Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-03-17

merest tyro. He showed US small rubies
that had been produced by chemical ac-
ton, There seemed no bound to the
discoveries this thoughtful man did not
suggest-the principle of beef and corn
from the common earth, gold and jewels
from the very roadside bints; gold would
soon, he said, be of no value; poverty
wsuld disappear from the earth; new
manures would turn the deserts into
prairies, and double the resources of the
world. He ridiculed steam: he"
All this was profoundly interesting /;
but somehow or other, wearied by long
days tagging about London, L felt
drowsy, and the words of ofmy.companion
seemed suddenly to change into buzz,
buzz, that kept in cadence with the
sound of the train as it tore Through part
of Devenshire. =
l fell asleep, and a dream rose before
me-. was alone at night in railway
carriage with a man who thought me
asleep. He stole toward the door un-
locked it quietly with a railway key he
drew from his pocket, and opened 1t.
Then rifing 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 that
moment and some rustling movement
| in the carriage awOke me. 1 scarcely
knew what, but strange, instantaneous
caution prevented me moving or at once
opening my eyes. AT that moment L
felt hand, with practiced care, touch
my breast pocket, where my money
was, and felt hot breath upon my cheek,
asifsome one was listening to my breath
ing.
Presently felt the breath no longer,
nor the motion of his hand, and heard
my comprehension 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 sit
ting at the further window perfectly
bald, and with wig in his hand; pair
of black moustaches and beard were
on his knees; and he was slipping a
pair of large green spectacles in sha-
green case; q. little bottle and small
4 sponge were on. the cushion by his side.
i What did this mean? Was it possible
this intelligent, 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 j could
summon the guard or arrive at the next
station. No. 1 resolved to lie still un-
til / could either change carriages or
inform the police. The train ratified on
as if bound to rush forever through IL
limitable space-on, on, through the
tyielding darkness.
All at once strange medicated smell
lspread around me, and before could
open my eyes, a sponge stepped with
chloroform was pressed chokingly tight
over my nose and mouth. l tried to
resist, but 1 felt an irresistible faintness
creep swiftly over me; at the same mo-
menJ my watch and purse flew swiftly
from my pockets, and was dashed back
contemptiously upon the seat-a living
corpse.
When 1 awoke, was lying on bed
in Exeter hospital, faint, exhausted ana
i scarcely able to move. The doctor said
I had had so heavy dose of chloroform
that my recovery for longtime seemed
doubtful / need hardly say had been
stripped of everything by my friend, the
i vicar, who was a aprofessional thief of the
highest class.
[ AbouttWs years after that event, the
following paragraph met my eye IN
Leeds paper:
! "STRANGE DEATH OF A THIEF.-On
\ Thursday, first-class passenger by the
night mail north, fell from carriage a
few miles beyond Carlisle, and was kill
ed on the spot. 1t was supposed that he
was professional thief, and having
cloroformed and robbed fellow -passen-
ger, q rich manufacturer from Bradford,
4 was trying to creep into an empty second
class carriage, the better to escape at
i the first station, when he lost his hold
and fell, the train passing over him. "A
\ guard has recognized him as John
i Rogers, alias Gentleman Jack re-
turned convict, long notorious for rail-
i way robberies. Rogers who has an ac-
com plished and well educated man, had
once been in the church; but, having
had his gown taken from him for dis
graceful conduct he left England and
obtained commission in the Neapolitan
service, being eventually driven from
that also, he turned swin4ler, card
sharper, and swell-mobsman. sLatterly,
having escaped from Australia, he has
infested the chief English lines OF rail
way. under various disguises, and from
time to time chloroformed and robbed
any. passengers who were unlucky
enough to travel with him alone"