The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-04-03

II IhUNlLU Dl n 8
II TELEGRAPH. DISPATCH. :
Z A Murderer's Touch ON
Il II the Instrument Betray- =
T. ed Him.
Observation-Disclosures
Dick Ramsey and l had gone west to
make our fortunes. What that means
none but an eastern boy who has tried
it can tell.
We roughed it together. sometimes
faring well when we happened to fall
into the camp of hospitable western
er, but more often tramping it from
village to village looking for the work
which was never found and wondering
when we should strike our "streak" Of
luck.
Finally we separated, Dick to taks
the position of station agent at Lake
vile, new settlement, and to go Oh
to Riverdale, ten miles beyond, to hold
a similar position, We could talk by
wire, but we found that further com
munication would be impossible, fol
we were well tied down and after ouI
separation did not see each other
again.
Dick was a gentle sort of fellow, one
Of those dreamers who never get on in
a worldly way, but the dearest com
panion imaginable / missed him ter
ribly for awhile, but. his occasional
talk at the wire told me he was alive
and well.
One afternoon there came a frantic
call at the wire, and l hurried to the
instrument to hear Dick tapping of
| the words that the express train had
been delayed and to hold the .'runa-
way" due at the station ten minutes
later, until l heard from him. Direct.
| ly after the message came the line;
Express train in sight. Something
wrong. Stand BY" / waited a full
minute; then came Dicks familiar tap
tap: Express is being run by strange
hands. They have stepped at this sta
ton. Send relief"
There was a seconds silence; then,
before I could flash the alarm along
the line, the tapping began again. 1t
ran; everything all right. Goodby."
I signaled for him to repeat the mes
sage, and again came the words: 'Ev-
erything all right. Goodby."
l held the instrument in my hand
and debated with myself upon my
course of conduct. did not want to
needlessly send the alarm along the
line. On the other hand, why had Dick
sent his first message? touched the
instrument and asked, els everything
all right, Dick?" And the answer
came back, Everything is all right"
1t did not seem at all like Dicks
touch, but laid it to nervousness and
quieted my fears while waited for
the runaway"
recalled that Dick had told me over
the wire the previous evening that the
runaway" would have large sum of
money aboard, which 1t was to trans
fer to the express at his station.
When the runaway" came up, noti-
fed the engineer that the express was
waiting for him at Lakeville, and
also casually mentioned that the alarm
had come from there, but that after
ward had received message that all
was well.
He seemed disturbed and advised me
to repeat the story to the United States
marshal aboard, which l did, with the
result that the train pulled out of the
station prepared for emergencies,
though neither they nor l thought any
thing of the hasty message that had
been flashed to me.
Ten minutes later the message came
over the wires from Lakeville: Found
train in charge of highwaymen. Dick
Ramsey murdered at instrument OBJ
ject was to rob the runaway but we
overpowered them after desperate
struggle. Notify the stations along the
line to send relief"
This, in brief, was the story Of the
death of Dick Ramsey, and after /
had seen him laid away in the grave
yard at Lakeville I packed up my
goods and journeyed farther on, for
could not remain so near the scene Of
my old friends death.
Well, strange things happen, and
after had found position with the
same company so miles away / was as
signed back to Lakeville.
l found the village grown into set
Element of very fair size and the sim
pie little station replaced by very pre-
tentious one, while the humble little
churchyard where they had buried
poor Dick Ramsey was gay with flow
ering shrubs, and spires of marble lift
ed themselves here and there among
the trees. Dicks grave was still mark
ed by the rude cross had placed over
it.
Well, in the duties Of my new posi-
ton l am afraid forgot Dick, and for
weeks at time never thought of the
mound behind the church and the poor
fellow who had come with me from
home and whose joys and sorrows had
been mine for so long.
In Dicks place at the instrument
there sat an honest little chap, and as
SlSiluS I'LL Was dAOtuCA AdN, AOA ehS
station at Lakeyille now boosted half
a dozen employees.
High above the station, on a bluff
that commanded the finest view IL
town, was the home Of the president Of
the company, a man who had fought
his way up and who now boosted his
millions.
The president was tall, dark man,
with stern features, but kind heart,
and often l watched him with envy as
he alighted from his private car and
entered the handsome victoria which
carried him behind his spanking team
up to his home on Lakeville heights.
Often the president did not go up to
the city, and on these occasions ne
wired me on his private line, and
wired to the city for him.
One day, CHANGING to SIT at the in
strument, there came call on the
presidents wire, and, responding, re-
ceived this message: LET me know If
the road is clear"
A minute later called up his private
wire and tapped, ''The road is clear"
"All right" came back the answer.
1t was simple enough message, but
1t set my pulses throbbing. Mechan-
fcally l touched the button and repeat
ed the message "The road is clear,
and Immediately came back the words,
"AlI right"
1 sat at the instrument ike man In
a dream, and my thoughts were with
Dick, who had sat.at the same spot
five years before and had touched that
same instrument. What was there In