Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-11-05
THE COU r TICK ~

a have. OF course q man that travels
much has TO. Cam i. help IT But the
worst case I had to deal with was about
two years ago. OF course you ye heard
Of the case Of Jeffriss against the roadp
MOI Well, II grew out Of the Meedyille.
accident. Never heard 81 the Meedrile
disasterf Well, / declare. 1 thought
everybody had heard 81 that The re
were columns and columns about ii ii
the papers for days. Jimminy, how
the newspaper fellows tried to interview
me! Course knew better than 10 say
anything, but it was pretty hard to get
rid Of the reporters. We'll, il was like
this: was on No. 5, and We were behind
time. Johnnie was a-w hopping her
through for all she was worth. just
this side Of Meedyille the air-break tub
ing snapped, and on went the brakes
quickern'n lightning You see, that's
one advantage Of the air. II anything
goes wrong it don't wait till you need
'en'. but. it justs clamps your train
where she stands. You may risk q
cracked wheel, but you can't monkey
with the air. You've got to fix that
right there or you can't go ahead.
Still it was an unlucky affair for lis.
Well, there's q curve at Meedville, and
we sent back q man with red lantern,
but before he got round the bend down
comes a wild special right on us. It
was down grade, the engineer lost his
head aud jumped, fireman did the same,
and before you could say Jack Robin
son that special had climed half way
through the sleeper. $#. 5,if AS s I'LL
1t was an awful wreck! Halt past 1
in the morning and as black as eats.
Whew! don't care to talk about that.
General thing it's the emigrants ii
front that suffer in an accident, but this
time it was the rich folks in the sleep
ers. Jeffries was one of the killed.
lie was a railroad man who used to be
in Chicago till he got position on the
Central in New York. His family lived
in Chicago, and so he came through
now and then. Mrs. Jeffries sued the
company for 910,0oO--I think it was
$4,000. although they generally go in
for larger amounts. Anyhow the COM
pany claimed he travelled free and held
they were not liable. The company
lost the suit before the jury, but they
carried it up and the higher courts re-
versed the decision, and as Mrs. jeff
ries didn't seem to have money enough
to carry it any further it rested there
against her. Oh, yes, l suppose she
could have got lawyers enough who
would fight the case on spec when she
had one verdict. I don't know the
particulars or why she dropped it; I'm
only telling you just what I heard-that
the case was dropped. Well, mebbe
it's as you say. Perhaps the company
is liable for passed as we'll as for GU
lar tickets; anyhow, I'm giving you
my version on it. You see the con-
ductor that took up the tickets that
trip was killed. was braking then
and whether they got the tickets and
passes or not-well I don't know any
thing about that. They didn't have to
pay for Jeffries, anyhow.
The night after that suit was decided
l came through the sleeper collecting
tickets. In seat No. sat man that
thought was asleep. He had SLOUGH
hat drawn over his eyes. I touched
him on the shoulder. 5$@
Tickets, please" said. He didn't
move, and somehow the moment ]
touched him I felt as If he wasn't a
living man. he ! } 25,,s | .3@, rs. s.
II want your ticket" I said louder.
He didn't seem to breathe or stir, and
I was going to shake him when he
slowly raised his head. I shall never
forget the look Of that face. The
cheeks were sunken and the pallid lips
were drawn back from the teeth that
glittered in the light Of the lamp had
on my arm. His complexion was like
paste, only dark and notified, There
seemed to be bruise or cash on his
forehead, but he had pulled the SLOUGH
hat over it SO as to partially hide it. :.
He handed out soiled coupon ticket,
that had evidently been bought at q
scalper's. Hooked at it suspic;ously.
1t was dated more than year before,
but it was an unlimited ticket and was
good enough. I tore of the coupon to
Chicago, and gave him 4 check.
When I gathered al my tickets, I sal
down in the smoking car to arrange
them and make an entry q the cash.
Oh. that's all right; we do, make an en-
try Of it. II a man takes any Of it, be
takes big risk with il 4 can tell you.
I thought + would take another look al
that coupon. Well. sir, / couldn't find
it! No, sir; hunted every pocket ! had.
Couldn't find . trace 81 II I went
back and met the conductor Of the
sleeper and told him that I had lost :
ticket or else hadn't torniit of. Said
I never knew myself q do such . thing,
but | might have done SO this time, q
the look Of that man had sort Of ratified
me. # \, ri rs 81 55s AN b
ooh, him. said the sleeper man;
we've had = deuce q time with
him. s5Sss5 5,s5. 3s5S 5.s:g @@
y What was the matter
We'll, guess II vas the fault OF the
uptown Office sold lower four twice.
Finally the other fellow agreed to take
lower twelve. Lucky = was empty.
Guess he didn't want q wrangle with
that fellow. Did ron notice how be