The morning times., 1896-04-13
MOST FR|GHTFUL RAIL WAY
WRECK OF THE 1sthCENTURY
SAVED BY FATE
HELD UP BY A ROBBER
War of Words and Builets-The
Robber Captured.

DO l believe in fate?'' queried Prof.
McComber, of New York, ofa party of gentle
men in the smoker of Washington South
bound sleeper. MANY an argument have
| had with the late Hon. James G. Blaine on
this subject. He believed in fate, in des-
thy. dld not; although l do to a great
extent today.
"A few years ago /, in company with a
noted physician OF Boston, started from the
Hub TO Florida. 1t was the first day of the
terrible blizzard which cost Roscoe ConkIiu
ana hundreds OF others their lives We
were snow bound in Come cticut unit Thurs
DAY afternoon, when we slowly made our
way to New York. We were due 10 leave
New York that Thursday night at
O'Clock OH the Tampa sleeper
Our berths were reserved. IL was o O'Clock
before we reached New York, and the Florida
train had left on time. We left Jersey CITY
Oh the very early train the next morning,
which reached Washington at 1915 a IA.
ana Savannah, Ga, the next morning at Z
a M, which was the same time the train
leaving New York at O'Clock the night
before reached Savannah, and from
Savannah the sleepers OF the two trains
were consolidated, and went on southward
as one train.
ION this occasion, as travel was very
heavy, each train went southwark from
Savannah as a section The train which left
New York at Thursday evening comprised
the first section. We were the second
and many were unable to secure accomno-
dations on either.
The sleeper OF the first section went
through 10 Tampa, land it was necessary that
thedoCtOr go on itinOrd ef 10 rea cb his winter
home at Palatka that evening, as section
No. 2 stopped at Jacksonville. The doctor
tried to exchange seats with Mr. Red
nnnh AinnfrngI Hn Nx.1u tn YI
section. This Mr.. Redmond refused TO do,
though he did not go farther than Jackson-
vile that day.
Just this side the BIackshcar River
we were signailed by a man waving a red
handkerchief. Our train came suddenly
to halt, and we Were informed that the
bridge had given way, and the entire train
Of eleven cars had gone down u prct ipice
OF seventy feet.
"Dr. Flower took care of most OF the
wounded, and that evening he took a car
load of the wounded and thirteen OF the
dead to, Jacksonville. Had he not been
there. very many OF the wounded would
soon have been among the dead. Now, the
wonderful part of this story is this. The
lady and gentleman to whom was sold
Thursday evening in New York. the sec
tiOn DR.. Flower had reserved for himself.
were in the midst OF the wreck, the man
was killed outright and the lady fatally
injured, only living a few weeks. Tie
Canadian who refused TO exchange seats 10
accommodate the doctor bad both legs
broken, his shoulder and elbow badly
mashed, besides being seriously injured
internally. Twice was Dr. Flower saved
from this terrible wreck.
IN 1884 Dr.. Flower made professional
trip to Kansas While in southern Kansas
he took day off for hunting. Wandering
away from his companions while stroIIing
along the border or the Indian Territory
where game seemed most plentiful, he
was surprised by four robbers who sud-
denly appeared from a thcket. He was
ordered to throw up his hands. All right
boys he said, up goes my hands, but
don't point your guns this way. The ap-
pearance of the muZZleS gives me the Deu-
ralgia They seemed to enjoy his half
impudent reply. After the leader had re-
lieved him of his watch and money he
shook hands with the doctor and started
TO go, when DR.. Flower remarked: 4
don't mind your taking my money and
watch, but l feel sorry for you because
they can never do you any good why
so% demanded the outlaw. Because you
are now suffering with Brights Disease OF
the Kidneys, and have also a heart trouble
which OF itself must soon kill YOU How
do you know l have kidney and heart
trouble" asked the robber. i did not
tell q sick man his trouble without asking
any questions except Dr.. r. c. Flower
OF Boston, 1t was now the doctors turn.
Drawing himself up 70 his fullest height,
and fastening his eyes on tie bandit. ne
said, I AN DR.. FLOWER OF BOSTON
The robber said in a nervous tone, Il
have long wanted to see YOU. You can
help me, can you nOt% Yes, under certain
conditions Name them said the rObber.
That you return to me what yCu have
taken. and that you give me 81 900, and
change your present way of living Il
can only give $I0O today, but Will gree
to the other terms An right said the
doctor. Now hands up and shell out
and the robber good naturedly handed over
the S700 and what he had taken from the
doctor. Now said DR.. Flower. give
me your name and address. MY name is
Bob CocsereI- but send everything fer rne
to William Ntwmier, Mound City. Kan,
and l viii receive it, and / trust to your
honor TO preserve my secret
To-day Bob COckerell, under another
and his real, name. is a happy. prosperous
farmer, at the heal of a family in Northern
Missouri
Il have seen scores OF DR. Flowers
patients at different times, and they all
tell of his examination of their cases in
the same accurate and wonderful way
l am thoroughly convinced that there is
kind of fate or destiny about that man
which enables him TO perform almost
superna tural wonders in his profession.
He is the most pleasing mau personally
you ever met Polite, kind and syInpa-
thetic to an extreme: children are es-
pecially fond of him, and never want to
leave him. He is the most eloquent and
fascinating orator on She American plat
form. His language Is the EXPIRE SSiou