The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-12
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE
Had the Train Left the Iron on the
Boston and Maine.
Two Tramps Arrested Near the
Location Of the Obstruction.
They Saw the Plank ard Something
Resembling Bomb.

BIDDEFoRD, October 11.-Later develop
ments concerning the obstruction on the
Boston and Maine track near Wells last
night tend to strengthen the belief that there
was well laid plan to wreck the train. AT
the point where the obstruction was placed
upon the track the road bed lies on high
embankment, and had the engine left the
iron the train would have been plunged down
the steep embankment
The railroad men were Immediately noti-
fed to keep watch for any tramps or other
suspicious characters seen, and about 10
O'Clock the Kennebunk section men arrested
two tramps who were coming down the
track. They kept them in the depot until
morning and then telegraphed City Marshal
Tarbox, who weat over and got the two suS-
poets and brought them to this city.
Both are young men, and in appearance
ordinary tramps. The marshal was cl0seted
with each separately, and both told the same
story. They gave their names as Thomas
2. Gallagher and James 2. Sullivan. The
latter says that he belongs in Gardiner.
Mass, and that he has been tramping for
about two months, working for short periods
for farmers along the road. He says that he
never saw Sullivan until "wednesday night,
they took t the HUeI railroad Hhi Thursday morning,
and he says that they tramped steadily all
day. Sometime after dark, he does not know
at just what hour, he says that they passed
through Wells, and about 800 yards this side,
near crossing. they saw PLANK across the
about what tae plank was there for, and
were minded to remove it. They did not
know but that it might have been placed
there by the railroad men to mark defect
in the track or to serve as warning OF some
danger ahead, and concluded not to trouble
it. A short distance further on, Sullivan
says that Gallagher. who was walking ahead,
pulled him to one side of the track and
pointed to what looked to be bomb between
the rails. He says that they were afraid to
touch this and passed .on, although they
were satisfied that it was a bomb and placed
there to wreck the train. He says that they
then came down the track half mile or so,
and near Elm station pulled down board
fence and built little shanty in which to
pass the night. They stayed there about 20
minutes, he says, until after the train had
passed, and then finding that it was too cold
| to sleep there, they again took the track and
walked to Kennebunk. He says that they
passed one of the railroad men, and though
they expected he would stop them, he said
be stopped, he answered because they were
out so late.
Just as they entered Kennebunk they saw
| three men following them hastily, and Sulli-
van says Gallagher turned around and asked
them what was up. and told them about
seeing the obstruction upon the
track. They were then arrested and kept
in the depot until brought here by Marshal
Tarbox.
The marshal found the board shanty by
| the board fence, just as the men said they
| had constructed, but could not find any bomb
or anything which might be taken for one in
| the dark. The two men tell straight stories
and each insists that he never met the other
until at Dover Jail. --