1869 – July 14, freight train pulls into path of passenger train, fire, Mast Hope, PA   —    8

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 12-7-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

Blanchard note: We have conducted a newspaper search for some weeks following the collision, to see if there was perhaps an injured person or persons who succumbed, but without success. We therefore conclude that there were eight fatalities, not 10 or 10-12 as two sources noted below report.

–10-12  Evening Gazette, Port Jervis, NY. “Terrible Railroad Disaster at Mast Hope…” 7-15-1869, 1.

—     10  Railroad Stories. “July in Railroad History,” July 1935, p. 29.

—       8  Becker. “Local History: Erie train disaster of 1869 at Mast Hope recalled.” 2-25-2019.

—       8  Daily Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia. “The Erie Railroad Slaughter.” 7-17-1869, p. 1.

—       8  Hornellsville Tribune, NY. “The Mast Hope Horror!” 7-22-1869, p. 12, col. 4.

—     >8  Philadelphia Daily Evening Bulletin. “The Mast Hope Disaster.” 7-19-1869, p. 5.

Narrative Information

Becker: “LACKAWAXEN TWP. – The hamlet of Mast Hope in the far northeastern corner of Pike County, Pa., was the scene of eight fatalities when two steam trains collided on a warm summer night in 1869. Eight passengers were killed.

“Engineer James (as he is referred to in this account),was indicted for criminal negligence. He was finally cleared of all charges at a jury trial in Milford that September. James was operating a freight train, which had been pulled off onto a spur and parked near the Mast Hope depot. The freight train was struck by a passenger train as it tried to pass.”

Railroad Stories: July 14, 1869. “Erie express crashes into rear of freight at Mast Hope, N.Y.,[1] near Port Jervis; 10 killed, many hurt.” (Railroad Stories. “July in Railroad History,” July 1935, p. 29.)

Newspaper

July 15, Evening Gazette, Port Jervis, NY: “A terrible railroad disaster, similar in one of its most shocking and repulsive features to the well remembered Carr’s Rock calamity, occurred last night at Mast Hope, about thirty miles west of Port Jervis, by which some ten or twelve human beings were suddenly crushed and wounded or killed, and finally burnt by fire, nothing but a few charred remains being left for sepulture. The details of the calamity are reliably given thus:

“The through night express train, west-ward bound, which left this station last night, was drawn by locomotive No. 318, Thomas Coffee, engineer, Henry Smith being conductor of the train. The train sped swiftly along westward, the passengers having mostly made themselves comfortable, as they supposed, for the night. An extra freight train No. 39 lay in the long switch at Mast Hope, waiting for the express to pass. This was likewise bound west, and it being a single track for some miles along here, the freight train had to make way for the express. The conductor of the freight train was J. D. Brown, and the engineer James Griffin. The train was drawn by locomotive No. 275. The express train was some twenty-five minutes overdue at Mast Hope, where the engineer of the freight trains (it is reported he had been asleep) supposing that the express train had passed, reached out and pulled the throttle of his engine, and the train slowly moved forward on to the train track. The engine had just reached the frog, and stood partially on the main track, diagonally to it, when the express train rounded the curve at a high rate of speed, and quick as lightning crushed into the freight engine, completely shattering the two locomotives and the forward cars on the express train. The passenger locomotive overturned completely, scattering the fire through the splintered wreck, which speedily ignited and blazed up into a brilliant conflagration. The engineers and firemen on both trains escaped with slight injuries, though how they escaped they are themselves unable to tell.

“The passenger train consisted, besides engine and tender, of one mail-car, two baggage-cars, one smoking-car, one day passenger-coach, and four sleeping coaches. When the collision occurred, the rear baggage-car ‘telescoped’ with the smoking-car, smashing into and about half way through it. The passengers in this car were principally German emigrants bound to the west. Nearly all the passengers in the smoking-car were either killed outright, or were so jammed up in the debris of the wreck as to render their escape impossible, and them met death in its most horrible and agonizing form by the demon of fire. Only four or five passengers are known to have escaped from this car, and the probability is that twelve or fifteen persons were burned. The remains of seven bodies have so far been taken from the ashes but nothing remains of them save a few seared bones, and portions of the trunk of two or three are not entirely consumed….

