The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-25
FOR TRAIN VRECEING,
A Man Arrested on a Grave
Charge last Evening,
TWO INSTRUCTIONS PLACED
On the Elm Groves Track Near Sci
bert's Gardcn-They are Lucki'
ly Discovered in Time and
Cause SIuch Excitement,

Between 8 and 7 o'clock last evening
another attempt was made to wreck a
train on the Elm Grove motor line, and
almost Immediately after the discovery
OF the obstruction on the track, ayoung
man named Jerome Mccormick was
arrested, charged with being the wreck
or, brought to the city, and in default Of
q bond OF $1,000 bail, committed to
jail to await a preliminary hearing at 8
o'clock this afternoon,
The point at which the obstruction, q
heavy tie, was placed was in the field
between Edgington's Lane and seibert's,
Just at the upper end Of the curve that
turns down to seiberL's, 1t was dis
covered by the engineer and fireman Of
the train leaving here at $40 o'clock, IN
time to stop before striking II,
AS usual, the train was well filled with
people living out In the country, going
home to supper, and in addition there
were q number on board bound for the
German picnic at the Park,
The tie was placed in such a position
on the curve that the train, had itstruCk
II, would probably have been derailed,
and possibly other damage done, For
tunately, however, for those who were
on the train, the would.be wrecker
chose a spot for his operations where
outgoing trains always slow up on aC-
count Of the combined sharp curve and
grade, and 1t would have been an easy
matter To stop the train before striking
the tie, even had 1t not been discovered
when 1t was,
Just before this, as the train was
coming through the field between Echo
Point and Edgington, the engineer had
to blow his whistle to warn from the
track a fool-hardy young man who
seemed determined to be run over. AS
the train went past him he waved his
hat and Conductor John Kindlebcrger,
who was in charge OF this train, reCog-
nized Mccormick, with whom he had
some trouble over his fare as he was
running out the train leaving here at 4
o'clock.
As soon as the team had been brought
to a standstill by the obstruction, there
was naturally considerable excitement
among the passengers, and coming so
soon after the double attempt to wreck
the late excursion train on the night Of
tho Fourth Of July, 1t caused q feeling Of
alarm in the minds OF those who live out
the road and use 1t at night.
The uppermost question with all was,
who had made the attemptP Tho II
glneer and tiremen had seen no one
about the line except the man they had
passed near the Point. The difficulty he
had had with Mccormick in the after
noon again occurred TO Kindleberger,
and he at once jumped to the conclusion
that he was the person wanted. Hap.
pening 10 look back up the track, Nc.
CormiCk was seen bending over the
track near the foot OF the Point grade.
KindClberger told several OF his belief
aud ordered the train backed up the
track in the hope OF overtaking him and
arresting him, The train was quickly
backed, but Mccormick did not appear
to DO in the least alarmed, aud as the
train came up with him, swung himself
on board, Kindleberger accused
him Of attempting to wreck the
train, which he strenuously de.
MED, He showed n disposition 10
back up his denial with his fists, but
Kindelberger pulled u chilly" and COM
PEELED his man to take his seat and keep
It. Just before the train again started
for the Park, some Of the passengers
discovered a large spike sticking
up between the ends OF two
rails at u point about where
Mccormick was seen before the train
was backed up. This spike was accept
ed as another attempt To wreck q train,
and charged to Mccormick. He denied
knowing anything about 1t, also. Kin
delberger stood guard over him till the
run out to tho Park and back to'the city
had been made, and then turned him
over to Lieut.. George Gaus, at the Pub
lie Building, who sent him before Jus.
tiUe Davis in charge OF Officer Bell. The
Justice made out a warrant under Sec
ton 20 OF chapter 145 OF the Code,
which provides a punishment Of not leGs
than five years imprisonment in the
%penitentiaty for train wrecking.
Mccormick is about "a years old, Of
medium height and build, with black
hair and eyes. He lives at No. 90 Alley
10, and Is employed In the Crescent
iron works. His story is very plausible.
He says that yesterday morning he met
a friend OF his named Burkhardt, who
lives in the country, and spoke 10 him
about attending the picnic at the Park
in the afternoon. His friend did not
know whether he could 90 or not, but the
arrangement was made that Mccormick
was to meet him at Seibert's In the Of.
ternoon and he would 90 with him II he
could. Accordingly Mccormick went
out 10 Seibert's In the afternoon, but
learning that his friend was at Fulton,
took the next motor back 10 Fulton and
stopped off. Not finding his friend there
he decided to 20 back to Seibert's, and
took the next motor for that purpose. 1t
was the 4 o'clock train with Kindel-
berger In charge,
Mccormick admits that some words
passed between him aud Kindelberger
about his fare, and says that Kindelbef-
ger threatened to shoot him full OF holes,
and that he made u return threat OF the
same nature.
Kindelberger says that the only talk
about shooting was done by Mccormick,
and that II was because he was fearful
that Mccormick might have a pistol
L. l.ns.s Lii. Uill.Il -. - IL