The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1893-04-01
SAVED FROM DEATH
George E. Richardson AYGftS a Horrible
Wreck.
THOUGH CUT ALMOST TO PIECES
He Dragged His Body Along the Rail-
way Track and Gave the Dan
ger Signal.
THOUGH CUT ALMOST TO PIECES

PORTLAND, Or, March 31.-The bray
cry of George E. Richardson, a 1aborer
employed in a hopyard, saved Southern
Pacific overland passenger train No. 10
from being wrecked midway between
Drain and Yoncalla this morning.
About O'Clock last night Richardson,
who had started from Drain to Rose
burg, ON foot, down the railroad track,
at the south end of trestle short dis
tance from Drain, found rail which
had been taken from the track, for the
evident purpose of derailing the train.
While standing and debating the action
which had best be taken to prevent the
impending catastrophe should the COM
ing train pass without being signaled,
either four or five men, Richardson is
appeared on the trestle, and one of them
attacked him, beating and cutting him
severely, 1nficting an ugly wound with
some sharp instrument on the left breast
just below the nipple, and another about
eight inches further down. Another
man struck him on the head with a re-
volver. cutting his head open on the
right side and knocking him senscless,
and at the same time pushed him off the
bridge, where he lay in the gulch below
for an indefinite length of time before
recovering consciousness.
He then crawled out of the gulch on to
the trestle and made his way slowly
down the track for distance of about
one mile, where he met the coming
train at :26 O'Clock this morning. AS
soon as he saw the headlight of the ap-
preaching train he took his handkerchief
from his pocket and, striking match,
lighted the handkerchief, which he
waved as signal for the engineer to
stop. When the train came to stand
still the startled trainmen climbed down
and picked up the brave Richardson in
a very exhausted condition, and carried
him into one of the coaches, where cot
was improvised, and the injured man
was made as comfortable as possible. |
He then told the story of finding the |
rail removed, and being beaten by the
four or five men. The train moved |
slowly on to the trestle, having first at
tempted to back up to Rice Hill, which
was found to be an impossibility. The
rail was then put into place, and the
train ran on to Portland, arriving in
this city at 1 :51 this morning.
The wounded man was brought to
Portland on the train, which was met
by Vice-President Fields, of the South
ern Pacific company, and DR.. George
Wilson, the company's physician, who
had him removed at once to the Good /
Samaritan hospital, where everything
which could be done to render him COM
portable was done. He is about 40 years
Of age and has been working for John
Foshay and M. w. Ayers in a hopyard
about four miles north of Eugene, grub
bing hops and clearing land preparatory
to plowing.
He can give no accurate description
Of the robbers, as they set upon him SO
suddenly he had but little opportunity
to look them over. He thinks he would
be able to recognize the man who first
struck him and cut him. This man, he
states, was large man, unusually tall,
with bushy black hair and beard. He |
states he is gardener, and, being out
of employment, was making his way on
foot toward Roseburg.
Resolutions of thanks were framed
and signed by all the passengers in
which they heartily recommend him to
the consideration of the railroad COM
pany for suitable reward for his brave
and noble. deed.
Had the robbers been successful in
carrying out their designs they would
have secured large amount of Doodle,
as it is reported on good authority that
Wells, Fargo & Co.'s treasure box con-
tanned $35, 900 in gold alone, shipped
from San Francisco to Portland bank,
while other sums IN the box brought the
sum up to yearly $4,000. In addition
to this, one passenger had several
thousand dollars in bills in his pocket
book, which, added to the pocket money
and jewelry possessed by the numerous
passengers, would have swelled the
booty to very large sum.
At late hour the wounded man was
still in the surgery, where he was under
going an examination, and nothing
could be ascertained as to the probable
result of his injuries.
The Southern Pacific officials stated |
to reporter that no definite clue to