On 27 June 1859, an embankment on the Southern Michigan Railroad, near South Bend, Indiana, washed out as the Night Express from Chicago to Toledo passed over it, plunging the train and all of its passengers down the ravine and into the mud and waters below. The identification and enumeration of the dead was not an easy task, taking several days.
On 2 July 1859, the Dayton Daily Empire newspaper published the following lists.
The Dead.
Mrs. Increase Sumner, Alice C. Sumner, nine years of age, Neville E. Sumner, six years, all of Chicago;
Mary Ann Curran, Dunkirk, NY
Mr. McNealy, Fond du Lac, Wis.
Richard Muldary, Calumet, Ia.
Mr. Streeter, Sparta. Wis.
Henry Fleckenger, Reading, Pa.
B. P. McCullough, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Thos. Mishan, cabin boy Laporte.
J. W. Hartwell, express messenger, Toledo.
James P. Babbington, baggage master.
C. W. Smith, road-master.
Mr. E. P. Gillets and child, Stone Mills, NY.
David Tulip, engineer, Laporte.
Theodore Tulip, fireman, Laporte.
a woman and four children named Tiswold.
Mrs. M. H. Ragan, Rockford, died last night.
Jacob Smith, banker, Wall Street, NY, died last night.
Cornelius Walworth, Rome, Wis., died last night.
eleven bodies not recognized.
The Injured.
S. H. Arnold, Decatur County, Iowa, severely.
W. H. Weller, Milwaukie, slightly.
B. O’Brien, Chicago, slightly.
Mary Coats, Youngstown, Ohio, slightly.
Miss D. A. Porter, Sturgis, Mich., three ribs broken.
W. N. Connel, slightly.
M. H. Regan, Rockford, Ill, slightly.
Jesse Dyling, Louisville, Penn., slightly.
W. J. Hawk, Charleston, Va., slightly.
A. Van Saalk, Warren Co., Iowa, severely.
four children of A. Van Saalk, slightly.
Wm. Osgood, conductor, slightly.
Mr. Schaub, Chicago, leg broken.
E. P. Gillett, Stone Mills, NY, slightly.
Red. Miller. Holmesville, Iowa,.
Augustus White, Iowa.
J. F. Gardner, Jonesville, Mich.
Wm. Flannery.
P. Myers.
P. Quinns.
V. R. Anderson., Ainsworth, Ill.
A. D. Piser, Chicago.
Dan. P. Rhodes, Cleveland.
Mrs. Rhodes, was on train.
W. Jurry and wife, Brooklyn, NY.
Oscar Waspeter, Rockford, Ill.
G. Bennett, Adrian, Mich.
Philander Walworth, Rome, Mich., severely.
S. H. Besmia, Madeira, Pa., slightly.
Passengers Uninjured.
George Bliss, President of the road, Springfeld, Mass.
Hiram Bliss, Director, Springfield.
L. P. Hillard and son.
J. H. Bracken.
E. Dickinson and J. K. Gardiner, Chicago.
Lewis Keller, Strausburg, Pa.
John Heck, Rome, Iowa.
R. W. Tait, Susquehanna, Pa.
E. A. Gurley, Vermont.
Henery Crose, Phila.
W. White, DeKalb, Ill.
S. Arnold, Decatur, Ill.
Calvin Hagan, Milwaukie.
Theron Pardee, Bloomington, Ill.
I. J. H. Rice, Laporte, Ia.
George Tomlinson, Racine, Wis.
W. W. Wright, Cleveland.
L. Knap and lady, Washington.
H. Devereaux, Oneida, NY.
E. M. Knapp, Hudson, Wis.
Miss H. E. Knapp, Auburn, NY.
C. H. Grant, Watertown, Mass.
Hubbard, wife and two children, Sandusky, Ohio.
Mrs. Kramer and two children, Sandusky, Ohio.
Charles F. Sherman.
M. Morrison and Lady, St. Paul.
Gottrid Wetzell.
James Whitehill, Erie Co., Ill.
E. A. Evelin, Addison.
John Grossel, Sheldon, Vt.
E. E. Wells, Hudson, Wis.
G. N. Abbey, Cleveland.
C. Mattoon.
Geneva F. Wilkes, Maysville, Wis.
Mrs. Wilson, Maysville, Wis.
C. R. Affierback, Mount Vernon, NY.
Frank Dakin, Freeport, Ill.
Miss Moore, Freeport, Ill.
Mrs. George Dakin, nurse and infant, Freeport, Ill.
A. J. Perry and wife, NY.
Mrs. Ezra Wood, Chicago.
Mrs. Van Saulk, Warren Co., Iowa.
C. Jackson, Waukesha, Wis.
Mrs. C. N. Elder, Waukesha, Wis.