Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-03

A T midnight Miss Stella Vensel, the
~ might operator Of the "HY" tower
= Ia on the Pennsylvania Railroad at
Mount Braddock, near Uniontown. Pa,
heard voices near the track.
1t was dark and lonely. The operator
knew that no Ole had any legitimate bust
ness in that place at that hour. Tho coun-
try was full Of rough and strange men
since war work had brought new actvi-
ties into the country. The situation was,
therefore, a dangerous one for woman
or even a man left in charge Of railroad
property and the lives and safety of Others
That night turned out to be an ordeal Of
terror and danger for Stella Vensel in
which she showed herself true heroine
not less worthy of admiration than those
who risk their lives OH a battlefield
She faced every danger with unfiinching
courage and came out Of every difficulty
triumphantly
Fortunately she was we'll prepared for
trouble, for she carried two revolvers and
a strong electric nashlght
Peering into the darkness she made out
three men around telephone booth across
nal tower.
She flashed her electric lamp at them
and saw that they were dsconnccting the
telephone wires.
"Hey, YOU men, get away from there,
quick" she called in fearless voice.
Without q moments hesitation one of
the band fired a shot at her that smashed
one of the tower windows and whistled
past her ear
"Move finger and We'll kill you" called
back one OF the men, in a German accent
Perhaps the shot was only meant to
scare her. Certainly it didn't have that
effect. She..replied with volley from her
own revols aimed at the telephone booth
across the track
Run while YOU are still alive, you curs!"
cried the woman operator
Then seeing that she was faced by su.
perior numbers. she rctreated quickly and
"a up the steps into her tower.
The men now proved that they we're
criminals OF no common type. but desper.
ate bandits determined TO stop short Of
no crime in their work and ready to face
every danger themselves. Finding that
they had only one woman to deal with.
though she was well armed and coura-
gcous. they planned To rush her tower and
kill her even if one of them got killed in
the attempt
In second the three of them were at
the foot OF her tower. so close beneath
her window that it was harder for her to
aim at them than when they were further
away.
AT the base Of the tower Is a wooden
landing. From this flight of steep stems
leads up TO the door which gives admission
to the tower.
From the bottom of the tower the ban.
dts fired shower of bullets at the win.
dow, expecting to kill or disable the girl
BY keeping away from the window she es
capped death Many Of the bullets that en-.
tered the window struck the roof
In another second Miss Vensel knew
that the murderous rush up the steps would
come.
Alone, with not n soul within call, with.
out moment 10 spend in signalling for
help, she determined to foil the three
would-be Tnurderers.
Her bosom heaving defantly her teen
strong young face set with resolution. her
1.-the figure vibrant with energy Stella
Vensel summoned all her wits to meet the
peril.
First she dragged a heavy desk up
against tho door, so az to make barri.
cade against any attempt TO break in.
Then she placed chairs and all the other
furniture SO that they would brace the
desk and serve as obstacles to anybody
entering.
Even as she did this she heard the rush
OF footsteps up the steps. Fortunately 1t
would By impossible for them TO reach the