Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-09-10

Billy was caught by a constable out ut
Middlesex, and hauled before magis-
trate. The magistrate would listen to
no excuse. He said it might be great
invention, or It might not, but that he
was defying the law by not having
man with red flag in front of his mo-
tor. Billy explained that it was impos-
sible to have the man there, because the
motor was going at the rate of 40 miles
an hour, and Jew men, unless they are
in extremely good condition, can cover
that distance in 60 minutes. The magis-
trate retorted that this made the case
all the worse, for he was running at ten
times the legal speed. Thereupon he
fined Billy 40 shillings and costs and
threatened to send the inventor to prison
if ever he appeared before him again.
Angry as Billy had been before, he now
became wild. He said he didn't mind the
40 shillings fine, or even the costs, but
the contemptuouslan language of the magis-
trate regarding his new motor car
proved the last straw on the motors
aluminium back. Billy left the magis-
trate's presence without a stain on his
! DuJ uI tIC ouiilC liIhC hS S"oiS
loudly that he would let the British en-
\ pire know what twas to run up againsta
full -bodied motor car that would go 40
miles an hour at ordinary speed or so
miles if it was hurried. For two or
three weeks nobody saw anything OF
! Billy, and when he did come out they
did not recognize his motor car.
L. alnl& nfn.l
trips to Scotland, there and back for
threepence. He started up through
MiddleseX by the same road on which
he had been arrested before, and when
the policemen endeavored to stop him
they were compelled to get an ambu-
lance and carry the officer to the nearest
hospital. No one who had seen the
motor car before would now have recog-
nized it, for it was built like an iron
clad, covered with triple-plated nickel
steel of his own invention, through
which no bullet could penetrate, and it
was surmounted by coming tower.
in which Billy himself sat and guided
the machine. On approaching town
Billy would press button and the ma
chine would fire out acetylene bombs
that simply paralized the whole neigh
borhood. People thought cyclone was
coming and took to the woods. Various
Intellectual attempts were made to stop
Billy in his breaking of the law, but he
went clear through to the north of Scot
land, SCATTERING a few hills in the High
lands with his bombs, merely to let them
know he was in the neighborhood.
When Billy had gotten as far north as
the roads go he revictualed his machine,
turned it round and started for the
south again.
The telegraph, which was quicker
than an acetylene motor car, warned
the authorities of it's approach, but
even though the yeomanry were called
out they could do absolutely nothing
to stop Billy McCabe on his mad career.
The papers were now full of accounts
of Billy day by day, and when ne
reached London there was large and
enthusiastic crowd awaiting him. A
determined attempt was made by the
London police to capture him, but Billy
kept everybody at a respectable dis
lance by playing a mild variety of
acetylene bombs all round the neigh
borhood. While the crowd and the po-
lice were being amused in this way
Billy seized the opportunity of collect
ing provisions for the return journey.
McCabe's detractors have since alleged
that he stole the necessities of life, but
this is not true. He had to have food.
and the bomb display caused the shop
keepers to be away from home at the
time Billy called to replenish his trav-
cling larder. So Billy started north
again amidst general acclaim.
The liberal papers were making IL
hot for the government on Billy's ac-
count. They said he should be stopped
at all risks. The prestige of the British
empire was at stake. Here was a wild
Highlander who set the law at defiance,
as doubtless his ancestors had done be-
fore him, and here was a supine gov
eminent with the largest majority OF
the century, yet they were as helpless
as an infant in arms. The French pa
pers said gleefully that here at last was
an English revolution confronting q
powerless government. In this they
| "CiC pdi liy III, DuC ~ " uS a.
ical revolution-S0 miles an hour at
that.
The authorities in Lancashire tele-
graphed to the home secretary and asked
for instructions should Billy head for
the coal mine district. The home Sec
rotary replied that they were to read
the riot act to him, and then not hest
tate to shoot. But Billy himself did the
shooting. Before the sheriff, standing
on n barrel beside the highway, got his
= mouth in shape for saying the first
word of the justly-celebrated act Nc
Cabe shot by and was in the next coul.
ty before the troops had time to draw
breath, let alone a sword or a gun
There is little practical use in reading
5 the riot act or even part Of the latest
novel to man going so miles an hour
) Between Penrith and Carlisle they
l tried another plan, but it was equally
5 unsuccessful. They mounted a thin pc
l liceman on the Derby winner of that
, year, kindly lent for the occasion, and