Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-27
Mixed 7hatLightniing
Story of Two Dispatches That
Went Wrong
WITH MOST ASTONISHING EFFECT

great SENSATION was created mere DY Ine sud-
len arrival on a special engine of Train
master Carver, of Mulvane, who almost i'm
nediately proceeded to mop the floor of the
rain dispatcher's office with all that was
mortal of that individual The train master
had cleared the tracks between here and
Mulvane-thirty miles-and ordering out an
sngine, had co ne through in thirty minutes,
getting hotter as he came. What was the
matter nobody could tell, but Sunday the
natter was cleared up and an explanation
given The train dispatcher's name is Frank
Lindwall, and he was only working tempo
rarily for sick operator;
The true cause OF the assault, it is claimed,
was ascertained by Billy Calvin and Fred
Latin, two well known horsemen, calling at
the Western Union Telegraph office to as
certain why telegram which the latter had
sent to the former had not reached its des-
hnation. 1t appears that Calvin was at
Winfield, Kan, negotiating for the purchase
Of trotting mare named Jennie Marvin, an
animal that has shown considerable speed at
the county fairs in southern Kansas during
The past season, but not having sufficient
knowledge OF the mare he had telegraphed
20 Fred Latin, who is remarkably well
pOSlttl ptINiH udti FettlNttl tut itiIO"lnA
telegram from Wichita:
WICHITA, Nov 22-Jennie is all right No on
time. F. l..
Mr.. Calvin had no reason to doubt that
the telegram was from Latin, who would
naturally not wish to put his name to a tele-
gram affecting the reputation of a horse,
with the pos billty OF making enemies for
himself. Calvin accordingly purchased
Jennie Marvin, paying So for her, but
upon trying her found that she was a bad
purchase, being kicker and yer unreliable
as to speed. He accordingly came up to
Wichita to get even with Latin, but the latter
denied the telegram so strenuously that Gal
win postponed his intended vengeance until
| inquiries could be made at tue telegraph
office. The telegram which Fred Lafln sent
was found in the office and was wholly diff
| ferent from the one which Calvin received
| After reading the true telegram Calvin
went away satisfied with Latin, but breath
| ing threats of suit for damages against the
| Western Union Telegraph company. Tie
| agent of the latter, in looking the matter up
| further, discovered that the telegram sent
! by Latin to Calvin had been sent all right,
but had been DETECTED from its true course
somewhere in the city. Having heard of the
| Carver Lind wall trouble he assumed there
| might be some connection between this and
the disappearance of the Latin Calvin tele-
gram. He at once called Carver up and
| found this to be the case.
| Lindwall had, it was learned, received a
| telegram TO be delivered TO Miss Jennie Nc
Phee, most estimable young lady of
Anthony, in this state, who is said to be the
| iDtRpha6 hrjNa of tho traiT nj
en- route from her home TO Topeka Lind
wall was instructed to deliver the telegram
to her on the train when it STOPPED at the
Union station in this city, and also let Carver
know how the young lady was. He did so,
but in the telegram which Calvin received
the "No on time referred TO train No |
insteaa Of the speed o: Jennie Marvin as he
had supposed. 1t appears that Lindwall had
in some way accidentally thrown the ewitch
OF the commercial wire on the board as to
take the place of the one which he intended
TO use, and vice versa. He had thus sent
Lafin's telegram to Carver instead of
Calvin, and, while it would have bean of the
utmost use to the latter, it can readily b.
seen that it was likely to give grave dissatis-
faction coming to trainmsster from one of
his subordnates, with whom lie was not
even on terms of intimacy, and referring to
his fance.
Toe telegram which Mr. Carver received.
and which caused his extraordinary ire was
as follows:
w1cHrrA. Nov 22.-Oid boy. have nothing to Dc
| with Jennie if you take my advice | know heI
well having frequently had her in my sulky
| She has q vilan0uS temper and has more than
once kicked me over the dashboard AT the Abb
| lama fair n Dot char she kieI-aH in
the jaw and landed him in the judges stand
well aware that she is fast, but not profitably
so. She will never bring you in a dollar as the
result of her spurts. Her reputation was bad
before going into Harvey's stable and YOU car
see that she has had hard usage if you examine
her TANKS and back. They are covered with scars
She is regular old skate and can not be lei
alone TO well F. L.
When Mr. Carver had read this telegram
be longed for a process by which he could
telegraph himself to Wichita. But this be
ing impossible, he thought Of the next best
way of reaching there in hurry. 0rdin
airy means were altogether too slow for hi
purpose. He longed ardently for an oppor
tunity to mop the floor with the man whc
had dared to 50 Wiley calumniate his sweet,
heart He was advised by his friends t.
be calm. but the advice fell upon uDheeding
ears He few to the telegraph instrument
and at once gave orders to clear the tract
for special engine. A passenger train wa
side-tracked just after it left-here for Win
field and freight No AZ was ordered held a
a small, station south of Mulvsne
A mogul engine was ordered GU
of the round house, and Mr.. Carver
together with an operator to take the plac
of Lndwall stepped on board. Just te
minutes from reading the LAST word of tn
horse telegram the engine bearing the irat
trainmaster was pulling out from Mulvan
with orders to keep the throttle wide opsr
The locomotive few with lightning speed
but all too slow for Mr. Carver, who leane
far out from the cab window in his haste t
place his hands upon Lindwall. The thirt
miles were passed over in thirty minutes
being about as good time as has ever bee
made on any rBilroad track in America.
Without waiting for the locomotive
come to a full stop Mr. Carver jumped 6
soon as the Wichita station platform wa
reached and rushed with breathless hast
into the room occupied by Lindwall Withou
! a word of explanation he sprang upon tn
latter like an enraged tiger and proceeded I
wipe the cobwebs from off the ceiling all
the dust from the floor alternately wit
Lind wallis body. The latter was wholly III
prepared for the attack, but would probabi
! have been atle to oppose no successful o.
: position to the wild fury of the trackmastt
if be had been looking for him.
As the enraged official went on with b
revenge be referred sarcastically to the g
pressions in the telegram as to kicking me
over the dashboard. having scars on h
banks, ct and he suited the action to tn
word as far as possible.
"a BY this time quite crowd had collected
"a and several policemen among the number
;, These rushed to the rescue of Lindwall, an
a after fierce struggle with Carver succeede
. In holding him until the fearfully punishe
y operator could be borne away to a place {
= safety and needed rest.
When Mr. Carver had time to catch h
breath be nut on a new operator IN Lin'
~ wallis place and gave orders allowing trait
:, on the railroad to be resumed.
:, 1t is hoped that Lindwal will be able
- be out in a couple of weeks. When the N
= lure of the mistake he had made was e
:; planned to him he fully exonerated Trai
. master Carver, and it is understood that
= = will take position on the road as soon
. he RECEIVERS fully.
1T WAS ROUGH ON WILSON.