The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-08-14
An Expressman Who Survives with
Three Bullets Ia His Head.


An Expressman Who Survives with
Three Bullets ia His Head.
AS a specimen of human vitality, says
the Boston HerdH-a man who seems to
be utterly proof against powder and
bullets-probably North Adams posses
ses the champion of the world. The
Western man, whom the Herald told
about few months since as having sur
vived dislocated neck, and the muir
derer who had to be extinguished on a
Connecticut scaffold twelve hours after
he had pierced himself through the heart,
furnish no more remarkable instances of
the occasional tenacity of life than does
Mr.. Thomas A. Halpine, the North Ad-
ans agent of the American Express
Company. For nearly ten years he has
survived and attended to business with
no less than three large bullets buried in
his head to such depth as to be beyond
the reach and rescue of the most skillful
surgeons in the country. 1t was on the
night of the 10th of January, 1871, that
he was attacked while engaged as an ex-
press messenger between Albany and
Boston, and his assailant was an old
time Boston and Albany baggag emaster
(and subsequently an expressmen be-
tween Springfield and BOSTON,, popu-
larry known as "Yank" Filkins. "On
the evening Named" says Halpine in a
modest way, 81 went to the Office and
made preparations for my usual trip to
Boston. 1t was clear, bright moon
light night, and l was feeling unusually
cheerful and happy, as this was the last
trip in the week, and the next was
my week off. My wife and myself had
promised ourselves several little pleas
ure trips during the coming week, and
as | left home that night l said to her:
This is my last trip, you know little
dreaming what was in store for me.
When / got into the car | found the
stove was smoking, so l opened both
doors to let out the smoke, and they re-
manned open for several minutes. just
as the train started from the depot 1
heard noise, and, looking up, discov-
cred man coming into the car. He
said: Hello! is that you?" At first I
thought it was Woodward, the other
messenger on the route, and 1 inquired:
'Where are you going, Woodward?' He
replied: 'Oh, just across the river 1
had not taken look at him
until this reply, but the unfa-
miliar tone of his voice caused me to
look up again, when l saw he was a
stranger. Upon this L said: 1 do not
know you. never saw you before.
What is your name?' Jones, said he,
land l have run great many trips for
this company Then he inquired,
where do you make your first stopp'
Thinking he was an old expressman,
and a friend of Woodward's, only going
across the river, and without the re-
hottest idea that there was any thing
wrong about him, / turned my head
and commenced looking over my way
bills, when bang went pistol and
down | went. In an instant knew what
Jones was, but it was too late. l was
down and the blood was spouting from
my mouth. My thoughts flew rapidly;
and knew in few minutes we would
be in at the East Albany depot, and l
thought if 1 could get hold of him I
could hold on until we got there. 1
arose on my knees, and, looking up,
saw he was standing right over me with
his pistol pointed at my head. Instantly
l heard the report, saw the flash, and
down went again. While lying on my
back he stopped over, and, placing the
muzzle of the pistol close to my ear,
fired third time. That fixed me, and
was unconscious for few minutes.
When came to the train was standing
still. By tremendous effort got on
my feet, walked to the center of the car
and seized the bell-rope, thinking to
ring the bell on the engine and attract
attention; but | had not sufficient
strength and fell to the floor. l, how
ever, managed to crawl to the door,
which Jones had left open when he
jumped out. l tried to shout, but could
not. just then the engineer was getting
upon his engine, and looking back, saw
my head come out of the door. He
came back and found me insensible. 1
knew that had been shot three times
in the head, and the last shot thought
had blown my head all to pieces. The
remembrance of it is horrible. The first
shot entered on the right side below the
ear and middle of my neck. 1t passed
through and lodged under the left jaw
bone. The second shot entered my
head just under the right eye, and the
third entered my right ear, and none of
the balls have been extracted" When
Mr.. Halpine had somewhat recovered
from the shock he gave description of
his assassin to Conductor Sargent and
Baggagemaster Colson, and few
days afterwards Filkins was arrested.
Suspicion, however, was first directed
to him on account of his movements
and the tracing of the purchase of the
fatal pistol. He was sent to the State
prison, but subsequently escaped. Hal
pine, as already intimated, fully recov-
cred, and experiences no i'll effects from
the cargo of ammunition in his brain,
except in very stormy weather. He be-
lieves, with many others, that Filkins is
yet alive, and family cherishes the hope
OF some time meeting him.