming Sterling passenger, which was due in Flagg at 6:55 o’clock. As the passenger train passed the last Hall signal before the station was reached the engineer and firemen of the passenger train saw that the track was clear and for that reason the speed of the train was not checked until it reached a point just west of the Flagg station. William Allen, who stayed in the engine and thus escaped injury, states that the train was running about 15 miles an hour and that his brother had started to slow down for the station just before the engine went into the caboose. Before jumping the engineer made an effort to stop the train and as a result of his efforts the train stopped shortly after plowing its way through the way car and a couple of box cars. It is thought that the engineer, seeing a collision inevitable, jumped and in so doing went out of the cab head first and struck the rail with his head in the fall. The cab of the engine was badly damaged, but aside from breaking a few of the sills on the passenger coaches, no other damage was done to the passenger train, The way car and several of the box cars on the rear of the train were badly splintered and it took about two hours to clean up the debris so that traffic could be resumed. The body of the dead man was taken to Rochelle where an inquest was held this morning, after which the remains were taken to Chicago where funeral services will be held. During the past year, or since Mr. Allen took the Sterling passenger run, he has made his home part of the time with his mother, Mrs. Alice Allen, on Wallace Street in the city, the rest of the time being spent in Chicago with his family.
Mr. Allen’s brother, William, who was with him at the time of the accident, went to Rochelle this morning to attend the inquest, and then accompanied the body to Chicago. A sister, Mrs. Jennie McCarthy, came out from Chicago this morning and afterwards accompanied her brother to Rochelle.
Among the passengers on the train were Mrs. Ebersole and Mrs. Wynn, who were returning from the Woman’s club meeting at Rochelle, Mrs. Minnie Copeland of Rockford and her nephews, Burritt and Palmer Crum, on their way here to visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Palmer, and Miss Mattie Burton of Rockford. None of the ladies screamed, although all were thrown forward from their seats by the collision.
John Lawrie, who was a passenger on the train, states that the general impression that Engineer Allen jumped from the train is erroneous as the wound on his head was of a nature that could not have been inflicted had his head come in contact with the rail alone.
When He Jumped to Save Himself From the Impending Collision The accident was of a peculiar nature, and occurred in spite of the excellent signal devises of the Northwestern. A freight train, westbound, in charge of Conductor Stewart, got orders to let the Sterling passenger train pass at Flagg. The train had sixty-four cards and the siding held seventy. The freight train backed into the siding. Of course, this showed the distant signal at danger east of the east switch, and when the engineer cleared the west switch, the signal cleared east of the east switch. At this time the passenger engine was at the signal, and it being cleared continued on its way. The freight train was backing in lively, due to it being time for the arrival of the passenger train. It was unable to stop, and the caboose was shoved half way across the main track. Of course this again turned the danger signal, but unfortunately the engine of the swiftly moving train had passed the signal, the train being between the danger signal and the point of danger. The train was only a few rods from the caboose when the engineer and fireman saw it. John Allen, the engineer, to save his life, jumped through the cab window, and met instant death. His brother was on the steps of the engine when the crash came. The cab of the engine was torn off, the caboose thrown over, and the combination mail and baggage car tipped half over. Strange to say the express messenger, Mr. Holdridge, and the mail clerks escaped without a scratch. All of the coaches of the ill-fated train were scratched and scarred on the south side, and engine 901 was so badly damaged that it was necessary to make up a new train here this morning and an entirely new crew took out the train. The Clinton wrecking crew cleaned up the wreck and completed the task after midnight. John Allen, the dead engineer, was born and raised in this city, and his mother, two sisters and one brother reside here. Mr. Allen was married and leaves a wife and seven (The 1900 census information notes that they only had 5) children in Chicago. His body was taken to Rochelle last evening and an inquest was held at that place this morning where the jury brought in a verdict of accidental death. Last evening it fell upon friends of the Allen family to notify Mrs. Alice Allen, the aged mother of John, of the death of her son. It was a difficult task owing to the great affection that exists in the family. The aged mother was first notified that her son was seriously injured in a wreck, and then she was told that her son William would arrive home at 11 o’clock. Tears filled the eyes of the aged mother and when she was told that “Billy” was coming home, she broke down and said, “Oh, it is worse that an injury. If he was hurt badly Billy would never leave him. I know he has been killed.” Mr. Allen is survived by two sisters also, they being Mrs. Mary Knowles of this city, and Mrs. Jennie McCarthy of Chicago. Says Allen Stuck to Post Mr. H. E. Brown of 601 Fourth Avenue, was one of the passengers of the train which collided with the freight train and one of the first to reach the body of the dead engineer. Mr. Brown says that the body of Mr. Allen lay between thirty and forty feet west of the point where the engine collided with the caboose of the freight and close to the body and all about were the fragments of the splintered cab. He is of the opinion that the engineer did not voluntarily leave the cab, but that he was thrown from the engine when the cab was torn to pieces. He argues that if the engineer had jumped from the window it would have been at some point east of the point where the collision took place, but this was not the case. Further, he is of the opinion that the wound in Mr. Allen’s head was not caused by impact on the rail, but was probably made when he was hurled from the cab. He describes the wound as partaking more of a puncture than a crushing blow as would result from contact with the broad face of a rail. Just beyond and very close to the body of the engineer lay the top of the cab of the engine. Body to Chicago The remains of John Allen were taken to Chicago on the eastbound passenger train this forenoon. The funeral services will be held in Chicago, but the hour of the funeral has not been decided. A sister, Mrs. Jennie McCarthy, arrived here on the morning train from Chicago. Sterling Gazette Saturday, 26 March 1910 Funeral Service Held Today in Chicago – Many Attended Funeral From Sterling. The funeral services over the remains of Engineer John Allen were held this morning at 9:30 o’clock at his home in Chicago and at 10 o’clock at one of the Catholic churches. The services were attended by many people, and a large number went in from this city. The company relieved a number of engineers on the Galena division so that they would be able to attend the funeral services. Those who attended the services from this city were Mr. and Mrs. William Allen, A. M. Clavin, William Roark, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Real, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sagle, Mrs. M.C. Williams, Mrs. Margaret Hodgens, Miss Bridget Riley, and Mrs. Gray, the latter of Morrison. Mrs. Alice Allen, the aged mother of the dead engineer, was unable to attend the funeral on account of her infirmities.
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