Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-05-25

mad been overtaken by tit. SuppoSing
aim to be in a drunken stupor, raised
MIN to his seat, and then began to loose
his collar and necktie. As did SO /
noticed small ivid blue line running
exactly around his throat, and cutting
Ieeply into the flesh; his tace also was
Of a deadly hue; and frightened at, 1
knew not what, sent the brakeman
for a physician whom knew was ON
the train. AS soon as he came and had
handled the kentuckian, he exclaimed
the mans dead-his neck is broken
the man has been murdered.'
immediately remembered the fight
Of the preceding evening between the
now dead man and the MissOurian, and
telling the doctor of my fears that the
latter had kept his word and murder
ed the Kentuckian, we agreed to make
some movement toward the direction
of the murderer. Going to the rear,
we found the Missourian curled up in
his seat, his friend also being in the out
side seat, and both being apparently
asleep.
AS we looked upon the Missourian,
we heard him mutter, 'sI'Il kill him,
I'n kill him." as if half asleep and
| w Z WHY
the doctors quick eye caught a glimpse
of something the man held in his hand
and reaching over gently drew it from
his fingers, eXclaiming, ''and this is
what the deed was done WITH" hold
ing up to me thin leather string, about
the size of a small whip-lash, and used
by drofers as belt around their waist,
and also to hOpple an unruly OK, or to
tie the legs of calf.
As we left the drunken man, the doc
tor SAID, THAT brute has crept up behind
the kentuckian when in the darkness
Of the tunnel and throwing this strap
around his throat, has jerked his head
back and broken his neck at once. The
body has then fallen forward against
the door, while the murderer has crop
led his way back to his seat, and has
accidentally caught the bell rope in his
drunken grasp and so. pulled it."
AS We passed the next station, l threw
off telegram to our headquarters, ask
ing for some police to be on hand on
my arrival, and as We came into the
depot, force of men surrounded the
cars while we went in and made the
arrest. The drorers were still sleeping
off their orgies when we entered, the
dead Kentuckian lying in the corner
lust as we had left him. We arrested
the Missourian on charge of murder
and also his friead who sat by him, a:
an accOmplice, as it did not seem prob
: able, that the drunken fellow could
:. havt. passed out of his seat and into il
again without awakening his compan
Z ion.
The rest of the drovers were exam
: ined and testified strongly against the
prisoneras to the quarrel and the threat.
q he had used, and the doctor swOre tha
!, the neck of the murdered man haC
been broken by sud en- jerk and the
Z mark made on his throat by Just such {
i strap or thong as was found in thegr
of the Missourian.
The prisoner produced good testimony
: as to his character, and his counse
!, fought bravely for him. He showed
! I that the thong was in use by every
/ drover, and that each man in that ca
!, had one or more on his person. Tht
: words he had heard, 'I'll kill him,
from the murderer, he argued meant
= what he would do, and not what he haC
J: done. He showed the Missourian to b,
wealthy, of good character, an of /;
$ peaceable disposition except when il
= his cups, but it was all of no avail, anC
,. the wretched man was sentenced to b.
u hung in six weeks from the time of hi
trial.
I I went to visit him several times II
e his condemned cell, and somehow OF
z another the declationS of innocence thu
n fellow made to me shook my belief il
his guilt, although had witnessed
strongly against his trial, and at last
found myself fully confirmed in m,
7 new belief of his entire innocence.
u could see no wey to save him, however
and five weeks of his time on eartf
7 had rolled by, and yet the mystery wa.
u as great q one as ever. ...s.-
;, One morning about that time, wa
running the same train, only as it hap
{ pened, we had no particular drovers
car. In the last car was cur Superin
= tendent, a tall, lean Yankee, fully ST,
= feet two inches in hight, and of abou
u the same hight as the murdered Ken
Il tuclSian.
!, 1t so happened that he occupied tn,
II same seat as the Kentuckian had done
!. I and / was also in my. old place in thu
= baggage car. When exactly in the sam
+ !, place in the tunnel, just when the engi
n neer had put kon steam to carry u
II throu h, the bell rope again rattlet
!, and the engineer whisHed for tn
y brakes. Springing to my feet ran t
Il the rear car, iirmly persuaded that nov
!. !. 1 could solve this mystery. Reachin
n it I found the superintendent sittin
y back in his seat, and hosting his ham
lS s to his throat while he gasped for breath
- - One or two passengers were attemptin
,. to be of some use to him; but he coul
u : only moan and hold tightly his throat
Il At last he recovered sufficiently
J. take his handaway, and then saw tn
- slight, livid blie mark which I ha
!, a seen before, in a mos exact simila
position on the neck of the KentucE
- ian. As the superintendent got over tn
ie shock, he proceeded to tell us OF ho'
y, he received the mark and its fearful e
~ fects. He had been asleep and we
u. u awakened by the train entering th
u, u, tunnel. Half asleep and awake b
III stepped to the car door and stood lOol
II, ing, or trying to look through the dot
iu window.
IN Suddenly, and without any warnin,
81 he felt a rope slipped undsr his throa
and at that moment the engine EiVin
u Jerk, he was thrown violently into
g corner of the car. Gr
[t- The mystery was solved at last. tt
ne train as have said, entered the tunn
on at slow rate of speed and without Il
oe use of steam, the grade at the entran,
l forcing the cars together and givir
ut them sufficient headway. AT this tin
st the bell-rope, which of course has to |
much longer than the length of Il
ng train when the cars are close togethe
ef to allow of sufficient length whe
P, they are drawn out to the full extent
!, the car-couplings, hung loosely and
ne f.stoons through the car, and both Il
-, Kentuckian and our superintendel
lie being tall men, and standingjust whe
e e9 the longest festoon would be, near IL