Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-03-31
them to justice are entertained.
THE coNpucToR,s STORY.

Charles Wilson, the conductor on
the Inflated train was seen upon ar
rival at Salem at 1l:25. His story OF
the wreekIng Of the train is as follows:
1.-THE train stopped and the pilot en-
gine went ahead and picked up Rich
ardson, the stabbed man. The train
crew did not believe bis story but the
pilot engine went ahead. Richardson
had told them something about dan
ger on the track q mile and q half
ahead which proved only short dis
tance. The crew were on the lookout,
and before they had run q half mile
saw the rail removed aud track OBJ
structed, but not In time to stop. The
pilot engine ran of the break In the
track, crossed the trestle, running on
the track quite distance, 150 feet be-
fore 1t stopped. The section hands
came to the rescue Of the imperilled en-
gine which was hanging as by hair
over trestle that was to have been the
death trap for my whole train with
300 people on board"
A HERO.
ut was o most miraculous escape in
deed. The man Richardson is hero.
asked DR.. Byrd who examined him
here at Salem and gave him sedative
for his terrible suffering, whether we
could take him along to Portland, as
did not know whether we could get
him there alive. We held the train
here for an examination and the DR..
said he thought he would get along.
One would be considered very serious.
DR.. Byrd was telegraphed at Salem
this morning early to board the train.
THE NEWS AT SALEM.
The train pnlled In at Salem at liz
and large crowd had gathered. The
local got In from Portland as usual, and
sidetracked for the overland which had
been reported late, being due here at
5:lS q. m. The overland laid at Salem
rs minutes and proceeded to Portland.
The news about the attempted wreck
had been kept very secret here, no one
but the officials giving it away, but a
JOURNAL representative was on the
ground and saw everyone who could
tell anything about 1t.
]. R. DwYER,
OF San Francisco, was on the train and
was one Of two passengers who got off
1t salem. He Is at The Willamette
and gives this account of the affair:
about fifteen minutes past twelve /
was AWAKENED by Q sudden stop and
Jar. The conductor came through, ask
ing passengers for a gun, and If there
was not q doctor aboard. Passengers
got up and were told the engine was
broke down. But some suspected train
and there was great excite
nent. / dressed, and the man, Geo,
Z. Richardson, was carried in. He
,aid he had been stabbed and thrown
,ver the trestle. Four or five men did
him up, he said. He did not look
ilrty, and then suspected he was
never thrown over the bank as he
'laimed. l saw him again at 5 a. M.
he said he was gardoer, working his
way to Roseburg. He had been put of
he freight, and said it was /! miles
ahead, where they took up the rail.
my first impression was that he was
me Of the men. got sick Of the job,
md tried to get away. This suspicion
vas removed by his conduct after
wards. We told him that there would
'e two hundred men on the ground be-
ore dfylight to capture the wreckers.
lie turned and said very earnestly:
~ hope to God you'll catch them"
aid Richardson.
"How did you signal the train ?"
II had only two matches In my
'ocket aud did not know what to make
fire with, but finally set fire to my
'andkerchief. aud the blaze stopped
he train"
IL II had not been for Richardson,
ot soul on that train could have lived
tell the tale. The track walker met
We men yesterday afternoon, who
alked very insultingIy.
Mr.. Dwyer was on board the Premier
hen she was cut In two by the
'eamer Willamette. eight months ago. |