The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-08-22
BRIDGE TENDER
AS HORATIUS
D5mented He Declares No
Trains Shall Cross.
OPENS DRAW AND GUARDS 1T
Attacks TTainmen With AK, and When
OverpoweTed Begins to Sing
Hymns.
OPENS DRAW AND GUARDS 1T

NEW YORK. Aug. 22.-After twenty
years Of faithful and efficient service as
tender of the Wreck Lead Bridge, on
the Long Island Railroad. near Long
Beach. Samuel Eidred. today became ir-
rational and imagined himself Horatius
As result a train carrying four hundred
passengers narrowly escaped being
hurled into the water which the struc-
ture spans.
mo train shall pass this bridge" was
the ultimatum which Eldred's clouded
mind elaborated. To make the threat
elective he opened the bridge about 5
o'clock IN the afternoon, and, sitting In
chair at the entrance to the structure.
he calmly awaited the results.
RED Flag Was Set.
Fortunately for the passengers who
were aboard the train leaving Long Is
land city S.02. the habit Of years moved
Eldred to set up a red flag as a warn
ing that the bridge was open. Had IL
not been for this signal there would have
been nothing TO warn the engine driver,
and the train would have been driven
at high speed into the open draw, and
into water eighteen feet deep. with a bed
OF soft mud OF unknown depth beneath
it.
To several persons ne had announced
that when the train which left Long
Beach at 2:53 o'clock crossed the bridge
1t would be the last. but no serious at
tention was given TO the remark. which
was taken as attempt at popularity
on the part Of the old bridge tender
Trains Crossed Too Long.
With shock which Jared It from
end to end. the train was brought to a
stop few feet from the entrance TO
the bridge The engine driver could not
imagine what had happened. but the red
flag was a signal Of danger which
warned him that something was wrong
Leaping from the train as soon as it
came TO a stop. Frank Bond. the con-
ductor. and a trainman named AtweIl
ran to where Eldred was calmly putting
at a pipe he sat tilted back in his
chair
Why is the bridge open? What do
you mean by this2'' they demanded.
Il mean that there amt goin' 70 be
bridFe T 1'SlS 70 aa across sTos thIs ere
crOssin' for years an years. an there s
got to be q stop TO it; that's what l
mean said Eldred.
Chased Trainmen With AK.
With that he jumped from his chair.
seized an ak which lay at his feet. and
made a dash at the group. They ran
back toward the train with Eldred after
them, he calling upon them to let him
prove to them that no more trains
would pass his bridge, and they shout
ing loudly for deliverance from a mad
man.
Up platform on one side and down
on the other. the length Of the train
and back again. through one OF the
coaches, with the passengers screaming
IN terror and UP ana down another plat
form the chase led, until finally a pas
senger landed a blow on Eldred's chin
which felled him.
Singing Hymns.
Somebody found rope while others
sat on the bridge tender TIL his arms
and legs could be bound by the half
dozen who had fallen upon MIN.
Guide me. o ye great jehovah" he
sang. at the top Of his voice. his rage
suddenly leaving him. Lying on the
floor of a car he sang hymn after hymn
and made no resistance when his pockets
were searched for keys with which to
unlock the machinery Of the bridge. so
that il might be closed and the train
20 on its way
Neither in the mans pockets nor else
where could the keys be found. and II
was necessary 70 break the locks TO let
Ile DTloGc Idil back into place. Nearly
an hour late because Of the delay. the
train made the crossing safely with the
man aboard who had asserted that he
would hold the bridge till ne brssthed
his last.
Declared Not Insane.
Still with the rope pinioning his arms
and legs. he was loaded in;o an express
car on train leaving Long Beach AZ
O'Clock and was brought 70 Long ISL
and City. where he was taken 70 the
Queens county Jail. but not without an
other struggle. which taxed the strength
OF several policemen.
W hat so Unexpectedly came over the
mind Of a trusted emplOyc Is beyond
the ability OF the railroad officials to
explain. That he is not insane Is the
verdict Of Dr. Berth. OF ST Johns Hos
pital, In Long Island City who ex-
amined him.