The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-06
A BRIDEGROOM'S STORY.
In a Box Car WhirIing Away
From His Waiting Bride.
Remarkable Experience of Police Constable
Dodds Of Toronto After Taking a
Dose of Antipyrine.

Inc mysterious disappearance OF Police
Constable Robert Dodds of No. Q precinct
on the eve of his marriage has been ex-
planned by his temperance after an alb
sence Of several days, during which he SUI
fered intense mental agony, and passed
through an experience so strange and re-
markable as to be almost beyond belief.
About two weeks ago he secured leave of
absence for the purpose OF taking unto HIM
self wife in the person of Miss Stewart,
an estimable young lady Of Milton, and it
was arranged that the ceremony should
fake place at the East End Pres
byterian Church The bride looked
lovely in white gown trimmed with orange
blossoms and lilies, and the bouquet Of
white roses she carried in her hand nodded
and bent their heads as If conscious of the
Joyous event which was about to take place
The delights of authorization were some.
what marred by the tardiness of the groom,
and as minute alter minute passed and hs
came not, the faces OF the guests became
grave and feeling of restless nervousness
attacked the minister. Ten minutes length.
| eneh into hours, ami still the groom failed
TO put III an appearance. The feeling OF
| uneasinesS that pervaded the asSemblage
| changed to one of excitement and alarm,
| and messages were dispatched in search of
the missing groom. The fainting bride was
| removed 10 the bone OF her friends, and
one by one the guests departed, thoroughly
| myStified as to the reason of Mr. Dodds' in-
eXplicable absence.
On inquiry it was ascprtaned that the Con-
stable had made most complete arrange
/ mentS for the ceremony, and had air ready
! provided a home for his bride on Carr
| Howell street. CT all his friends, his fair
| young bride was the only one who felt con-
| hdent OF his return, and that this mysteri-
| GUS absence would be satisfactorily ar
| counted for, and her Irus. was not be-
| trayed. He returned TO his home with nag
| gard face. Sunken eyes, and tray6-Staine,.
| and dusty, and was, as a matter OF course,
| received with joy by his friends. Without
wasting moments time, the guests wer;
| gathered together again, the minister was
notified and the happy young couple were
| united IN matrimOny in the midst Of their
| rejoicing friends.
The newly made benedic', in explaining
! the affair 10 a relative, said:
! After leaving my clearinghouse on
| "Wednesday l went down to the Union Sta
| ton to arrange about some baggage aa.i
| being troubled with an acute attack of what
| thought to be neuralgia, l dropped into a
| drugstore and took dose of antipyrine a
| powder that had on previous occasion bene-
fitted me greatly. l am satisfied now, how
| ever, that 1t was not neuralgia | had, but
that l was gradually losing my physical
| activity through SOME pressure on the brain.
caused by fall received many years ago
| when was boy at school. When | ar
| rived at the station | felt some hat dizzy,
| and there seemed to be a sort of fiiny web
| waving with an undulating motion over my
| brain. This motion became greater went |
went from the shade into the sunshine and
at last became so irritating that [ became
deadly sick and took refuge In box freight
| car that was standing on sdetrack Grad.
| ualiy the pressure increased until | could
| not stand up, while little electric shocks
seemed to shoot through my body.
suddenly it became dark as night, and
| when L came to my senses | was unable to
| move muscle or even an eyelid. IL seemed
| 10 me that my body was to all intents dead,
| while mentally L WAS mast intensely active.
| | could distinctly hear The whistles of loco
motives, people calling 10 each other ana the
rattle of wheels on the roadway, but | could
! raise no outcry, so concluding that had
| been temporarily stricken with dumb ague
| decided to rest easy fer time.
| "a sort of tOrpor fell upon me- from
| which L was awakened by sudden jolt,
| which told me that my car had been
! attached to a train. a few minutes later
l could hear the shrieks of the loco
| motive, loud putting. and the rattle
! of the wheels told me that | was bound
west with the car. You can never Imagine
| my feeling as the motion of the car in
| creased, every revolution of the wheels tax
! ing me further from the little woman who
was so soon to have been my bride, and so
active was my brain in contrast with my
| helpless body that the horror OF my position
| flashed upon me- in an instant. What would
my bride, my friends, the minister aud TIN.
| police authorizes think? Would they be-
! lieve that l mad abSconded or that had met
| with foul play? / stroVe with desperation
to break the iron bonds that seemed to hold
he down, but in vain; death seemed to have
a sure grip on my throat and finally | lost
my senses, but thank God, not my reason,
| although l was nearly mad.
- don't know how far Travelled, or how
/ long | had lain in the car, but when | came
TO myself l was OverjOyed to find that my
strength was coming back. When l was
able to stand up l made my way TO the door
and attempted to open it, but failed. Then
l took out my knife and was cutting one of
| the Stats out when the train came 10
| sudden stop in the yard, which | afterwaTd
| found to be Point Edward, | think. While
| l was cutting at the Stat the door was
| thrown open, ard man caught me and
| dragged me on the track. Confused bv
long Imprisonment, half craZed by pain and
| mental torture, | answered his questions at
| random, and as result | was taken t.
| Sarnia, where ] was locked w. as IA tramp
who had been stealing a ride. Ashamed to
let my friends known of my plight, aad be-
! Heving that my story was too strange to be
| believed, | gave a fictitious name to the
magistrate, and was fined SO and costs or
mouths imprisonment. 1t took all the
money had to pay the fine, and as soon as
| | got my liberty l started for Toronto on
| foot, arriving, as you know"
|