The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-11-28

one knew where he had gone Wnen
reported the fact to Gummerton be
looked as II he had been struck by a
bullet. TITS all up with u.s." he said
"She's got him and will keep him till
it's too late for him to play the game :
asked the captain If we hadn't better
see Bill about it, and he said no. Bill
couldn't do anything; we'd better keep
away from him; the matter only irri-
tated him.
Gummerton notified Watkins that he
would probably have to play. The
managers discussed the matter as to
what to do to get hold of Tom 'Meri-
weather. but nobody was willing to 60
to Betty Williams home and drag the
big fellow out There were hopes that
he would turn up at the last moment.
The game was to begin at 3 O'Clock.
but could be STAYED off till half past 8
There was a train coming from Boon
ton, ten miles up the road. where the
Delilah lived. due at our station at a
quarter past 3. |. with two other fell
lows, was at the station all the morn
ing watching the arrival OF every down
train. But at noon we gave it up and
went to dinner
At O'Clock there was the usual roar.
ing on the field. the crowds on the
side Of each college shouting them
selves hoarse before the game began.
Tom had not arrived. Watkins was
in harness and expecting to play. Gum
merton was In despair. He didn't call
the game till 1925. As the men were
lining up the big man came over the
fields and on to the ground. The sin
gular part Of II was that he had his
football clothes on. say it was sin
gular because he was supposed to have
come from the last train.
tell you there was a rousing cheer
on the part of our fellows when we
saw him. Gummerton gave yell like
crazy man. Meriweather dropped in
his place in the line. and the game be
gan
| remember when Tom appeared !
looked about for his brother to see
how Toms appearance would affect
him. looked everywhere. but no Bill
Meriweather could | see | mention
this partly because l thought it singu
lar that Bill should not attend the
game and partly because it bears on
the mystery. Inquiries later showed
that Bill wasn't In his room at the
time the game was played. But I'm
getting ahead Of my story.
I'm not going to describe the game.
for beyond the fact that 1t was won
almost exclusively by Meriweather's
work 1t has nothing to do with the
strange aspects Of the case. When our
men were making their last count .
few minutes before the end Of the last
half saw man jump the fence on
the other side of the gridiron and say
something to the crowd there which
produced commotion. Then a shud
der came over the assembled multi
tude.
The train due at 3:15 from up the
road had fallen through bridge three
miles from Boonton. and more thar
The ground was cleared in an in
slant, many of those present making
for the scene Of the accident. weni
to my room to get an overcoat. for
had been chilled standing in the No
vember wind, and. coming out into the
dormitory hall met member of m,
class. who. with half scared look OF
his face, said:
whats this about Tom Meriweath-
er being killed in the railroad acct
dent?"
tom Meriweather. Why. he ha>
just won the game"
never like to tell this part of the
story, for ] expect always TO be guye,l
when l do so. Nevertheless I'm going
to tell it as ! heard it and as it was
universally believed at the time Il
seems that Bill MeriweatheE during
the morning had gone up to Boonton tc
try to bring Tom back in time for the
game. They were coming down on tho
wrecked train. When the crash came
Bill had got up from the seat on which
they had been sitting side by side tc
get glass Of water. Tom was mashed
into jelly. Bill was unhurt
Now. then. you've got all know
about it. Both brothers were on the
train when 1t was wrecked. 1t ISM
likely that Bill would leave his dead
brother to play the game. And how
could Tom have played it. corpse?'