Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-12-03

/ was about to go back to the hotel
when my right hand. beside a rail,
touched fine wire. struck a match,
and, shielding the blaze, perceived that
the copper wire ran into a pasteboard
cuff box, tied securely under cross-tim-
Der. The wire led into the air toward
the hotel.
The brief light was out. There 1
clung, held up by the structure which,
for all its stone, iron and wood, seemed
to almost sway in the gale sweeping down
the canyon. Taking out my pocket knife,
grasped the wire on the outside of the
rail with my left hand, and, with my
right, closed over it the big knife blade.
The outer severed end fastened around
q rail.
You may be sure l carefully united
that box. was tempted to heave it
into the gorge, but reco.lected that such
a course would frustrate my plan to de-
tect and convict those dynamiters. As
II treading path among eggs, started
to return. left that mysterious box in
the summer house to guard against any
spy noting it in the hotel.
BY urgent request the night clerk eau
tiouSly admitted me to the room of the
proprietor. With due precaution, l con
hded in him, He went out and gave the
clerk some instructions in a low tone,
and handed me pass-key. l slyly went
to my room.
The house was still. Suddenly there
rang out an alarm of fire. Soon confu-
sion reigned. Guests were rudely awak-
ened. They hurried out of Windows or
down the stairs. In few minute every
body returned, pale, trembling, and
nervous. The fire had been put out with
not very heavy damage, strange to say
Nobody, fortunately, was hurt. Every
body congratulated everybody on narrow
escapes. To this day there are, under.
stand, only three persons who have
known the origin of that fire alarm.
To any outsider would it not have
been surprising that the occupants of
rooms adjoining mine were more dressed
than Others of the fleeing guest39 Fur
thermorc, my neighbors had scarcely
disappeared for downstairs, till my pass
key, furnished by the proprietor, was
used. If ever an intrusion was justif-
able that was, for quick glance, before
hasty exit, showed me lighted bulls
I III
an open valise. That valise held an cleo
trio battery. Its wires led to another
valise which contained reel from
which led a wire running through space
/ beneath the part ally-raised lower sash
out into the darkness toward the railway
bridge.
| Scarcely had the fire alarm commotion
/ subsided when there was q rumbling
and roar in the quiet night. The New
York night express was nearing Wat
kins Glen station. The bridge watch
man Gang from his shanty, and signaled,
$50 aheadr To what! The ponder
GUS train crept over the bridge. shud-
dered, thinking of what might have
happened.
The coaspirators were hushed. 1
view of the bridge, peering out anx-
iously as the trains lights flashed on to
the doomed bridge. Did any remorse
seize him for the dastardly deed of try
ing to hurl that unwarned train to cer-
tain de!th and ru n? He seized the reel
with one hand to quickly draw in the evil
dence of his crime. With the other he
pre- sed the electric button and speeded
the electric spark to the end of the wire.
! The deyilish contrivance d d not work.
! Before the tiend could recover from his
astonishment the train had passed safely
across the bridge.
With an oath the villain turned as the
door was flung open, and revolvers held
him prisoner 7 he tarantula, when cor
nered, stngs itself. The train wrecker
pushed his right hand into side pocket,
and withdrew it, not holding a revolver,
but something which he swallowed. He
staggered and fell-dead. Prussic acid,
carried for years, had rescued him from
earthly punishment. His partner, next
door, was captured by surprise. He,
too, was fully dressed, but stoutly de-
nie his completely in any crime.
The electric apparatus, wire, Internal
machine, and my testimony convicted
him. He is now visiting Auburn, to be en-
tcrtained by the State for ten years He
turned traitor to the rest of the gang,
and tried to turn States evidence. A
number of rascals had planned to wreck
that train. Several stationed themselves
in the glen below to plunder the debris
and bodies
Ny good luck in frustrating the MUIR
derous design commended me to the rail
road company, and was given lucra-
tive position as some of my reward for
preventing what would have proven a
calamity almost unparalleled in the his
tory of railroads. That cuff box is kept
among the ar.hives of the company.
Come out north of here tomorrow, and
I'll show you hole like cellar dug by
the explosion of its contents 1t con-
tanned enough dynamite and dter-chloride
of nitrogen to have more than accom-
plished its v.llainous purpose.-T. G..
La Moale, in Current.