“Rev. D. B. Halles [unclear], a Universalist preacher from New York, in company with his brother-in-law, a gentleman residing in Syracuse, whither they were going, was uninjured by the collision, but his feet were fastened in such a manner as to render his extrication impossible, and he met death, calling upon his friends ‘for God’s sake to helm him, as he was not injured, but only fast.’ Notwithstanding the efforts made to release him, the flames reached him, and nothing now remains of him save the head and trunk, shriveled and shrunk, his legs and arms having been completely burned off. Among the burned was a German woman and two children. A German emigrant named David Gaer was also burned.

….

“The overturned locomotive of the passenger train, set fire also to the depot building at Mast Hope, which was entirely destroyed.

“None of the passengers were hurt except those in the smoking-can.

….

“The engineer of the freight train James Griffin, acknowledges, we understand, that he had been asleep, but he says he thought he heard a signal from the flagman to move on….” (Evening Gazette, Port Jervis, NY. “Terrible Railroad Disaster at Mast Hope Last Night.” 7-15-1869, p.1.)

July 17, Daily Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia: “The New York Tribune contains some further accounts of the calamity at Mast Hope:

“Lackawaxen, Penna., July 16. – For once in the annals of railway accidents prompt action has been taken by the officials of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to bring the reckless employee, whose culpable negligence resulted so fatally, to speedy justice. After the collision on the Erie Railroad at Mast Hope…the wreckers were dispatched to the scene of the disaster, where they took charge of the bodies which were burned in the smoking-car. The entire car had been burned to the trucks, and lying between them were the charred remains of eight victims burned to cinders. In this number was an entire family of Germans, consisting of father, mother, and three children, who are yet unknown, the Rev. B. B. Hallock, of New York, Daniel Baer, a German emigrant, and other persons as yet unknown….

The Inquest

“The Coroner of Pike’s County, Pa., impaneled a jury on Thursday which met and viewed the remains before they were sent to Port Jervis. They met again yesterday at the Williamson House, in Lackawaxen, to take the testimony of those who witnessed the collision…Several witnesses were examined, among whom was the conductor of the freight train, the firemen of both locomotives, a son of Daniel Baer, who was burned to death, and several of the railway officials. From the testimony of the witnesses it appears that James Griffin, the engineer of the freight train, while on a spur switch waiting for a passenger train to pass him, opened the throttle valve of his engine, and started his train just as the passenger train was approaching from behind him. Some say he was asleep, while his fireman says he did not know whether he was or not.

“After the collision the engine of the passenger train passed on for about 150 feet after having dropped her ash pan which was full of hot coals. The car that finally stopped over the fire was the smoking-carr, in which were some immigrants who had taken a first-class passage, and several others who wished to smoke. It seems that those who were burned were killed outright, from the fact that they were crushed by the broken seats, while there are some who state that the victims were only pressed under the seats and were burned alive. From the fact that the depot was on fire at the same time, it appears that several of the depot employees were principally engaged in saving freight, and were unconscious that there were any passengers in danger….

“Testimony of the Fireman. Perry Hoyt, the fireman of the engine on the passenger train, was the first witness…. ‘as we were running on the outside of the curve, the engineer could not see the locomotive of the freight train until within about 150 feet of the switch.’

“Judson D. Brown, the conductor of the freight train, was the next witness…. ‘he [engineer Griffin] has acknowledged to me that he was asleep while waiting for the train to pass; railroad employees are apt to take opportunities for sleep when they offer; I judge my engineer awoke suddenly, and believing the train had passed, started to follow….my train did not move over 100 feet before my engine was struck; the general instructions do not permit the engineer to start the train without a signal direct or indirect from the conductor….The accident was occasioned by my engine running on the westward-bound track before No. 3 had passed.

