Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1896-01-31
MERGERS Defense.
He Crossed a Railroad Track In Japan,
and Great Was the Commotion.

he Crossed a Railroad Track In Japan
, and Great Was the Commotion.
The true story of how Congressman
Mercer of Omaha caught the train al
Tokyo last summer has never been told
J 1t is this:
In the first place, there is a law in japan
against crossing a railway track. If the
train you want to take is on the othor side
Of tho platform, you cross a viaduct, which
lands you on another platform next to
your train. To cross the track, Ia
American, is not only unlawful, but sac
Filege, in the eyes Of tho Japanese. To
see man swing himself upon moving
train stamps him with a tendency to par
esis.
Mercer had been delayed in making
change to pay fare for himself and party
to the next station, 80 miles distant and
the ladies had crossed the viaduct and tax
en- their seats. just as the Nebraskan
came running out of the waiting room the
train was pulling out. In Japan the trains
/ always m0Yo faster when they start than
when they are under full Roadway To
the religious dismay Of the crowd Of Japs
ON the platform Mercer made "a dash for it.
right across the intervening track, and
landed on tho platform of tho departing
N@t--AA NAtAA 90 = iftNbAu4 -ublllts
In moment panic and randomonium
were rampant among the crowd of officials
and onlookers and some say the imperial
guard Of Japan, as we'll as a regiment of
sharpshooters, was called out. At all
events the excitement produced by MGR
GERS daring feat was as great as if the
Chinese had thrown a company of trail
lenrs into the flank Of the spectators. Mer-
Ger saw that there was violent signaling
with a red flag from the engine cab and
answering signals with red flags by the
switchmen ahead. And then the train
slowly came to stop. He was vaguely
conscious that all the confusion and OK
oitement were about him, but blissfullv
Ignorant of the cause of the great sensa-
ton he had produced. He had never stud
led tho revised statutes of Japan and the |
municipal laws of the city, and the gravity (
OF his otfenso mover occurred to him As /
soon las he stepped down on tho ground he /
was Immediately encircled by a Gordon oil 1
soldiers police and train officials, all ges-
tioulating and jibbering in ono grand SYM
phony Of protestation. 1t looked blue for
Mercer. His friends say he told them in
English that he was member Of the
tlfty-fourth congress of. the United States
ana his person was sacred. He denies this.
But fortunately at this critical iunoture
an American elbowed his way through
and called out to him;
Stranger, you're all right Keep stiff
upper lip"
"What the devil is itaboutg' asked Mer.
Ger
You crossed the railroad track, ana
that S against the law, " said the American.
oh, is that the cause of all this excite
ment?" said Mercer, 81 thought / had
leze majesty or was suspected
Of wanting to hold up the train
Tho Japs kept crowding around, and
Mercer began to edge up against q coach
to protect his back
" DON'T lot en touch you, " shouted the
American. They have no law for that. "
"I'u lay out the first man that puts
lnger on me if get shot for it, said
Mercer BY the great horn spoon, there
goes the train, and my wife's aboard
That's an old trick of theirs, " said the
'ther, but you can telegraph her to wait
or You at the next station"
Mercer saw the train disappear and
,fter a short delay the Amerioan brought
n an interpreter, and in five minutes the
liliiculty was in course of adjustment.
The Japs by this time had recovered their
'oiteness and were making bows on ov- s
ny side to show they were sorry for what
happened, and in u short tino the station
CONT or whatever the mans position 9
vas, brought out tea and cake to the Of ,
ended congressman to show that they 4
arbored noill feeling. Mercer telegraphed 7
is wife. at the next station to wait for {
i'm and took the next train to meet her. =
he was there, but the telegram had not \
cached her However, the operator had
1ceived it, Ho pulled it out Of his vest
ocbet and handed it to tho congressman 1
18th broad grin. q
That's all right, said Morccr. "Just Z
10 way wo do it in tho United States q
on people are rapidly becoming Ameri- q
lnized. Washington Post. p