The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-09-12
THE WRECKERS.

Ma
majesty's largest convict prisons touched
me very much at the time. The narrator
having been dead some years, see no
harm in presenting his history to the
public in as nearly as possible his own
words. BY way of preface may remark
that the prisoner was quiet, well be-
haved and apparently inoffensive indi-
vidual. entered in the prison books as Fl
81.
He had evidently received fair edu-
cation. At the time of telling me his
story he had the greater part of a 10
years penal sentence to run, his crime
being barefaced, well planned bur
glary at large jewelers. shop in the west
end His constitution was not one to
Withstand the severe discipline OF the
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:
Iexpect 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. / never did fancy the profession,
and that jewelers. shop business was all
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, 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 I
might as well give you the true reason
for my being in tins place.
started in life as a respectable mid
die 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 succgphed, My grief was such
that / could not go about my ordinary
duties. / sent the boy to some friends.
Igave up business and BECAME wan
derer on the face of the earth.
drifted to Paris, and there, destitute
and starving, made the acquaintance
of a man who was 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 q
growing distaste for life agreed to join
his society. l found that the principles
OF this secret association were even more
dreadful than had supposed. 1t essayed
to strike blow 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 beer
made to assassinate some of the foreign
rulers, and soon after | joined it hap
pened that Great Britain fell under tht
ban of the society. AT a largely attend
ed meeting, secretly held in the out
skirts of Paris, it was resolved tha
Queen Victoria and as many as possibl,
of the high persons surrounding he,
throne must die. 1t was thought that I
deadly and sweeping blow could b,
dealt if, while on one of its frequen
journeys to or from the north, the roya
train could be wrecked.
So it was decided.
1t remained but to draw lots for tn
men TO do the deed. BY strange fatal
ity Scraggs (the name of my friend) an
myself were deputed to carry out tn
vengeance of the society.
Ireceived the intelligence with ca
lousness begotten of long enduring mis-
cry and want. What cared now wha
befell me? Just at this time, too,
learned of the whereabouts of my sol
He had entered the service of we.
known Scotch nobleman in the capacit
of page and personal attendant and wa
doing we'll
Even this news did not awaken me t
Il true sense of my position. The il
structions of the society We're clear an
to the point
The train with her majesty on boar
had to be destroyed in any way W
chose. Success would mean a hant
some reward and a high position in til
society. Failure-and there were n
extenuating circuinstances-meant sue
den and certain death at the hands {
the society. A certain period was give
MS to bring about the desired result, an
we lost no time in arranging our plan
Her majesty was at this time, the q,
tumn. staying at her usual residence
the north of Scotland, and we found "
had some time before us ere we coul
\ hope to deal our blow on her retul
journey.
Crossing to England, we made car
ful survey Of the railway route and d
cided upon likely spot on the syste
of one of the best known English ra
ways by which royalty usually travel
The place in question was an unusual
hong bridge spanning at the height of
feet broad but shallow stream. Ju
before the approach to the bridge b
line took sharp curve. which lent itse
to our fell purpose Our plan was
prepare two short, handy pieces of ri
faced at one end like points and the 9th
end curving gradually outward. r.
thin ends of the rails would be pierc
for bolts of the same size as those us
to fasten thy means of fishplate) /
\ ordinary rails together We should the
on the night preceding the passing of I
train, loosen the bolts of the particul
rails we pitched upon, trusting th