Let me introduce him properly.
Timothy J Lynch was the son of Irish parents Peter Lynch & Mary Nolan. He was born in California and by 1892 he was a fireman for the railroad in Olean, NY. The following year, he married into our lines via Mabel Mae Faunce, the daughter of Bradley E Faunce & Margaret Cooper and the sister to Addie in the previous blog.
The Republican Press, Tues, 16 Jul 1907
Timothy J Lynch, formerly an engineer on the Pennsylvania railroad, for two years a salesman, died at his home in Olean Sunday after a long illness.
Mabel Mae died in 1912
Olean Evening Times, Thurs, 3 Oct 1912
Mrs Mabel Lynch Died Last Night
She was Born in Olean and Had Lived in Olean All Her Life
Mrs Mabel Lynch, aged 37 years, died at the home of her brother, William Faunce, 319 South Harry Street last night. She had been ill for six months with a complication of diseases. Besides the brother with whom she made her home, she is survived by one sister, Mrs F L Wilson of East Olean. Mrs Lynch was born in Olean and had always lived here. Her husband T J Lynch, died twelve years ago. She was a member of St Stephens Church. No arrangements for the funeral have yet been made.
In 1962, Marian Reynolds, a columnist for the Olean Times, re-told the story of the accident and that while no one had been killed, the accident resulted in $50,000 worth of damage; she wondered if Timothy had ever been found.
The mystery was solved a week later when Timothy's niece responded and shared that his disappearance was a result of abject fear that he had killed everyone on board the train!
She had the letter he wrote to Mabel explaining his actions....as posted in the Oleans Times Herald, 9 Jul 1962, pg 12:
"Cincinnati, Sept. 22, 1902
Dear Mabel:
I guess I am about the most miserable wretch in the world.However, the telegram I received relieved my mind of a weight that was crushing me down and would soon either drive me mad or compel me to do away with myself. I don’t really know how I ever got here.I spent the first awful day and night in the woods back of Franklinville and some time next day struck EIlicottville on the B.R. and P. where I jumped a freight and landed in Salamanca. From there I caught boxcars and finally landed h e re . . .Thank God for preventing me from being a murderer, however unintentional it was on my part. It was a foolish and cowardly act on my part to run away. But I was just about wild at what I supposed was a slaughter. I never saw a New York paper since and had no way of knowing the result.But the collision just made me shriek and run. I tore the pants I had on all to pieces in the woods.Oh my dear one. I am so sorry for the trouble and grief I have caused you. I will see you once more and then if you or Will or Frank want to punish me for my cowardly desertion I will take it.I don’t suppose I can ever get a job on the road again. But maybe I can get a living some way and whether it will be in Olean or elsewhere, I will not be overwhelmed by such an awful feeling as I have had for the last five days.To be fleeing from justice as I thought a murderer. To have no rest. To see it all the time. My God! You can't imagine how it is.God bless you. dear May and help you to recover so that when I come back you can at least take my hand and say, Ted. I forgive you. Please ask Will and Frank not to be too hard on me. If you can send word to Mr Taylorson tell him I thought I killed them all. Tell him what I have undergone and see if it is possible for me to get anything to do for I want to work now as I never worked before. . .
Yours lovingly,
Teddy-"
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