The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-09
TO ENTERTAIN A VISITOR
SOME BOYS MADE TWO ATTEMPTS
To DERAIL A TRAIN.
secret Service Omcer Halls Appealed
to n Priest and Thereby Pre-
vented n Wreck.

snteresinr IL somewhat expensive, custom
that prevailed In the city of the Seven
Hills in the palmiest days Of its luxury.
Secret Service officer Thomas +. Halls
tells a story, however, of the Planning of a
railroad wreck for the sole purpose of pro-
viding amusement for a guest in an Indiana
family, several years ago, which rather
lays in the shade accounts of the impos-
ing banquets served 10 the Roman popu-
lace by some Of that city's p~rodigai rulers.
II expect the public would be aston
ished, not TO say Mortified" said Captain
Halls, ito know what exceedingly small
causes often lie at the bottom Of serious
railroad wrecks. 1 had my eyes opened in
this regard several years. ago. II was
during the time when 1 was in the railroad
service as a detective. / received notice
one day that an attempt had been made
20 wreck a passenger train a short distance
west Of Indianapolis, and set out for the
place at once. Arrived there. I began my
investigation and soon found that a lot of
timber had been placed in a cattle guard
for the purpose Of derailing the train.
The object Of the wreckers would have
been accomplished but for the fact that
the first train which passed that way after
A. AIAhph WIS QAoNNA OA III NAoNN
happened to be running at such a high rate
OF speed that the timbers were hurled bodi-
~ from the rails by the cowcatcher of the
locomotive. The only damage done was
10 the pilot of the engine, and that was
slight.
a SIMILAR ATTEMPT.
Before 1 had a chance TO look about for
the perpetrators of the diabolical outrage I
ro1ofx-oI n IirnofoI frfor-,fr1 me fho4 a
similar attempt had been made about a
hundred miles further west and directing
me TO report at the latter place. This was
just across the line in Illinois, and the
next day after l got there 1 was sur
prised to receive a third telegram summon
ing me back to the Indiana locality in
which the first attempt had been made.
The messages said the wreckers had re-
sumed operations. and, as their activity was
so great, / naturally concluded they were
the more dangerous set of rascals. Ac-
c~ordingly, / went back into Indiana and
began anew my interrupted Investigation.
The second attempt had been made by the
placing of a large plank, such as are TO be
found at railroad crossings, over the
track at a curve. A most fortunte hap
pening prevented the attempt from being
successful. In which case hundreds of lives
might have been lost.
The first train that encountered the OBJ
struction happened to be coming from the
west and tie pilot of the locomotive struck
under the big plank. throwing it down the
e~mbankment without causing any injury
TO the train. After studying the situation
pretty thoroughly 1 made up my mind that
these attempts had been made by persons
who lived in the vicinity Of the points at
which the distractions were placed. This
conclusion was formed froml my observa-
ton of other spots some distance away
which would have been better adapted TO
the purpose of the wreckers, since they
offered less opportunity for distractions
TO be discovered by chance passers-by. I
therefore began to pay attention TO the
people who resided in that neighborhood,
and soon succeeded in getting trace Of
some boys who lived about a mile up the
road, and who. 1 was informed, had been
seen TO act rather suspiciously of late.
After a few days work on the case 1 be-
came satisfied that these boys were the
guilty parties. 1 then directed my efforts
towards catching them away from home
some time. and succeeded in finding them in
a strip of woods one day and getting them
20 confess that they tried TO wreck those
trains.
A PREDICAMENT.
Then I was in a peculiar position indeed.
The boys were too young to be sent to
state prison, and yet the safety of passen-
gers on the railroad had to be guarded. I
studied for several days trying 10 devise
some way of deaHng with those little
scamps. / disliked greatly 10 appear in a
court with a lot of small boys charged
with such a grave offense, for knew that
a jury would. side with the boys i'm all
probability. Finally I saw a way out of
the dilemma when 1 overheard somebody
say that these boys were Catholics.
Il hope you will pardon a DEPRESSION at
this point said Captain Halls. but 1 just
want TO say that l have always found the
ciergymen of the Catholic faith arrayed
steadfastly on the side of law and order.
Il lost little time in going TO the nearest
town. continued the officer, and seeking
an audience with his reverence, the Cath
Ole priest of that parish found him a
very intelligent. kindly man and had 40
hesitaney in relating to him a full account
Of the case. | told him of the painful situa-
tion in which l found myself. You have
acted wisely he said, in deciding not TO
drag the DOyS into court Il Will guarantee
TO YOU that neither you nor the railroad
company will have any more trouble of the
kind you have mentioned
Some weeks afterward 1 was told by
the station agent of that town that the
priest had expressed a desire 10 nave an
other talk with me-. / mise the SUBJ
Ject he would in all probability discuss.
and as / felt not a little curiosity 10 learn
something more about my boys / paid
the reverend father a visit at once.
AN EXPLANATION.
when L had entered his house and taken
a seat. in accordance with his cordial invi-
tation, he said: I wanted 10 tell you the
rest Of the story about those boys who put
distractions on your railroad. You will
doubtless recall that some time prior 10
the finding Of those distractions a passen-
ger train was wrecked near those spots in
the early hours Of the morning. The
coaches were thrown into the ditch at the
side OF the track and turned completely
over. While this was a pretty serious mat
ter TO the people who were injured and 10