….

The Verdict.

“After a few minutes’ deliberation, the jury returned the following verdict:

An inquisition indented and taken at Lackawaxen, in the county of Pike, and State of Pennsylvania, before me, Charles C. Campbell, Coroner of the county aforesaid, upon the review of the remains of the Rev. B. B. Hallock, Daniel Baer, and six others, names unknown to the jury, being passengers on the train called No. 3, which left New York at 6:30 p.m., on the Erie railway, on July 14, 1869, and arrived at Mast Hope, Pike county, Pennsylvania, at 11:50 p.m., at which place it came in collision with the engine of extra freight train No. 39, which was caused by the recklessness, as the jury believe, of James Griffin, the engineer of the freight train No. 39, by drawing his train off the switch before train No. 3 had passed, causing the death of the above-mentioned persons; and we do entirely exonerate Judson B. Brown, conductor of train  No. 39, and all other persons, from any blame whatever, except the said James Griffin. [Names of the Coroner and jury.]

“A warrant was immediately issued for the arrest of James Griffin, and all the officers between New York and Dunkirk were notified. He was arrested yesterday afternoon at four o’clock, at Salamanca, and was brought to Great Bend last evening…” (Daily Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia. “The Erie Railroad Slaughter.” 7-17-1869, p. 1.)

July 18, Philadelphia Daily Evening Bulletin: “Port Jervis, N.Y., Sunday, July 18, 1869. – James Griffin, the engineer who, it is averred, by his own carelessness sent eight or more souls into eternity by the horrible disaster at Mast Hope, Penn., was arrested…at Salamanca….

“The prisoner states that he was asleep at the time of the accident, and pulled the throttle of his engine while in a dreamy and half unconscious state. He says he is extremely sorry, but that he ought not to be punished severely. He confesses that he was to blame in allowing himself to go to sleep, but thinks his fireman was asleep also, and says that he depended on his fireman. He adds that he means to tell the whole truth, and that no man ever worked harder for promotion and the interest of the road than he. He states that after the accident he went to Lackawaxen, by the  advice of his friends, and then to his home in Susquehanna. Having a sister living near Salamanca, his wife and friends advised and urged him to stay with his sister until the affair had blown over and he could return in safety. He did not mean to run away….

“The bodies of the victims of the disaster, who have not been identified, were placed in neat coffins, and yesterday morning were interred in Laurel Grove Cemetery, in one grave, side by side….” (Philadelphia Daily Evening Bulletin. “The Mast Hope Disaster.” 7-19-1869, p. 5.

Aug 6, New York Times: “Milford, Penn., Thursday, Aug. 5. James Griffin, who has been lying in jail at this place since his arrest on the warrant of the Coroner of Pike County, for his alleged culpable carelessness in running his engine from the switch on the main track while a passenger train was passing, thereby causing the Mast Hope disaster, was released on bail yesterday afternoon, Judge Sharswood, of the Supreme Court, having fixed the prisoner’s bail at $6,000…” (New York Times. “The Mast Hope Disaster – Griffin Discharged on Bail.” 8-6-1869, p. 8.)

Oct 7, Rensselaer Union, IN: “No trial has been held in this county [Pike County, PA]that has created as much excitement as the case of the Engineer Griffin, which has just resulted [Oct 6] in a verdict of acquittal. The law in the case is very plain, as will be seen by the charge of Judge Barrett to the jury…but the good character of the accused, and the  plea of his able counsel that a man in a sleeping or somnambulistic state was not responsible for his acts, had sufficient weight with the jury to cause them to render a verdict of ‘not guilty,’ notwithstanding the Judge instructed them very pointedly to arrive at an opposite conclusion. Railroad men generally sympathize with Griffin, as do the citizens of this place. Judge Barrett is furious over the verdict, and considers it an outrage on the community.

