The New York herald., 1869-06-25
The Conspiracy" Against the Road
and What 1t Amounts to.
Confession Of John Bowen as to His
Completely.
The ssCarr''s Rock Slau~h-
ter i'm a New Light.
MILFORD, Pike County, Pa. June "a. is

cash IN repairing the damages done by 'smash'
upn on some part OF Its ne. The accidents on this
particular road, IL is true with but one most terrible
exception, have not been attended with any loss OF
lie, but the bare idea that freight train which one
day dashed down precipice and was crushed to
atoms, or that another which rushed into open
drawbrdge and was enguiphed in the waters be-
meath might have been tram with its hundreds OF
souls as passengers, was quite appalling enough Ia
attract public attention to the subject with more
than ordinary earnestness. Tie great question OF
late with the public has or course been:-Nhat eau
be the matter with the roadY and mp 10 day or TWO
ago the railroad gave no response 10 the question.
The answer 1t did MAKE, however, on Wednesday
rather startling, to say the least; indeed not
very well calculated 10 relieve the anxiety OF travel
lers in regard TO the safety Of the road. The sub
stance OF the answer, which was made public in
sort OF semi-oicla shape, was that there was
CONSPIRACY
formed by certain parties TO njure the road by
inR many accidents as possible and tnat the acc
dents when gave rise 10 much public comment
lately mad been traced 10 their proper source at last
name, had confessed his guilt after having been
rested and confined III jail at this place. Since my
arrival here nave had long talk concerning The
late accidents with this man and with several other
persons who are more or less acquainted with Erie
Railroad matters and although do not think the
company's agents VIII make out as good ICON.
spiracy case' as they imagine, must confess that
the arrest OF Bowen has brought TO light certain
facts which nave heretofore been mystery 10 most
people.
now THE CONSPIRACY WAS rNEAKTHED.
The frightfnl accident at Carr's Rock about year
ago, by which several persons lost their lives and
scores OF others were MANNED for life must still he
sianghter-for it was nothing else-the company de-
termined to ferret out the cause OF not only this,
but OF every little accident or mlshap that might
aerWard occur; for be II known, ar this early
date certain OF the officials had their suspicion that
the train did not run of the track at Carr's Rock
before somebody had made it a physical mpossi-
blity for it 10 stay the rails. They therefore went
TO work quietly, gathering up every little bit OF
timony they could get by when they hoped 10 draw
network OF evidence so tightly about the suspected
parties that escape would be out OF the question
They were unable, however, 10 fix the responsibility
OF the affair on any particular person-for reasons
which / VIII hereafter mention-although the
results OF their investigations led them to
able period Ever since the accident the
locality OF Carr's Rock-where. the double
track runs along the very edge of yawning precl-
pices has been more than ordinarily well guarded
and every effort has been made 10 keep the road in
the neghborhood II such condition thar another
human butcnery would be out OF the question; but
Notwithstanding all this vigilance and care, 10 the
horror OF great many persons, on the 18th OF April
last one of the rails was found removed from the
track. Investigation led the Division Superin .eudent
10 believe that IL had been removed by one OF the
very men who informed him OF It's removal-One OF
son than TO curry favor with the company for his
great vigilance. Fortunately no train came along
during The absence OF the rail from its accustomed
place. ms incident, uf Tathe: outrage had tie
good elect OF making the authorities redouble their
energy 10 detect the individual or individuals VINO
seemed 10 nave such mania for tamperng with the
rails
Three weeks passed by and no rail was removed:
but the 2Sth OF May last OF the night watch
men was walking along the track lie was accosted
by one John Bowen, VINO informed him that he mad
seen somebody tampenng with The ras little dis
tance west OF where tney met. The Waterman
asked him 10 go back TO The place with him, and,
sure enough, ON reaching lhe spot there was fall
Unscrewed from The sleepers. Even while the men
