Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-03-28
CURED DRINK HABIT.
Horrifying Experience of a Tele-
graph Operator in Kansas.
Imbibed Alcohol from a Barrel Con.
tanning n Negro Corpse-HRs Never
Touched Liquor since Discov-
cry of the Fact.

house one evening recently discussing
the merits Of the Kansas City and Phil
adelphia platforms and other issues
that will come before the people in the
| coming campaign. The center of the
| group, says the Chicago Chronicle, was
a Kansas politician, who appeared
| greatly interested in the politica
chatter of his Illinois friends. Finally
some one spoke of the great
foothold the prohibition party hae
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 gooc
results. In reply the Kansan said:
We'll. gentlemen, am not a prohibi'
Zionist, but l am compelled to admit
that at least one Kansas man who WA
formerly an habitual drunkard was
cured of the drink habit as a direct re.
suit of the prohibition law The man
speak OF was a telegraph operator ano
train dispatcher, who was employed
~ a sinai IdtAIuhN clulibt llFhA Inv
renee. He had been discharged from
the road several times because of drink
buthad been reinstated each time upoI
a 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 a freight train te
bring him a 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 10 bring the
jug. The operator was disconsolate;
his jug was empty, and he realized
that he must wait three days without
a 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 barrel which had been
passed by him unheeded was labeled nj
cohol.' He moved the barrel into the
bageage-room and immediately tapped
1t with a nail and began imbibing is
tery 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. lie sent out a
postal informing the unknown person
that barrel had arrived at the sta.
ton for him; but weeks passed, and nc
one called to claim the barrel. In the
meantime the operator had Cancelled Il
his order for jug each Saturday night
and satisfied his craving for liquor
from the uncalled-for barrel. i
"This continued for nearly thre.
and he then decided that lie
must inform the company that the bar.
rel had not been called for. After max.
ing such report he was seized by the !
fear that the company might discover /
What he had done, and he determined 10
bill the barrel with water before il was 4
sent 10 the main Office to be sold foG
charges. He secured a 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
iuid he gave vent to scream that !
could have been heard TO the border line
OF Kansas. What had he seen. I'm that +,
barrel, doubled up in a sitting posture /
was the body of a dead negro. and the
alcohol which had quenched the thirst
aud relieved the suffering of the I'm.
fortunate operator for three months
had also served TO preserve this black
corpse.
well, that story Of the discovery OF
the body of murdered negro was pub.
lshed throughout the west. but II had
lasting effect, even if the mystery re.
manned unsolved. That operator has
not touched drop of liquor from that
day until this, and to-day he is one Of
the most reliable train dispatchers in
Kansas"
Lets have drink" said one Of the
Chicagoans. and after several rounds
the party broke up; but the Kansas
statesman remaining in the hotel buf.
let and enjoyed several more drinks be.
fore retiring.
prisoners and Keepers Change Places.
In the eourse of an acc,,,,,, - -