The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-12-21

From the M0nitsseE Re .aettran0s afeiiro, Od.6
Combat of H2nlf am IA D Sss sss;,s ID IA
ration Bctsyeen One NEall on
Foot and Eleven Robbers
On Horseback.
at q time like this of ours, when
there are so few who know that ayalors
is a sentiment sprung from love Of
glory and the desire to acquire re,
nown, and that it prompts its pos.
SCISSOR to brave and even to seek the
greatest dangers, we shall perhaps
be excused if we give our readers
the details of a combat which only
came to our ears yesterday. In our
narrative We shall studiously avoid
all exaggeration it deserves implicit
confidence although it presents facts
certainly very improbable; and if we
produce it, it is to prove the unqucs-
tionahle truth of the Latin adage,
auaaces fortuna .7uvat, and to incite
travellers to defend themselves when.
ever they are provided with arms.
Some four or FIVE days since, at
half past one in the afternoon, the
mail coach or diligence from Arroy.
azaico was attacked near Tepeji del
Rio. 1t had been raining slightly
just before, and the coach was closed
on one side. In the interior of the
diligence were an Englishman, three
Sraniards, one French lady, and our
hero, Mr.. Albert Speyers, a wealthy
merchant German by birth; on the
top we're seated three NIexicaus.
All the passengers at the time of
the attack were dreaming of anything
but danger, and the first news of the
arrival of the robbers was the inscr.
ton through one of the windows Of
the coach, of q pistol, and Tie cry,
Give up your arms, or you are all
dead Yes answered Speyers,
leaning forward but bullets and ALL
and he showed the robber a small
two barrelled pistol. On seeing this
the robber crouchcd down to shield
himself behind his horse. Speycrs,
who had taken his aim, discharged
his weapon while the rubber with FIVE
others stationed on the other side of
the vehicle, did the same. The dis
charge was without fatal result on
either side.
Speycrs, upon this, needless of the
entreaties Of the passengers, who
sought to restrain him, opens the
door Of the coach, lcaps to the
ground, and, pistol in hand, pursucs
the robber that bad fired at him,
and who, in company with FIVE al
ready mentioned had gone to join
six more, who were stationed at some
little distance on the road. Regard
less Of numbers, Speyers, with his
other pistol, fires into group, and
then returns to the coach :,a quest
of more weapons. Whc,r-Aaeshassa1sslls::1l3
ed it, he found all the other passcn-
gers accumulated in the bottom Of
the coach. lie speaks to them-en-
courages them; but i'll vain. lie then
takes ont his watch, and all the mo-
ney i'll his pockets, and lays the whole
under the cushions, when he draws
his other two barrelled and one six
barrclled pistol, with which he pur-
posed to pursue the campaign. Tie
former weapon he presents to one of
the passengers, eXhorting him to
leave the coach and defend himself.
Spcyers himself prepares the pistol,
and offers to place it in the hands of
the passenger, but he trenblcs so
with fear that he cannot grasp it.
On seeing this, Spcycrs become still
more excited, and exclaims: Since
you are all towards I shall defend
myself alone; remain where you are
Meantime the highwaymcn. were
crying, He is loading again: fire,
fire. and they poured in the coach a
deluge Of bullets, which respected
the valiant Speycrs. The latter,
however, loses no time; seizinS firm
hold of his revolver he darts forward
in pursuits of the eleven robbers,
who, on seeing him leap over tho
wide trench OH one side Of the road
there to reload their weapons
Shortly after they return towards
Speyers, surround him at some dis.
tance, and cry to him, we see that
YOU arc brave man, so are We
surrender. We do not wish to kill
so a valiant man. Very bravo,
you are, indeed,' answers Speyers,
eleven against one This said he
sets forth in pursuit of tic robbers,
who fly at his approach. why dc
you Hy?' he cries; did you not say
you we're brave? Come, towards :
come, every one Of you one by one:
I await you here
But their only answer is a shove,
Of bullets and slugs, which whistle
around the nndaunted Speyers. He