The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-06
OBSTRUCTlNG THE MAILS.
Holding Railroad Trains at Bay at the Nozzle
of Hot Water Pump.

Chicago Times
Marcus III. Towle, a wealthy business man and
landowner at Hammond, Ind, was arrested
yesterday morning by deputy United States
marshal from Indianapolis on the charge of OBJ
structing the United States mails and hindering
traffic upon railway. When the Louisville.
New Albany e. Chicago railroad was constructed
that corporation, through Mr. Crawford it's at
torney purchased of Mr.. Towle the width of
sixty six feet through his land for the length of
a half mile or more, paying therefor at the rate
of $1,000 per acre. This land is upon both
sides of the Calumet river. and the connection
of the road is maintained by draw bridge
across the stream. The right of way of the New
Albany line for some distance near Hammond
runs parallel with the Nickel-pi and between
the two roads there is a triangular neck of land
containing one aud seven-tenths acre, which Mr.
Towle insists should have been used by the rail-
road for its road-bed instead of the ground now
in use which is plated in its name and which
the railroad authorities claim was decided to it
regularly by Mr.. Towle. That gentleman has
been anxious that the company should purchase
the little strip between the two railroads named
and pay him ST. 700 for the land. The company
claims that it has no use for this prop
erty, and hence has refused to negotiate
with him. Mr.. Towle is a determined gentle
man, aud he resolved to get even with the
railroad company. He owns tug or two and
several scows. On Sunday morning he deter
mined upon his coup d'etat. He came down the
river in tug and whistled for the draw to open
at one end of the draw and scow was placed at
the other, so that the bridge could not be swung
back in place. Then Mr. Towle gathered together
large force of his employees, and, attaching a
| hose to the hot-water pump on the tug. he was
ready for war il the railroad officials showed any
| desire to remove the Instructions. About 11:30
o'clock the mail train, ell. route for the south,
with its two fast-mail cars, baggage cars and
| several coaches laden with passengers, came
laundering along. It was tagged and warned
L %ho%s t ra,x1d nat khn ~sv kac 49,
| bridge was swung and would not be turned to
| allow the passage of trains In the meantime
| several freight trains had also come as far as
| the BRIDGE but the force under Mr.. Towle
warned the attaches not to attempt to turn the
| bridge The conductor of the mail train held q
| brief consultation with Mr.. Towle, but that
| gentleman insisted that the river bed belonged
to him. and that the railroad company trespassed
upon his land when it swung the bridge, and
that, therefore, it should never be turned again
over bis land. Mr.. W. R. Woodland, the general
| Superintendent of the Louisville railway. was
| telegraphed to, and he telegraphed the situation
| to Mr. Parsons, of the Chicago 81 Atlantic line,
| and connection with this road was made. and the
trains were run in on it.
| Mr. Woodland departed himself for the scene
| Of the trouble, and arrived there early on Sun
| day evening He found the draw in possession
of mob of several hundred men. He called on
| Mr.. Towle. who was on board of the tug, to re-
move his distractions and allow the bridge to be
closed, as he was committing q very serious Of
| Tense in impeding the United States mails in
this way. Mr.. Towle was obdurate, and advised
| Mr.. Woodland and the railway company to go to
| sheol Instead of going there, however, the at
| torneys Of the corporation were consulted, and
the proper affidavits drawn up and the necessary
| information made before United States COM
| missioner at indianapolis Upon this warrant
was issued. and at midnight when
| the train came through deputy United States
marshal was taken on board. The train arrived
| at Hammond at $50 o'clock yesterday morning
| The draw was still open. and Mr.. Towle had his
distractions there, and stood on guard with his
men. The train was stopped and the marshal
jumped of. Dir. TeTle stood beside the loco