“At the opening of the court yesterday morning Judge Barrett ordered the Clerk to call the names of the jury in the Griffin case, and directed that they be seated on his left. The Clerk then proceeded to call the names, and the jurors responded as they were called until the whole panel had taken their seats. The jury knew they were under the ban of the Judge’s displeasure on account of their action the previous evening, but they were not probably prepared for the pouring out of indignation which was soon to burst forth from his Honor. The court room was full, and the unusual proceeding had arrested and excited the-interest of every one present, and eager curiosity was aroused as to what was coming next.

“Judge Barrett, addressing the jury, said:

Gentlemen; You last night returned into court, after a hearing or two days, with a verdict of not guilty in the case of the Commonwealth against James Griffin. This was not expected, and your verdict was against law, against justice, and an outrage against humanity. You violated the obligations of your oath—a plain, simple obligation to render a verdict according to the evidence. Instead of that you rendered a verdict against every particle of evidence. The cause of the defendant was abandoned by his counsel. Drowning men will catch at straws. The theory of the defense is unknown to the law, and the counsel for the defendant did not believe it themselves. I was, and still am, astonished at your verdict. I am astonished that you should in this way set aside the law and violate your oaths; and I trust that the spirits of the dead, dying, bleeding and burnt victims of Mast Hope will rebuke you as long as you live. We have no power to cure the great wrong which you have inflicted on the community.

“The Judge continued at considerable length to recount the horrors of the dreadful disaster at Mast Hope, and to ask the jury if they had no sympathy for the sufferers there, but must waste it all on the prisoner, who was the author of the great calamity. He concluded his rebuke to the astonished jurymen, as follows:

In future I hope that you will feel a proper regard for your oaths. You are now discharged from any further duty at this court. You are not fit to sit as jurymen. I will not try causes before such a jury.

“Mr. Jessup, of counsel for prosecution, made a motion that Griffin be held in recognizance to await proceedings against him on an indictment for manslaughter under the common law. After some discussion by counsel on either side, the Judge denied the motion. Griffin was then released from custody, and immediately started for his home at Susquehanna depot. – Milford, Pa., N. Y. Herald.” (Rensselaer Union, IN. “The Trial of Griffin – A Scathing Rebuke.” 10-7-1869, p. 1.)

Sources

Becker, Peter. “Local History: Erie train disaster of 1869 at Mast Hope recalled.” Tri-County Independent, Honesdale NY. 2-25-2019. Accessed 12-6-2024 at: https://www.tricountyindependent.com/story/entertainment/human-interest/2019/02/26/local-history-erie-train-disaster/5823331007/

Daily Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia. “The Erie Railroad Slaughter.” 7-17-1869, p. 1. Accessed 12-6-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-daily-evening-bulletin-jul-17-1869-p-1/

Evening Gazette, Port Jervis, NY. “Terrible Railroad Disaster at Mast Hope Last Night” 7-15-1869, p.1. Accessed 12-6-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/port-jervis-evening-gazette-jul-15-1869-p-1/

Hornellsville Tribune, NY. “The Mast Hope Horror!” 7-22-1869, p. 12, col. 4. Accessed 12-7-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hornellsville-tribune-jul-22-1869-p-12/

New York Times. “The Mast Hope Disaster – Griffin Discharged on Bail.” 8-6-1869, p. 8. Accessed 12-7-2024 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1869/08/06/87585777.html?pageNumber=8

Philadelphia Daily Evening Bulletin. “The Mast Hope Disaster.” 7-19-1869, p. 5. Accessed 12-7-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-daily-evening-bulletin-jul-19-1869-p-5/

Railroad Stories. “July in Railroad History,” July 1935, pp. 27-31.

Rensselaer Union, IN. “The Trial of Griffin – A Scathing Rebuke.” 10-7-1869, p. 1. Accessed 12-7-2024 at: https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=RLUN18691007.2.2&e=——-en-20–1–txt-txIN——-

[1] Mast Hope is on the west side of the Delaware River, which at this point is the dividing line between PA, to the west, and NY, to the east – thus in PA.