The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-10

From the Louisville ourier-Journal, Au-
gust 81

IJSule, the train was naleO ana
stopped. A number of men, probably
a dozen, were gathered around the body
OF man. and Conductor Waterhouse
was told that man had been run over
by a previous train, and was dying.
The conductor had the injured man
taken on board the train, in company
with DR.. Ferguson Of Henryville, who
had been called to render medical serv.
ices. The injured man had his left leg
torn off by the train, and was weak
from the loss of blood. and for some
time after he was aboard was unable to
talk. He, however, revived for a time,
and told the following horrible story:
"My name is August Gardner. l was
born in France. am but % years old.
| have no relations or friends in this
country. My father is dead. l was
going down to Louisville in search of
employment, and. as / had but little
money, thought l would walk. 1t
could not have been much past 10
o clock last night, when three men
along the track. One of them de-
manded my money. told them was
poor, having only 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 and everything else had.
They then threw me down on the track.
| thought they we're going to kill me.
and begged them to spare my life.
They said nothing, but one Of them
produced long piece of rope
from his pocket, and they COM
menced to tie me to the track, over a
cattle-guard. was badly frightened,
and begged them hard not to do that.
l told them that 1 never knew them,
and had never done them any harm,
and, if they would let me 60, l 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
l could not move my arms and legs.
While I was begging them not to leave
me there they went off. I knew that
the cars would be along soon, and l
tried my utmost to free myself and
loosen the ropes that bound me. At
first l did not think l would be able to
move at all, but, after repeated efforts,
| succeeded in working my arms and
body off of the track. In swinging
down, tried to get my left leg off, but
l could not. Iyelled with all my might,
hoping that somebody would come
and save me, but no one
came. It was raining hard at the time,
and very dark, 1 had been lying there
about half an hour, when / heard the
cars whistle. cannot tell you my feel
ings. A perceptible shudder here
passed over the frame of the dying
man. In few seconds the cars were
nearly up to where l was lying. gave
wild Shrek and closed my eyes. The
cars passed over me, the wheels cutting
off my leg and cutting the ropes loose
that bound me. suffered intense pain,
and crawled and dragged myself few
feet from the track. l tainted away,
and when l came to was very thirsty.
1t was still raining, and l dug a hole in
the ground by my face with my fingers,
so that it would fill with water. BY
doing this managed to get little
water. was so weak that could not
move, and halloed frequently during
the night for help, but no one came
until morning, when l was found
We gained the above statement after
interviewing several gentlemen who
were with the dying man. The lam
gnage used may not be exactly that
which he used, but it is substantially
the same.
Or. H. H. Ferguson, of Henryville,
furnishes US with the following state
ment: ~ II
Il was aroused this morning at 1870
o'clock by Mr.. Samuel Williams, Jr-,
who said that there was q man, who
had been run ove- by the cars, lying on
the track one mile below Henryville.
The news spresd rapidly, and in few
minutes . dozen men had collected.,>W
procured the hand car, and in short
time we arrived at thepoirt designated,
where We found the man, lying on. an
old section dirt car, With the left leg
torn off below the knee, his clothing sat-
urated with water from the rain; he was.
extremely pale, and suffering from the
shock and exposure. There was no
pulse at the wrist. I asked him what
time of the night he had received the
injury; he said it was between 10 and II
p. n. / then ask ed him if he had been
drunk and went to sleep on therailroad
track; he said ne; that he. had been
met by three men, who. demanded his
money, and after taking it from
him (which was only five dol
1arsl they bound him on the
track. then went. shout go feet to
the south, and At Cow Gap discover
ed two pieces Of old m,ailla rope stin
around the cross-tie, With about room
enough for the body Of deceased, and on
looking around found three other ropes
which evidently had been cut by the
car wheels. Another gentleman found
his empty booklet book 40 feet still