Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-10-09
THE FATE OF TRAMPS
RuMoRS THAT TRAlNMEN KILLED
MANY "FREIeHT JUMPERS"

ManEfed Bodies Picked Up Along the
Line Of the Consolidated Road-An Al
legged Plot TO Murder the Migrants who
Stole Rides on Freight Trains.
New H HAvEN, Oct dead bodies have
been picked up with alarming frequency
along the tracks Of the Consolidated rail
road during the past four months. This
road Is branch of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad, connecting
New London with this oity
So many men have been found mutilated
on this short run that 1t has become
known as Dead Mans run" The po-
lice are now satisfied that murder has been
done In many of these cases, and they
blame the employees on the freight trains.
According to the police, the trainmen have
deliberately entered into plot to murder
tramps who were found stealing rides on
their trains.
Coroner Ell Mix was informed OF this
CHASTITY discovery last night. His records
Of the many deaths on the railroad were
looked up in his safe. His clerk could not
be found Here is the best list that can
be now made up:
Eugene Williams Of Madison; body
found at Fairhaven horribly manRled.
cut to pieces at Milford.
Unidentified man, we'll dressed found
by the tracks at Lake Saltonstall
Unidentified man; found by the tracks
at Stratford.
Unidentified man; found near New Lon
don.
Unidentified man; found at Fairhaven.
This Is a very incomplete list. Hardly
week has passed during the summer
that body has not been found somewhere
on the line, lying on the tracks, mangled
by the hundreds of car wheels that have
passed over It, Many Of them have been
clad In fairly good clothing, showing that
the men were probably of decent assooia-
tloDs, but temporarily In hard luck
Supposed to have fallen from pass
ing train" or KILLED by the cars" has
been the verdict duly rendered In every
one Of these cases by the coroner's jury.
One Lucky Failure.
These verdicts might have gone on for
years II It had not been that one Of the
trainhands failed In his ghastly job. The
victim lived and sought out the police
here They Investigated, and in the course
of their search stumbled all over the truth.
A humane brakeman, who could not see
murder done, is said to have told all. Who
he is or on what train he runs the police
absolutely decline TO tell. Their reason Is
a simple one. 1t would mean death for
that man on the cars some day.
1t was Policeman Michael Ahearn who
made the discovery. This Is the story he
told to press reporter; ION the night Of
Sept 26 three tramps boarded train No.
100 at Boston. One was Michael Maho-
ney, plumber out of work. His story
was that he wanted 10 get to New York
and find job. The other two men agreed
TO go with him. 9hey were put of twice
before they got 20 New London, but man
aged to get back on the cars saoh time.
Finally, at Mantle, they angered Brake
man Edward j, Dean, who promptly went
back TO his oaboose, and, loading a revolv-
or, went out again. The train was stopped
and the men put of.
"MahoDey started to walk away, when
suddenly there was shot, and he looked
around. Dean had his revolver leveled al
him and was blazing away. Mahoney
started to run. A shot brought him down.
Dean kept firing till he had shot five
times. Two missed, one tore through the
mans coat and grazed his neck, and one
took eject in the right leg and one in the
right arm.
fAahoney tainted there by the tracks,
and the trainmen, who ran out at the
sound Of the shooting, did not dare leave
him there, so he was picked up and placed
aboard the tran. bleeding and exhausted.
The trainhan were In a terrible stew.
Finally they du ded TO put him OF at Co
dar Hill just outside Of New Haven,
wounded and as he was.
''MahOney made his way to this city,
and / was put on the case
"All that Mahoney knew was that he
had been put of by tall man with q
ndy mustaohe, who shot at him fiv,
4 IS after he had left the train.
ae railroad people strenuously deny
the rumors and assert that the trainmen
are In no way responsible for the tragedies,