The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-22
RIsKING HIS LIFE.
Commissioner Dudley's Experience on tn,
Burning Sleeper.

OuuieyS CXper1euC0 on IuO
Burning Sleeper.
National Republican.
Commissioner Dudley, who was on the
Pennsylvania sleeper that burned on the
track four or five hours east of Pittsburg, a
few days ago, has returned to Washington.
Several of the passengers had narrow escapes,
and only one, Jewish drummer by the name
of Samuel Marks, saved his clothing and
valuables General Dudley had only time to
seize his artificial leg, tuck it under his arm,
and drag himself along the aisle toward the
door, keeping his face close to the floor, to
avoid the binding, suffocating flames AS
he reached for his leg, he remembered that
Representative Ben. Wilson, of West Vir-
ginia, who occupied a berth some distance
down the car, was deaf, and the thought
flashed across his mind that perhaps the
alarm might not have aroused the sleeping
man. As he crawled along on his hands,
knee and stump, he felt in every berth,
making all possible speed, but not missing q
bunk in his blind search for Wilson. Sure
enough, there lay the congressman in one of
the berths sound asleep, in the very embrace
OF fiery death, totally oblivious of his
danger The Commissioner shook him Wig
orously, but could not arouse the sleeper
Reaching over the PROSTATE form, he raised
the window, and then, jumping into the
berth, he seized Mr.. Wilson by both shoul-
ders and shook him with desperate earnest
| ness.
For Gods sake give me drink OF water"
feebly murmured the semi-conscious man.
wake upl wake up, l tell youl" screamed
General Dudley in his ear, giving him
| another shaking; "the car is burning up"
Although nearly dead with heat and smoke
the General remained cool, parodoxica as
| the statement may appear, and he knew
that the half stupefed man would be
| quite as apt to go the wrong way
| if he stepped into the passage as the right
way, and feeling by the motion of the
car that the train was coming TO a stand
| still, ne added: "Be quick Jump through the
| window or you will be dead man." He felt
the Virginian clambering through the win
dow, and again placing his face within two or
| three inches of the floor, he completed the
| journey to the doorway in safety, though
| when he fell rather than climbed from the
| platform he was more dead than alive The
car went up like q tinder-box, and two min
utes more there would have been another
! vacancy in the West Virginia congrassi 5nal
delegation. Ben Wilson would have been
burned to crisp. Very few got away with
anything except their night-clothes. Lack
lily, General Dudley's pantaloons were fas-
ried that off in triumph the attachment came
with it. Mr.. Grey was clothed in an abbre-
waited nightshirt and his right mind. Others
were not so we'll fixed.
When burned-out gentlemen met in the
smoker to compare notes and foot up their
losses Mr.. Marks drew a flask from his satchel
and generously drank to the health of his
fellow-passengers He then laid claim to
having lost $165 from his vest pocket.
~
General Dudley's bravery and presence of
mind on the occasion of the burning of the
sleeper recalls another brave deed in his ca
reer. "He was in command of an Indiana
regiment at the battle of Gettysburg" said
the civilian narrator, "and was on the ex-
treme left of the line. In the thick
of the first days fight a confederate
column was discovered moving on his flank
Dudley was ordered to fall back with
his left flank. The only way the command
could be given so it could be understood
was to move the colors back. The first color
bearer was shot dead the moment he touched
the flagstaff. Another brave boy rushed for
ward only to meet the same fate. A third
was shot down. There was wavering, and
Dudley seized the colors to move them back
Down ne went with his right leg shot full of
lead. Struggling to a half-standing posture
he shifted the flagstaff to his left hand, and
extending his right hand ordered his men to
drag him along. They pulled him on his
back over the rough ground for a consider
able distance, his mangled leg leaving a
trail of blood; but the colors came down
no more, although the aim of scores of Con-
federate marksmen was concentrated upon
that point. That was the way Dudley lost
his leg"