The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-23
A rELEGRApHER,s ADVENTURE.


Kidnapped by n Masked Band and Forced to
Cut the Wires for Lot of Thieves.
Tonawanda, N. Y, Special to st. Louis Post-Dis-
tramp, found alongside the Central railroad
track. Thursday morning, horribly manRled
Whether the case was one OF accident or suicide
Is not known. Letters found in the clothing
showed the dead mans name to be William Van
Buren,. aud to-day his history was learned. He
was once expert telegraph operator, but the
latter years of his life spent in disgrace
and cebauchery. and be attributed his downfall
to remarkable adventure which turned the
whole course of his life. He had not been in
Tonawanda for ten years before, but probably
wandered here to seek assistance from q former
associate in the employ of the Western Union
Telegraph Company, from whom the following
story was obtaIned:
One evening in October, 1868 Gen. Arson
Stager who was then general superintendent of
the Western Unions Western division, was en-
PERTAINING party of friends at his elegant home
in Chicago. just before midnight a servant in
formed the host that stranger was at the door
demanding to see him at once, but refusing TO
give his name or business When the General
reached the hall he found Withholding individ-
ual dusty. dirty and ragged, who requested
private interview. Upon close scrutiny the host
discovered the features of telegraph operator
who had served under him in the army during
the rebellion
Evan Buren, was his startled exclamation.
Yes replied the visitor. shat is my name
and you can judge of the importance of nv err
rand by my looks and the haste have made to
get to YOU"
The superintendent hurried Van Buren, into
his library, and the operator LAID before his
chief the details of the remarkable adventure
here narrated. Van Buren, had been for two
years past chief operator of the Western Union
Office at Cheyenne, where he had formed the ac-
quaintance of 8 good-looking well-dressed man
about town named Godfrey Whitman. After
displaying great interest in the subject of cleo
tricty and telegraphy, Whitman one day sug-
gested to the operator the feasibility of making
good. round sum by disconnecting wire be-
tween two repeating stations, inserting an in
strument and telegraphing a ogus news mes
sage which would influence the stock market.
Van Buren, refused TO listen to the scheme and
very afterwards Whitman disappeared
operator was ordered to take charge Of the San
Francisco Office. and he started by the overland
hundred miles out from Cheyenne the
coach was stopped at night by FIVE
mounted men. who claimed to be United
Buren, as deserter He was taken from
the stage prisoner. placed upon horse, and
the party rode rapidly eastward, finally dis
mounting at a log cabin not far from the stage
road. When fire was lighted Van Buren, dis
covered in the leader of the gang his Cheyenne
friend Whitman, who frankly told him what
they intended to do, and that refusal meant
death. Whitman's scheme was outlined at Chey-
enne. to tap the telegraph line, cutting off San
Francisco, and 10 send to New York dispatch,
the copy of which he showed to Van Buren,. The
latter demurred at first, saying he had not the
necessary instruments, but Whitman produced
key, and relay, and a coil of small insulated
copper wire, and Van Buren, was forced to
obey orders One of the men buckled a pair
OF climbers, such telegraph lnemen
use, and short walk brought the party to the
line of poles and wire that stretched across the
continent from ocean to ocean. The climber
held his lantern out over the wire that stretched
westward, and from his perch on the pole cut it
in two with one snip of his shears. It swung TO
the ground and San Francisco was cut off en-
trely from communication with the East Then
he tied. the copper wire to the Eastern line
threw both ends TO the ground and his work
was done. Van Buren, attached the ends of the
copper wire to his relay, showed end foot
into the earth. aud his circuit to Chicago was
complete The bogus dispatch about
hundred words in length. addressed TO ]. w.
Simonton. the New York agent of the Associated
Press. and signed w. Fl. Smith. agent at San
Francisco. 1t recounted briefly the loss by FIRE
OF the steamship New Grenada of the Pacific
Mail Steamship Compapys line, having on
board $50 passengers and over So 000 900 In bars
of gold, when only thirty hours out from port
route to Panama. Further particulars were
promised in the evening.
Van Buren, sent the message and received 10.
K" from Chicago. Whitman explained that
they were acting in connection with a syndicate
of Wall-street brokers, who had "sold short"
20 600 shares OF Pacific Mail stock at 81 The
stock on the news of the disaster. would drop
25 points, at least and before any
recton could reach New York the brokers would
cover their "short" interest and buy 1000
shares more for the rise which would surely fol-
low the discovery of the canard Whitman
promised the operator $50. 600. and said that the
profits for the whole syndicate would be 81, 000,-
900. Van Buren, remained with the gang. close
ly watched, for two days, and then they all
Sc parated TO rendezvous at St. Catharine's Cut
in a month The operator made his way over
the plains, back to the stage route, and
rapidly as possible, by begging and borrowing,
reached Chicago ragged. hungry and penniless.
General Stager listened the recital with
great interest, and informed the operator that
the bogus dispatch received and believed in
Chicago. but that a violent storm along the
lake delayed its transmission to New York until
after the Western line had been renaired. and
news had been received which exposed the frand.
A quiet investigation had been going on ever
since, both at the West and in New York to
ascert ain how and where the dispatch originated.
but with no result until now Afer day or
two Van Buren, was ordered to Buffalo and q
plan formed to reach Whitman and obtain
from him if possible, the names of his principals
in New York. Van wrote TO him at St. Gather
ines and Whitman wired back to come over
and see him He went there several times
Whitman constantly promising, and as con-
stantly breaking bis word. to expose the New
Workers. Nothing would induce him to cross
the line into the United States. and at last he
disappeared much TO Van Buren's discontinue.
Doubts began arise in the minds OF the tee
graph people as to Vans honesty, and some of
them went so far as TO declare that Whitman
the company for . soft job at good salary
while pretending to discover the conspiracy and
bring the cons pirators TO Justice.
Van took to drinking and was finally dia-
charged. He drifted around the country. going
from bad to worse, and az last developed into
the broken-down tramp whose manged BODY
was found. He told his story to few. but ALWAYS
insisted on its fruthfulness and cursed Whit
man as the cause OF all his troubles He never
found . trace Of the latter after his disappear.
SAGE from st. GATHERINGS.
"Reminiscences of salem yvatebcraft