The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-16

A current magazine article on THE
Telegraph in Peace and War;" by Will
liam b. Wilson, of Philadelphia, author
of "The History of the Pennsylvania
Railroad" and other interesting and
valuable publications, contains several
references to the prominent Scranton
ians, Superintendent Richard O'Brlen,
of the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany, and his brother, DR.. J. +. O'Bri-
en-. both of whom were among the first
telegraphers to be drafted into the mill
tary service in the Civil war.
Richard OBrien is mentioned as be-
ing one of the first four men who were
called upon to go to the front, and
further on in the article in discussion
of the confidence and responsibility re-
posed in the military telegraphers, APP
pears the following:
Richard O'Brien was offered at one
time $4,000 in gold to betray his trust
Doctor Wright, the most prominent
physician of Norfolk, had been drawn
by lot to kill the commander of the first
detachment of negro troops who might
enter the city. Lieutenant Sanborn, n
brave New England soldier, had the
misfortune to be that commander, and
fell under the bullet of the ASSASSIN.
Wright was captured, tried by court
martial and sentenced to be hung. His
friends brought powerful influences to
bear upon President Lincoln for a re-
prieve, which up to the last moment OF
the execution they hoped might be
wired.
"AS the minutes flew feverishly by
and the reprieve came not his friends,
as a last resort, offered O'Brien $20,-
900 to forge a telegram ordering
Wright's release. With the offer, was
the further one of the freedom of the
Confederacy and passage on a block
ade runner to Europe. He could have
| yielded to the temptation as far as his
| personal safety was concerned but his
stern faithfulness made him refuse the
offer with Indignation and contempt
and Wright paid the penalty of his
| crime"
Mr.. Wilson's article makes mention
Of DR.. O'Brien as "little John f. O'Bri-
en-, then only IA years Of age" acting
as military operator at Fortress Mon
roe, when the Merrimac was causing
such havoc there and thereabouts and
| threatening to run up the Potomac
1 and destroy Washington. Little John
/
sending to President Lincoln the tele-
gram appraising him OF the glorious
achievement Of the Monitor, and re-
leving the terrible tension and turning
gloom into joy.
DR.. O'Brien, himself, is the author
of an interesting article on War Tele-
| graphers," published in the Century
magazine some ten years ago.
| Fred w. Zizelman, the new chief of
the fire department, comes to that po-
sition thoroughly equipped for the per-
| fOrmance Of the arduous duties attach
| ed to it. He has been an active fire.
man for over a dozen years and knows
all the ins and outs of the department
having served as district chief for two
years. He has assisted at all Of the
fires Of any consequence in the city
since he has been a member of the
department and his advice has beer
frequently sought in times of emer-
gency. Perhaps the best illustration OF
his quickness to act when a fire is
raging is a little incident at the blaze
which threatened to destroy The Rook-
cry, at the corner of Spruce street
and Washington avenue, one night last
winter.
There are two mouths to the plug al
this corner and one of the companies
first on the scene connected one of Its
lines of hose with one of these, leaving
the other unused till the members OF
the company could get their second
line ready to connect. They stationed
one of their number to guard the hy
| lrant Now Mr. ZiZelman. who is g
member of the Nay Augs, happened
along about this time looking for :
place to connect his line of hose.
Espying the second mouth Of thi
particular hydrant he pulled his lint
over and made TO connect 1t.
Keep away from here" yelled thu
man on guard.
Whats that?" said Zizelman.
II said keep away from here. Ou
company has got prior right to thi'