Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-10-20
Trial of William Gage for Throwing a
Railroad Train from fhe Track, and
one Man Killed.

DelOTe % uuSt Ucuucs. Diooho u I<au
bic assisting the prosecution and
Watson & Dirlam for the defense.
A Jury empaneled, and statement
of the counsel being made, the first
witness was S. C. Nunnemaker, one
of the parties who was stealing a
ride on the platform of the baggage
car. He testified to the fact of the
train leaving the track, and of his
companion ON the platform being
killed. John Sugdon, the partner
of Gage in the crime, was then sub
n,itted to a long examination.
Am an Englishman, q years of
age; landed in New York, Septem-
Der 6, 1869; first met Gage at Fort
Wayne, where he employed me to
assist as agent offs patent stove: we
came East together, walking on the
track at Dunkirk, Ohio. Gage
broached the subject of throwing a
train off the track for the purpose of
plunder. / declined to join him.
We came as far as Mansfield; found
out at the Wiler House by bulle-
tin board what time trains passed; ;
went to the depot after dark, and
went eastward with Gage; we came
to a tool or carhouse. There was
a hinge off the door. Gage went
up to it and said he was going to
have some tools. He went in and
handed me out a claw bar and a
wrench. Didn't ask him what he
wanted them for / laid them down
on the track. Gage carried all the
tools all the time. We went cast
ward piece, and Gage hid the tools
in the woods, and we slept in hay
stack. We loafed around during
the next day and at night went east
ward. Nothing was said about
throwing a train off the track. We
slept in a stack the next night.
Gage took the tools and said he was
going to move the bars further down
and find a suitable place. He said
he was dead broke, and was going
to have some money. / told him
he had better not carry out his pur-
pose, it might be the means of los
ing dozen lives. Gage said they
hadn't but once to die, and he was
going to have some money. They
loafed around during the daytime
and worked leisurely eastward. Sug-
don being foot-sore, sleeping at
nights in stacks and barns for over
a week. Very little was said about
throwing off a train, and SugdOn
testifies he wanted Gage to throw
the tools into a creek, but he wouldn't
He would have left him, but ''thought
| could prevail on him to carry out
his plan; went seven miles Tuesday;
when | was on an embankment Gage
went down on the track and at
tempted to remove the bars from
the plates that bind the joints
of the rails; heard him working, and
gave false alarm that train was
coming, Gage come up and threw
tools down the bank: afterwards
Gage got the tools and hid them
about three hundred yards from
the others. He tried it again We'd
nesday night, and 1 gave another
alarm" They then moved further
down the track and loafed around
two or three days, sleeping in hay
stacks and huts of nights. Friday
night they lay in an old, unused hut
three miles from the place of the
first attempt. Gage went back
Saturday night and got the tools.
He told me what he was going to do
and asked me to help. refused.
Gage said all he wanted was for me
to watch. l then went away west
ward. Gage was between me and
Blackfork Bridge. He took rail
out about four hundred yards from
the bridge at the commencement of
the fill. There was a short rail
there. He had noticed it when
passing. On Friday Gage called
attention to it: saw Gage on his
knees working at the rail. Told
Gage it was serious matter. l
went away when Gage started for
the place. Met a train half mile
away, but gave no alarm. Couldn't
make the engineer hear if 1 had
tried, nor see as it was dark"
Sugdon was further examined as
to their movements after that time.
didn't return to the wreck, but
both went to Loudonville and got
work on building on Monday; was
arrested in a boarding house on
Tuesday.
Il had a quarrel with Gage at
Loudonville. Tried to conceal the
crime: resorted to falsehood and
stuck to it until detected, and then
confessed, duplicating Gage as the
principal; was told it would be bet
ter for me if l made a clean breast
of it; Counsel advised me to do so,
and that they hoped to do some
thing for me. No one connected
with the Railroad Company has com
municated with me-"
DR.. j. NJ. Mowry and DR.. W. H.
Race, Coroners, were then examined
as to the injuries of the man who
was killed, and the Court adjourn
ed.