The independent., 1902-11-06
A RAILROAD H0LD-UP.
But the Railroad Aetsd the Part of High.
waymen This Time.

uo dlILtuuo Ol VNeDTdShd TdliTOduS
towards the different political parties
was well displayed by the action of the
Burlington people towards Mr.. Bryan
and his party last week. In order to
fill the dates made for him by the fu-
sion state committees Mr.. Bryan was
compelled to make use of special
train.
The treatment accorded to Mr.. Bry-
an and his associates was we'll ex-
planned by a special dispatch to the
World Herald last Sunday morning.
The dispatch reads as follows:
Ravenna, Neb., Nov. lit was not
by the aid or consent of the railroads
that Mr. Bryan and his party were
able to carry out the program for to-
day at Broken Bow and Ravenna
Meantime some of the most interest
ing and picturesque hours of the trip
were experienced. After a mad but
merry chase across country from mid
night until dawn the party made
Broken Bow in spite of obstacles.
1t was at Loup City that the first
complication presented itself. When
the special arrived at that city there
was a telegram from Burlington Otfl-
cial instructing the conductor to de-
mand $115 extra for the special train
if it carried the Bryan party back to
Aurora The train had been hired for
the day, and was paid for in advance
at the rate of $1.50 per mile from
Fairmont to I.oup City, and at the
rate of rs cents per mile from Loup
City back to Aurora, division point.
AS the train had not returned when
the Loup City meeting was over the
Bryan party asked if they could re-
turn to Aurora at regular rates. The
train was ready to start, and as the re-
turn trip had been paid for, the party
supposed there would be no objection.
When it was learned that the company
wanted to add full rate to the half
rate, anu charge so per cent more to
take. the party back on deadheaded
train that was ready to make the trip
than it cost in the first place, Mr.. Bry-
an and those with him refused to sub
NIT to the extortion, and decided to
make the trip to 'Ravenna by private
conveyance. There was no thought,
however, of abandoning the trip to
Broken Bow, if by any possibility it
could be made. Events proved that
Mr.. Bryan was not to be defeated SO
easily.
1t was pointed out that the attitude
of the railroad on this occasion was
vastly different from the attitude of
the Elkhorn on July 9, when it forced
the regular passengers to wait over in
order to make up special for Can
didate Mickey and run it from FIRE.
mont to Bordeaux.
After Mr. Bryan had spoken at the
opera house and the roads demands
were ascertained, a conference was
held at the hotel and number of ex-
pediments were suggested and good
stories told before it was at length de-
cided to drive across the rain-swept
hills from Loup City to Ravenna, a
distance of twenty-five miles, to catch
the local morning train. 1t was near
ly midi -ght, and a committee of citi-
zens opened up negotiations with the
liverymen, Mr.. Mathew, candidate on
the fusion ticket for county attorney,
returning to the hotel occasionally to
report progress.
When all arrangements for two rigs
had been satisfactorily concluded, Mr..
Mathews appeared and caused con-
sternation by saying: Another COM
plication, one of the horses is sick and
we have been bracing him with medi-
cine" 1t was agreed that it would
be out of the question to attempt the
hard drive on the terrible roads with a
sick horse.
At this juncture a gentleman whose
home is in Ravenna generously prof
fered his spring wagon for the trip.
my horses are good, but I don't know
the road very WE'LL" he said "Let the
livery rig go ahead and III follow"
This plan met with loud applause, and
it was at once decided to attempt the
drive.
After a cup of coffee four members
of the party, Mr.. Bryan, General Bar
ry, J. H. Edmisten, member of the
populist executive committee for the
Sixth district, and, the WorldHerald
correspondent made the start for Ra-
VIENNA. General Barry and Mr.. Bryan
nestled down in the hay that had been
placed in the bed of the wagon. The
other two members of the party
climbed into the buggy and gave the
driver the word to start. Scarcely
had Loup City been left behind when