Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-12-04

! been livin' in ST. Joe for nigh onto twenty
year and | never heerd of no Col. Pike
ooh, yes" said, CHS Office is in the
Monroe block and he says he's well
known"
"The Monroe block, ell !? Wa-al, the
| Monroe block was burnt daown about
| fifteen months ago and amt been built
up yet. 1t warn't there last week, any
| how
A look of insolent triumph passed over
the conntenance of the ring claimant,
who once more demanded that | should
return his property to him. | must con-
fess that felt perpexed. certainly had
given u diamond ring to II man who called
himself Col. Pike, of St Joe, and who
had unaccountably disappeared. The
conductor shook his head doubtfuly and
winked at me to convey the idea that he
did not believe the young mars story |
scarcely knew what to say. "What was
the ring like ~ | asked.
"a large diamond encircled by small
diamond stars, and TWO wires, one OF them
broken, to hold the setting on the finger
was the immediate response.
That's the article handed to'--I was
going to say Col. Pike-"to wcll-dressed
man with IL black mustache."
Had he on "A blue scarf with small,
white spots ?" the conductor inquired
| remembered that he had
Il know the fellow he was in the last
car. He had a ticket for Kansas City |
have missed him for the last hour"
That man." said, has the ring. Here
is my card am financially responsible,
but don't see what can do against u
smart thief like that
81 know the thief" exclaimed the young
man, shaking his fist in my face YOU'RE
the thief ~
| controlled myself once more. | am
very powerfully built, am over six feet in
| height, an excellent amateur pugiliSt, and
] tlrnllUh
boastful remark but have yet to expert
ence the sensation of physical fear. This
puny individual, who had insulted me, |
could have punished most severely with
one solitary blow.
There was pause for few seconds,
the conductor spoke addressing the peril
nacious claimant, and holding up finger
in a cautlOnary way.
"See here, young Teller, this kind of
thing has got to stop while you're aboard
| this train. If you want to call gentlemen
thieves wait till you get 10 the point you've
bought your ticket for. Now, I'll tell
you what think of this yarn Of yours
about the diamond ring You can't play
off on me. It's put-up job between you
and this Col. Pike-a blackmailing scheme,
| Don't believe You ever owned Il real dia-
mOnd ring in your life. You look like Il
duck who'd wear $4,000 jewelry. This one
we've been hearing so much about is, I'll
bet 81, bogus, so you just go and take
your seat and keep quiet"
Within the next ten minutes so terrible
an occurrence took place that can scarce
| ly remember every detail of what passed
after the conductors speech. moved to-
wards the smoking car with my pipe in
my hand, intending to resume my old
place. When ! reached the platform OF
the car next to il felt a nervous, bOny
hand on my shoulder. | turned and saw
the loser of the ring His teeth We're
/ ola nj hn RI I,t,
keep your hands off me- | said, dis
engaging myself and dropping my pipe in
doing so.
II won't - he yelled You've got my
ring and I'm going To have it,"
now began to get angry ut the fellows
persistency.
LET me pass, or IT will he the worse for
yOu," cried, at the same time Selling him
| by che collar and holding him at arm S
length He was on the platform of the
smoking car. | at the edge of the next
one. The high words and the struggle
CAUSED Il number Of the passengers to
rash ont. They surrounded us. The
train had reduced speed slightly to cross Il
bridge over a rapid river The weight OF
the locomotive was just on the rails OF the
structure. There was II fughtful, crash
| ing shock followed by an appalling bump
| | clutChed at something to save myself,
The car on the platform Of which ! stood
hung over the bank of the river resting
against the trunk OF 4 tree, while the ell
CINE, baggage car and smoker were lying
III a confused heap below in the water
having fallen sixty or seventy feet, killing
or manning some thirty human beings
Flames burst out from the wreck. The
remainder OF the train had jumped the
track, the passengers III the coaches being
by a miracle unhurt. The bridge had
suddenly given way, and my assailant
who had caused me 80 much ANNOYANCE
could see as held on to the rail of the
platform, in Il ShapcleSS lifeleSS mass
with his legs doubled under him on what
was formerly the roof of the smoker
Shall ever forget that day The kissing
steam, the burning wood, the gr1ans o
the wounded and the dying will Away
lingcr in my recollection.
1t was getting dark. Messengers Were
at once sent to the nearest station anC
everybody went down the steep bank tC
bring up the bodies of the charrcd deat
and to rescue those who might be living
The sight when got among the crushed
cars was terrible Broken glass, splinter
and burnt and scorched arms and leg
that had been wrenched from human be
! ings, who Il few minutes ago were full o
health and vigor, protruded in ghastl
manner from the wreck With the hell
of Il brakeman carried up the Amos
lfeless form of the young man who claim
ed the ring ! had found. His heart still
| right arm and leg were broken in two o
three places. His cheek was hOrribl
! lacerated and his skull fractured. | reall
felt sorry for the poor fellow and resolved
I to devote all my attention to him. Wit
I several other of the wounded he was car
, red to the little village of Centervllle an
l then ! anXiously waited for the doctor
/ opinion, who discovered that he had su'
J. tanned all the injuries had mentioned, j
addition to which he was suffering froI
!. conclusion of the brain. They said it wa
e possible for him to live, but his recovery
Il any event would take very many months.
x could not divest myself of the idea that
u in some way had been the cause of h
dreadful misfortune and determine
{ therefore to make all the reparation j
l. my power That same night ! engage
:. comfortable rooms for him and paid tw
u months board in advance. | gave I'll
l. local doctor-a bright young man-S25
. authorized him to secure nurse III
J. draw on me for any additional funds thu
> might be necessary. What troubled II
e more than anything was that | could m
II find the slightest clue to the whcreabOu
% of his friends or relatives, nor could
W even learn his name. ANY papers he Ia
y about him must have fallen IN the rive