Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1882 — A Thrilling Fight for Life. [ARTICLE]

A Thrilling Fight for Life.

The following are the particulars of a struggle for life on top of a moving freight train on the Mobile & Ohio road: Mr. Wm. B. Connolly went up on top of the train after dark and found three negroes stealing a ride. He asked them for their fare, and they replied that they did not intend to Fay anything. Mr. C. told them if bey had no money they must either help the engineer or get off the train. The negroes said they would see who would get oft first, and started toward the engine, as if to assist the engineer. From the tender one of them secured a billet of wood and oame back over the top of the train, and while Mr. Connolly had his back turned, standing near one of tne brakes, he was struck across the temple and knocked almost insensible. Then began a struggle for life on top of the train, which was running at the rate of 80 or 86 miles an hour. The wounded and stunned brakeman clutched the plank walk and made a desperate resistance to the three brutes, who beat him and bit his back,

shoulder* and neck in a horrible manner. They repeatedly informed him that they intended to kill him, and from the injuries inflicted it is evident that to murder him was their intention. They succeeded in getting his right hand loose and bit the thumb on that hand while .they endeavored to loosen the hold of the other, so they could throw him off the train. After they had beaten and bit him for some time, the whistle was blown for State Line, and this fact, Mr. Connolly thinks, is all that saved his life. When the train slowed up for State Line the pegroes jumped efl and escaped in the darkness. The wounded man was heard groaning, and found on the top of the train lyingjn a pool of blood. He was cared for by the railroad attaches, and sent back to Mobile.— [ Mobile Register.