Lunatic Stops The Train, Says He's J. P. Morgan

1909

LUNATIC STOPPED THE TRAIN

Imagined He Was J. P. Morgan and Consequently, What He Said Had to Go

The strange freaks of a madman caused some trouble near Central Islip, L.I., one night recently.

A man stood in the middle of the tracks among the scrub oaks and waved the well-known "stop" signal as an express train from the city approached. The engineer stopped the train and the train crew, all of whom expected to be informed that a wreck had been averted, as miscreants have been placing obstructions upon the rails at intervals, ran forward to meet the stranger, who walked with dignity toward the coaches.

"What's the matter?" demanded the first trainman, breathlessly, as he neared the stranger. No reply was vouchsafed. Nor would the man open his mouth until he met the conductor at the steps of the forward coach. The conductor asked the same question. "I wanted the train to stop as I wished to get on," began the man. "There's no station here among the scrub oaks," said the conductor, who hadn't time to get angry. "True," replied the stranger, "but there should be one. I am J. P. Morgan and when I want a train to stop it's got stop, see?"

He climbed aboard, unchecked by the trainmen, who began to see the drift of affairs. "My pass," said the new passenger, tendering an oak leaf to the conductor, who inspected and punched it gravely.

When the train reached Central Islip he was turned over to the police authorities.

—The Sheboygan Daily Press, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, December 16, 1909, page 7.