A Thrilling Experience.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 30 October 1890, Page 38

A Thrilling Experience.

One hundred passengers in a train upon the Chicago and North-western Railway had a thrilling experience recently, and narrowly escaped destruction. The stoker of the engine drawing the train, a man named C. L. Hastings, suddenly became insane and attacked the engine driver with great fury. The latter, Stephen Hotelling, a wellknown employe of the line, noted for his strength and massive build, had a terrible struggle with the maniac, in which each tried to throw the other from the engine. The madman finally overcame the driver, and would have pushed him on to the line had not the latter grasped the foot-board and clung to it for his life. The train meanwhile had been thundering on regardless of signals, but fortunately up to this point the Hue was clear, As soon as the maniac had got Hotelling out of the way he gave the train a full head of steam, and it rushed on at such terrifio speed that the passengers became frightened and suspected that something was wroner. When they rushed past Clyman Station, eight miles north of Watertown (WK), Without stopping, it became e\ident that, some accident had happened. A few of tl c more courageous passengers went forward to investigate, and one or two of the train hands crept over the tender and succeeded in rescuing the driver and overcoming the mad fireman. Meantime the engine had begun to slacken speed for lack of fuel, and the driver took charge again. Hastings is supposed to have become mad in consequence of the excessive heat.