Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-12-12

OAiS VIII SnONel ne caught the out
law next morning.
AT another time he was called to
take the night trackwalker's place
the regular man being i'll and It was
too late to bring in another walker
from a neighboring section. The track
walkers duties on this section are to
patrol the track 30 minutes ahead of
the Overland between Granite Pass
and Leland, returning 80 minutes
ahead of the express. gasoline in
spection car is used.
Jack covered the first is miles in
good shape, but when he reached the
siding in the deep cut on the sum-
init he was halted by three masked
men. In the blind darkness they came
upon them before he was aware. They
seized and dragged him from the car.
For time the three wrestled up and
down the track. Jack fought desper-
ately, tearing his coat from his body
in his mad eDdeavor to free himself.
Finally they dragged him down the
track and tied him to the switch staff
Having no key to open it them
selves. it was the plan of the rob
bers to force the trackwalker to open
the switch Tor them. They kept him
tied to me stan a while, then made
know4 their plans. With their hands
hr4ly upon him, they released the
roIA that bound him, and at the point
OF o1ir rifles. commanded him to
open the switch. The plan was to
wreck the train and rob the passen-
,gefs and cars during the confusion.
He hesitated, and. the robbers
urged Mm on by significant thrusts OF
their rifles.
While he hesitated the Irish boss
did some aard thinking A method Of
last resort finally occurred to him. 1t
was the one chance left of saving the
Overland. Though they watched him
closely their unfamilisrity with switch
and block signals prevented their see
ing all that Maloney did. The summit
switch, is connected by a double wire
cable quarter-mile long to a block
signal This cable is attached only by
brakemen when opening the siding to
receive trains. AS there is no station
there. 1t gives ample warning to- ap-
preaching trains that the switch is
open.
"Maloney had placed the red light
on the block signal and knew It was
in working order He stooped down
ana hooked the cable ends. When he
turned the switch the red light was
exposed on the block q Quarter-nile
down the track. It was around the
curve and could not be seen by the
robbers.
His work done. Maloney turned as
II to go. but the robbers seized him
all the more firmly and bound him Sc
curely to the switch staff They meant
that ne should be slaughtered with
the rest. Then they ran we'll down
the track TO be out of harms way.
The section boss knew that II they
Went far enough they would discover
the red light on the block post. II
they made such discovery they would
very likely return and make an end
of him.
In ten minutes the Overland thun-
oered up the grade. The roar of It
came SO distinctly that Maloney fear
ed the engineer had passed the signal
without seeing It. There was a pos
sibiity also OF the robbers having
discovered and removed 1t.
These thoughts were dispeIled
from MS mind by two shrill blasts
from the locomotive whistle. The
headlight shot around the curve, and |
the long train rolled up and came to |
standstill but ten yards from the |
open switch Fooled IN their attempt,
the robbers escaped to the mountain |
forests.
The section boss was found tied |
70 the stan. Though he tried to pass |
over the occurrence as a thing of |
little moment, the passengers and |
crew insisted on making a hero of |
him' much to Maloney's disgust They |
wanted him to ride in a Pullman on
mis- return to the Pass, but he refused.
he climbed aboard his gasoline car,
ngnted his pipe, and an hour later re-
ported clear track for the express.
Just as the dispatcher finished his
story the traiEmen leaped up and
started toward the door. 1t was time
to go out on their run.
Wait just a second, boys" said
Chris, turning to his key, heres
something coming in from Marlin.
It's Maloney's report on that lost
corpse. Listen to this:
Chris Munson. Dispatcher Granite
Pass: Wire In to chief, have found
corpse. 1t is dead. but in good condi-
ton. Jack Maloney. Foreman Section
No. 49,"
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