The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-03-20
STORY FOR RAILROAD MEN
The Conductors Lot IS Not Always Along
Pleasant Lines

putting of unruly passengers or those
who wont pay, its the meanest job il
the world. But when a conductor
finds that in putting man of the
train he's been making a fool of him.
self its meaner than the meanest jot
in the world. Besides there are
robberies in which any one of the train
force is liable to get bullet thru him.
I'd narrowly escaped death when my
train was robbed back in the nineties
and on my next trip was nightly dis
gruntled when on asking a seedy look
ing man for his ticket he offered dirty
old pasteboard that hadn't been good
for a year. told him it wouldn't do
and asked him to pay his fare. At
first he said he hadn't any money, but
presently felt in his pockets and drew
out some loose change, just enough to
take him to way station about half
the distance he wanted to go. OF
course l was obliged to carry him as
far as he could pay, but expected to
have trouble with him sooner or later,
and I did. AS we neared the station
to which he"had paid his way I said to
him:
Il want to know if you're going to
pay for the rest of your ride. II you're
not I want you to get off here. I
wont put you off in wilderness. I
prefer to do so at station"
The ticket l showed you is good"
he said, and you've no right to re-
fuse it. Pm going to stay aboard this
train"
We were slowing up for the station,
and as soon as we stopped l tackled
him. He didn't resist till I got him
on to the car platform, where half a
dozen countrymen at the station could
see US, but then he put up strong
fight. He held on to the rail with one
hand and pummeled me with the other.
1t occurred to me that he was aiming
to excite the sympathy Of the men
looking on and if I didn't want their
interference I'd better do my work
pretty quick. l made two or three
terrific jerks and got him down on to
the lower step of the car, and then he
got new grip, and I had a hard tussle
to get him any farther. When I finally
flung him on to the station platform my
uniform coat was torn to shreds, my
cap was knocked down over my eyes
and my nose was bleeding.
By this time the onlookers began to
take notice OF what was going on.
They were most Of them bad looking
lot. Indeed, it was suspected that
the town had habored the men who
had robbed my train. 1t was plain
that they sympathized with the man
who wouldn't pay his fare and were
about to make combined rush for me
when I pulled the rope and the train
started on. I looked back to see my
passenger angrily pointing to me as if
exciting them to avenge him.
On my return trip, preferring not to
have any more scrambles, as We passed
the station where had had the trouble
I kept dark, for fully expected that
my deadbeat would be there with sup
ports to give me a thrashing. I was
disappointed, however, for there was
no one at the station except the agent
and passenger or two to board the
train. l questioned them about my
man, and they said the townspeople
had befriended him, that he was still
there and showed no signs OF leaving.
In few days was surprised to gel
note from the superintendent ex.
pressing regret at the trouble I had
had and enclosing check as compen-
sation. I had made no report Of the
matter and was at loss to know who
had told him OF it.
When several Of the men who hac
robbed my train were arrested some
five or six weeks later my episode with
the deadhead had pretty much passed
out Of my mind, though by no means
out OF my remembrance. 1t turned
out that, as suspected, the robbers haG
been harbored in the town where har
put him of and that several Of then
lived there. These were the ones ar
rested. They woke up one fine morn