The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-12-11
wreck. the wreckers would rush in and

notified them was in the express run
that night, and then make their escape
Even now the miscreants were get.
ting the rails in shape to insure the
contemplated disaster. How could
Swipes avert il? There were two des-
perate men In the office who were Ger
tainly armed. Swipes had nothing to
combat them with save a pocket-knife.
IL would be useless To attempt to over
power them.
lie quietly arose, slipped his clothing
on, stepped to the window, and by the
light Of the moon, just disappearing I'M
der the western horizon. saw by his
watch that ii only lacked ten minutes
of the time when No. 1C was 10 leave
Brewster, the station west of Cromp-
ton.
His line OF action was laid out In an
instant. Quietly opening the baggage
room door, he rolled his bicycle outside
and. taking a lantern with n red globs
in one hand, he mounted, and was soon
speeding westward at a tremendous
rate. Faster and faster he urged his
wheel. He could never pass the bridge
IN time 10 stop the train. Then, too, he
would be seen by the wreckers il he at.
tempted il. as the wagon road followed
the right of way at the bridge. 1t was
impossible to go around off the road on
account of the r~avines. Precious mo-
ments were flying. Swipes set his
teeth together with a bull dog determi.
nation and pedaled for life.
In his efforts TO get more
speed out of his wheel one Of the pedals
broke, causing him almost to take n
header. He sprang TO the ground and
ierked the tool bag from the wheel; as
he did so the wrench fell out. struck the
globe OF the lantern and broke it into
fragments.
Great God!" he exclaimed, "what
} am / to dol"
But not a moment did he lose. Seiz'
ing a pair of pliers and a short piece OF
: wire which fell from the tool bag. hi
: dashed up the road like mad, leaving
his wheel where Il had fallen.
Far away in the distant city the train
dispatcher vas slowly calling Brewste'
= station for the report of train 16. Yh'
train had been a few minutes late all tn
: evening, but was gaining, and he hal
" hoped to have it reach Brewster o
time. 1t was now just due at Brew
ster, and he continued to call:
"Bu., Bu., Ds., Blu, Blu"
e There was an interruption on the Gil
) cult. First a few unintelligible spu'
" GERS from the instrument, then slowl
was spelled out tine following:
= Train w-r-e-c-k-e-r-s have re
y m-o-v-e-d two rails at h-i-g-
= bridge. For G-o-d's-s-t-o-p NJ
/; Six"
Then the wire came open.
= The dispatcher comprehended the 81
uation in an instant. He sprang to I'll
key on another line and fairly made II
"a telegraph instrument jump from Il
!, table as he called Brewster. He final
IA raised him and said:
NO. 16!"
10 "Herc. go in min.." was the respons
" "Hold 1G; don't let her get away"
n No answer TO his order.
Again he made the sounder hum as
~ rapidly called Blu"
DC Presently he was interrupted by &
:. operator at Brewster answering:
40 Just in time to catch hind end re-
q coach and pull bell cord as train star
N, ed"
IN THANK God!" exclaimed the di
&c patcher.
ne In a very few moments orders we
as given to the section men to proceed
Or - l.-l lu.I.o ,LaaI 80 NJ 10 NJ
) a thoroughly examine the bridge befo
hit allowing the train to cross. And to al
examine wire No. 1, for an opening b
Elf tween Brewster and Crompton.
Two rails were found with angle ba
ng removed and the spikes drawn al
ed pulled out in such shape as would ha
he sent the train TO destruction.
ng After getting the track in shape al
in the train safely over the bridge, I
on trackmen proceeded to look for a bre
'ge in line No. /. As it was o daylight I
it'll line could be plainly seen.
his Three miles west of Crompton I
al break was found. Swipcs was al
a found al the break, with one brok
arm. and his right leg broken above {
it'll knee. He had climbed a telegraph p'
ert which was supplied with a "grou
or wire" cut the main wire inc attach
nc. the wire ne had taken from the toolb
'ec- Of his bicycle to the west end OF I
be- main wire. so il would he long enou
fee To tap against the ground wire on I
tide pole. lie could just accomplish this
box hanging on to the pole at the extre
? in top. Then he was able to roughly 81
out n message of warning by tappl
ere the main line to the ground wire.
the though he had no means of know
ere whether he was heard or not. Rccs
[ in ing n severe shock from the wires,
had lost his hold upon the pole q
nto fallen to the ground, thereby break
md. his limbs.
did Swipcs privately told his story TO
He agent after his fractured limbs had b.
had attended to. and the superintendent
' he the road was sent for. On the arriva
that official the night operator '
ers- placed under arrest, and when c
civ ~fronted with the knowledge of his or
\ - he turned states evidence and !