The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-04-15
Captured By Telegraph.

4 - -
During the winter Jf 1859 Rws.
employed as night operator in the
principal road between Chicago and
Omaha runs through D, and the
great irregular night trains, and con-
slant danger of collision resulting
therefrom, rendering the position OF
night operator by no means an easy
lone. It may be well to mention here,
as necessary to the following story,
that besides the railroad Office, there
was also at D. business Office OF
the Union Company. This, we al
ways spoke Of as the downtown
Office"
One stormy night, not far from
eleven O'Clock, sat at my desk-and
for q wonder idle. The wires had not
called for some time, and was lean
ing back IN my chair listening to- the
wind outside, and rejecting upon the
Loneliness Of my situation. The east
ern train had crossed the river more
than an hour ago all the depot Of
ficiaIs had gone of home, and so far
as knew l was entirely alone in the
vast building.
Finally, tired Of thinking, I picked
up the evening paper and glanced list
lessly over its columns. Among 9TH
er things read the detailed account
of fearful tragedy that had occurred
fifty miles up the river on the prevI:
Gus night. Three raftsmen, well
known as desperate characters in that
vicinity. had entered the cottage Of
lone Matthews, d farmer living in ar,
isolsted spot had 1ltcheTed the fari
inner and his children, terribly mali
| treated his wife, and then departed as
they came, having taken with them
whatever plunder was handy.
/ What interested me most was q full
| description, for purposes OF idenelnca-
ton, of the chief of the villainous trio
Tim Lynch. Here it is
"$500reward will be paid for in
formation leading to the capture,
dead or alive, Of Tim Lynch, the
ringleader OF the Matthews tragedy.
Lynch is q remarkably large man,
six feet four inches in height, very
heavy and broad across the shoulders.
Eyes greenish gray, with q deep scar
over the right one hairiwiIyi black, !,
and beard of same .coIof.a When first
seen he was dressed in black Kossuth
hat, faded army overcoat, pants OF
gray jeans, and heavy boots. The
above reward will be paid to any one
furnishing positive information OF his
whereabouts.
| (Sigpedl t'Sheriff of - County"
At the very instant finished read.
ing the advertisement, there occurred
the most remarkable coincidence that
has ever come under my observation.
J heard q heavy tread on the stairs,
and then the door opened and there
entered Tim Lynch ( The mome1t |
set eyes upon him I srecognized, Em
perfectly IS though i had known MN
al his life. The army overcoat and
! gray pants tucked into the heavy
boots. the massive frame and sHoul-
ders, the slouched hat pulled down
over his right eye to cOnceal-l was
sure-the scar; above all, desperate,
hunted look in his foFoidding coun-
tenance-all were not to be mistaken.
I was as certain of his identity ss
though he had stepped forward, pulled
Of his hat to show the scar, and told
me bis name.
To say that I was not alarmed at
4 lulS 6uQUcu duu Ill W ClCOAAN AAA4 ~ VI
would be untrue. am not brave
man, and my present situation, alone
in the depot with hunted murderer,
was by no means resssuring. My
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 a
chair noislly forward, and sitting
down threw open his coat, displaying,
by so doing, q heavy navy revolver
stuck in his belt. Then he freed his
mouth of q quantity Of tobacco juice,
SSYounS felIer.n he said, motion.
ling with mis- hesd toward the battery
t'thet thar mscheen Is what yer call q
Telegram, s'pOse ?''
"WeH,n I answered, with a faint
smile, intended to be conciliatory
"thats what we send kilograms by.n
"Wall, 1 went you to send q mes
sage to friend o'mine out in COhoe
tell yer aforehand hain't got no
collateral. But kinder guess you'd
better trust me, young feller." (Hert
be laid his hand significantly on his
belt,) "PI fetch it in ter-morrow e.
it's convenient"
I hastened to say that the ehargE
could Just as wen be paid at the othei
end by his friend.
tUmph Plaguey little you'll get o
Jim, I reckon. Howsumeyers per
eeed.n EBN
"What is the message, and to whom
is it to 60 ?"
"I want you to tell Jim FelIers
of Cohoe, that the bull quit here las
night, and ther sheep'n be close on
his heels"
As he delivered this sentence hG
looked at me, as il he expected me Il
be myssified. But I thought it bes
not to appear 80, and I said carelessly
"T suppose you are dealer IN stOcl
and this IS your partner7 Al, sir
the telegraph helps you fellows out o
many g sharp bargain"
"Ys'as," ne answered, slowly, evi
IDENTIFY pleased with the way I took ii
WYaIss, that's 'um. Pm sending
down q lot % stock. Bought it do
! cheap over in Genesee, yesterday
Purity lot as ever you see !"
/ turned to my instrument. Wha
: | was to be done I? Though ours was
; railroad Office, we often sent busines
messages and il I did as usual nov
1 should probably get rid Of my un
welcome visitor without furthe
s trouble but in the short conversa
ton with him I bad somewhat reeov
cred from my first alarm, and I nov
!. conceived the idea Of attempting tn
capture o. Tim Lynch:
was only poor-salaried operator
trying to save enough to marry in tn
Ispring. Five hundred dollars wouli
do me great deal Of good just now
to say nothing of the ecLdt of tn
: thing. But how was it to be accom-
plisbed Here was I, alone in tn
;. depot, with man big enough tG viii
!, his weight IN such little man as