Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1878-10-10
The MyStiicd Messenger.

the favoIite express messenger oi
the p. &. and st. l., Road, was 3
somnabulist. His strange freaks
performed during somnabuliStiC
trance were known to small circle
OF friends and associates, who men
toned them not when our hero was
appointed to the position he was deS
tined to fill with honor.
For two years he ran his car with.
out incident, 10 train robbers at
tackled it, and he became the favCr-
ite messenger of the road. Strange
10 say, that during the time, while
he dCZed often in his car, he did not
once fall into the somnabulistic
state, and he was conglatulatin
himself that the singular frances
had left him altogether, when c.
CURED the incident I am about to
relate.
His downward run on the night
express extented from CoShoctop
TO Springfield, a distance of one hun
dred and eighty miles. There were
few stations of Importance on the
route, aud the train made but three
halts between the two cities. The
officers of the road were, at the date
Of our story, and still are careful
men of business, jealous of their
patrons interests, and gentlemen of
integrity.
When robbers became common on
other roads, the messengers of the
p. &. and st. L., were sure TO re-
ceiYe orders commanding extra pre-
caution, and it was to the obedience
of these orders that much of the
popularity of the road was attribut-
cd.
''Hello - exclaimed Messenger
Gleason one evening while looking
over the columns of the Cleveland
Herald. The express car of the
c. G. and ]. G. robbed of $50, 900! !!
That's a good haul. Why don't the
car thieves try my ,car ? Here I've
been on the road for two years, an
never for a moment has the safety
of dollar in my safes been jeopar-
died.
He considered himself one of the
luckiest messengers in the country,
and with the paper in his hand,
stepped into the express car, which
moment later moved out Of Co.
hocton.
It was a beautiful Autumn eve
ming, and the messenger sat at the
open side door, enjoying a cigar, uu-
til the sun went down and darkness
fell over the earth. Then he shut
the door, lighted the lamps, and
saw tl:at everything was safe.
He knew the value of the con-
tents OF the company's safes, and he
thought what lanl thieves would
make if they would successfully
burglariza his car on the present
trip.
But lie felt secure, for lie dropped
into his own chair and fell asleep.
The train had a run of forty-nine
miles, before the messenger would
again be called to service, and he
thought of this perhaps when he
settled into the chair, revolved upon
a dOZe.
By-and-by he rose, and his eye
lids parted. He walked directly to
the safes which stood side by side,
and opening the combination locks
threw wide the burglar-proof doors.
Then he took forth valuable pack
age after package until he had emp
tied the strongholdS of their trea-
sures. 1t is safe to say that Mes
senger Gleason deprived the safes of
money and other valuables to the
aggregate of seventy thousand dol.
lars.
After doing this he closed the
d)ors, and with tho pack
ages, walked out of the car to the
tender.
1t was fille1 with coal, black and
grim, and the heavy smoke of the
engine, the toy of the smart breeze
blowing, beat against his face.
But he did not seem to heed it.,
for he climbed upon thetender with
one hand and deliberately secreted
the packages among the coal in zone
corner.
Having accomplished his singular
task. he returned to the express
Car, washed his hands, which had
been begrimed by the Jumps of coal,
and retired to his chair, where his
eyes closed and he breathed like a
sleeping man.
George Gleason had robbed the
safes in state of somnabulism, and
tleir iron doors guarded the mes.
senger's books and a few old papers
of little value.
lie silent for half an hour longer