The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-05
A BLOODY DEATH.
Sam Arnold Murdered While
Asleep.
Chastity Freak of a Maniac-He
roic Conduct of Conductor
S. P. Cochran.

From Capt. W. c. Walsh, Treasure
Lubbock and others, who came in on thu
south. bound International express yes
terday morning, The STATESMAN learned
the following particulars of horrible anC
bloody assassination which occurred OF
the train.
HE BOARDS THE TRAIN.
The express reached Hearne at abou
$3.50 yesterday morning, and as 1t slowly
drew up to the platform a heavy bull,
man, who had been silently lounging
about the depot, boarded it, and quietly
took a seat in the ladies coach.
There was nothing unusual about him
Nothing to attract attention. Nothing tC
indicate that he was to play an important
part in fearful and bloody assassination
within the next few hours.
On the contrary, he was very quiet, and
when Conductor Cochran, in charge OF
the train, passed through, he presented
his ticket, which called for Austin, and re.
ceiving his check settled himself in his
seat as if for a snooze.
SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS.
Some four or five miles out of
HearRe the train crossed the Brazos river,
and as it slowly moved over the great
river bridge the man maintained his po-
sition, and possibly was asleep. Just
before reaching Miano he stirred and sat
bot upright.
He frequently gazed out the window of
the car as if watching the fantastic and
ever changing shadows cast by the moon
as it rode high up in the heavens.
At Milano he got up when the train
stopped and went to the door of the car,
but spoke to no one, and when the train
again moved off he returned to his seat.
THE BLOODY TRAGEDY.
A few miles out from Milano he arose
from his seat again, and, passing through
the car, went out on the front platform.
1t was about daylight and the grey OF
the dawn was flushing the eastern heavens
with purple and gold as he crossed the
platform and entered the smoker.
There were very few passengers in the
car and majority of them were asleep.
Seated on one side was Conductor Coch-
ran facing the door through which the
man entered.
On the other side only seat or two
back from the door Sam Arnold, of San
Antonio, the colored porter of the tram,
sat asleep with his head reared over on the
back of the seat
The man who had entered the
car observed the sleeping porter
and in a moment-in the twinkling of an
eye-he drew a revolver and sent bullet
crashing through the brains of the sleep
ing man, scattering them and blood for
many feet down the aisle of the car and
over the adjacent seats.
So unerring and deadly was the shot the
man never moved.
He never even groaned. He died in
stantly.
Conductor Cochran, who had noticed
him enter, could do nothing to save his
porter, the mans act was so unexpected
and his movements so rapid.
DESPERATE STRUGGLE.
After the shot, in a trice, Conductor
Cochran, unarmed, but with courage sub
lime, sprang from his seat and eLdeavored
to clinch with the assassin.
The man tried to shoot him, and
snapped his revolver three times before
Cochran succeeded in getting hold of it.
Then desperate struggle took place for
the mastery, in which Conductor
Cochran's right hand was badly
lacerated. Passengers went to his
assistance, and the assassin was over
come and securely tied.
All this occurred in much less time
than it takes to tell it, and all through the
terrible tragedy and the desperate strug |
gle the tram was in motion, and passen
gers in the rear cars knew nothing of the
bloody affair.
WHO HE IS.
After securing the man he gave his
name as c. w. Waddel, and said he was |
from Corsicana.
. His action and conversation, coupled |
with his sulleu manner, indicates the
maniac, and the passengers all asserted |
their belief that he is crazy.
1t was asserted that at one time he had |
been in the employ of the Central rail |
road company.
At Rockdale he was turned over to the |
officers of Milan county, and the body OF
Sam Arnold was left to be cared for and |
buried.
Waddel, the murderer, talked but little, |
and it was difficult to get anything out of
him at all satisfactory.
The passengers or the train, and
specially those in the car where the
fearful act occurred, were highly |
complimentary to Conductor Cochran,
whose courage undoubtedly saved others
from being shot down.