Year: 1875

During the winter of 1869 | was en-
ployed as night operator in the railroad
office at D, Iowa. The principal road
between Chicago and Omaha runs
through D, and the great irregular
night trains, and constant danger of col
isions resulting therefrom, rendered the
position of night operator by no means an
easy one. 1t may be well to mention
here, as necessary to the following story,
that besides the railroad Office there was
also at D a business Office of the
Union Company. This We always spoke
of as the downtown office"


One stormy night, not far from II
o'clock, sat at my desk-and for a won.
der, idle. The wires had not called for
some time, and / was leaning back in nv
chair listening to the wind outside, and
rejecting upon the loneliness of my situa-
tion. The eastern train had crossed the
river an hour ago, all the depot officials
had gone off home, and so far as / knew
/ was entirely alone III the vast building,


Finally, tired of thinking, / picked up
the evening paper and glanced listlessly
over its columns. Among other things /
read the detailed account of a fearful
tragedy that had occurred fifty miles up
the river OH the previous night. Three
raftsmen, well known as desperate char
acters in that vicinity, had entered the
cottage of one Matthews, farmer living
in an isolated spot had butchered the
farmer and his children, terribly NAL
treated his wife, and then departed as
they came, having taken with them what
ever of plunder was handy What inter
ested me most was full description, for
purposes of Identification, of the chief of
the villianous trio, Tim Lynch. Here
it is


Five hundred dollars reward will be paid for
information leading to the capture, dead or
alive, of Tim Lynch, the ringleader of the
Matthews tragedy. Lynch is remarkably large
man, six feet four inches in height, very broad
across the shoulders. Eyes gTeenish gray with
a deep scar over the right one. Hair, wiry
black and beard of same color. When last
seen he was dressed in black Kossuth hat
faded army overcoat pants Of gray jeans, and
heavy boots. The above reward will be paid to
any one furnishing positive information Of his
whereabouts.


(Signed) - -, Sheriff of - County


At the very instant l tinishd reading
the advertisement, there occurred the
most remarkable coincidence that has
ever come under my observation. l heard
a heavy tread on the stairs, and then the
door opened and there entered-Tim
Lynch The moment set my eyes upon
him 1 recognized him as perfectly as
Though had known him all his life. The
army overcoat and gray pants tucked into
the heavy boots, and massive frame and
shoulders, the slouched hat pulled down
over his right eye to conceal was sure
the scar, above all desperate, hunted
look in his forbidding countenance-al
were not to be mistaken. was as certain
of his identity as though he had stepped
forward, pulled off his hat TO show the
scar, and told me his name.


To say that was not alarmed at this
sudden and unwelcome intrusion would
be untrue. / am not brave man, and
my present situation, alone in the depot
with hunted murderer, was by no means
reassuring. Ny heart beat violently, but
from mere force ofhabit arose and asked
him TO be seated While he turned to
comply l succeeded in conquering my
agitation to some extent. He drew a
chair noisily forward, and sitting down
threw open his coat, displaying by so do
ing heavy navy revolver stuck in his
belt. Then he freed his mouth of a
quantity of tobacco juice, and spoke


+" Young feller," he said, motioning
with his head toward the battery, thet
thar macheen is what yer call Telegram
j s'pose2"


"Well," / answered, with faint
smile, intended to be conciliatory,
/" that's what we send kilograms by. :"


"Wal, j want to send message to a