The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-03-02
AsrRIKING EXPERIENCE.
An Apparently Authentic Case ofPremo

An Apparently Authentic Case OF Premon-
ition.
salem (Mass. Gazette.I
Here is a true story. which contains some
interesting features: Last Friday morning
the 900 train was on its way from Salem 10
Boston at full speed. A man occupied n left
hand seat near the center Of the car, next TO
the window. He was, of course, on that
side of the car that would be nearest 10
any train that might pass on the other trae::
AS he sat there, this speculation, wiesout
any particular cause, entered his head: Sup
pose freight train should pass and piece
oflumber should break away from its moor
ings, and so far project out as TO come tear
ing along the side of the passenger train.
How many passengers between the center
and rear end of the car would have presence
of mind sufficient to jump out of the way on
receiving the warning Of the first collision
at the front end of the carr 1t was not
thought inspired by fear or nervousness,
but simply one of those speculations that
will enter mans mind in moment of
idleness, when he is gliding along in comfort
on a railroad car. The thought passed away
and the man took up his newspaper and be-
gan TO read with mind at ease. No more
than hve minutes elapsed, and possibly not
which challenged tho attention of every
person in the car, and justified the stopping
of the train for moment TO see what had
happened. 1t was found that something
from passing freight train had struck the
passenger car at exactly the point where
the man was sitting who had been indulg-
ing in his speculation about that kind of an
ACCIDENT The window where he was sitting
was smashed in, hole was stove in the side
of the car SO that outside daylight could
come in, the iron-work which supports the
seat at the side of the car was wrenched
from its place and broken and piece of
wood perhaps two feet in length, five inches
in breadth, and half an inch thick or more,
from the passing train, was hurled into the
car either through the window or otherwise,
and fell at the mans feet In fact, there
was wreck right at the point where the
man was sitting. and his coat was covered
with splinters and broken glass. But, not
wthstanding all this, he did not experience
even a scratch, and so quickly was the whole
thing done that he is not even conscious of
experiencing any more of shock than
any other passenger in the train, or, in fact,
of any shock whatever beyound the noise of
the crash 1t was really marvellous escape,
and very strange in view of the passing
thought that had entered the persons mind
few moments previously. The man allud-
ed to was the writer of this paragraph, who
was at first inclined to laugh and joke about
the affair with the other Passengers, but who,
on more deliberate thought, was inclined to
think the circumstances were sufficiently re-
markable to justify this little narrative, not
by way of fostering superstitious tendencies,
which need no special cultivation in the
human mind, but to furnish one more of
those striking condolences of thought and
event that are often so curious, and 10 show
how wonderful may be an escape from
death.