The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-09-12
Told By Express Messenger.

ger near Columbus, o., the other day
me Of curious experience Of
my own," said q veteran employe Of
one Of the big companies. st was
good many years ago, and / had mes
senger's run at the time in and out Of
Des Moines, Iowa.
"Onc evening on my return trip /
took on large-sized box at desolate
little country station, about 40 miles
from the city. The box was fully six
feet long by yard broad and high,
and was entered as merchandise on
the waybiil. The stationmaster and I
dumped it in one end of the car and l
gave it no further thought until about
half an hour later, when 1 happened
to glance in that direction and caught
CLEAN of something bright shining
through a small hole in the side.
There was knot in one Of the boards
at that point, and suppose the bump
ing Of the train had Jared it loose.
Anyhow, it had fallen out, leaving an
oriice the size of half-dollar, and
when / bent down to peer in was
thunderstruck to see o section of hu-
man finger. The CLEAN had come from
gold ring. During the next few Sec
onds I did some mighty fast thinking.
1t was clear there was man in the
box, and I was equally certain that he
had planned to rob and murder me.
The lid was no doubt arranged to be
opened suddenly, and he probably
calculated that my surpsise and con-
sternation would make me an easy
prey when he emerged. Remembered
in fash that this identical scheme
had been worked in one or two express
robberies in the early days, and al
though my heart was going like q
drum, I managed to control myself,
and before I arose / had mapped out a
plan of action.
"There was pile of trunks in the
corner next to the box continued the
ex-messenger, "and grabbing the up
per one suddenly by the handle, I
snatched it down right on top Of the
lid. In twinkling I had another one
by its side, and then two more on top
Of those. They were big, massive
trunks, such as travelling statesmen use,
and never have been able to under
stand how tossed them around the
way did, but suppose fear must
have made me a regular Sandow.
When got the Saratogas in place I
stole another glance at the knothole.
The finger hadn't budged hair. He's
playing possum. / said to myself,
and I hustled like mad to complete the
barricade. I dragged up everything
movable in the whole car, and by the
time got through / had the long box
buried under about ten tons Of solid
express matter and miscellaneous fur
niture. The robber couldn't have
blown himself out with dynamite
cartridge. Then I sat down on the
floor, wiped my forehead and chuckled
merrily to think how had outw;tted
the villain.
"Half an hour later we pulled into
the city, and I'll leave you to imagine
the wild sensation when I flung open
the door andsexplained the situation
to the boys in the depot. The next
question was how to take out the pris-
oner, end you may well believe we
went about il cautiously, for it was
fair to presume he was desperate fell
low, and We didn't know exactly how
much fight there might be left in him.
When the box was at last uncovered
we were astonished to find that the lid
was nailed down tight. Nevertheless,
the finger was still plainly visible, and
one of the men poked it with lead
pencil. Holy smoker he shouted,
this is the best joke Of the season
Why, it's nothing but corpse, and
as stiff as poker, too!' IF he's dead,
it's because I smothered him! 1 re-
torted, indignantly, for I swear I
heard him breathing just before I
pulled down the trunksl' That was
a small fib, Of course, and half min
ute later, when they had pried open
the lid, would have given an arm to
recall it. What do you think was in
side? A corpse? Not on your shirt
waist. It contained four tailor's dunn
mics, made out Of papier mache. The
one nearest the knothole wore brass
ring. ."-Neto Orleans Times Democrat.