Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-06-13
THRILLING STORIES.
In a Locomotive Cab With a Mad
Engineer.
A Struggle to the Death---A Blood Freez-
ing Race Ahead of Wild
Engine.

Engine.
Twas 10 my Lecond year Of my appren-
ticeship as fireman on No. 63 OF the C'a-
ciDnsii Hamilton and Dayton road, when
cot such a setback one night as few ire
men ever lived through. The incident
bsppened stout fifteen years ago, but every
feature of it comes to my mind as clear as
if the affair occarred last night. My en-
pineer was named Bob Ripley. He was q
iovisI, vhole-souled fellow, never going be-
hind plass of beer, and was known oil
along the line ss o sober and trusty man.
We'll, all of sudden, bsd luck struck
him He had little home, which was
taken away by land shark. He LETT Gin,
c;nrsti one niaht for Toledo on his usual
rnr and returned to find his wife dead
She had some heart trouble, and diea witn'
ont a moments warning. Within q fort
night his boy baby sickened and died ana
that left Bob without home or family ten
con II made an awful change IN him. DE
was of for two or three weeks, and When
be came back to the cab | could scarcely
recognize him. He had Wild look to his
ewes a strange sound to his voice, and ne
was 40 sullen and morose that almost
feared 10 speak 10 him on matters OF ousi-
meas. made two or three trips with nim'
and but for the fear of hurting his feelings
| should have made application to be
changed.
II was the third or fourth trip after ne
returned to the road when we lett Cincln-
natl one November night for the north. IL
was a wild, stormy night, and as we got
out into the country | caught Bob smillng
and chuckiing. The wildness OF the night
scanned to strike responsive chord IN his
soul. Old '63 seemed 70 be in uncommon
snirits, TOO, for she WAS sliding right along
with heavy train and making no fuss over
it. | made some remarks about 1t, out
Bob made no reply. Indeed, he acted as II
he were alone in the cab. l didn
like the situation DIT, iot
| bad suspicion that he WASH
oaite right in his head. and he was also
squirting her beyond schedule time. We
were to pass a side-tracked accommoda
ton about thirty miles out OF Cincinnati
She ought to be in eight minutes ahead OF
our time but 63 was overreaching schedule
time 40 fast that feared collision. The
conductor had his eyes open, however ano
at a stop about twenty miles out ne came
forward and cautioned Bob to slow bel
down. We had overresched five minutes
in that short run. Bob answered surly
enough, but as we pulled out again he
obeyed orders and checked her down to
lose the extra minutes gained.
We had passed the siding all right WheI
| noticed that his nervousness Increased
lie would whistle for crossings where none
existed, and he would toot suppositiou'
cattle off the track. Once seeming 10 lg
more my presence all together, he opened
the furnace door and piled in the fuel, al
though we were carrying more steam than
| had ever seen on
At Hamilton was fully resolved to speak
10 the conductor if be came forward ano
gave ME opportunity, but he did not. II
was when returned to the cab after oiling
up that Bob looked up at me with q start
as if surprised to see me, and said;
Jim, I'm thinking OF them"
ayes, Bob, but they are better of, !
soothipgirgly snid. You must bear uF
like q man. Its sad enough, God knows
but you must meet it bravely.
Did you see-V
"Whst?" | asked as he suddenly checked
himself. :.
He did not answer. He looked at his
watch, signslled me to ring the bell, and II
q moment more we were oil The night
wns growing wilder, and we were
not ten minutes out OF Ham
iltop when made up my mind that there
was trouble close at hand. Bob turned tc
look ct me now and then in way to prove
that he meditated evil, and from the way
he kept the whistle going the passengers
behind must have supposed the track TO BE-
swarmipg with living distractions. We
were about half way to Dayton and | just
replenrshed the fire, when Bob suddenly
gave her all steam. 1t seemed to me as II
old CO took a clean jump Of ten feet as she
felt the extra steam, and shouted my
alarm. The words we're hardly uttered be
fore he was upon me.
"You'v got to die with me-" he scresm
ed "a he clutched my arms, and I'm moi
exagperating bit when tell you that his
ewes looked like Goals Of fire.
was by far the stronger man OF the two
but in his FIRST rush he dashed me about il
q dreadful way. aud had almost pulled me
to the steps before | called up my muscle
Then l did my best to save him. BE
was bound to 20 of, and
was bound to prevent and, as We pulled and
tugged at each other, the train was run
ming 80 close to mile minute that none
Of the passengers cared 10 reduce the frac-
ton. think our struggle lasted about five
minutes. | was gradually drawing him
back into the tender, and was wondering
how could secure him, when he suddenly
shnt his teeth on my right wrist aud BIT
aud tore like dog ! hal to lie. go my
clutch, and as did no he turned and
Ieaped of, utteripg cry watch rang in my
GERS for weeks after.
1t was high time the steam WAS shut of.
AsI afterward learned, every passenger
was hanging on and praying to heaven, for
TIL, dntlsst Of them knew that something
had happened on the locomotive.
thought her to stand still as soon as pos
sible, and when the conductor reach the
cab we backed up TO look for poor Bob's
body. We found it sbout two miles back,
and it was shocking sight, Re bad
struck stump head irst, and head snd
face were simply bloody mass Of flesh.
] ran the train into Dayton, and we had
scarcely come TO standstil before was
seized with chill aud hsd to be helped to
the hobl. l was just clean broken down
under the mental strain, and it was plump
six weeks before | crept ont Of my bed. |
was determined never to epfoot on On en-
| .-ko, baaI,h hank ook N, q,