Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-11-30
The W0uId.be Train Wrcckers.

The perpetrators of the villainous attempts
to wreck the New York express and other
trains, rear Thompsonville, Conn, was
sought unavailingly Monday night, but Tues
day morning officer F. B. Lord of Thomp-
sonville overlook at LongmeadOw a man
whom he believed to be the fellow wanted,
and he was soon in the Springfield lookup.
Tie denied knowing anything about the crime
for which he was arrested. He gave his
name as Horace Blakeslee, and said he was
born at New Haven, but has lived at Boston
twenty years or more, is printer, and 80
years old. lie tells conflicting stories of his
whereabouts for the past week, but says that
he left Hartford for Springfield Monday after
noon, took the cars at Windsor Locks, left
them at Warehouse Point, walked on the
track to Enfield bridge, and thence on the
highway to Thompsonville.
The Springfield Republican gives the fol-
lowing details Of the capture of the youth
who tried to wreck conductor Marsh's train
on the Boston and Albany road, two miles
west of Chester, Tuesday forenoon: As the
train stormed down the ravine. Tuesday
morning, the engineer caught sight, the mo-
ment he turned the curve, of an obstacle OF
some sort just before the bridge. There was
no chance to stop, aud on the train dashed.
BY providential kindness, the obstruction,
which was heavy block of wood wedged be-
tween the ties, was rotten at the heart, and
split as the pilot struck it. Half sunk to the
road-be harmless, the other half was carried
several rods by the engine, causing an uneasy
hop in its movements, but not throwing it
from the track.
The train proceeded on its eastward way.
As soon as 1t reached Springfield Mr.. Marsh
reported the matter to Superintendent Rus
sell, who at once dispatched to the locality
Detective Crabtree, veteran in the service
of the company, who procured help and made
thorough investigation. Getting clue he
climbed the northern mountain to the cider
mill of Otis Wal e, where he found at work
Willie Clark, youth of nineteen years,
whom he bagan to question as to his having
been on the railroad track in the morning. At
first the boy denied having been near the rail-
| read; but upon being pressed he owned that
he had crossed the railroad. In his anxiety
to prove that he had not been near the scene
of the accident, he told how he went over to
the shoddy- mill building just below the point
The detective insisted on his going over the
journey with him, and the falsity of his story
was speedily manifest when they reached
the shoddy mill and it was proved that Clark
had not been there that day, but had been
seen on the opposite, the north side of the
river. Then, when the sheriff said, "Billy,
you know what we're after 2" he answered,
Us, uo, uiu put that suCA oH the
bridge" The boy was accompanied to the
spot and made to show how he disposed the
block of wood. After he had fixed it, he said
he went up into the woods to watch the re-
suit, and after the train passed, he went to
the place Of his employment. When asked
what motive he had for such deed, he said
simply that he wanted to see how it would
work, that is, he was simply curious to wit
ness the horrible crash and slaughter of a
railway train, crowded with passengers, hurl-
ed down precipice fifty feet to the rocks and
water below. Willy Clark is a smooth-faced,
innocent-looking, steady boy, and it is hard
to conceive how he could ever have cntem-
plated so fearful a work. HIS home is in
West Springfield, and he has been absent
therefrom for some two months. His father,
it is said, is in the employ of the Connect
cut River Railroad, and an uncle is employed
by the Boston and Albany road as bridge
repairer. Detective Crabtree deserves the
utmost praise for his acute and mastery way
OF discovering the culprit in this fortunately
fruitess crime.