The Republican journal., 1897-08-12
THE MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE.
"Watch the Switch"

events happened which form the subject
of this story. l had determined to keep
the facts buried in my breast and never
allow them to come to the eye of the pub
lie; for men in my calling, who see but
the rough side of life, do not care to be-
stitious; but as l have yet to find one
single instance where a message from the
dead averted any catastrophe, | have con-
cluded to reveal the secrets of night S
work where one who had been called to
the silent majority played the most i'm
portant part, and made known to me, a
railroad detective, the purposes of pair
of desperadoes. ! was not then, nor am
| now, a believer in spirit manifestations
but | must frankly admit that some I'M
seen power guided me at that time,
through whose instrumentality | was en-
abled, single handed, to prevent the car
ryiDg out Of a diabolical plot which
would have resulted in the loss of many
thousands of dollars: and what would
have been far worse, scores of lives
would have been offered up, in order to
satisfy the ayarice of two train robbers.
] would have given these facts to the pub
lie long ere this, but for reasons best
known to myself | have been unable to.
1t was in the summer of the early los
when | was in the employ of the
dered on to New York and was about to
board the O clock morning train for that
city when, unexpectedly, / was notified
that superintendent S. wished to see me
at once. | went to the office, and when
closeted with that official, he said that he
wished 10 confer with me in relation to
the recent attempts TO derail the n L q
). Express, more especially with regard
to the one which had happened few days
previously and which resulted in the death
of George Caxton Bidwell, the rear brake
man.
The brave fellow was shot down by the
ruthless hand of one of the the supposed
AidiA4 Ni0Nh SIS, WIZ Il uGdNf
obstruction upon the track at Randell's
gravel pit.
| was instructed to make careful in
vestigation, and, if possible, run.the ban
dts TO earth and bring them to justice.
''>pale neither pains nor money! said
MI. >, land if needs be l will place a
Sr1ppiai NJ
the purpose. And" he continued,
while the travel has been falling off re-
Gently and the receipts of cash for ship
ments dwindling down to small sums. to-
Gay ! have been informed by the New
York officials that the Express tonight
will have both a heavy passenger freight
ana an unusually large sum of money, so
you will be on the lookout tonight, and
postpone your New York engagement
until some future date We have been
ordered to guard especially the eastern
division and use every means within our
power to insure the safety of the train"
At tins luncture, potter stepped into
The Office and coming up to me, handed
me an envelope. At a glance | saw it was
telegram. Hastily tearing it open.
imagine my astonishment when read.
N station, June 10, -, 10. 80 A NJ Detec-
1--WE T.: VI atCh the switch at G.. Mills To-
night. Fail not. a terrible catastrophe
awaits the y. Y y S. Express Heavy snip
hert OF money on board. Passenger list
extra. Inc signals Will also be changed
tSlgntIJ RIM
Brakeman"
When l had finished reading the mes
sage, l observed that several gentlemen
had entered the office and were engrossed
IN earnest conversation with the superin-
tendent, SO | quietly withdrew without
making known TO him the contents of the
telegram. AS | read and re- read the tele-
gram, | began to grow unaccouatahlv
nervous, for knew that the name stoned
10 The telegram was that of a man who
had been killed. ''Watch the switch at
q. Mills tonight" What could this
mean? Can this be message from the
Heau' ana could it be possible that the
dead brakeman saw the impending danger
10 lite and property and had thus made if
known to me? Such were the tbouohts
winch kept flashing through my mind.
until L became quite alarmed and resolv-
ed, no matter what the results. to carry
out TO the letter the orders which | began
tofeel had received from the other world
made up my mind l would confide in no
one, feeling that if, indeed, | had receiv-
Ell a communication from George Bdwen
would in some way be enabled to control
1he situation alone. If it were ruse. to
get me on blind hunt, l alone would
know 1t. l resolved to act Immediately.
consulting my watch, l saw it was II
CLOCK, and knowing that the express
would not reach the G.. Mills siding until
III 0 CLOCK that evening, | had ample time
IN winch to complete all details for carrv-
ing out the spirit Crder.''
My frst move was to go to the village of
u and learn what l could concerning
the author of the mysterious telegram.
Securing hasty lunch | boarded noon
tram and att. 80 P. NJ. | was seated in the
olngy telegraph and ticket office of nv
destination 7 cbattad