The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-28
A Railroad Detectives Story.

eyes, it was mysterious affair."" said
detective Rollins; ''but had little trouble
in working up the case, although 1 was
some time in finding the chain to which
belonged the broken link that had dis
covered. 1t all came about in such queer
way that if I should live thousand years
I should not forget it,"
"Well that's no way Dick" cried Uncle
Billy Franklin, the genial Master of Trans
portation, after waiting long time for Rol-
Inns to continue-'uhat's no way of getting
over the road. But it's just like men in
your business; stirring up ones dormant
curiosity, and exciting ones expectations,
SO that they settle themselves back for
something good or not, as the case may be,
only to be placed on nettles by long pauses,
like that in which you are now indulging.
Come, drop little sand, pull her wide
open, and take run at the hill of your
story"
"Aye, aye, Dick" exclaimed Jack
Sprague, "You're bulletined for that yarn,
so pull out my boy"
"You should be the last man to hurry
an engineer, Jack, replied Rollins; "either
of one of the 'company's kettles or story.
In either case one is compelled-if he does
not wish to run the risk of breaking down,
or sticking on some hard pull--to examine
his machinery, dropping little oil here
and there, where there is danger of wear
or rust, and sitter satisfying himself
that his guides, cross-heads and eccentrics
are all O. K, pull ahead, as 1 now propose
doing, with clear track good fire, plenty
of water and fuel, and good train be-
hind.
"On the morning of the 10th of Decem-
ber, 1870, was sitting in the telegraph
Office at the depot in D, congratulatlng
myself on the dearth of business on my line
on account of the terrible weather we were
then experiencing, and Ginning the opera
tor, as we sat back in our comfortable arm
chairs, testing the merits, of some Lone
Jack in which / had been investing, when
click, click, went the call over the line for the
headquarters Office. Now, among othel
things, useful and otherwise, that I have
picked up in many years service with the
l railroad, is the art-if such it may be called
of telegraphy. cannot manipulate the
lightning myself to any great extent, but
have no difficulty in understanding thu
$ strange language, as spoken by the many
, mouths of the telegraph line. So wher
e Rob and heard the call for the headquar
: ters office, we involuntarily suspended ou
talking and smoking, and listened for wha
a was to follow.
Headquarters answered, and then hi
= rnessage--as near as l can recollect-wa
= sent flying over the wires:
= "Agent Pancoast of this station (Attica)
G was found dead in his Office at $50 this A
). M That he committed suicide, is eviden
e from the fact that all the doors were Sc
. ourely locked, and it was necessary t
force an entrance to his Office. The bod
g was lying about the centre Of the floor, an
near by was large pocket 'knife-supposo
a to be his own-covered with blood. HI
e had stabbed himself in several places nea
" the heart and failing thus to reach tn
:. seat of life, cut his throat almost from ea
|, to ear. Safe-key found on his person, an
contents of safe supposed to be o. T.
:. 'Tn minute after this message had bee
# turned in, there came one from headqua,
o ters, calling D.. Then followed:
II "Ts Rollins thelep Answer quickl'
d "Of course, Bob told them was.
n "sProceed to Attica on No. 2, and invet
! tigate death Of Agent Pancoast, was th
IT order, and as the train was due in flv
n minutes, had little time for preparation.
% II was ready, however, when No.
a pulled out, and was soon driving alon
d through snow and sleet, on my way to th
= tragic scene.
y IT now had an opportunity to study owe
e the sad affair, and the causes which fnui
n have led poor Pancoast to commit the ras
act. As was my custom, I drove m
thoughts from the present, and, as th
4 saying is, went to the root of the matter.
l. "He had been agent At Attica for som
u five years; he was also agent for the q.
n Express Co., doing the railroad and expires
le business in the same Office. He was
u single man and slept ut the depot office. Fl
le kept good oompany-in fact was COZ
s, sistent Christian, and there being so few {
le that class Of Christians ones attention
/. attracted when one Of the true metal
found. AS he did not drink. gamble. driy