The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-04-04
AFTER KILLING A MAN.
How Engineers Feel Over the Deadly Work
of the Locomotives.
TDk,


The other night when the Western express
arrived at the Broad street station from New
York, Engineer Vande GRIT discovered blood
trickling down the spokes of the COW catch
er. He knew that some deadly work had
been done, but was at loss to tell when
and where it had occurred. He told Harry
Feaster, the conductor of the train, what he
bad discovered, and Immediately word was
telegraphed ell along the line to make search
for anyo one who might have been struck by
train. Shortly after midnight the dead
body of a man was found near Bridesburg
Station with the head crushed in. In the
meantime the conductor and the engineer
had gone to their homes. Conductor Harry
Feaster told fellow-conductor the next day
that he he had passed sleepless night, and
the engineer reported similar experience.
An old engineer said to q Press reporter
the other day: The public, taking them
collectively, think that an engineer is hard
hearted wretch, and that he thinks no more
of running over a human being than he
does of killing cow or hog. I've heard
people say that we become hardened to ii
and don't mind il bit; but that's mistake
and very grave one. | remember killing a
man some five years ago, and | know that
couldn't sleep for month, except by fits
and starts. | used to have the most horrible
4
''One night" continued the old engineer,
as he shifted his quid of tobacco, 81 had a
horrible dream. That was an awful night.
My wife woke me up. | had my hand on
the football of the bed just as If had hold
of the throttle, and the beads of preparation
we're standing out all over my face. My wife
told me how l had yelled, For Gods sake,
jump!'and how it had awakened her; and
then she sprang out of bed shaking with
nd M ha IN
where 1 was, / told her of my dream. It's a
mean thing to accuse us of not mindiDg
killing people," said the engineer, as he took
his oil can and started to oil bis engine.
Not long ago, Engineer Edwards Knowles
stood examining his engine at Broad street
station; he had just brought the "0wl'' train
from Jersey City. There was busy scene
all about him. two Southern expresses and
two Western trains were standing in the
station. 1t was Just o'clock in the morn
ing, and very sharp biting, chilly dawn
baggage porters and men laden with great
bundles of Philadelphia morning papers,
fresh from the press, were hurrying To the
trains. The electric light was splitting and
Kissing, and casting weird, fantastical shapes
and shadows about the engineer. who stood
apparently gazing at nothing. A Press re-
porter opened conversation with Engineer
Knowles, and after a good deal of talk be
the hub of driving wheel:
I've been running for ten years, and
never met with mishap until short time
ago, and then every thing seemed 70 come
all at once. 1 killed an old peddler at
Princeton Junction one day. He was cross
ing the track by the station in his old wag-
on. l think he must have been asleep, for
be paid no attention to the whistle when
blew, and of course he was killed outright.
The old fellow was well-known in Trenton.
Then struck a man over in the meadows,
and right on top of that l killed man of
Newark"
Another engineer out in the West Phila-
delphia yard told a reporter be knew of a
few instances where engineers had gone
crazy from killing people with their engines.
~ knew a poor fellow" said the engineer,
who was on the New Jersey Central. He
killed woman up by Clinton one night,
and that night | heard him tell the Train
master, Billy Smith, at Elizabeth, all about
it. He seemed to grow insane right there,
and had queer look in bis eye. A week
after that he was put in a strait jacket, and
he's in Insane Asylum o-day, nothing
short OF a manic, and that happened nearly
fifteen vasre apO