Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-09-13
THE MAN WITH THE RED EYE.


About eight years ago, when l had
not railroaded it as long as have now,
/ was employed as u messenger on a
Western railway. l don't know as it is
necessary for me to say what line it
was, but / will call it the B. 7. & G.. T..
R.. TO save myself the trouble of pro-
nouncing the whole name.
| had not been on the run more than
q month previous to the date of the oc-
currence of which | am going to tell
you. | had been running on a branch
route for more than year, and might
have staid there II good deal longer, if
l had not been chosen to take Paxton s
place when he went off. You see, two
or three attempts had been made to rob
the eXpress-car, and at last, at the end
of long run, Paxton was found dead
in the car with bullet hole in his head.
But the safe was closed tight and secure;
though an attempt had been made to
blow it open, which proved Intellectual.
But the strangest part of all was that
the key was missing from Paxton S
pocket, and it was not found till good
six weeks afterward. Then it was dis
covered at the side of the track, with a
card tied to it, on which it was written
that robbers were in the car, and he
expected they would murder him if he
refused to give up the key. He was
true to the last. Well, you may sup
pose that felt Just the least bit squeam-
ish about accepting such an uninviting
berth; but the superintendent gave me
orders, and | meant to do my duty,
however disagreeable it might be.
Then the pay was larger than l had
ever received before; and l was ac-
quainted with a good girl who was
ready to help me inhabit a house when
ever | should be able to own one, and
that was quite an object to me, can
assure you.
Well, everything passed off smoothly
enough for several weeks, and had be-
come accustomed to the route, and
made dozen or so very pleasant ac-
quaintances, and | was growing to be
pretty well contented with my life. |
had almost begun to think the robbers,
whoever they might be, had given up
all thoughts of ever making anything
out of my car, and had sought another
field of operations.
One day | was informed by the agent
at R that some time within a week
| would have to take charge of about
$4,000 in specie in its transit over our
road. The officers of the express COM
pany had been advised of this intended
important shipment in order that they
might exercise redoubled vigilance in
view of the great risk incurred in the
transportation of such valuable con-
signment.
The evening after my conversation
with the agent, he called me into the
office, and told me the specie was to 90
over the road the next day but one.
He produced an envelope and handed
it to me, saying as he did so:
" There, Bill, are your orders, direct
from the superintendent, with his own
signature attached. Read them care
fully, and obey them to the letter, for
little mismove might cause a great
loss to the company and cost you your
position"
:" shall do my duty to the very let
ter | replied.
g am sure you mean to do so,n said
the agent, but you cannot be too care
ful. Some of the members of the light
fingered profession are smart as light
ming. The plans they can't devise
amt worth thinking of, and they are
as fertile in eXpedient as the evil one
himself. l thought I'd just put you on
your guard in friendly way, and"
There was slight sound at the door.
Ii the depot hadn't been deserted by
everyone except us two, and the switch
engine hadn't been up at the end of the
yard, where we could hear its incessant
putting, don't believe we could have
heard the sound at all. But we both
noticed it at once, and as | looked out
of the Office into the large room be-
yond' saw man standing just inside
the outer door, with his head inclined
toward us as if he was trying to over
hear our conversation. He saw me
about the time | first noticed him. |
knew it from the little start of surprise
he gave as his eyes met mine.
He was all over his surprise in min
ute, for he drew his face down to an
expression of the utmost unconcern,
and came boldly forward to the win
dows of the Office through which the
agent always transacted any business
he might have with persons without.
He was very fair-appearing man,
apparently about forty, though he
might have been a little older. He
was dressed in black, and, wearing a
high hat, he might have passed very
well for one of the cloth if his nose
hadn't been Just trifle luminous. The
other popularity / noticed about the
man was that he had queer sort of
red looking eye. 1t appeared fixed and
staring, and as he came nearer con-
cluded it was glass. 1t was so strange
and unnatural in its expression that |
thought | should know it if / should
see 1t peering at me over the wall of
China.
is there a small package here for
isaac u. Van Scoter," he asked in a
business-like way, in answer to the in
quiring glance of the agent.
The agent referred to one of the BIG |
registers on the desk, and answered in |
the negative.
"Queer," said the man with the red |
eye. I" 1t ought to have come yester-
day Have you read the EUening
ChrOnicleg'
And after this abrupt interrogation
the stranger stood quite motionless.
eyeing the agent intently for as much
as minute.
We both answered "No."
The man took paper out of his
pocket and spreading it open before us,
put one OF his slender forefngers upon
the following paragraph:
FATAL ACCIDENT afternoon as two
men, named respectively Henry Van seoter
anu =, n, urlggs, were at work ehopping
timber In the pineries near Scranton. a tree
fell upon them, killing Van Scooter Instantly,
and inlieting injuries upon the person OK
6nggs from which he died In less than an
hour Ihey were residents OF c., and Il is
lnaerstooo thelr remains will be taken 10 that