Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
"
Thesuggestioncomingfromarecognizedauthorityuponsuchmatterscreatedconsiderableinterest,andafierceoppositionfromthosewhoconsideredsuchastatementtobeapreposterouslibeluponanhonestanddeservingsetofmen.Theonlyanswertothiscriticismwasachallengetotheobjectorstolayanymorefeasibleexplanationsbeforethepublic.Inreplytothistwootherswereforthcoming(Times,July7thand9th).ThefirstsuggestedthatthetrainmighthaverunoffthemetalsandbelyingsubmergedintheLancashireandStaffordshireCanal,whichrunsparalleltotherailwayforsomehundredofyards.Thissuggestionwasthrownoutofcourtbythepublisheddepthofthecanal,whichwasentirelyinsufficienttoconcealsolargeanobject.Thesecondcorrespondentwrotecallingattentiontothebagwhichappearedtobethesoleluggagewhichthetravellershadbroughtwiththem,andsuggestingthatsomenovelexplosiveofimmenseandpulverizingpowermighthavebeenconcealedinit.Theobviousabsurdity,however,ofsupposingthatthewholetrainmightbeblowntodustwhilethemetalsremaineduninjuredreducedanysuchexplanationtoafarce.Theinvestigationhaddriftedintothishopelesspositionwhenanewandmostunexpectedincidentoccurred.
ThiswasnothinglessthanthereceiptbyMrs.McPhersonofaletterfromherhusband,JamesMcPherson,whohadbeentheguardonthemissingtrain.Theletter,whichwasdatedJuly5th,1890,waspostedfromNewYorkandcametohanduponJuly14th.SomedoubtswereexpressedastoitsgenuinecharacterbutMrs.
