Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-07-01
RAILWAY PERIL.


a man to travel in a compartment Of Eu.
ropean railway car in company with an
unknown woman and no other person
However dangerous this may be, men who
travel in our crowded saloon cars are by nc
means free from danger. There are women
who travel merely in order to get rid oi
superiuous infants. Their method is a very
simple one. The mother, or woman TO that
elect, asks az unsuspectipg man to hold
her baby for moment while she leaves the
train on some preteXt. OF course she never
returns, and the unhappy mans existence
is blighted By IL fortuitons infant.
This is IL terrible danger. and one from
which no man is safe who travels in any
American railway car except the smoking
car.
The Rev. Mr. Mctircgor, u most csti-
mable young and unmarried Clergyman,
had heard of the wicked practices of women
travelling with infants, and when some days
ago he took the Harlem river train at Albany
for New York he was made rather uneasy
by woman with q baby who took a vacant
seat beside him.
In course of time the woman fell into con-
versation with him, and, as she professed to
be an earnest churchwomau, and conducted
herself like 81 lady, his fears gradually sub
sided, and he even offered to hold the baby
for Il few moments.
When the train reached Poughkeepsie
the baby was sound asleep, and the mother,
remarking that she would try to get some
milk for it, left it in charge of Mr.. McGreg-
or while she went TO the retreshment room.
lie watched anxiously for her return, but
she came not 1t was nearly time for the
train to start when he caught sight of her,
as be thcnsl.: stepping on board the north
bound train. Hc isvSr.1 insv:sss.,- perceived that
it was the wretche'l woman's intdnti. !sso
abandon her child, anI he determined not
to hc made 4 victim. so, scizin:s the baby
and the woman's travelling bay he sprang
on the northcrn-bound train just as it was
leaving the station and heean an indignant
scach for the mother.
He found her, as he supposed, and with n
fervid dcnunciition of her conduct placed
the baby in her lap. The astonished wom-
an denied the slightest ownership Of the
child, and called on the conductor for pro-
tcction Mr.. McGregor had made Il mis-
take. The woman of the north. bound train
was not his fellow passenger from Albany,
although she somewhat resembled her in
appearance.
She had travelled from New York, and
the conductor, who had pumccd her ticket
OH the way up, assumed that Mr.. McGregor
was either drunk or crazy, and ordered him
to so into another car. Convinced by this
time of his mistake, Mr. McGtregor begged
the conductor to stop the train, but the
latter refused. 1t was the fast express,
stopping only at Poughkeepsie, and the un-
happy Clergyman saw himself compelled TO
pay mis- fare and to carry the stolen infant
aud bag back to Albany.
The horror Of his situation overcamc him.
He sank into q seat, and tho little one,
waking up. began TO demonstrate. He let
it cry, needless of the indignant glanccs of
the passengers. \ kind hearted woman
finally quieted the child, and the conductor
informed Mr.. McGregor that he was Il brute
rs well as Il scoundrel.
Az Albany the wretcbcd man stepped of
the train into the arms OLA policeman, who
arrested him for theft and abduction, and
escorted him to Jail. The Clergyman of
course was able iii time to explain the
matter but his reputation was ruined. He
,eceivca telegram from his wartlens that
~. need not return TO his church.
He fled 10 the far West, where he now
earns IL living as a bookkeeper, and always
rides in the smoking or baggage car when
ever lie has occasion to journey by rail-
n. \. Times.