The Morning herald., 1875-08-30
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.

SdA oh IAe I. w. " d. n. NJ, VINO wa
seen to leap from therear platform, Will
the train was dashins along at the rate o
nearly forty miles per hour.
All attempts to discover the body were an
availing, although the company made ever
possible effort to find some trace Of the mis-
| sing man, and the affair was wrapped ii
impenetrable mystery until Saturday even
ing, when news was received at the depot ii
this city that man answering to the de
scription of Mr.. Mccormick. of Wilmington
who had been conversing with him on the
train just previous to his fearful leap, but
beyond this statement nothing of reliable
character could be obtained, and yesterday
HERALD reporter was dispatched to Elk
ton for the particulars. He found the town
in considerable excitement over the affair,
every one interested, and general buzz
among the people in regard to It.
Beyond the fact that passenger had been
missed from the Thursday midnight train;
and could not be found. Elkton knew little
OF the matter, until Friday at noon, when it
became noised around that gentleman,
evidently wandering in his mind, had been
found by Mr.. Woodrow in wagon and
that he was. beyond doubt the missing pas
senger. 1t appears that about eight O'Clock
on Friday, young man wandered up to the
house of Mr.. Turner, in Little Elk, and asked
for in and some food, but supposing him
to be tramp, she could not accommodate
him, and sent him to neighbor, who gave
him something to eat and covered wagon
for bed. About noon, Mrs. Woodrow
kind hearted and his excellent lady who lives
near the place where the young man was
feverishly tossing on his unhospitable couch,
discovered the fact and had him conveyed to
her own house when he was placed in q
clean bed and doctor summoned who ad-
ministered to him until the fever had abated
and he was in fair way of recovery. during
the afternoon, he was considerably confused
in his mind, but gave his name as James C.
shoefner, of Mulberry, Tenn.
Yesterday our reporter called upon Mrs.
r,who had entirely regained his reason, and
gave the following particulars of his strange
journey from the West
Tenn, for West Point, to be present at the
meeting of his class in the Military Acade-
my, where he is cadet, on the 2Sth, (Sat-
urday last.) He remembers distinctly stop
ping over on Monday morning, at Shelby
willie, with his brother and taking the through
New York train on Tuesday, at Lewisville,
Ky. From that point he was in company
with a gentleman from New York but
whether his companion continued on he can
not tell.
Mr.. Schoefner remembers stopping in
Washington for about fifteen minutes, but
from this point ron. Thursday evening. :hE|
has no recollection whatever, until fe found
himself, on Friday, wandering in the direc-
tion of Elkton, which he took at first, to be
his native place, supposing that he had been
visiting farm, leased by his father
and was walking home. When
told that he was in Maryland he
was astonished and could make nothing
Of the matter. He was not then very con-
cious of what he was doing, but went to the |
house of Mrs. Turner in Little Elk almost |
He was glad to get even |
wagon to sleep in and when Mrs. Woodrow
came to him, followed her home aimlessly.
scarcely knowing what he was doing.
He has no recollection of jumping from
The train, and knows nothing of what he
lid on Friday night. During the interview
with Mr.. Shoefner he seemed very
restless and was evidently suffering from
The effect of his terrible fall. He states that
his father is a farmer in Mulberry, Tenn,
md himself is cadet at West Point, of the
class Of III. He is fine looking young
man of twenty-five years, about five feet
zen inches high, with black hair and sharp
lazle eye, every inch's soldier, gentlemanly,
md evidently we'll bred and genteel.
The Railroad authorities were authorized
If the discovery Of their missing passenger,
IND Immediately telegraphed to their coun-
'el in Elkton, who yesterday called upon
Mr.. Shoefner and has seen that every care
md attention will be paid him.
The strongest point in the affair is the
act that although Mr.. Shofner leaped from
he cars at full speed. He had not on his
,ersOn single bruise, save black mark
It the elbow of his right arm. He said that
e was affected with sonambulism and
Though he does not give this as an expla-
ation, there can be no other solution for
he mystery, When he started from home
e had $40 and with the balance on his per-
on found in his vest $27 he can account for
he disposition of all except 1925, and sup
oses that he must have spent that amount
or food. He is doing well under the kind at
,ntion of DR.. Turf, who assured us that
esides the effects ofthe shock of the fall,
0injury has been sustained and that he t
xpects the patient to be ready to go on to
Vest Point in "a few days; in the meantime {
e will receive his attention at Mr.. Wood
w As an explanation of the slight ef-
ct ofthe terrible leap, it is conjectured
lat bank of sand must have broken the
IL and thus saved Mr.. Shoefner's life, but G
zen supposiug this thing to be true, the t
lair is not much short of a miracle.