Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-05-06
.ClPTURED By TELG RlPH.

tween Chicago and Omaha runs
through D., and the great If
regular night trains, and con-
slant danger of collision
therefrom, rendered The position
ofnightoperator by no means an
easy one. It may be well to
mention here, as necessary to the
following story-that besides
the railroad office, there is also at
|D-a business Office Of the
Union Company, This we al
ways spoke Of as the "down-town
office" D."
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 / was leaning back in
my chair listening to the wind
outside and rejecting upon the
loneliness of my situation. The
eastern train had crossed the Rvs
er more than an hour ago; all
the depot officials had gone off
home, and SO far rs [ knew L
was entirely alone in the vast
building.
Finaii Y tired of thinking, I
picked up the evening paper and
glanced Iistles8ly over its col
umns. Amoung other things l
read the detailed account Of a
fearfuItragedy that had occurred
fifty miles up the river the pre-
yious night. Three raftmen,
well know as desperate charac-
tcrs in that vicinity, had entered
the cottage Of one Matthews, a
farmer livingin an isolated spot,
had butchered the farmer and his
children, terribly maItreatcd his
wife, and then departed as they
came, having taken with them
whatever plumber was handy. !
What interested me most was a
full description, for the purpose
OF Identification Of the chief of
the vil!ainous trio, Tim Lynch.
Here it Is:
$500 reward will be paid for
information leading to the cap |
ture, dead or alive, of Tim
Lynch, the ringlcadcr Of the |
Matthews tragedy. Lynch is a
remarkably large man, six feet |
four inches in height, very |
heavy, and broad across the
shoulders. Eyes grecnish gray, |
with a deep scar over the right |
one. Hair wiry, black, and |
beard Of same color. When
last seen he was dressed in
black Kossuth hat, faded army |
over-coat, pants of gray jeans,
and heavy boots. The above |
reward will be paid to any one
furnishing positive information
Of his whereabouts.
(Signed) Sheriff County. |
At the very instant I finished |
reading the advertisement there
occurred the most remarkable
coincidence that has ever come
under my observation. / heard |
a heavy tread upon the stairs,
and then the door opened and !
there entered - Tim Lynch.
The moment | set eyes upon
him [ recognized him as perfect
Iy as though I had known him
all my life. The army over
coat and gray pants tucked into
the heavy boots, the massive
frame and shoulders, the slouch
hat pulled down over his right
eve to cOnceal-I was sure =
the scar, above all hunted, des-
perate look in his forhidding
countenance-all were not to
be mistaken. I was as certain
of his identity as though he had
stepped forward, pulled off his
hat to show the scar, and told
me h,s name.
To say that I was not
alarmed at this sudden and m-
welcome intrusion would be un-
true. | am not a brave man,
and my present situation, alone
in the depot with a hunted muir
derer was by no means reassur-
ing. My heart beat Violently,
but from mere force of habit, II
arose and asked him to be seat
ed. While he turned to COM 7
ply l succeeded in conquering
my agitation to some extent.
He drew a chair noisily for
ward, and sitting down threw
open his coat, displaying, by
SO doing, Il heavy navy revolver
stuck in his belt. Then he freed
his mouth of a quantity of to.
bacco juice, and spoke:
Young feller,' said he, mo-
tioning with his head toward