Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1888 — A SHOCKING EXPERIENCE [ARTICLE]

A SHOCKING EXPERIENCE

Detroit FVee Pre>*. [ . •_ ' John Warner sat by liis telegraphic table, a trifle pale, perhaps, but aeehiinglv cool and in no way disturbed by the extraordinary situation. The stranger, who wore a wide-brimmed hat and was dressed in the rough.,costume of a frontiersman, leaned over the counter, his right elbow resting on it, which enabled him to hold the heavy six-shooter Without a tremble. The six-shooter “covered” Warner. The following was the conversation that ensued; “What time does the night express pass?” '‘Elbe's due in about half an hour, but she is over air hour late. “An hour late, eh?" “Yes; besides, she doesn't stop here. You’ll have to go to Hloomville if you want to take the express.” “But if von telegraphed to Hloomville for her to stop here she'd stop, wouldn’t she?” '• *" “No, she wouldn’t,” “Hasn’t she ever stopped here?" “Once or twice.” “What made her?” “Orders from the train-dispatcher.” “Where does he live?" “('enter City.” “Well, then, the messages from (.’enter City to Bloomville must pass through this office, musn’t they?” “Of course.” “All right. Then you cmld send a message from here that the Bloomville folks wouldn’t know but what it came from ('enter City, couldn’t you? “I could, but 1 wouldn’t.”

•“Oh. wouldn’t you? Not if I asked you? Well, young man, I'll be plain with you. If you don’t send just what I tell you to, I’ll send a couple of bullets through you. We’ve torn up the track just round the bend, sotlie train'll stop anyhow, and there will be an eternal smash. Now we don’t want to bother anybody. Wp just want a certain package that’s in the express car. We know it’s on this train. We expect to have to kill the expressman, for there will likely be an extra man to guard that package. It’s valuable, it is. If you don’t stop that train you wilTpefliaps'ki 11 iifty'people and get shot yourself. If you do, the folks in4hesleeping-car will never 'know anything's out of the wav, and we will have the cash withbut any bother. SavcyV" “1 understand. Let me think a moment." “Well, hurry up. There’s no time to lose." "Is tlie track torn up now, or are you going to do it if 1 don't stop the train?" “The track’s torn up now.” —“Ail right. —i'll stop the express.’' “Now, look here, young fellow. I want you to understand this. If you try any fooling you won’t catch us and you’ll get shot vonrself Xohpdy can come here, for my friends are round this shanty and won’t let anybody near here.'

“Nobody comes here, anyhow, at night. Grin the daytime, either, for that matter." "All righ. I want you to understand the fix you're in. We all have, fast horses, and even if you brought a regimen t-ou-t hat-train t hey eotfldn t cat ch us. and you would have a few bullets, in you before I got on my horse." “I understand.” “All right again. Then,go ahead.” The operator put his hand on the key, but sat there thinking and did not press it. - ’ . ' —“Now. see here; you hurry" tip there. I don’t want any monkey business.” The operator turned so sharply round on him that the other instinctively raised his revolver a little. “Will you oblige me by keeping your cussed mouth 6hut? I’ll start when I get ready, and don't you forget it. I’m running this machine and don’t you forget that. If you don't like it shoot and be hanged to you, aud then do your own telegraphing.” .*»'■. “That't the way to talk," cried the desperado, with admiration. “That's business. Darned if ever I heard a man talk like that with a gun pulled on him. You go right ahead and if you do this thing square we’ll whack up on the swag. It’s rather tiresome standing here, so I’ll just take this chair inside. I won’t interfere.”

“AH right,” said the operator: make yourself at home.” Then he turned to the table and began telegraphing. “Klick-a-lick, klick-a-lick, klick-a-lick, kiick-almk,” went the instrument rapidly. •‘‘What’s that?” said the desperado, forgetting bis vow of non-interference of of a moment before. “It seems to be all the same thing.” < * “Itis.’l am calling the police at Bloomville.” * “Klick-a-lick, click-a-lick —chuck.” ..

“There, I’ve got ’em* Now, don’t interrupt me. I’ll tell you what is said when I’m through. The outlaw leaned forward with a purr, led expression, and doubtless wished lie knew as much about telegraphing as he did about shootipg. “Is Ste vens (here?” asked the instrument at Bloomville. “Tell him Warner wants him.” There was a pause, and then the instrument at the lonely way station answered. (Varner rapidly rattled out the following message: “This shanty is in possession of a. villain who lias a pistol pointed at me while I work. I expect itjs flu* Zama -cbuuty gang that is round the place. They are going to rob the express. I’m supposed to be telegraphing orders for her to stop here. Now, can’t you make up a special there and get the sheriff and a strong posse to come down and gather in the gang?” . “I’ll do itt There's a freight engine here now, and I’ll put the boys in some box cars.”

“No, don’t do that. Make up a train of passengers. Put a Pulman on behind it you have it, and make it look as near like an express train as you can. Then send her down on the tittle of the express, and hold (he No. !> there till they get back.” “Good idea! Now what are you going to do? They'll shoot you." i/~ “Can you make connectionwith the town arc light and get them to put their full current on? I’ll conhect it in some way witti the fellow here, and he’ll .never know w hat struck him.” “We haven’t time for that. We would have to go down to the dynamo office and get them to turn off all the city lights and then make connections. It would take too long and it would burn out every switchboard on the circuit. But 1 can give you all the cell currents we have here, and that will paralyze any rough from Zama and perhaps kill him. Anyhow, you could get his gun before lie recovered. When you’re ready just call at the office. Ground your current and. I’ll send it along on the big wire. “Seems to take a lot of telegraphing to stop a train,” said the desperado uneasily. “It does. You see, the train is behind time and they' don’t want to stop her. I told them there was a special that would pass her here. They want to know all the particulars. Now I’ll have to meve about a bit. I must cut off the j wire to Center City. If J.don’t they may telegraph to the dispatcher's ofl'ice about that special and then it would be aH up with us.”

“That’s right; go ahead." “Well, don’t let that revolver go off.” “It never goes off till 1 tell it to and then it’s sure death. As long as you act square it won’t go off’' The telegrapher went to a drawer and took out a piece of wire and to one end attached a pair of scissors. The other end he connected .with the big wire .from.-J-Uoomville, -- He fussed around the switchboard, and then took a pail of water and said, “Look out for your feet. I must damp down the floor, so that there will be no dust to interfere with the instruments." ‘.'Water won’t hurt anything outside of me,” said the man: “I’d hate to try it inside, though."” — V / ■.■ ■ —. . ■— Having wet the floor, the operator sat down to his table again. “Klick-a-klick,” went the instrument, Next instant there was a blinding flash of greenish light in tire, room. The man started to his feet. “Thunder!” he cried, “wlmt's that?" “You struck it the first time. Thunder somewheres. I'm afraid it will interfere with us. But I can fix it. Hand me that screw-driver, quick.” The screw-driver was handed, hut all the time the pistol covered him. The vistor was not a man to be taken ofl' his guard. (Varner worked with the serew--driyyjr a moment and then said, sharply: “Gimme them scissors. Hurry up. The outlaw reached for the scissors and the nest, instant with a yell he sprang toward the ceiling and fell in a heap on the floor. ~ “Throw up your hands,-you villain!’ cried Warner, pointing his own pistol at him.

The whole gang were induced to return to Bloomville with the sheriff shortly after.