The morning news., 1889-03-27
A GHOST IN A PALACE CAR.
Manager Talmadge Haunts the Com
partment in Which he Died.

Manager Talmadge Haunts the Com
partment in Which he Died.
From the San Fruncisco Examiner.
''No, l wouldn't ride in that car if the in
ducements were a free ride from San
Francisco to New York. 1t is an unlucky
vehicle
So spoke Col. J. H. Woodward Of the
Wabash road. His attention had just been
called to spatch in one OF the morning
papers, stating that C. NJ. Hayes, general
manager of the Wabash road, had few
DAYS ago placed his private car at the dis
posal of the members of the family of Rus
sell Harrison, son of the President, to con-
yey them from Omaha to indianapolis.
The generous offer was accepted; and the
trip proved thoroughly enjoyable. The dis
patch had evoked "reminiscences in the mind
Of the colonel.
"Hayes' car" said he, sis never mem
toned among certain men without re-
calling queer memories / am one of those
men,
''The car is an elegant piece of workman
ship, and was built expressly for A A.
Talmadge at the time he was general mana
ger of Gould's Missouri Pacific system.
Later on, when he became general manager
of the Wabash system under its receiver, he
still retained the car, and travelled hundreds
of miles in it.
"In the summer of 1887 he was taken i'll,
and one dav started northward from st.
Louis in this car, bound for short vacation
in Michigan. The train had hardly reached
Peru, Ind, when he suddenly died. Hayes
then became his successor and the car was
assigned to his use.
"In March of last year was in St Louis,
and was invited by Hayes to travel to
Chicago with him in the car, and Chandler,
the general passenger agent OF the road,
was In TIE party. We pulled out OF st.
Louis in good style about 10 O'Clock p. M,
and we're soon humming merrily along.
Probably an hour after starting Chand-
Ter retired, and Hayes pointed to the bed
room at one end of the car and told me 1t
was at my service. / was tired and pre-
pared to take a good sleep. locked the
door of the room and turned out one of the
two suspended lamp lights. l fell asleep
almost instantly.
How long l had been asleep cannot
tell, but / was awakened by some one press
ing hard on my arm. My first thought
was that thief had got into the car and
entered my room. It was dark as a closet,
and l distinctly remembered that had not
turned out the lamp. / felt convinced that
thief was in my room.
"These thoughts passed through my mind
quick as fash, and yet all is time felt
the mysterious pressure on my arm: l
was frightened, but had not uttered
word except, when being first disturbed,
to ask, Who's therep nor}had jumped
out of bed My head was propr ed up and
was lying on my left side. The pres
sure of the intruder's hand was on my left
shoulder.
my feelings may be imagined. 1t
seemed that some one had administered
chloroform to me, and as its influence
WAS dying away | was making a desper-
- -sp h. Of tl,a
drug.
"Suddenly saw standing before me, by
the side of the bed, the fioure of man. l
Thought it must be all dream, and with
my right hand rubbed my eyes vigorously.
Just then the figure said:
so it is you, colonel, that l meet
here
"Then 1 recognized the voice and figure
of Talmadge.
81 nad lown him well when alive. He
was my b other-in-law, and for years we
had maintained relations of friendship. l
cannot give you an idea of what my
thoughts we're at that moment. | did not
say word. | could not speak. 1t was not
on account of fright. Some hing see ned to
have taken away my will power. felt like
one entrauced.
1.-THE figure that stood before me was that
of Talmadge as l had seen him hundred
times in life. wanted TO utter kindly
greeting, but was paralyzed. He see red as
If trying to stretch out one of his hands for
me to grasp, but when tried to reach out
my right hand l fell fat on my back in the
bed, perfectly helpless and totally unable to
raise my head again.
Colonel it was on that bed that died,
and had to leave all my people and friends
With these words his ngure disappeared.
Silently as it had come into the room it de-
parted, and all 1 could hear was the clatter
of the car wheels.
II lay awake until the first rays Of dawn,
and then got up. / found myself as weak
as a babe oked at the door and found
/ it locked as tightly as whel l retired the
preceding night. Both lamps were out, and
the only explanation l have as to WY the
light had gone out is that it was turned
down 50 low that it was put out by the jolt
ing of tho car
"You may imagine did not feel par''cu-
larly refreshed that morning. My mind
was troubled, and my face showed It, The
hour was early, and no one was up except
the colored porter. He had been with the
car two years or more with Mr.. Talmadge.
He noticed the troubled look in my face.
AID expressed surprise at my getting up SO
early.
"'No, did not sleep we'll last night, Jim, ,
l ssid by way of reply to him.
Then, with a nervous twitch of the
mouth, and in a frightened whisper, he
asked:
"'Did you see Massa Talmadges spirit
last night, kurnelF
"'Did Mr.. Talmadge die in that room,
Jimsn asked.
"'Yes, kurnel, and free or four people dat
have slept in dat room since den have told
me dey see Massa Talmadge's spirit. done
don't like to go in dat room after dark,
kurnel, was ais reply.
81 then related my experience, and told
him never to mention the matter. and
this is the first time have spoken about it