Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-09-30
TIED TO THE TRACK.

i One of the most atrocious crime
ever committed was pcrpetrated at
point near Henryvillc, Ind, abou
twenty miles back of Jefiesonville, o
Saturday night, the Goth ult, a brie
account Of the affair was given by te
egraph, but the following details iror
the Jeflersonvillc correspondence q
the Louisville Courier Journal will b
found interesting:
As freight train No. 10, cominI
south on the J. NJ. and |. railroad, du
at 10 o'clock yesterday morning il
charge of Conductor Waterhouse, Ia,
reached point about one mile thi
side of Henryville, the train was halle,
and stopped. A number Of men, prob
ably q dozen, were gathered around
man, and Conductor Waterhouse wa
told that the man had been run owe
bya previous trriiIi, aud was dying
The conductor had the injured maj
taken on board the train, in compan,
with DIR Ferguson, Of Henryville, who
had been called TO render medca
service. Tho injured man had his left
leg torn off by the train, and was weak
from the loss of blood, aud for some
time after he was aboard was unable tc
talk. He revived for atime, however
and told the following story:
my name is August Gardner.
was born in France, and have been
from that country but II short time.
am but twenty-thrcc years old.
have no relations or friends in this
country. Ny father is dead | was
going down TO Louisville in search OF
employment, and as | had but little
money ] thought would walk. II
could not have been much past ten
o'clock last night, when three men
came up TO me as was walking along
the track. One of them demanding
my money. ] told them that / was
poor, having only a few dollars This
did not do any good, for they seized
me, two holding me and the other one
searching my pockets and taking my
pocket book and everything else had.
They threw me down on the track. /
thought they were going to kill me
and / begged them to spare my life.
They said nothing, but one of them
produced n long piece OF rope from his
pocket, and they commenced to tie me
to the track, over cattle guard. /
WAS badly frightened ! told them
that ] never knew them, and had
never done them any harm, and If
they would let me 90 would say
nothing of what had occurred. While
/ was talking and pleading with them
they still kept on tying me to the
track over the cattle guard. They
tied me lengthways to the rail, The
rope was tightly fastened around my
body, legs and arms. When they got
through | could not move my arms
and legs. While was begging them
not to leave me there they went off.
| knew that the cars would be along
soon, and ] tried my utmost to free
myself and loosen the ropes that bound
me At first did not think that
would be able to move all, but, after
repeated efforts, succeeded in work
ing my &, a, arms o8gd ggd body,Qf fb4tfsHly
left leg off, but could not yelled
with all my might, hoping that some
body would come and save me, but
no one came Ii was raining hard at
the time, and very dark. ! had been
lying there about an hour when !
heard the cars coming ! cannot tell
you my feelings. A prcccptiblc trc-
NOR passed through the frame of the
dying mani In a few seconds the
train was nearly up to where ! was
lying. | gave q wild shrek and closed
my eyes. The cars passed over me,
the wheels cutting off my leg, and cut
ting the ropes loose that bound me. ]
suffered intense pain, and orawled and
dragged myself q few feet from the
track. ! ntedaway, and when !
came to was very thirsty, II was
still raining, and 7 dug hole in the
ground by my face with my fingers,
so that il would I'll with water BY
doing this ! managed to gcta little
water was SO weak that ! could
not move, and ! halloocd frequently
during the night for help but no one
camountil morning when / was found"
The man has since died and the cit
izens of llenrysville have offered $1,000
for the perpetrators OF this horrible
crime.