The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-10-15
HIS RELEASE.

Some years ago was riding along this
road on my return from trip into Vir-
ginia, where I had business mission On
the way, and, in fact, just after we left
Pittsburg, fell in with a young fellow
who was on his way to the Rocky noun
tains 1 think Denver was hi1 objective
point. He was young Virginia lawyer
who had been educated at the University
of Pennsylvania.
During one of our chats the boy-for he
was scarcely more than a boy, being prob
ably % years of age-toOk me into his
confidence considerably and showed me a
photograph of a beautiful girl of whom he
seemed exceedingly proud and told me she
was his sweetheart, to whom he was en-
gagged and whom he expected to marry as
soon as he could become established in
practice.
Along about five miles back, where you
noticed that old mill down by the creek,
is a smooth piece of track for nearly two
miles, and upon reaching that little stretch
the engineer usually pulls his throttle open
a little wider and lets the train run at
very lively rate. 1t is very level piece of
track. and there is not much danger in
fast running there
Suddenly, however, and without any
warning the engine left the rails, and the
long train of coaches followed. There was
no embankment only a flat piece of coun-
try, and SO it was not SO disastrous as 1t
otherwise would have been. I was SO
bruised and stunned that L scarcely real
lied what had occurred. 1t was after
O'Clock in the evening, and had scarcely
more than eXtricated myself from the car,
which was literally torn to pieces, when
the wreck caught on fire Most of the
passeng gers, however, had been rescued,
but a few of them were still in the wreck,
and we started in at once to assist the
trainuppD in doing what we coI1ld I lost
sight of my companion as soon as the car
went over, but after / got out of the car
wondered where he was.
Just then the flames shot into the air,
and we heard a shrek. Rushing to the
other side of the car I beheld my young
friend underneath heavy BEAM In fact,
the lower half of his body was undeEthe
debris of the wreck, and he was damned
in tight that we could not possibly re
move him without more assistance. We
had nothing to work with, only one ak
having been taken out of the cars, and
that was broken and of little use. The
flames had already reached his feet, and
his cries for help were heartrending, 1 can
assure you. There was absolutely nothing
we could do to help him-not a thing in
which we could get any water, and if there
had been there was not q drop nearer than
a mile for the creek at that point was at
least that far away. 1 pulled at the debris
that I have used it but very little since,
and, as you see, it is badly SCARED.
We worked trying to save him until the
fire drove Us back. His appeals were some
thing terrible to hear, and he begged US
again and again to shoot him This, of
course, no one would do, although it
would have been the thing to put him out
OF his misery.
But just then help came to him.
From the side of the track in the dark
ness-for it was an inky night-appeared
a slender figure in white. 1t came up
without sound. I stood where 1 could
see her very plainly, for the figure was
that of a young woman. Her face was
ashen, her features perfect, and l recog
nized at once in her features the photo
graph my young friend had shown me ON
the train. She glided up to where the vic
tim lay. We heard the sharp report of u
pistol, and the apparition vanished instant
ly. 1 Just had time to see the poor fellow
before the flames closed over him, and
there was a bullet hole in his forehead.
He was dead. The flames rushed over
him, and I turned away.
The next day from out the ruins we
took his remains The skull was badly
charred, but in it was hole like that
made by a ball, and inside of the remains
of the skull was small piece of molten
lead. I went to the telegraph office, only
a few miles down the track, and teIe
graphed to the girl, whose name and adj
dress he had fortunately given me. An
answer came from the girl S father stating
that steps would at once be taken for the
proper care of the remains, and that they
would be taken back to the Old Dominion.
From there 1 went home. Only a short
while after that 1 was compelled to
make another trip to Virginia While in
the state I CHANGED to pass through the
town where the prospective father-in-law
If he
the liberty Of calling at his home, know
ing that they would no doubt like to hear
about the accident in which the young
man met so unti1nely an end.
The old gentleman was at home and
very glad to see me. L told him all the cir
cumstanceS of the strange event that had
taken place When 1 was through, he
went into another room and brought out
a small pistol and said he had no doubt
that was the weapon that put Harry, as
he called him, out of misery. He said that
the night before the accident occurred his
daughter, the lady to whom my young ac-
quaintance was engaged, was taken sud
denly i'll and died before morning On
the table in her room was this small, ivory
handled pistol, which her fiance had pre-
scented to her before he left. 1t was loaded.
The morning after the accident one car
fridge was found to have been exploded,
and no one could possibly account for the
CURIOUS uttJD6uluS- sAS Inc p1StO1 ustu nOb
been touched by any one after the young
ladys death. had the little lump of lead
which 1 found in the unfortunate young
mans skull, and we weighed it and also
one of the pistol balls, and after careful
examination they were found to be of ex-
actIy the same caliber. I am firmly of the
belief that the spirit of that young woman
came that dark and awful night to the
lief of her intended Observation-Disclosures
Railway Meals.
The Railway and Engineering Review
says, in speaking of the meal service of
L.