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B & O Trainmen Troubled – Like the Cat, He Came Back.

A funny episode occurred last week on the B. & O. train No. 1, which arrives here at 3:30 a.m.

Just after the train left Cumberland, a well-dressed, fine looking passenger, accompanied by a lady, when the conductor came to take up the tickets, handed one to his companion, whom he referred to as his wife, and told the conductor that he had lost his ticket. He was informed that he could not be carried without a ticket, unless he paid the regular fare. The ticket-less customer then went back into the B. & O., S.-W. Vice-President Peabody’s private car and that official gave him a pass from Parkersburg to Cincinnati. This he tendered to the conductor, but the latter told him that while it was good beyond Parkersburg, it wouldn’t take him to that point, and as the man still refused to pay his fare, the train was stopped at Keyser and the man put off. Meanwhile his wife had quietly gone to sleep, paying no more attention to the matter,

When the train reached Long Run, Engineer Cook caught sight of the man who had been put off, making himself as easy as possible on the front end of the baggage car. He at once stopped the train and informed the conductor. The man was again put off, not very gently. All went smoothly until Cornwallis was reached. Here the persistent passenger was found hiding on a rear platform. This time he was very forcibly ejected and guards placed at each platform to see that he didn’t get on again.

As the train pulled out he was seen to grab the rear platform in one last effort to get aboard. He was jerked off his feet, whirled over and over and, apparently thrown under the train.

But he was yet to be heard from.

When No. 3 reached here the conductor received word from Cornwallis, asking if he had lost a passenger. The message stated that a man giving the name of C.L. McComah was there. It stated that he was cashier of the Palace Hotel, of Cincinnati; also that he had fallen from the train at Cornwallis, but was not much hurt. It has developed since that he is an ex-cashier of the hotel named.

As he is no longer at Cornwallis, it is probable that he got through to this city on a freight train yesterday. After reaching this point he, of course, with the pass had free sailing.

It is to be hoped that he arrived safely in Cincinnati, as such perseverance deserved the reward of success, although exerted in defiance of the powers to be.

The Parkersburg State Journal,

Nov. 11, 1896

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FOUND DEAD ON THE TRACK

Wednesday, November 18, the dead body of a man was found by the trackwalker on the B. & O. track near Kanawha Station. The remains were those of a neatly dressed man of refined appearance, and were accompanied by a satchel in which were elegant toilet articles, and $4.50 in money. Upon the dead man’s person was, among other things, a baggage receipt from showing that he had shipped his baggage ahead.

From the name on the receipt the man’s name is G.H. Harding, of Colorado Springs, enroute to Baltimore.

As no passenger had been reported missing, it was concluded that the unlucky fellow had been stealing a ride on an east bound freight and fell to his death. His skull was crushed.

The Parkersburg State Journal,

Nov. 26, 1896

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.