Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-07-18
On the Trail.
BY ]. P. JOHNSON.

a large iron making town, and for
upward of twenty years have had
the care of populous colliery
district. The peculiar avocations
Of the people supply ample dis
guise for criminals in hiding.
Who would look for a runaway
clerk in the black face and coal
stained garments OF q collier, or
in the g1ise Of laborer in the
iron shed? 1t may be assumed,
therefore, that many a strange
incident has come under my notice
in the course Of so long q service,
and some of these / may occasion
ally present to the public, One
in particular | remember well as
practically illustrating a remark
made in the Times on the convic-
ton of Muller, that crimes of a
conspicuous character are gener-
ally committed by class that is
least suspected. I was called one
evening to quell a disturbance
between several Golfers and a
party Of Irishmen. The golfers,
It appears, maddened with drink,
had assaiied the latter, driven
them into dwelling, and would
speedily have killed one or more,
but for the opportune arrival Of
the police.
The night afterward I received
note from the railway authorities
that a coal train had been thrown
off the track By some miscreant
or other, who had placed sleepers
along the rails. Knowing that
GOLFERS working at a distance
invariably returned BY these
trains, and remembering the
struggle OF the night before, | at
once concluded this to be an
attempt at Irish revenge, and
pursued my investigation accord
ingly.
A few nights after, another
coal train was thrown off the rails,
as, in the former case, however,
without harm 10 the men; but
this second attempt spurred me
on, SO that certain suspected Per.
sons we're speedily in custody
But 1 soon found that these were
not "my men," 1t is useless fol
me to expatiate on the unerrine
signs by which Innocence invaria-
4biy asserts itself. The Irishmer
we're violent men in their cups
but mcst certainly incapable of tht
atrocious net OF which they were
accused.
Scarcely had a week passed
when the whole neighborhood
was thrilled with horror. At {
distance of twelve miles from the
town where / live there was an
other town, to which our trades
men resorted in numbers every
Wednesday to market. In the
evening, the last train, as usual
bore its numerous passengers tc
their homes. 1t was in the sum
mer time, and merrily they
dashed along the rugged bank Of
mountain river, winding il
among the hills. But soon the
picture was changed; turning Q
curve in full career, the engine
left the rails, and cutting deeply
into the embankment. rolled on
its side, fortunately having con-
tinued Just sufficient time in
progress to break the shock of the
carriages. There was an q vfu
cry OF lamentation, q wild med
ley, a hurried scene, men and
women seeking to Chamber through
the opening above the locked
doors, too intent on personal
safety to think OF anything else
Most were bruised, and all were
frightened. While messengers
we're dispatched to the nearest
station, others searched along
the route for the cause of the
mishap. 1t was soon found. The
scene Of the accident was curve
and the rail nearest to the river
had been forcibly removed. The
miscreant-for it was soon seen
that a villains hand had been
there-had fortunately beer
ignorant OF mechanics. He hat
taken up the rail by the ravino-
for I have omitted to mention
that there was q steep precipic'
at this point--and naturally
thought the train with its load o
human life, would have tumble
over. The rail next to the rive
was the "safe' one, and SO tn
engine simply plowed alonI
toward the scarp OF the noun
tain.
When the details OF this luck
seoona raacbed mo 7 felt that m