Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-15

CAPTURED BIZ TELEGRAPH.
During the winter of 1869 | was en-
ployed as night operator in the railroad
office at D., Iowa. The principal
road between Chicago and Council Bluffs
runs through D, and the great, irreg-
ular night trains, and the constant danger
of collision resulting therefrom, rendered
the position of night operator by no
means an easy one. 1t may be well to
mention here, as necessary to the follow
ing story, that besides the railroad office
there was also at D. a business Office
Of the Union Company. This we always
spoke of as the downtown" Office.
One stormy night, not far from eleven
o'clock, | sat at my desk-and, for a
wonder, idle. The wires had not called
for some time, and l was leaning back in
my chair, listening to the wind outside
and rejecting on the loneliness of my
situation. The Eastern train had
crossed the river more than an hour ago,
all the officials had gone off home, and,
so far as knew, l was entirely alone in
the vast building
Finally, tired of thinking, | picked up
the evening paper and glanced listlessly
/ read the detailed account of fearful
tragedy that had occurred fifty miles up
the river on the previous night. Three
raftsmen, well known as desperate char
acters in that vicinity, had entered the
cottage of one Matthews, farmer, living
in an isolated spot-had butchered the
farmer and his children, terribly NAL
treated his wife, and then departed as
70 TO ar Wi moi NJh T.
ever plumber was handy. What inter-
ested me most was full description of
the chief of the villainous trio, Tim
Lynch. Here it IS:
Five hundred dollars reward will be paid
for information leading to the capture, dead
or alive, of Tim Lynch, the ringleader of the
Matthews tragedy. Lynch is remarkably
large man, six feet four inches in height, very
heavy and broad across the shoulders Eyes
greenish gray, with deep scar over the right
one. Hair wiry, black, and beard of same
color. When last seen he was dressed in a
black Kossuth hat, faded army overcoat,
pants of gray jean and heavy boots. The
above reward will be paid to anyone furnish
ing positive information Of his whereabouts.
Sheriff Of - County.
At the very instant i finished reading
the advertisement there occurred the
most remarkable coincidence that has
ever come under my observation. /
heard heavy tread on the stair, and then
the door opened and there entered-Tim
LYNCH The moment / set eyes upon
him recognized him as perfectly as
though had known him all my life. The
army overcoat and gray pants tucked in
to the heavy boots, the massive frame
and shoulders, the slouched hat pulled
down over his right eye to conceal
was sure-the scar; above all, a desper-
ate, hunted look in his forbidding coun-
tenance-all were not to be mistaken. /
was as certain of his identity as though
he had stepped forward, pulled off his
hat TO show me the scar and told nae his
name.
To say that was not alarmed at this
sudden and unwelcome intrusion would
be untrue. am not brave man, and
my present situation, alone in the depot
with hunted murderer, was by no means
reassuring. Ny heart beat violently, but
from mere force of habit arose and asked
him to be seated. While he turned to
comply / succeeded in conquering my
agitation to some extent. He drew chair
noisily forward, and sitting down threw
open his coat, displaying by so doing a
heavy navy revolver stuck in his belt.
Then he freed his mouth OF quantity OF
tobacco juice and spoke:
"Young feller," he said, motioning
with his head toward the battery, that
thar macheen is what yer call a telly-
gram, s'pose?"
Well" answered, with faint smile,
intended to be conciliatory, that's what
we send kilograms by"
oval, want you to send message 10
a friend O. nine out in Cohoe. tell yer
aforehand haln't got no collateral. But
kinder guess you'd better trust me,
young fejlern Here he laid his hand
significantly on his belt) III ietch IL
in ter-morrow, eff it's convenient.
fastened to say that the charge could
just as well be paid at the other END by
his friend.
"Umphl Plaguey little you'll get o
Jim, ] reckon. Howsumever. perceed.
"What is the message, and 10 whom Is
it to gos"
az want YOU to tell Jim Fellers, OF
Coboe. that the bull quit here las
night, and Their sheep'll be close on his
heels"
AS he delivered this sentence he looked
at me as if he expected me TO be mysti-
fed. But thought it best not to appear
SO, and said carelessly:
a suppose you are dealer in STOCK
and this is your partner? All, SIR, the
telegraph helps you fellows out OF many
q sharp bargain"
"Ya'as," he answered slowly, evi'
IDENTIFY pleased with the way, ! TOOK II.
"Ya'as, that's nm. I'm sendin down q
lot o. stock. Bought it dog cheap over
in Gtnesee yesterday. Purity lot as ever
xyr,, ooa