The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-07-10
Attempted Wholesale Murder.
TRACK-HE Is PREVENTED BY A WOMAN
THE WOMAN BRUTALITY ASSAULTED.

A Concord despatch to the Boston Jomna
of Wednesday says:
One of the most diabolical attempts al
wrecking railroad train. and at murder be-
sides, that has ever occurred in New England,
took place one mile north of Suncock, on the
Portsmouth Branch, this evening. just before
the Boston express train for Concord was due
at Suncock, say about o'clock, woman came
into Suncock depot presenting s wild and al
most frightful appearance, and being in state
OF the greatest excitement. Her clothing was
almost torn from her body, her face and arms
were bruised and bleeding, and large black and
blue spots were seen on her neck. Her first ex-
clamation was "The train they are going to
throw the train from the track % The first
impression of the depot-master and the by
ISLANDERS was that the woman was insane. She
was SO earnest, however, in her voice and man
ner that they put confidence in her statement
and Immediately sent men up the track to warn
the engineer OF the coming express, which al
ways stops at Suncock. The train soon came,
the proper warning was given, and it moved ON
cautiously toward Concord.
When about mile this side of Suucock the
reported distractions were encountered in a
pile of sleepers placed upon the track They
were happily discovered in season to prevent a
terrible slaughter, for the locality selected was
where the tram usually runs at a great speed,
and where, If the train had been thrown off it
would in all probability have gone down
steep embankment into the river.
Soon after reaching the depot the woman
sufficiently recovered herself to tell the partic.
nlars OF the attempted tragedy. She was from
Pittsfield and had been to Manchester where
she had collected money to the amount of near
~ $4OO. She came to Suncock in the early af
ternoon train that does not ruu through Pitts
neld. Having some spare time she went into
the outskirts of Suncock and called upon ali
acquaintance.
About the edge of the evening she set out to
return to Suncook village, and went to the rail-
road track in order to walk down that way AS
she stepped on the track she noticed two men
at work, she supposed as section hands. As
she neared them she noticed they were piling
sleepers on to the track, which she could not
understand. On coming up to them, one of
them asked her with an oath, where she was
going She replied pleasantly, ''to Suncook;
please let me pass" Then the man said, s'no,
you shall never go to Suncook. tell We that :"
He then caught her, struck her several violent
blows on her head, threw her ON to the ground
and choked her, till life, as he supposed was
gone, and then threw her into the bushes by
the side of the track. She soon recovered con-
seriousness, and laid there for some minutes
while the two men kept on their fiendish work
OF obstructing the track. Presently, one said
to the other, '1et US go up the track and get a
piece OF iron, for know where there is some"
The men then starred up the lroad, and the wo-
man, bruised and bleeding, crawled on to the
track and got down to the station as we have
mentioned above, in season to have the train
warned, and calamity averted.
AS soon as the train had started, the woman
told OF the money she had in her satchel which
was torn from her. Umcer HIIdreth was noti-
ned, and went Immediately to the spot. The
satchel was found, but in place of the money
was piece of paper upon which was written
with lead pencil, these words, s'we made
more than we should to have tipped off the
train, you foolp'