The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-11-10

was not unusual for passengers to
come around an hour before train, SO
| thought little of it at the time
However. before [ left the window,
| heard them tramplng around the
platform to the door, and, drawing
back to one side, | waited to see them
pass, Between trains | always KEEP
a lamp burning, but turned down low.
and it now shone out through the
window; and as the men stepped into
the faint bar of hight, [ got quite a
distinct view of them.
Tney were all heavily built. Each
one wore yellow ''slicker" Goa. and
had his slouch hat pulled down clos g
to keep off the rain. and around each
ones face, just below the eyes, was
tied red ''harvester's' handkerchief
This struck me as unusual, and | was
puzzled for moment until it occur
red to me that perhaps they were
worn as a protectipn against the hail.
A moment later they were pound
ing at the door for admittance. Now
as a rule. | did not like to admit any
one SO long before train time. [
sometimes had express money pack
ages on hand, with 10 safe to put
them in. | once carried package
of $4,000 in my pocket for three days
before the owner called for it, and So
at times | was somewhat apprehensive
for my safety.
That night, however, l had only a
few dollars of my own and an almost
empty mail pouch, but, before open
ing the door, | sang out, who's there
and what do You want? 2"
Messengers for the train" came
the answer Were all wet, an
wanter get in ont o the rain
| unlocked the door and they crowd
ed into the room. In the brighter
light indoors the handkerchief that
concealed their faces looked SO much
like an attempt at disguise-and d
pretty good one at that-that for a
moment l was startled, and made a
hasty step toward the ticket office
Before | could take another, how
ever, one of the men struck me with
his fist, and though the blow was not
a hard one, it was SO unexpected that
it knocked me completed y off my feet
Then two of them seized me while |
was down, turned me on my face and
held me, while the others bound my
hands firmly behind me. They next
bound my feet, and then rolled me
over again on my back
Now, my chicken" said one, who
appeared to be the leader, I'VE amt
got nothin' agin you an won't hurt
you as long as you keep quiet; but
sure as you yell or make noise,
there'll be some shootin'."
They seemed to be familiar with
the office and it's surroundings and
probably had been there before. Two
Of them picked me up and carried me
toward the freight room. while anotn
er went ahead with the lamp and
opened the door. Here they looked
around for a moment, then laid me
down against the side of the building,
with an old coat under my head for Il
pillow. and, bidding me keep ''mum,"
returned to the waiting room.
Thus left alone In the dark, | be
gan to think, and pretty fast, too, for
1 was thoroughly excited.
Their scheme was evident enough
to wi.ylay tie train there and rob the
express and mail cars. The express
messenger always had money in the
safe on the east run, and not infre
quently gold bullion from the mines
further west, SO, IN case they were
successful, they would secure a large
sum. There had been several like at
tempts throughout the country lately,
and felt sure that this was their
object
By taking the trainmen by sur
prise they might easily overpower
them, then separating the mail and
express cars from the rest of the
train, run them mile or two further
east with the engine and plunder
them at their leisure. This plan had
been successfully carried out on
another road a short time before. and
there was no reason why it should
not again be successful, unless | could
prevent 1t IN some manner.
| tried to loosen my hands, but
they were tied too securely-so tight,
ly that the cords almost cut the flesh.
Then | reflected that even if | were
loose, | should be unable to get out
and flag the train, for both freight
doors were pailocked and the key was
IN the ticket office drawer.
About this time the door leading to
the waiting room was opened and
one of the roughs looked III.
Say, young feller, are you alive
yet?" he asked.
Yes" | responded.
NV ell, we wanter know If there's
anything you've got to do to this here
telegraph machine SO they won't sus-
pect nothln'-any report to make7"
This was pretty cool, and for mo
ment | tho sht 1 might still have a
chance to warn the dispatcher, and
was on the point of saying Yes
when another voice cut me short.
You let him get his claws on that
machine an he'll have 'em stop the
train. Don't be fool; come out an
shut the door"
The door slammed and once more
| was left IN the dark
L now was beginning to suffer from
my constrained position and the cut
ting of the chords, so l began to cast
about me for relief; and then sudden
ly l remembered reaper blade that
had been left at the station few DAYS
ago by the express. 1t was loose
from the board and L had placed it il
corner so that no one could be hurt
by it accidentally. Accordingly ]
rolled over and over until my feet
touched the opposite wall and then
sitting up with my back toward the
corner, felt for the blade with my
! hands.