The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-05-29
geIeftea gtoru.
An Exciting Exploit on a
Western Railroad.

when our locomotive "Doss' accost-
ed me as 1 was making ready the
"Milwaukee," to make the through
train westward.
swell, George" said he, 'heard
the news? Guess not, eh2 You
amt got to run this route again'
1 turned pale, fearing l had got
into some, ,scrape; but l only said,
"Why, sir?"
"Why?' he repeated, "because
you're put up in Abefs place. You
feel kinder spry, I reckon"
Ibid, indeed, "fell kinder spry,"
for Abel, a first rate hand, had just
been promoted with a handsome
douceur for gallant conduct upon a
certain occasion, and as the advent
ure was the cause of my being made
an engine driver, 1 will, with your
permission, proceed to relate it.
Soon after my arrival in the States
I succeeded in obtaining a situation
as firemen on one of the trunk lines.
After a while l became associated
with Abel Storer, who had the repu-
tation of first class engine driver
though he was, to my taste, a httic
too reckless, and when sin liquor"
nothing daunted him. From Abel
heard many tales respecting the en-
counters he had had with the "White
iniuns," as he denominated certain
fflibustering gentlemen who had a
playful habit Of Disgusting them
selves as native Indians, and carry
ing off any specie or ammunition
contained in the wagons. At times,
1 believe, they did not hesitate to
commit the most dreadful outrages,
under the guise of war paint.
One morning about two months
after my having been appointed fire
men, we got orders to take a train
down to Landerville. Abel was ac-
cordingly in great hopes of shooting
some ainjuns," and provided himself
with a quantity of ammunition for
his six shooter. ], more skeptical,
neglected this precaution. We
started, however, having a quantity
of specie in our boxes, some valuable
stores, and mixed cargo of notions
in our charge. We had received in
structions to stop at Bunkum City,
for faster train with passengers,
and then, (if it had not previously
run into us), to assist it up the steep
incline at that place, our train being
subsequently helped up by the other
locomotive.
We arrived at Bunkum siding in
safety, about 5 o'clock, and hearing
nothing of the following train, re-
plenished the engine, and then pro
ceeded to look for some food for our
selves. We pitched upou a small
store where we managed to procure
food, and some of the most fiery stuff
(miscalled whisky )that l ever tasted
Abel drank it greedily, however
while / devoted myself to the food
We were on the eve of departure as
two rough-looking fellows entered
and demanded liquor, stalking stock
of us as they staggered about. See
ing that Abel was becoming more
intoxicated, and recollecting that the
passenger train must be due, 1 at
tempted to move him, but one of the
strangers stepping forward, request
ed us to "liquor up" before we start
ed. Abel grunted a drunken assent
and I, not daring to refuse, sat down
while the drink was being prepared
During the concoction of the "re
viver," Abel kept wandering aimless
ly about, swaylng recklessly agains+
the tables, and when the glass was
at length presented for my accept
ance, he lurched heavily against the
stranger. Crash went the tumblei
on the floor, while amid volley o.
curses I dragged the offender from
the house and managed to regain
the engine unmolested.
Anticipating that we should b.
followed, kept AbePs revolver il
readiness; but after a time 1 noticet
two figures proceeding in the direc
ton of some log huts which lay som
little distance down the line upol
the left. AS the strangers disap
peared over the brow of the hill,
turned my attention to Abel.
To my astonishment, he respond
ed to my first adjurations by saying
as he gained a rising posture, "Dar
them cusses, they have gone righ
away~
For a moment / stared in speecE
less surprise. "Why, I thought 20
we're drunk" 1 cried at length.
"Drunkw he echoed, "those fe
lows would have had you on yor
back in coon's jump but for me.
know them, the Injun thieves, they'l
after our specie, my boy, as sure
| shootin', but I'll tail 'em, the va
mints. Which is the specie wagon
"No. 8,"I responded, wonderingl
"Of with it and tackle it on
the passenger train," cried Abel, e.
citedly, swell fix their fiints yet,
gosh"
So we set to work with q will, bl
while we were uncoupling the wa
on the other train arrived. Alb
communicated his suspicious to Il
conductor, and in few moments t
specie was included amongst Il
passenger cars. By this time ev
ming was closing in, and when
placed the train on tie siding, at t
top of the decline, to clear the tra'
for the passenger train, 1 began
hope that our fears of any alta
were groundless.
We ran down with the steam c
to get in the rear Of the passeng
train, and the other engine follow
at little distance. As our engl
) neared the points, just between t
log huts I have mentioned, sevel
figures rose from their cOncealme
Without warning of any kind, th
} deliberately fred at the engines
they passed. Surprise, more tn
fear, kept US for a moment inacti
But Abel quickly recovered himsI
Shouting to me to lie down, he d
charged two barrels al the nearest
our assailants. With a groan he
dead in his tracks. In few secoI
we had run out of range, but thc
upon the other engine were less I
tunate. Unarmed as they were,
driver and firemen could make no