A Grand Trunk Fugitive

Cyrus E. Smith came to Lake County in 1863. For many decades he farmed 160 acres just southwest of village of Ainsworth. Thus far in my reading he has appeared in the newspapers mainly in connection with respectable social events. In other words, he hasn't breached the peace, had domestic troubles, been the victim of a crime, died in an accident, gone bankrupt, or any of the other activities that sometimes get a person mentioned in the papers when they probably would rather not have been.

So when this stable, peaceable, respectable man says someone did something wrong, I'm inclined to believe him.

And that is indeed what he said in mid-October of 1906 about Bert E. Groos (or Gross), a conductor on the Grand Trunk Railroad. To Justice of the Peace John Mathews in Hobart, Cyrus complained that Conductor Groos had "been in the habit for some time of blocking the crossing at Ainsworth for any length of time to suit his convenience but to the great inconvenience of the citizens of that section." Judge Mathews issued a warrant for Groos' arrest.

On Saturday, October 20, Cyrus was at the Grand Trunk depot along with a Constable Brown, waiting for Conductor Groos' train to come in. When it did, Constable Brown took Groos from the train and placed him under arrest, and then went to subpoena witnesses, leaving the prisoner in Cyrus' custody.

Groos pointed out that his train was at that moment blocking the crossing and he had better move it. Cyrus, expecting him to direct the train onto the siding, consented. Groos jumped up onto the train and signaled the engineer. The train began to move forward … and move, and move, and move, until it was far down the track, gaining speed and carrying away the triumphant Groos.

I expect Cyrus felt a bit foolish, but he was not discouraged. He reasoned that Conductor Groos would have to pass through Ainsworth again in the near future, and next time they'd be wise to his tricks.

Predictably, Groos did not show up for his scheduled hearing before Judge Mathews on the following Monday. But the next anyone heard of him, he'd gotten a transfer to the Grand Trunk subdivision headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he could stay in safety, thumbing his nose at Ainsworth justice.

Weeks went by. The harvests were gathered in, the frosts came, the leaves fell from the trees. Thanksgiving passed. Christmas approached. And then Conductor Groos had a change of heart.

From the safety of Michigan, he contacted Judge Mathews through the railroad's attorneys and said he was willing to plead guilty and take the consequences. Judge Mathews agreed. He assessed fines and costs amounting to $15, which were duly paid, and the docket was cleared. Groos could come back to Ainsworth without fear if ever he wanted to.

And swords were beaten into ploughshares, and wolves lay down with lambs; and the Ainsworth crossing was not unreasonably blocked, and Cyrus dwelt in peace on his farm.

Sources:
♦ 1891 Plat Book.
♦ "General News Items." Hobart Gazette 2 Nov. 1906.
♦ Lake County Encyclopedia.
♦ "Prisoner Got Away." Hobart Gazette 26 Oct. 1906.
♦ "Smith Laughs Last." Hobart Gazette 14 Dec. 1906.