The Press., 1893-09-28
THE WRECAERS.

The following story told to me in my official capacity as chaplain in one of her majesty's largest convict prisons touched me very much at the time. The narrator having been dead some years, I see no harm in presenting his history to the public in as nearly as possible his own words. By way of preface I may remark that the prisoner was quiet, we'll be- haved and apparently inofensive indi- vidual, entered in the prison books as H 51.
 He had evidently received fair edu- cation. At the time of telling me his story he had the greater part of 8 10 years penal sentence to run, his crime being a barefaced, we'll planned bur glary at q large jewellers shop in the west end. His constitution was not one to prison, and he lay in hospital on what turned out to be his deathbed as he made his astonishing revelations without any reservation as to secrecy. He said:
 expect don't seem to you, sir, quite the usual cut of the long term burglar, and you would be quite right in so think ing. I never did fancy the profession, and that jewellers shop business was all a sham and an excuse to get here out of the world and safe from worse fate at the hands of deadly enemies. Aye, sir, you may stare. Few people, 1 imagine, are so fond of prison that they will stretch point to get there. No, sir; my offense was a much more serious one than ever transpired at my trial, and as feel that am not likely to trouble the prison authorities very much longer 1 might as well give you the true reason for my being in this place.
 l started in life as respectable mid dle class tradesman and in due time married the truest and best of women. Shortly after the birth of son my wife was stricken down with illness, to which she succumbed. My grief was such that could not go about my ordinary duties. l sent the boy to some friends. I gave up business and became wan derer on the face of the earth.
 drifted to Paris, and there, destitute and starving, I made the acquaintance of man who was 8 prominent member of one of the most extreme socialistic societies in the capital. He took care of me, and partly out of gratitude and partly out of sheer restlessness and growing distaste for life agreed to join his society. ! found that the principles of this secret association were even more dreadful than had supposed. It tessayed to strike aDfow at all monarchies or con- stituted governments, and the throned heads of Europe were especially marked out for its prey.
 From time to time various attempts, though hitherto unsuccessful, had been made to assassinate some of the foreign rulers, and soon after joined it hap pened that Great Britain fell under the ban of the society. At a largely attend ed meeting, secretly held in the out skirts of Paris, it was resolved that Queen Victoria and as many as possible of the high persons surrounding her throne must die. It was thought that a deadly and sweeping blow could be dealt if, while on one of it's frequent journeys to or from the north, the royal train could be wrecked.
 So it was decided.
 It remained. but to draw lots for the men to dozthe deed. By strange fatal ity Scraggs (the name of my friend) and myself were deputed to carry out the vengeance of the society.
 Ireceived the intelligence with cal lousness begotten of long enduring mis- cry and want. What cared I now what befell me? Just at this time, too, I learned of the whereabouts of my son. He had entered the service of a we'll known Scotch nobleman in the capacity of page and personal attendant and was doing well.
 Even this news did not awaken me to a true sense of my position. The in- structions of the society were clear and to the point.
 The train, with her majesty on board had to be, destroyed in yany way we chose. Success would mean hand some reward and high position in the society. Failure-and there were no extenuating circumstances sud- den and certain death at the hands of the society. A certain period was given us to bring about the desired result, and we lost no time in arranging our plans. Her majesty was at this time, the au- tumn, staying at her usual residence in the north of Scotland, and we found we had some time before us ere we could hope to deal our blow on her return journey. < ,'~' '~-
 Crossing to England, we made care ful survey of the railway route and de- cided upon likely spot on the system of one of the best known English rail. ways by which royalty usually travels. The place in question was an unusually long bridge spanning at the height of 80 feet broad but shallow stream. Just before the. approach to the bridge the line took 9 sharp curve, which. lent itself to our fell purpose. Our plan was to prepare two short, handy pieces of rail faced at one end like points and the other end curving gradually outward. The thin ends of the rails would. be pierced for bolts of the same size as those used to fasten (by means of fshplate) the ordinary rails together. We should then, on the night preceding. the passing of the train, loosen the RoIts. Of the particular rails we pitched upon, trusting they would be overlooked by the patrolling surfaceman.
 On the following night we should con ,ceal ourselves in the recess of the bridge, and as soon as the pilot engine (which always precedes the royal train by 10, minutes) had passed we should take out the bolts. release the fshplates on the outer side of one rail and on the inner side of the other, replacing them by our specially prepared rails. :.
 The wheels of the engine of the com ing train would take thoso short rails cx,J oa 4I,o acI, .,,.,x,o5 <>fe