The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-12-27
TELEGRAPH TALES.
[sianey Geb.l Letter in N. 7. Tinnes.l

totaHty l4seO-J Letter IN y. 4. llMes.l
Several old telegraph operators met
here recently, and IN the course OF q
long conversation told some of their ex-
peHences on the frontier. One Of them
began by recalling the great bullion rob-
berry at this place. It was at noon,
and most Of the depot and stage hands
had gone across the yards to dinner.
As the operator sat in the telegraph
Office alone two men presented them
selves at his door and demanded admit
tance. Both had revoiyers. He jumped
up and let them in, and they quickly
bound and gagged him. Believing that
he was safe, they disappeared, and he
saw no more of them. As soon as they
were out of sight he managed to get to
his instrument, and by lying down on
the table found that with one of his
hands he could reach the key. 1t was
difficult work, but by degrees he i'm
proved his position until finally he
raised the Cheyenne Office and commu
nicated the fact that a robbery was in
progress. The operator at that point
kept him posted as to the proceedings
there, and in a few minutes he was graf
ified to hear the intelligence ticked over
the wires that the superintendent and a
party of detectives were en-
route for Sidney on spec
ial train. The distance was 102 miles,
but the run was made so rapidly that
the people Of the town were hardly
aware of the robbery before the train
dashed in. The operator had by that
time been released, and it was found
that the thieves, who had been secreted
under the depot, had come up through
a hole in the floor made by removing
board The bullion weighed about 500
pounds, and, as it was thought that
they could not have carried it far, q
Before night the greater part of the gold
was found in a hole under the depot,
and the remainder was discovered in an
adjoining al-shed, where it had been
dropped. The thieves got away with
only about $13, 900 in currency.
Another operator remarked that he
was the man who discovered the Oga-
lalla train robbery. He was in charge
of the little Office at Kearny. He had
had very stupid afternoon, and as the
day was miserable without, he dozed
more or less. He tried to read, but
after It became necessary to light the
lamps he found this occupation distaste-
full, and as no one came in he leaned
forward, placing his arms on his table
and his head upon them
II must have slept soundly for a
while, he said, for lost myself en-
tirely for an hour or two, but pre- ntly
I had an indistinct impression that
some one was calling for as
sistance. In my dream it
seemed to me that / could hear
the cry Help Help!' and that was
powerless to render any assistance
Finally | sat bolt upright with nervous
feeling as if something terrible had hap
pened which ought to have preyen ed.
{ rubbed my eyes and lool: around
sleepily. The depot was empty. It was
dark outside, and the rain was falling.
I stepped tothe door and looked out for
a minute, but heard nothing. The I
went back to my desk, filed and lighted
my pipe, and began to read. My eyes
had just fallen on the page when my in
strument sounded once or twice very
| feebIy. | looked at it closely. 1t
ticked again almost inaudibly. Some
| things the matter, thought I. |
got up, and leaned over the sounder
| and listened. could just catch the
| faintest click, as if a child might have
been playing with key somewhere.
While listened, began to comprehend
the nature of the message that was be-
/ ing sent coald not catch all the let
ters, but got enough after listening to
it dozen times, to make out this much:
Ogalalla, Ogalalla. Help, help 1t
flashed upon me all at once. The over
land train was being robbed, or had
been robbed / grabbei the key, and
let everybody have it from Cheyenne tc
Omaha. There was some lively tele.
graphing there for time. They sent en-.
gines out from two or three points, and
got to 0galalla in time to scare
the robbers off. You see was
| q good deal further off than q
dozen other operators, but some
how | was the first one that caught
on. The way it happened was this
The robbers came into the depot at Oga
lalla about an hour before train time
and bound and gagged the operator
After they got him fixed they sa'
around and waited When the trair
drew up they left him, and he imme
diately got himself in position where
he could use the key little. The boy!
who saw him say it was q mystery how
he ever did it. His legs were tied twice
and his arms were pinioned behind him
so that it was almost impossible to NOV,
even the fingers. The fact that coul(
not catch two consecutive letters until
had heard the message ten or tWelvi
times shows how faint the stroke was
It was the queerest experience of m.
life.
A third man said he had seen goot
deal of service. on the border. and hat
had good many adventures, only on
of which ever impressed him much
Down at Granada, on the Santa Fe road
when it was first opened, he had had {
circus all one night with party of rob
bers. The country was then yer,
dangerous one, and the management
was in continual fear of despei ADDE'S.
i was in the Office in the evening,
he said, getting ready to close up
when four or FIVE hard men came in
They didn't say much at first, bu
seemed to be looking the ground over
We were always on the lookout for tha
kind of chaps, and as the machine wa
ticking, I pretended That somebody wa
asking me question. I laughed a lii
tie. and, seizing the key, ] broke i
! with Everybody Don't stop. the es
press at Granada tonight, whethe
signalled or not Robbers here. The
eyed me sharply, but said nothing Th
sounder kept up a merry click, and
leaned back in the chair. They foole
around for half an hour. and then on