Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-27
DEMONS IN HUMAN GUISE.
How the Railroad Accident Hap
pened.

pened.
Our readers are familiar with the lat
accident on the East Tennessee and Vii
ginia railroad, by which the engineer wa
badly injured, and the fireman killed
The following from the Knoxville Pres
and Herald of Thursday gives the particu
lars of the cause of the accident, and al
account Of the arrest of the parties guilty
of the diabolical outrage:
Suspicion was at once directed towards
a man but recently discharged from the
service of The company, who had been
employed as laborer on that section of
the road. At the time of the discharge
the man had been very surly and threaten
ing In demeanor, and it was supposed that
he was the guilty party.
Accordingly, on Monday last, the man
and boy, known to be "chum" of his,
were arrested at their cabin, not far from
The scene of the accident, and conveyed TO
the jail in Greeneville. .....s...
The prisoners protested their innocence
Of the crime with which they were charged
until yesterday, when the boy made a con-
fessiOn TO the jailor, duplicating the man
as the guilty agent, and himself and an
other lad as witnesses of an act without
parallel for coldblooded villainy in the an
mails of crime.
The boy states that on the morning of
the accident, the discharged laborer in
formed himself and another boy of abou:
the same age (the boys are about seventeen
years of age) that he intended having re-
Venge on the railroad company for dis
charging him, and that if the boys would
accompany him to the railroad they would
"see the fun" The boys, nothing 10th,
The man, taking q crowbar,
loosened chair" and placed it between
the ends of the rails, and retired with the |
boys some little distance into the woods, !
where they waited in fiendish glee for the |
train.
Soon the passenger train, bound to |
Knoxville, came in sight around the sharp |
curve, and the massive wheels of the |
engine, striking the raised chair, drove it
down of the track, and the train passed |
over in safety.
Once more the Gend in human form,
placed the chair on the track, this time in
wait for the downward bound freight train,
which ten minutes later, like the passenger
rain, crushed off the obstruc ion, and
passed on its way in safety.
Again did the demon prepare the track
or slaughter, now determined TO throw of
he upward bound passenger train, but
scarcely had he completed his diabolical
and retired, ere an extra lum-
Der train, downward bound, like its prede-
'essors, threw of the impeachment, and
passed without harm.
A fourth attempt, aided by the fell
Igency of wicked spirits, was but too sue.
,essfnl and the upward bound passenger
rain, turned swiftly the sharp curve on
ward to impending destruction. The en-
.ineer discovered the danger to late to save
be train. He reversed the engine, and
With the fireman, nobly stood to his post,
bus saving the lives of the unconscious
passengers.
The engine, with its preciou. living
reight, the tender, mail and baggage cars,
vent swiftly down to destruction over the
the passenger cars remaining
N the track. How the engineer was badly
ruised and burned; how the fireman lay
DR. week enduring eTcrusiating suffering,
ntil Saturday, when his freed spirit scared
o its Maker have already heen told