The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-19

Something Of the numbness left the
Transfers limbs; he alternately tugged
at the lines, and dashed the wheelers; this
delayed his progress.
Suddenly the rails glowed with yellow
light in the gathering dusk, and the en-
CINE whistled for the crossing. Young be-
came motionless again. and sat staring
at the cleaning lines. The wheelers were
on the track, and the front of the wagon
was over the first rail-
There came a single sharp blast from
the whistle; 1t was the first NOTE Of down
brakes" but the signal was never finish
ed. The engine gave a great leap for
ward, crashed into the front end of the
wagon, now half way across, and hurled
II back. The wheelers were crushed to
pulp, and the pointers dragged against the
side of the engine and killed. while the
leaders, torn loose dashed snorting into
the gloom.
The train seemed hardly to have struck,
ere it disappeared, rocking and plungng,
into the distance.
Under the wreckage of his wagon and
its load of rock, lay Dick Young, team
ster. dead.
Public Indignation ran high in Black
county, against Engineer Ware. 1t was
not so much that he had killed a man;
other engineers had done such things, and
il might have been unavoida Bile; but Ware
had not made the slightest effort to save
Young's life; he had not reversed, or call
ed for brakes; on the contrary, he had
opened the throttle wide and the engine
was going at such a speed that II could
not be stopped It'll IL had left the shat
tered wagon nearly q mile behind.
That the wagon must have been struck
in any case, oil were agreed; but IL Ware
had reversed his engine Young might have
jumped in time to save his life.
Those who felt inclined to seek excuses
for the engineer advanced the theory that
he had been excited, and did not know
what he was doing; but all agreed that he
should be pumshed-that Is, all but the
railroad men; they knew that It was a
case of premeditated and deliberate kill
ing; and they also knew that Engineer
Ware had done a glorious deed and not
for gain or fame.
The engineer was charged by the cor
oner's jury. at first, with manslaughter;
hut ID transpired that he had made a
statement admitting that he had expect
ed 10 kill the teamster. and he was in
dicted for murder. Acting on his lawyers
instruction. he declined TO give his rea-
sons for killing Young.
The court rom was crowded on the day
of the trial, and full of an air Of sup
pressed excitement.
The first Witnesses heard were two stone
cutters who had been at the spur Their
evidence showed that no effort had been
made to slow downfall the train was
going much faster when the engine struck
the wagon than when It first appeared
around the curve The defense waived
the right of cross-examination and The
testimony of those witnesses stood.
Poor devil Knows he's goner' Poor
fellow He take sit hardr' Such were
the whispered remarks in the court room
when the prisoner took the stand 20 speak
in hos own defense. His CHASTITY face. elo-
uuent In it's agony gained him much SYM
pathy. He began excitedly:
Il had to do It," Then. recovering him
self. he continued:
when L saw the wagon first I started
to call for brakes. but instantly saw that
they would be of no use. and decided 10
do what could with tho lever was
about TO reverse when II flashed upon me
that the wagon was loaded with rock
that n would be straight across the track
when I struck e., II tried 20 slow down.
lie had been speaking excitedly. but now
his voice fell.
Il had two coaches and the mail and