The National tribune., 1885-01-01

might have overcome immediate opposition by
! the use of our firearms our triumph would
have been the signal for close and terrible
| chase.
The daring GOODNESS of Andrews removed all
embarrassments. While men are hesitatirg
and in doubt boldness and promptness On the
part of an opponent are almost sure to carry
| the day Ceasng to address the switch h-tender,
Andrews walked hurriedly into the station,
and with the truthful remark that he had no
more time to waste took down the key and
began to unlock the switch. The tender cursed
him terribly, and called for some to arrest him.
The crowd around also dsliked the action, and
began to hoot and yell but before any one had
decided as TO what ought to be done Andrews
had unlocked and changed the switch, and
waved his hand for the engineer to come on.
| 1t was an inexpressibe relief when the cars
| moved forward and the sounds of strife died
| out As soon as the locomotive passed to the
main track, Andrews tossed the keys to the
ruffled owner of them, saying, in his blandest
manner, Pardon me, SIR for being in such a
hurry, but the Confederacy can't wait for
| every mans notions. You'll find it is all
right" and stepped on board his engine. The
| excitement gradually ceased, and no thought of
pursuit was entertained until startling intelli-
| gence was received a few moments later from
| Big Shanty.
| DelOTe tne beTTlDie struggle aDONc
| Kingston, it will be well to narrate the opera
tions Of the persons whose train had been so
unceremoniously snatched from them at Big
| Shanty. From printed accounts published
contemporaneously by several of those engaged
| in the pursuit, as well as from personal re-
| sponses to inquiries made regarding the most
material points, the writer is confident he can
| tell the strange story without essential error.
1t is a striking commentary on the promptness
of the seizure, that the bystanders generally
| reported that only eight men, instead of 60
| had been observed to mount the train.
William A. Fuller, conductor, Anthony
Murphy, manager of the State railroad shops at
Atlanta, and Jefferson Cain, engineer, stepped
off their locomotive leaving it unguarded save
by the surrounding sentinels, and in perfect
| confidence took their seats at the breakfast
table at Big Shanty. But before they had
tasted morsel of food the quick ear of Muir
ply. who was seated with his back towards the
window, caught the sound of escaping steam,
and he exclaimed, Fuller, who's moving your
train?" Almost simultaneously the latter,
who was somewhat of a ladies man, and was
bestowing polite attentions upon two or three
fair passengers. saw the same movement, and
sprang up, shouting, Somebody's running off
with our train!" No breakfast was eaten then.
Everybody rushed through the door to the plat
form. The train was then fully under way, just
sweeping out of sight around the first curve.
and Cain, Come on J" and started at full run
after the flying train! This attempt to run
down and catch a locomotive by foot-race
seemed so absurd that as the three, at the top
of their speed, passed around the same curve,
they were greeted with loud laughter and
ironieal cheers by the excited multitude. To
all appearances it was foolish and hopeless
chase.
Yet. paradoxical as the statement may seem,
this chase on foot was the wisest course possible
for Fuller and his companions. What else
could they do? Had they remained quietly In
camp, with no show of zeal, they would have
been reproached with negligence in not guard
ing their train more carefully, even if they
were not accused with being in league with it's
captors. As they ran, Fuller explained the
situation and his purposes to his companions.
They had neither electric battery nor engine.
Had they obtained horses, they would neces-
sarily have followed the common road, instead
of the railroad, and if they thought of that ex-
pedient at ALL it would be as distasteful to rail-
road men as abandoning their ship to Sailors
and they preferred leaving that course for
others. 1t would have been wise for those who
could think of nothing else to do to ride as
mounted courierS to the stations ahead; but
whether this was done or not / have never
learned. Certainly it was not done so promptly
as to influence the fortunes of the day.
But the truth is that Fuller and Murphy
nature Of the event which had taken place.
They had been warned to guard against the
escape of conscript deserters from that very
camp; and although they would never have
suspected an attempt on the part ef the con-
scripts to escape by capturing their engine, yet
when it was seen to dash of, the thought of
this warning was naturally uppermost. Even
then Fuller conjectured that they would use
his engine only to get mile or two beyond
the guard line, and then abandon it. He was
therefore anxious to follow closely in order to
find the engine and return for his passengers
at the earliest moment possible Little did he
anticipate the full magnitude of the work and
the danger before him. That any Federal SOL
diers were within 100 miles of Big Shanty
never entered his mind or that of any other
person.
For mile or two the three footmen ran at
the top of their speed, straining their eyes for
ward for any trace of the lost engine which
they expected to see halted and abandoned at
almost any point on the road. But they were
soon partially undeceived as to the character
of their enemies. About two miles from the
place of starting they found. the telegraph
wire severed and a portion of it carried away.
The fugitives were also reported as quietly oil
ing and inspecting their engine. No mere de-
serters would be likely to think of this. The
two actions combined clearly indicated the
intention of making long run, but who the
hundred yards from this place party of work
men with hand-car was found, and these
most welcome re-enforcementS were at once
pressed into the service.
Fuller's plans now became more definite and
determined. He had good hand-car and
abundance of willing muscle to work it. By
desperate exertions, by running behind the
car and pushing it up the steep grades, and
then mounting and driving it furously down
hill and on the levels, it was possible to make
seven or eight miles an hour; at the same
time, Fuller knew that the captive engine, if
held back to run on schedule time as the re-
ports of the workmen indicated, would make
but 16 miles per hour. Fuller bent all his
thoughts aud energies towards Kingston, 80
miles distant He had been informed OF the
extra trains to be met at that point and was
justified in supposing that the adventures
would be greatly perplexed and hindered by
them, even if they were not totally stopped.
Had the seizure taken place on the preceding
day, as originally planned, he might have de-
SPARED, for then the road would have been
clear. Yet he had one other resource, as will
appear in due time, of which his enemies know
nothing.
Fuller did not pause to consider how he
should defeat the fugitives when he had over
taken them, and he might have paid dearly for
this rashness. But he could rely on help at
any station, and when he had obtained the
means Of conveyance, as he would be sure to
do at Kingston, he could easily find an over
whelming force to take with him. This Sat-
urday was appointed as a general muster of
volunteers. State militia, and conscripts and