February 22, 1928

He was merciless and kind.

 

On February 22, 1928, the stranger walked in from the direction of Gods’ Hollow.

At shortly after 9 AM, he walked down the center of the street. He was a tall man, his clothes worn and ragged, and he looked at the buildings as if searching for something.

When 9:17 AM came about, he stopped and opened his jacket, revealing a pair of old, Colt Navy revolvers carried in high-hip holsters.

As the police were fetched, a trio of large, black Fords rolled into town, coming to a stop at the Cross train station. 26 members of Samuel Mariner family, traveling from Westford to ride the train into Boston, exited the vehicles and walked towards the station’s doors. The youngest member of the Mariner clan was Silas, age two, and the eldest was Samuel Mariner senior, age 77.

Before the first member of the family reached the station’s steps, the stranger drew his weapons and opened fire.

According to the official police report on the incident, the stranger fired a total of 48 rounds in the space of two minutes. He used fully loaded cylinders to serve as quick reloads, and when he was finished, every member of the Mariner family was dead or dying in front of the station.

As the police and the residents attempted to find a way to stop him, the stranger reloaded his weapons, walked up to the downed Mariner family, and proceeded to put a bullet in the head of each one.

Three Cross police officers and nine residents were wounded when they sought to stop the butchery.

Finally, when all the violence seemed to be over, the stranger walked up to Samuel Mariner senior and said in a loud, clear voice, “I told you I’d kill you all.”

The echo of the final shot followed the stranger back to Gods’ Hollow.

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