Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-09-05

pie of all classes on the platform that
room could hardly be found for them
in the train, However, at last the
headguard gave US the signal, and
Morgan turned tie handle and we
moved slowly and steadily out OF the
station. When we got out well into
the country, Morgan TUNED to me and
said shortly, "More coal"
Now, in my opinion, no more coal
was wanted, as there was quite enough
in the fire to keep up the usual speed.
However, as a stoker, l was only au
underling, and must obey reasonable
orders. So ] stocked as hidden, and
then curiously watched to see If the
engine-drIver would turn on fell
speed. He did nothing of the sort,
but sat with his back to the boiler, and
began to talk to me quite afIably.
Amongst other things, he said he was
quite tired of this perpetual travelling.
and that he meant to look out for a
wife with a little money, and never
set foot on An engine again. tt ere
was nothing at this time peculiar IN his
manner, except that he was more talka-
tive than usual, and he would now and
then turn half round to the engine and
call, "Get on, old girl, get onl' We
had before US a run Of an hour and
ha If, and by that time we were due at
Blinton, a big junction, at which every
train must stop, SO we had plenty of
time to talk.
About an hour after leaving Pad
dington, Morgan stopped suddenly in
the middle of sentence, and said,
well, 1 must get to work now."
Then he opened the fire-box door, and
called out to me, More COAL
I expostulated with him, and pointed
out that we were going at high rate
of speed, and would not need more
coal before Bllnton, but this seemed
to excite him terribly. ''Shovel it in!"
he roared, with an oath; "I'm going to
make her travel"
To pacify him, 1 took up a shovel
full, and managed to upset a good deal
OF it before l reached the dTe-boE.
"You clumsy fooll' he called out;
''here, give it to me-" And snatching
the shovel out of ny hands, he
crammed on as much coal as he could
get in.
al was beginning to get alarmed; and
looking out over the well-knOwn
country-for / had travelled that Jour-
ney many and many a time betOre-I
saw that we were much nearer to Bin
ton than we ought to be at that hour.
However, l thought it did not much
matter, for the line was signaled clear
In front of US. and the damage done,
as yet, was simply little waste OF
coal. In few minutes our speed III
creased enormously, and L calculated
We were travelling at the rate of
seventy miles an hour. l thought IL
was time to demonstrate; and turning
TO Morgan, noticed that the Indicator
showed full speed. / called his atten-
ton to the fact, and begged him to
reduce the speed, or we should Iun INTO
Blinton without being able to stop.
''Ha, hai' he cried in reply. StOpl
I'm never going to stop agaiDl l told
you I'd make her travel. What do you
want TO make her stop forp Get on,
old wench, get on!" Then he burst
into a hideous peal of laughter.
a cold sweat of absolute terror broke
out on me as / realized the state of
things. Here was raving maniac, a
far stronger man than myself, in charge
of a train full of people. 1 bit my lips
and clenched my hands, and tried To
collect my scattered ideas aud decide
what was best ~ be done. Meanwhile
Morgan sat on a rail neaI' the boiler
hourishing a shovel and shouting up
roarIously. The train rushed on with
incredible speed, not steadily and
evenly, but with leaps and bounds that
threatened to cast the engine off the
line at every yard. There was no
doubt the man was as mad as a man
could be, and he was also master of
the situation.
1 made one effort to reach the handle
by which tie steam is turned off; but
the madman was too sha-p for me-
mo you dOn'tl' he shouted. He
brought his shovel down with a tre-
mendous blow on the rail at my side,
Just missing my head. 1t was plain
could do nothing by force. Would
stratagem be of any use?
j looked out to the country, time
was running short, we were not more
than twenty miles from Blipton juno
tion; and If we did not stop there, the
whole train must inevitably be wrecked,
and probably not ono passenger would
escape injury. and but few with their
lives. / looked back to the train.
Outside the windows were hands ges-
tIculating, and frightened, alarmed
faces. At the end of the train, the
guard was waving red flag. Some
| thing must be done, and by me, OF we
would all be inevitably lost. l made
up my mind.
1 turned to Morgan with a smile on
my face, and / said: "Old boy, you re
quite right; this is a fine pace, but it
amt quite fast enough. Look herel''
and l caught him by the arm and led
him to the side OF the engine next to
the double rail. ''Seel' 1 cried; there
is another train coming up faster than
US, and she will pass US; we must go
lot 1a I,F.v
her; lean forward and look. Can you
see?''
The poor maniac stepped outside the
rail and leaned forward TO look for the
| imaginary train, when | gave him a
sudden push and he fell In a heap on
| the side-rails and was killed ON the
spot. With gasp of relief / sprang
back TO the engine and turned off the
steam. 1t was not a moment too soon.
We were well in sight of Blinton juno
| tion before L bad the train properly
under control L pulled up at the plat
| form all right, and then l tainted.
When I came to, was lying on a
bench in the waiting-room, and the
| inspector was standing over me, with
his notebook in his hand, prepared to
take down my statement. What
stated was, that the engine-driver had
! gone mad. and that, to save the life of
the passengers, L had Knocked him off
the engine just in time to get the train
under control before running into the
station. This was corroborated by
the guard and several passengers, and
the case was brought before the solicit
tors of the company. l gave my evI,
dence at the Inquest, and heard nc
more of the matter until one day the
passenger superintendent handed me
ten sovereigns and letter appointing
me statlon-master at Little Mudford
1t was evident the directors condoned
my conduct; and l hope that ny
readers will agree with them, and II
consideration of my having saved /:
train full or people, will acquit me o.
murder, and bring in verdict OF just.
i6able homicide.