Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-08-14

couple of bullets whizzed past my
head and crashed through the
glass door behind me. | was
dazed for the moment, but two
more shots end the falling of brok-
en- glass acted as won lerful lm.
petus, aud 1 dropped to the floor
behind the seats. Tue next shot
shattered the lamp at the opposite
end of the car. Another, and |
was covered with glass from one
above me. That the shooter was
good maIksman there was no mis-
taking. After the lamps were de-
moIlshed a perfect fusillade OF
shots ensued, the most OF them ap.
parently being directed at the
door, to prevent my escape In that
direction. | laid perfectly still
aud tried to think. 1t seemed
long time before l heard voices on
the outside, as the excited passen-
gers aud train crew gathered
around the car. None of them, OF
course dared to enter it. | recog-
nized the voice of the CONDUCTOR as
be SAID:
We'll have to wait until they
kill each other
Some moments elapsed. and the
6nng became less frequent. ]
began to hope that the ammuni-
tion of my wOuld.be murderer was
about exhausted. Suddenly it Oc-
Cured TO me that the window
might afford me All escape. Cauti
Ously | reached my hand to the one
above me, and felt for the catch on
the sash. AT this very moment
my ankle was grasped by the
maniac. who had crawled under
the seals to me. | think it very
possible that | cried out 10 terror
when this happened. In frenzy
of despair | managed TO tear my
self loose from his grasp, struggled
TO my feet, threw myself under the
seats on the opposite side Of the
aisle, and began to do some crawl
ing myself. To ny utter aston
ishment my antagonist rushed past
me down the aisle. | heard the
door slam, but did not know
whether he had left the car, or
whether he had merely employ ed
a ruse. For several moments
absolute stiffness reiL ned, aud |
had inst arrived at the conclusion
that the madman had actually de-
parted, when the door was pushed
open and the whole interior of the
car lit up by a locomotive head
light held bv some one on the
platform. Back of the light stood
the conductor with pointed rife.
Hands upr he cried, loudly.
1t WAS u remarkable request to
make of a crazy man. | thought
there could he no harm in obcylng
the command myself, and did so,
half expecting to see the luOatic
follow me. The RI 6e was brought
to bear upon me, and a crowd
pushed into The car, headed by the
man himself who had created all
the terror.
There he is, friendsP he yelled.
Selze him Don't mind what he
says. He'll tell you that ] am the
lunatic, bat don't mind him. My
God what an escape I've hadp
The crowd bore down upon and !
overpowered me. My struggles
only served to convince them that
was the madman.
But yet another surprise was in
store for me
Here is his revolver said the
conductor, dramatically trium.
pbant, picking up a pistol which
was lying on the seat beside my
bag, 'aud here are the exploded |
shells
1t was true; a handful Of them
WAS on the seat.
My bag was searched, but there
was nothing in it to establish my
identity. 3 II my vOclferOus decla
ratlOns and prOtestations went for
naught, Fate seemed to side with
my shrewd and cunning enemy,
t n at the terminus of the road the
statiOn.agent handed the cOnduc
tor the following telegram:
CONDUCToROF No. Z: John
Williamson, lately released from
ass lum here as cured, Is on yOur
train. Gave me the slip. Will like
ly become violent. Have him al
rested and returned 10 asylum.
WILLIAM WILLIAMSON.
Perhaps 1t was not remarkable,
In view of these facts. that | was
brought back on The next train,
fettered and securely guarded. At
the asylum, Mr.. William William
son. whom / resembled consider
ably, awaited me. But the luna'Ic
L