“Telegraphing ” From Trains.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1921, Page 1

“Telegraphing ” From Trains.

(By (I 'l'. Crook in the Duil Mail) The other day the guard of an express train Being suspicious of the conduct of three passengers wrote a note asking for the* police to meet the train on anival at its destination. He the note out a window as the train dashed past a station, and lat the end of the journey the police were waiting on the platform. This is a very old, though littleknown form of sending telegrams from express trains, and it has frequently been used in the capture of criminals. ltather more than three months ago a ticket collector noticed what a striking resemblance one of the passengers , I bore to a much-wanted criminal whose

I photograph had been published in the | newspapers. The train’s next stop was London, a hundred miles away, and the ticket collector scribbled a note and threw it out of the train. Two deteetivos were sent to the station in response to the telegram and they recognised the passenger as he stopped on the platform as one of the cleverest thieves in England. Kmrgency telegrams of this nature are usually thrown from the last compartment of the train after the guard has by waving his handkerchieg or llag drawn tin* attention of the stationmaster or signalman ahead of him. Knell message must In* weighted, otherwise it would probably be lost in tbe rush of wind caused by the speed of the train. As a rule the note is enclosed in a bundle of papers and great care must he exercised in throwing it out of tin* window. A well-known yachtsman arranged to throw a parcel containing a present for his niece as his train passed through the station where she lived. The niece was on the platform, and, tus the train swirled by, the parcel—small and compartively light—came flying out of a window. It struck the girl on her leg

and fractured the hone. It is not only in eases of crime that telegrams are sent from express trains. During the summer a woman passonger was seized with serious illness on the return of the Cornish Riviera express to Paddington. The guard searched the train for a doctor, hut could not find one. He therefore threw a telegram on the line asking for medical assistance at Paddington, and going to the compartment. whore the patient was lying consoled her hv saying that he had telegraphed for a doctor. Later the guard again went to the compartment. The afflicted passenger Seemed greatly puzzled. ‘‘TTow did you manage to telegraph?” she asked. “Tlie train has not stopped anywhere.” P.ut just then Paddington was reached. and there was not only a doctor, but also a nurse and an ambulance waiting to relieve the sufferer. . . ... . .