Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-12
IN A SWITCH HOUSE.
DYNAMITE EXPLODED IN THE
ENTRY WAY.


A Passenger Train Due at the Time
Flight of the Operator from the Top
Story Almost Into the jaws of Death
Tho Perpetrator of the Outrage Seen
Fleeing Through the Smoke.
| CHICAGO, Sept. u.-An attempt was
made last night to blow up one of the sig
nal stations of the Lake Shore road at the
intersection of the main track and the
stock yard track. The attempt was so
far successful as to cause several thou
sand dollars damage and disable for
time the working of the machinery by
which the switches, signals and gates for
long distance along the line are turned.
The operator OF the signals was in the
station at the time. but was alarmed by
the smoke, which filled his room, and ran
out just before the explosion and was un-
hurt.
THE OPERATORS EXPERIENCE.
The night operator, named James Cal
vim, was alone in the top OF the tower and
bad noticed nothing unusual, when he
was startled by seeing a column of smoke
arise at one side of the structure. 1t was
bright moonlight, so that he was aware of
the nature OF the cloud, and moment
with binding smoke, which almost sutfO-
Gated him. Calvin started to rush down
stairs to investigate. AS he reached the
landing deafening explosion took place.
THE PERPETRATOR SEEN FLEEING.
At that moment calvin saw the figure
OF a tall, slender man dart awav from the
building and run west toward the stock
yards, where be was lost in the labyrinth
of cars which covered the tracks. Calvin
was thrown to the ground with extreme
force, and his hat was blown off his head
through the window. such was
the force OF the explosion that
a number of tools were lifted
from the floor and crashed through the
windows. Calvin did not lose conscious
ness, and rushed out on the tracks. Off
GERS TOnovar and Costello were on guard
at the time at the Root street crossing.
They heard the detouatIon aud ran to the
tower, where they found Calvin terribly
frightened.
AN INTERNAL MACHINE.
Then a search of the tower was re-
warded by finding a 20-inch piece of shat
tered gas pipe. Attached to it was a
package of something which looked like
cotton which had been soaked In some
kind of dark liquid. Smoke was
co oming from it and bright
sparks were thrown off. A bottle
containing what is supposed TO be an acid
was picked up near by. The door of the
signal tower was aJar, and the danger
Ous explosive had been thrown on the
floor. The explosion shattered all the
glass front of the house. In the cellar
are the batteries used for the electric
signals. There were 100 battery cells in
the room, and of these thirty-four were
broken. The pnuematic tubes used in
signaling were torn and twisted, and the
whole system was utterly ruined. 1t will
take thousands of dollars to repair the
damage.
ANOTHER MACHINE FOUND.
When daylight came another search
was made for more explosives. There is
little shed near the tower. In this a
small bundle, supposed to contain another
explosive, was picked up. 1t was wrapped
In paper and tied with black cord. 1t was
soaked in some substance, and was laid
in an old mattress. The police were
afraid to oDen it, and it was removed to
the town hall. What makes the attempt
more dastardly is the fact that outward
bound passenger train No. II was due
at the tower few minutes after the ex-
| plosiOn occurred.
THE THEORY OF THE POLICE.
The theory of the police is that the
wreckers hoped to blow up the tower, and
when the passenger train came along TO
throw the switch, and thus the train
would have plunged into the mass of
| freight cars. The explosion would have
done greater damage had the door been
| closed after the package was tgnited.
| There were also other attempts to de-
stroy property on the Lake Shore road
last night, one Of which was successful,
the other resulting in the arrest Of the
men concerned in the affair. About 8
| 4
the Illinois Central road train of twen-
ty-eight cars.
THE SWITCH THROWN OPEN.
While these were being taken over the
Root street crossing toe switch was
thrown about after the cars had passed,
causing a general wreck. Fifteen cars
were derailed, and though no loss of lite
or serious damage resulted, the contents
of the cars were badly shaken up.
About midnight John Fagin, an ex-
switcnmau OF the Lake shore road, was
arrested at Forty-third street just as he
was about, it ls charged, TO throw a
switch to deraIl a train drawn by engine
| No. 532. The arrest of Fagin was made
by Pinkerton officer guarding the tracks
at that point.
FAGIN's EXPLANATION.
Fagin was seen in his cell, and ex-
plains as follows: In company with a
man named Murphy, VINO Is also an ex-
! Lake Shore switchman. he was walking
along the tracks, and claims that neither
! OF them noticed the approaching freight
train until it was so close to them that
they were separated by It. He says that
when arrested he was looking under the
train as 1t passed TO see If any harm had
come to Murphy.
CRJTZ,S RAND DEFEATED.