Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
SILENT UNTO DEATH
Devine, the ''StiII 'Un," Con-
victed of Train Wrecking.
KEPT MUTE FOR SIX YEARS
Made No Confession or Explanation
of Alleged Crime
CAUGHT ASLEEP IN BUSHES
Friendless Tramp. Accused of Pull
ing Spikes to Derail Cars, Sent
to Prison for Life.
KEPT MUTE FOR SIX YEARS
CAUGHT ASLEEP IN BUSHES
special Dispatch 10 The star.

Special Dispatch To The Star
CANYON CITY. Col. November 2I.-
Serving the sixth year of his life sentence
for wrecking "a train October 81 1908
John Dcvine. convict No. 5a,4, died II
the Colorado penitentiary a few days ago
He was also known a man of mys-
terry. From the minute lie first entered
his cell and heard the door changed behind
him and locked he never gave utterance to
an audible word. not even when he was
dying.
John Devine had given but six years
Is hostage to silence when death claim
81 him. IN Ill those years he had
spoken no word. If officials of the rail
road. who held him responsible for the
Fowler wreck. expected at the last that
a confession would break from his
lips they were disappointed.
Tramp Charged With Crime.
1t was the morning of October 81
1906 that the wreck was announced on
the railroad. The train, made up of Pull
man sleeperS, day coaches and treasure
laden express cars, pulled out of the
Union station at Denver and was making
excellent progress eastward when. at a
creek west of Fowler, in Otero county, as
reached, the rails spread and the train
dashed onto the bridge, which collapsed
and went down with a crash, dragging
the train with it.
Who was to blame?
Officials of the railroad announced i'm
medately that spikes had been pulled by
train wreckerS. whose motive for the act
was robbery. They found a tramp asleep
III clump of bushes near the scene OF
the catastrophe.
The Io. ci~ q
Years OF age, who daZed at being
shaken from his sleep. SO amazed at what
ne saw that he was unable to defend him
self against the determinations hurled 1T
him. lie was a friendleSS tramp and sent
10 the prison for life.
Devine Seals Lips.
With the clanking of the prison gate be-
mind him, the fastening of the number
59ll TO his striped coat. Devine became
speechiess. As man and prisoner De-
vine was utterly alone. He wrote no let
ters. nor did any scrap of writing ever
come to him from the outside world.
Who he was who his friends might
have been he never told What tasks
We're assigned To The still 'un'' he fulfilled
according to directions. But from the
first month of his imprisonment his hea 18th
commenced to break his body to weaken
his powers of endurance to decrease Yet
no sound of complaint or desire escaped
his lips.
Several months ago Devine went to
the hospital. the victim of Brights disease
Gov Shafroth became interested jim the
man and asked him to divulge his story
The prisoner shook his head and declined
% DEFEND himself or explain. even when
hints of freedom We're offered
The priest sent to confess the man and
give absolution would break the resolu-
ION, everybody said. But when he came
he found Devine on his deathbed holding
% silence, neither denying or admitting
his guilt.
The still 'un' died, and with him his
secret He will be buried III the prison
cemetery tomorrow.