The daily Alaskan., 1905-05-23
The Station Agent
 At Alpena Station
Toriefnall

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 Phn Carlton when nineteen years old married a country girl and took posi- ton on the railroad as brakeman. The load ran through a semiciviliEed coun- try. Phn's family lived In a log cabin. Unlldren came plcntcouSly, demanding food and clothes, and life was gencr ally unattractive. Once In five years paii would make an application for a better position, but three applications only brought the post of baggage agent at a new station opened near his cabin with starvation wages After this he frequently made applications for some thing better tin the superintendent be came weary of reading them and rc- solved to put a stop Co them.
 Up the road was a station, Alpena, near which lived a gang of men who succeeded in always riding free. The way they managed it was this: A grim countenance with background of shoCky hair and a Sombrero would ap- pear at the window and ask for R tick ct The agent would do the necessary stamping and throw the ticket down, mentioning the amount due. The applt cant would pick up the ticket and walk away without making any payment The agent knew if he declined Co sub init to this one sided way Of doing business the applicant would poke a revolver through the opening and be gin to shoot.
 The superintendent on receipt Of PhIrs last application wrote him that in view of his long and faithful serv- ice on the road he was promoted to be station agent at Alpena, The writer chuckled as he dictated the letter and congratulated himself upon not In fu- ture being troubled by the baggage mans applications. As for Phil be knew all about the gangs operations and saw at once that unless hc collect ed the fares he would be removed. lf be collected them, he must take his chances of being shot He thought the matter over. resolved to accept the slt- nation and made his preparations ac- coriingly.
 Since Phil had been known In the country roundabout as peaceahle- ploddinC fellow, 50 soon as the gang heard of his appointment they made up their minds Co make more frequent and longer trips. The second morning aft CT the new agent took his place In the office one of their number walked up Co the hole and asked for a ticket
 Five dollars and thirty cents" said Phil in a feeble voice
 'Gimme the ticket. don't pay till l git the goods" said the man, lazily drawing a ~ycap0n from his hip.
 Quick as a flash a revolver was thrust through the hole from within, a shot rang out and the applicant for a ticket dropped dead.
 There was no one else In the station at the time. and phi, going Co the baggage room, took out an ohlong box. put the corpse in it, nailed down the lid. lacked a card on it on which was written the address Of the supcrintend- ent and sent it by the next train, with a railway ticket and SSsSo inclosed in an envelope. On a piece of paper he wrote to 90 with the rest:
 Ticket sold this morning Not used. Don't know what Co do with it or the money. so forward them Co you. Corpse Of the applicant In haCEare car. Shau | km any more of 'cm2
 PHIL CARLTON.
 Station Agent Alpena-
 When the superintendent read this note and learned from the bearer that there was a coffin shaped box In the baggage room awaiting his orders he was more astonished than lf he had been informed that the whole line of the road had been swallowed by an earthquake. He walked the floor for awhile in deep meditation, then took Phirs note to the president
 That afternoon there was a meeting of the board of directors, with the roads attorney in attendance, who as sured them that since Phil had not re ceived nor could prove that he had re celved orders to kill any applicant for ticket who refused to pay his fare, none of them would be liable to be ar rested and tried for murder Phil was alone responsible; but, considering the lawless state of the country and the character Of the unsuccessful applicant for fr,ee ride it was not believed that