The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1900-09-29
A HORRIBLE DRINK CURE.
Reform of . Telegraph Operator
who Imbibed Alcohol from
q Negro Corpse.

A group of politicians was assem-
bled in the rotunda of the Sherman
house one evening recently discussing
tEemerits of the Kansas City and Phil
sdelphia platforms and other issues
that will come before the people in the
coming campaign. The center of the
group, says the Chicago Chronicle, was
. Kansas politician, who appeared
greatly interested in the political
chatter of his Illinois friends. Finally
some one spoke of the great
foothold the prohibition party had
secured in the Sunfower state
and asked the Kansas statesman
If the prohibition laws had re-
duced the consumption of liquor to any
great extent, and if the ban ON the
liquor business had shown any good
results. In reply the Kansan said:
swell, gentlemen, am not a prohibit
ZIONIST, but l am compelled to admit
that at least one Kansas man who was
formerly an habitual drunkard was
cured of the drink habit as direct re-
suit of the prohibition law. The man
Ispeak of was telegraph operator and
train dispatcher, who was employed
at small railroad station near Law
renee. He had been discharged from
the road several times because of drink,
but had been reinstated each time upon
promise to abstain. After the pro-
hibition laws went into effect he suf-
fered about as much as any man in
Kansas. Believing that death would end
his earthly cares unless he got his
whisky, he made arrangements with
the conductor on freight train to
bring him jug of celebrating liquor
over from Missouri each Saturday
night.
This plan worked very well, and the
telegraph operator was happy, but one
Saturday night the freight train ar
rived in due time, and the conductor
brought to the operator the sad news
that he had forgotten to bring the
jug. The operator was disconsolate;
his jug was empty, and he realized
that he must wait three days without
drop; fate had certainly placed a
heavy burden upon his shoulders.
"A short time after the operator, who
was also station master, commenced
removing the freight and baggage from
the platform to the station baggage
room. when, to his great delight, he
discovered that a barrel which had been
passed by him unheeded was labeled al
cohol.' He moved the barrel into the
baggage-room and immediately tapped
1t with nail and began imbibing it's
fiery contents. He examined the ad-
dress on the barrel, and was surprised,
for he thought he knew every man in
the county, and here was a name he had
never heard of before. He sent out
postal informing the unknown person
that barrel had arrived at the sta
ton for him; but weeks passed, and no
one called to claim the barrel. In the
meantime the operator had Cancelled
his order for jug each Saturday night
and satisfied his craving for liquor
from the uncalled-for barrel.
"This continued for nearly three
months, and he then decided that he
must inform the company that the bar
rel had not been called for. After maxi
ing such report he was seized by the
fear that the company might discover
what he had done, and he determined to
I'LL the barrel with water before it was
sent to the main Office to be sold for
charges. He secured Ratchet and re-
moved the head from one end of the
barrel, and when he looked into the
barrel to see how much of the precious
fluid he gave vent to a scream that
could have been heard to the border line
of Kansas. What had he seen. In that
barrel, doubled up in sitting posture,
was the body of dead negro, and the
alcohol which had quenched the thirst
and relieved the suffering, of the UNI
fortunate operator for three months
had also served to preserve this black
corpse.
swell, that story of the discovery OF
the body of murdered negro was pub
lished throughout the west, but it had
lasting effect, even if the mystery re-
manned unsolved. That operator has
not touched drop of liquor from that
Gay until this, and to-day he is one of
the most reliable train dispatchers in
Kansas"
Lets have a drink" said one of the
Chicagoans. and after several rounds"
the party broke up; but the Kansas
statesman remaining in the hotel buff
fet and enjoyed several more drinks be-
fore retiring.
prisoners and Keepers Change Places.
In the course of an account of the
capture of Pretoria, Winston Churchill |
says: The duke of Marlborough,
procuring Dutch guide, galloped
ahead to the cage where the British
officers were confined and requested
the boer commandant to release them
forthwith. Though the demand was
not supported by any force. the Dutch |
officer complied, and after little de-
muir the gate was opened and the Off