were talking about the thing a train came along
and by some good luck 2r 2ther passed over the
day offered a reward of $1,000 for the appre-
nenSn and the G who Hs
miscreant; ana further added that it was a man
named Knight-an individual well known n the
neghoorhool, and With whom this COMPANY had
Bowen was sent TO New York TO see the General SUI
perintendent, but that gentleman did not seem 10 be
AT all satisfied with his statement, and cent him back
by night train 10 Port JervIs after having pre-
viously notified 10y telegraph a lawyer named Alier
Ton, residing there to meet Bowen az The car and
take him IN hand.n Mr. Allerton accordingly took
Bowen 10 his Office his arrival, and, after exam
lining nm at great length, came 10 the conclusion
that Bowen himself was the man who had removed
the rail. To suit ms purposes, however, he allowed
everything TO take Its regular course, and in due
time Knight was arrested on warrant sworn Out
against him by Bowen. The former iyrlinateiy,
able 10 show tnat on the night the rail was
removed he was not within several miles Of the
place, and he was consequently released. AlleItOu
meanwhile, 10 make sure that his suspicious - 10
Bowen being the real criminal were not uniounded
had employed MIN 10 WORK IN his garden, ana by
slow degrees managed 10 draw from him enough 10
convince himself tnat he had the right 80. 10
give the whole affair an air OF plausibillty, and III
order that MS workman should not suspect Tor
moment that he intended imprsoning hln, Be in
duced Knight TO have Bowen arrested iof perjury,
which knight did. and Bower was confined IA Jall
accordingly. Finally, few DAYS ago unite. tho lm-
preston tnat ne would get ) 900 Of the 5000
ward no matter what turned up which belief Aller-
ton encouraged 70 further his Cnds-which were tie
ends OF Jusuce-he made, substantially, the Io.-
lowing
CONFESSION OF GULF.
|, John Bowen, hereby positively declare that
when swore that saw Knlght remove tue Iall
moved IT. first unscrewed The nuts at TIE east end
OF the ral and then those 40 the west end This was
very easy as had 0aly 10 use my anger ana numb
10 unscrew them. As was about 20 get the rail- out
Of Its place with my PICK saw Wa'cninan coming
towards me about 200 YARDS distant. and ! at once
went TO him and told him that ] mad "a man
tampering with the rails He asked me 10 ~ back
and show him where had scea tue man, which
did, when be screwed the nuts on IN their places.
II THERE A CONsp1gACNr
There IL no question about one tnlng In the minds
OF all the railroad iOks OF the Eastern division, and
that is that Bowen intended TO have removed the
rail- entirely, and would have succeeded IN dong
had be espled the watChman coming along IN
the darkness, and fearing detection, proceeded 20
meet him, concocting, meanwhile the story about
seeing man tamperng with tue rails. The strangest
part Of the whole afiair however - that Bowen al
though freely confesslng his sulll VIII not state why
he desred the rail removed nor give any one the
remotest idea of the motive which prompleq hlIn 70
the act His silence ON this point, more than ans thing
there rs a conspiracy and that Bowen was the mere
instrument of other paries What Would Seem 10
sustain this view of the case Is that at the time or
the Carr's Rock ACCIDENT Bowen was not very
lar FROM the place, and the man Knight,
who II Il alleged does not bear the best character
In the world, was also In the iminedla.e vicinity.
Bowen, IN answer to question put TO him In refer
ence TO this matter accuses Knight OF having had "A
hand in removing rail- by winch the cars were
thrown down the precipce but ~ Bowen's oath
against Knight III relation 10 the other rail business
IL shown 10 have been false not much credit "
m ip Mia 4
stance which the railroad company believe looks
rather suspicious aud which, II true would seem 10
indicate that the man Knight and others have plenty
OF hackers. II appears that knight and several
others were indicted for r0bbiDg the cara some
time ago, and were placed on BAIL aud while the trial
was gong on certain party from New YORK came
along aud made II known that n $4,000 could get
the men of II would be forthcoming at any time u
would be wanted, owing to some technlcality or
other the men were not convicted IL Is sad that
IN the vicinity of Carrs Rock there are several very