Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-12-15
WAS IT MURDER?

Same wears ago | was we'll off, and
received the education and bringing
ND Of 4 gentleman; but partly through
nv own folly and partly through I'M
fortunate speculations, l gradually
lost I'll my capital, and about two
wears ago | found myself penniless,
and saw starvation grinning at me
within measurable distance. Then |
determined to attempt no longer to
4 keep up appearances, but to try to
earn a bare existence in any walk of
life that was open to me. After some
fruiIess efforts / obtained, through
the kindness of a gentleman connected
with the Great Junction Railway,
England the position of locomotive
fireman. l never was given to drink,
So that | was we'll enough able to full
fill the duties of my new position. ]
nm now q station master, and it is
during my few hours of leisure that
prepare this plain narrative for the
decision Of discerning public.
Ii is a great point for the 'stoker''
to be on good terms with the engineer
and | generally found little trouble ia
making friends with my nearest trav-
cling companion.
On the day when 1 went through the
most disagreeable experience of my
life | was travelling from Paddington
10 COWchester on the well-known-to
railway emplOyees-engine named
Pluto" She is a fine, outstanding,
bold sort of engine, and when in good
temper does her work right well. The
engine driver ON this occasion was a
man named John Morgan. I had not
often travelled with him before, only
two or three times, and I never could
get on comfortably with him. He had
been many years in the company's
service, and bore an excellent charac-
ter for steadiness, but was considered
rather taciturn. He seemed to be al
ways in the sulks, and was, l suppose,
Of a surly temper. Before we started
he hardly answered any remark l
addressed to him, and seemed more
surly than usual. When the head
guard gave the signal, and Morgan
turned the handle. we moved slowly
and steadily cut of the station. When
we got we'll out into the country Nor
gan turned to me and said, shortly:
"AIo"a coal"
Now, in my opinion, no more coal
was wanted, as there was quite
enough III the fire to keep up the usual
speed. However, as a stoker, l was
only an underling, and must obey
reasonable orders. SO stocked as bid
den and then curiously watched to see
II the engine driver would turn ON
full speed. He did nothing of the sort,
out sat with his back to the boiler and
peSah TO talk to me quite affably.
Among other things he said he was
quite tired OF this perpetual travelling.
ana that he meant to look out for n
"Ite with a little money and never set
ioo' on an engine again. We had be,
Iore us run Of an hour and half
ana oy that time were due at Blinton,
ol% junction, at which every train
must stop 50 we had plenty Of time
10 talk.
ABOUT an hour after leaving Pad
u'nSton Morgan stopped suddenly II
1ne middle of sentence and said:
Well l must get to work now" Then
lie opened the tirebox and called out
10 ne: More coal"
eXpoStulated with him and pointed
ont that we were going at high rate
u speed. and would not need more
coal before Blinton; but this seemed to
excite him terribly. "Shovel it inr' he
FoaTed, with an oath; I'm going to
make her travel"
10 satisfy him. took up a shovel
lu!' and managed to upset good deal
OF 1t before 1 reached the firebox.
You clumsy foolr' he called out;
mere give it to me-" and snatching
The shovel out of my hands, he
Vammed "a as much coal as he could
set ir
was beginning to get alarmed; and
'''Al@S out over the well-known coun-
uE-for ] had travelled that journey
"'"0y and many a time before-saw
'na' we were much nearer to Blinton
'NaN NE ought to be at that hour.
III few minutes our speed inreased
enormously, and l calculated we Were
u",ehng at the rate Of seventy miles
q" Aour. l called his attention to the
.'V'' and begged him to reduce the
slfSa' or We should run into Blinton
'.,Iout being able to stop.
p TIA ha"' he cried in reply. "Stop!
III never going to stop again! told
you Ia make her travel. What do
''u want to stop for? Oct on, old