Uncovering A Massacre at Duffy’s Cut
The deaths of fifty-seven Irish immigrants on a stretch of rail in Pennsylvania was once shrouded in mystery. Now we are learning more about the fate of these men - and the truth is more sinister.
Irish Immigrants Working the Rail
About thirty miles west of Philadelphia sits the township of East Whiteland. Within the township iis a stretch of railroad tracks known as Duffy’s Cut. Originally built in 1832 as a part of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroads (P&C), the line soon became a part of Philadelphia’s Main Line.
In the 1800s, Irish immigrants had flocked to America in pursuit of the American dream. The coal mining and railroad industries offered work, albeit incredibly hard dangerous work.
One Irish-born immigrant had found success climbing the ranks through the railroad industry. Philip Duffy was described by many as an immigrant who succeeded against all odds. He had become so successful that late in his life his occupation in Philadelphia was noted as a ‘gentleman.’
Duffy secured his first contract to work on a sixty mile rail line in 1829. Records indicated he hired Irish immigrants to complete the work. Duffy’s workers were incredible workers. The tasks they completed were described as “Herculean.” Many called the group “sturdy sons of Erin.”
The Hardest Mile of Them All
In May of 1831, Duffy received a contract for mile 59 of the “P&C.” The mile was through a grueling stretch of forest and a large valley. The landscape made work very difficult and Duffy’s crew fell behind.
A year later, in June 1832, Duffy needed a new crew to finish the job. The terrain and limestone were proving to be most formidable. And expensive. Mile 59 had ballooned to the most expensive contract in the entire 82-mile system.
Duffy turned to his usual source and hired a group of fresh Irish immigrants. Fresh off the ship the John Stamp, fifty-seven men needed work to begin their new life. Considered the lowest spot on the socioeconomic totem pole at the time, Irish Catholics were often in financial desperation.
Duffy brought the men from Philadelphia to Malvern. They set up their encampment in a valley close to where they’d be working. Malvern was rural then, and littered with streams. These streams proved useful as the men labored in the relentless heat of July and August.
An Outbreak of Cholera
Unfortunately, these same streams likely contained water contaminated with cholera. By August of 1832, a few of the men had contracted the disease. Soon the shanties the Irish immigrants called home were riddled with ill workers. While some of the men stayed to finish the job, others fled to nearby farms.
Locals were terrified of the disease and turned the men away. Meanwhile back at the worksite, nuns from the Sisters of Charity in Philadelphia came to help.
Unfortunately, locals turned on them. Fearing that the workers and nuns were now cholera carriers, the men were left to fend for themselves. The nuns were forced to walk some thirty miles back to Philadelphia in the summer’s heat.
An Entire Crew Dead, Yet Little Was Said
Just eight weeks after the Irishmen had arrived to work mile 59, they were all dead. Railroad records indicated that the laborers had died of cholera. Local newspapers and media downplayed the event. The fate of fifty-seven Irishmen was destined to fade into history.
The deaths of his Irish crew was something Duffy could not have going around. He feared if any learned of their fate, he’d not be able to secure future Irish immigrants for labor. This would hurt his successful business.
He would successfully conceal the fate of the fifty-seven Irish immigrants at Duffy’s Cut. And shortly after their deaths, Duffy hired another crew of Irish immigrants to finish mile 59.
The Work of the Watson’s Reveals Murder
Recently, twin brothers William Watson and J. Francis Watson, both doctors and historians, took an interest in the story of Duffy’s Cut. Their tireless efforts, scouring of records and excavating land around Duffy’s Cut would reveal something much more sinister.
Through the Watson twin's work, it is now believed that some of the Irish workers did die as a result of cholera. But others were murdered. What was destined to be just another stretch for passengers heading west from Philadelphia turned out to be a long-forgotten mass grave.
In the late 2000s, the Watson’s were able to survey the land near Duffy’s Cut. What they found led to excavation efforts. It was here that the buried secrets became known. After nearly 177 years in the ground, the disturbing truth of the Irish crew's fate was revealed.
While the full barbarity of the murders may never be known, it is now believed that some of the men died as a result of blunt force trauma. One theory believes that a vigilante group from a rival company surrounded the Irish crew. They then viciously killed them using axes and guns. Then they dumped the bodies into a mass grave and the secrets of their demise were buried with them.
Today, at West Laurel Hill, there stands a towering Irish cross headstone. Inscribed at the base of the Irish cross are the words: “Duffy’s Cut 57.” In the shadow of the cross lies a large stone with the names of the men who perished at Duffy’s Cut.
History for the Hurried:
March 10, 1880: The Salvation Army was founded in the United States. The social service organization was first founded in England by William Booth.
March 11, 1941: During World War II, the Lend-Lease program began allowing Britain to receive American weapons, machines, raw materials, training and repair services. Before the Lend-Lease program, America used horses to deliver planes to support the Allies.