The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-05-03
Captured by Telegraph

employed as nlSnt operator III VII /
nuilrond Office ut ID -, Iowa. Th
principal road between Chicago "nt v
Omaha runs through D, ant v
the great ilrcg,'iar hight trains, nnc j
constant danger of collision result u
ing thercfrom, rendered the positiuno
Of night operator by no n.cans anf
easy one. It may lie we'll to meme
tiun here. as necessary to the fol y
lowing story, that besides the rail |
road Office thorn was nlso at D.
:, business Off G Of the CHion Com
pany. This we always spoke Of rs
inc down town O!licc.
One stormy night, Not far from
eleven o'clock, 1 sat Mt my dnsk-'nd
for wonder, idle. The wires had
not called for some time. and / was
leaning back iN NV chair listening
to the wind oi,ts,le and rejecting
nroN the loneliness of my situation.
Tne eastern train had cl,$scd tho
river more than an hour ago all
the depot officials had gone Off
home. and SO far uH l. knew l was
entirely alone in the vast building:
Finally. tired Of thinking, !
picked up the evening payer and
glanced hStl.esly over it's columns.
Amons other things [ l"td the
detailed accOuAt Of Il fearful tragedy
that had occurred fifty mixes np the
river on the previeHs %iaht.
Three rnitSmr,t. we'll known ,'' DIES:
pcrntc characters in that v;cinity,
had entered the "ottnge nf one
Matthews, farmer living ~ an
isolated spct-had butcln,'"d the
farmer and his children, terribly
maltrcatcd his wife, and then de
parted as they came, having taken
with there whatever plunucr was
handy What Interested me most
was Il fill description, for purposes
of fidnntliicntiuln OF the chief Of the
vilaifuns trio, I'm Lynch. Here
it is
$500 reward will be },nid for infor-
nation leading to the capture, dead
or alive, of Tim T.ynch, the ring
leader of the Matthews tragedy
lynch is remarkably large mAr. sin
feet fonr inches in height, very
heavy, and bread across the sho'ld
crs. Eyes gr"cnish gray, with {
deep scar over inc right one. HAN
why. black, and beard Of same color
When last seen nv was dressed u
black Kossuth hat. faded army over
coat. pants Of grey Jeans, and hcav,
boots. The above reward will b'
paid to any one furnishing positive
in formation of his whereabouts.
(S;yncD Sheriff of ------ County
At the very instant 1 finished
rca,tny the advertisement, thcr
occurred the most remarkable com
ridcnrc that has ever come 'mdc
my observation. l heard hcav
tread on the stair. and then til
door opened and there entered
Tim Lynch The moment [ st
eyes upon him I recognized him Il
perfectly as though 1 had know
him all his lite. The army ovcrco;
and grey pants tucked into til
heavy boots the massive frame an
shoulders. the slouchcd hat pullc
down over his right eye to conce;
I WAS aSl1rc---tme scar above all,
desperate, hunted look in his forbi,
ding couptcn;,nce---nll were rot
be mistaken. I MATS rs certain {
his identity a$ thongh he hadSteppc
forward, pulled of his hat to sho
the scar and told ne his name.
TO say that / was not alarmed ;
this sudden and umwelcome intr
sion would be untrnc. / am not
brave man, and my Pr"scnt s'tuatio
nlonn in the depot with hnntt
murderer was by no meahs I
,assuri"1 My heart beat vio!entl
.hut from Mnre fna~sf' Of habit, } aro
and asked him to uc seated. Win
he turned to complyl succ"t tdea
'coEuucring my agitation t" sol
extent. Fle drew ii char nht%'
forward. and sitting down thrt
open his coat, Displaying by $" dri1
Il heavy navy revolver stuck ~ !
belt. Thea he freed his mouth o.
quantity Of tobacco juice, a
spoke : =.
"YomS fcllcr," h" said, motiof'
with his head toward the batter
that thar machccn is what yer cal
telegram, ] sposc ?.
"Wen." [ answered, with fa1
smile, intcndcd to he conc.hatol
'thnts what we send tclcgra
by"
"WaL T want you to send m
sage to friend of mino ont in
hoe. + tell yer aforc hand L hal
got no collateral. But kln'
guess you'd better trust me, yo"
fcllcr" (Hcre he laid his ha
significantly on his belt)
fetch it in ter morrow if its G
vcnicnt.'
/ hastcncd to say that the cha
could Just as well be paid at
other end by his friend.
"Umph Plagucry little yo
get o jim, I reckon. Howsumdc'
pcrcced.
"What is The message. and