The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-09
SAYS HE WAS ASSAULTED.
A Telegraph Operator at SwantOn Claims
That He Was Struck on the
Head Ry Tramps

PlOgCO SNc OnlO OPERA
tor at Swanton, claims that on last
Saturday night five tramps entered
his office offering him some candy to
eat, which he refused. They then
forced some down his throat and after
striking him on the head rendering
him semi-conscious they set a switch
by which trains approaching from the
east would be sidetracked and wreck
ed. A few minutes after the alleged
assault took place train No. Z, a Chi
cago express, came along. Sarsfield
says he regained consciousness about
this time and with an effort tried to
replace the switch but only partially
succeeded. The train was brought to
a standstill, however, without any
serious damage. The trainmen made
an examination of the premises but
failed to find any evidence of strug-
gle or the presence of any stranger.
Concerning the above the Balti-
more Sun of Tuesday contained the
following special telegram dated at
/ Westernport Monday:
Saturday night five men assaulted
Matthew Sarsfield, Piedmont youth,
who is employed as telegraph opera
tor at Swanton, Garrett county, Md,
on the Baltimore and Ohio railroads
famous 17-mile grade, and left him
lying unconscious. They changed
the switch for the purpose of wreck
ing passenger train No. Z, due there
1870 Sunday morning The train
ran over on the new third track and
broke the 'derair switch, but was not
thrown from the rails. Sarsfield was
gathered up and sent to his home on
an engine, the back of his head being
seriously injured. The five men es-
capped, three of whom SarsfieId thinks
he could identify. Railroad detec-
tives are Investigating the matter
Some people seem to think the men
were tramps. Be it as it may the
place selected is very poor one for a
successful wreck or robbery"
A dispatch to the Sun from Cum
berland says:
THE train was the Chicago ex-
press, which leaves Cumberland at
1880 o'clock nightly, and is due to
pass Swanton after midnight. Mat
thew j. Sarsfield, the operator at that
point, is isolated in the Allegheny
Mountains, where the snow is deep
and the thermometer hovers about
zero. The position of night operator
is lonesome one. Sarsfield states
that shortly after II o'clock i'll the
morning five men entered the little
office with hats drawn down and col
lars turned up. They invited him to
eat some candy. They were rough
appearing, and he, fearing the candy
might be drugged, refused Stimuli
taneously with his refusal he was
dealt stunning blow over the head
with club and felled to the floor,
where he lay unconscious. The ruff
/ fans then turned the switch throw
ing the main track into the derailing
track and showing the red light.
Train No. came laundering up the
grade and ran on the switch, but the
engineer had scented danger and was
able to stop his train before ii could be
ditched at the end of the track, which
was the evident intent of the robbers.
In the meantime Sarsfield lay uncon-
scious in the telegraph office. The
trainmen, expressman and the guards
travelling on the express cars were on
the alert. The tramps, frustrated in
their plans to make the train helpless,
took to their heels, disappearing in
the dense underground in the noun
tain. Sarsfield revived after some
moments and the train proceeded.
Railroad officials discredit the story
somewhat. They claim that the train
running off on the derailing switch
was due to the operator going to
sleep. Sarsfield says he was put to
sleep by the intruders, who had the
robbery of the train in view, but were
frustrated because it was not ditched.n
Later information regarding the
alleged hold-up is that the ruffians
not only fixed the switch leading into
the siding, but also threw open the
derailing switch ON the siding. They
were to have given the train a signal
to go ahead by showing the white
light, but evidently became confused
and did not do so, the fixed switch
causing the train to stop before it
could be ditched.
AT the office of the general man
ager of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road last evening it was stated that
all the information received concern
ing the reported attempt to hold up
train No. was that that train had
been thrown off the track by the de-
railing switch near Swanton and the
operator there claimed to have been
assaulted. The light on the switch
was out, hence the engineman could
not see that it was not in the proper