Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-01-27

asstsls Y ~
buz, that kept in cadence with the sound
of the train as it tore through part OF
Devonshire
y L fell asleep, and dream arose before
me. Twas alone At night In railway
carriage with a man who thought me
asleep. He stole toward the door, I'M
locked it quietly, with railway key he
drew from his pocket, and opened it.
Then rifiing my pockets (some strange
numbness prevented my crying out). he
dragged me to the door and shot me- out
into the darkness. The horror Of tina.
moment and some rustling movement IN
the carriage awoke me. | scarcely knew
why, but strange, instantaneous caution
prevented me moving or at once opening
my eyes. At that moment felt light
hand, with practiced care, touch my breast
pocket, where my money was, and felt
hot breath upon my cheek, as If some one
was listening to my breathing
Presently felt the breath no longer,
nor the motion of the hand, and heard my
companion--for the breath and hand were
his-return to his seat. A moment or two
after, without moving, | opened one eye
for an instant only, and to my horror and
surprise saw the Vicar sitting at the fur
Their window perfectly bald and with
wig in his hand--a pair of black mus
taches and beard was on his knees, and
he was slipping pair of large green spec
tacles into shagreen case; little bottle
and small sponge were on the cushion
by his side.
What did this mean? Was it possible
this intellectual, thoughtful clergyman
was, after all, only common swindler
flying from justice? What should | do?
Should at once arouse, and denounce
him? No; he might be armed, and might
shoot or stab me before could summon
the guard or arrive at the next station.
No. I resolved to lie still, and wait until
| could either change carriages or inform
the police. The train ratified on, as If
bound to rush forever through illimitable
space-on, on, through the yielding dark
ness.
All at once strange, medicated smell
spread around me, and before l could open
my eyes, sponge stepped III chloroform
was pressed chokingly tight over my nose
and mouth. | tried to resist, but | felt an
irresistible faintness creep swiftly over
me; at the same moment my watch and
purse flew from my pockets, and | was
dashed back contemptuously upon the
seat-a living corpse.
When l awoke | was lying on bed in
the Exeter Hospital, faint, exhausted, and
scarcely able to move. The doctor said l
had had so heavy a dose of chlorOform,
that my recovery for long time seemed
doubtful / need hardly say | had been
stripped of everything by my friend, the
Vicar, who was professional thief of the
highest class.
About two years after that event, the
following paragraph met my eye in a
Leeds paper:
"STRANGE DEATH OF A THERON
Thursday, a first class passenger by the
night mail north, fell from carriage a
few miles beyond Carlisle, and was killed
on the spot. 1t is supposed that he was a
professional thief, and having chloro-
formed and robbed fellow passenger, a
rich manufacturer from Bradford, was
trying to creep into an empty seconded
carriage, the better to escape at the first
station, when he lost his hold and fell,
the train passing over him. A guard has
recognized him as Jack Rogers, ALIAS
Gentleman Jack a returned convict,
long notorious for railway robberies.
Rogers, who was an accomplished and
well educated man, had once been in the
church; but having had his gown taken
from him for disgraceful conduct, he left
England, and obtained commission in
the Neapolitan service; being eventually
driven from that also, he turned swindler,
card-sharper and swell mobsman, Lat
terly, having escaped from Australia, he
has infested the chief English lines of
railway under various DISCUSSES, and from
time to time chloroformed and robbed any
passengers who were unlucky enough to
travel with him by night alone"