Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-02-16
Held uD Il Railroad.

in ludicrous pickle Tuesday night,
came near causing a tragedy, but fig
ured as the star in comedy and tied
up the whole line of the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western Railroad for
two hours, at a short trestle over a
small creek called the Third River,
above Bloomfield, n. j.
1t was shortly after 10 O'Clock that
cartmm Teddy" Finnan, being glori-
ously tight, drove his horse and wagon
along the track and upon the open tres
tie. His horse stumbled over Il few of
the beams, fell on all fours, and, trying
to rise, got all four feet through the
trestle. The horse lay perfectly help
less, with his belly on the ties and his
feet kicking the air underneath. The
cartman began swearing and dancing
about in his wagon.
Aroused by the rnmpns, ilagman
Bray dispatched Ben IIillyer, the sta
ton freight handler, to investigate the
mysterious sounds of groaning, cursing
and stamping swelling from the dark
ness. So Ben took lantern and ac-
companied by AMI Baldwin, stone
mason, went up the track.
"Who in the thunder are you 2" he
exclaimed, when he beheld the burly,
broad-shouldered, big.jawed, red-faced
cartman executing jig in his cart.
I'm the Wild Irishman," shouted
the crazy Finnan, "and l can whip any
body" in proof whereof he did sundry
extra steps Of q particularly savage ma
turc.
He refused to be moved, and when
warned that both he and his horse
would be killed by the 1888 train he
shouted back the law was for poor as
well as rich, and that he would sue for
damages. He would allow neither of
the men to touch his ''Dickie,h y as he
tcarfully called his horse, and jumping
out of the wagon he climbed on the
wretched beasts back.
The train came laundering up, but
had been signalled in time, stopping
few feet from the trestle. They'll kill
my Dckie," the cartman screamed.
'I'll die with Dicliie y The scene was
lighted by dozen lanterns from the
train and the station and by the big
headlight of the locomotive. The horse
was quiet, except for an occasional
struggle and groan, Five men jumped
for Finnan all at once. Bit, bang,
crack, and the five were tumbling in
every direction.
1t was only after desperate struggle
that the kicking, cursing Finnan could
be choled into surrender and bound
fast with the reins off "Dickie." He re-
covered enough to kick Amzi Baldwin
and to hit Tommy Frazer, but he was
comparatively peaceful. They carried
him into the baggage car and threw
him into the corner of it. Then they
unhitchcd the wagon, drew it out Of
the way and slid two long boards un-
der the belly of the horse Three men
cot at each of the ends and lifted the
horse until his feet were once more on
the right side Of the trestle. ''Dickie"
began to plunge about and nearly threw
the whole crowd into the water. They
stcadied him, however, and then slow
ly bore him along to the other side Of
the creek.
But the train was due at Bloomfield
at 1888 p m, and it was 12:25p. m.
when it began to move across the tres
tie. Finnan and his horse had delay
it nearly two hours, much to the dis
gust OF the passengers When the train
got to the Bloomfield station they roll
ed Finnan Off the baggage car on the
platform. No policemen could be
found to arrest him. As the train pull
ed out, Finnan was sitting disconsolate,
heaped up Oh the seat OF his wagon,
while 'Dickie' was plunging along in
front as if his feet hurt MIN.