Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-04-06
From the Aspinwall Courier.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY ON THE IsrHMUs.
I-On Wednesday last, 18th inst an
other daring highway robbery was COM
mitted on the road between Panama and
the railway depot, (obispo, } by party
of six or seven desperadoes. w. D.
Bickham, Esq, of San Francisco, one
of the passengers by the T. L. Stephens,
escorting Mrs Andrews, of Sacramento,
had fallen some distance behind the
train with which the lady and himself
were travelling, and while riding through
narrUw and deep gully, was suddenly
startled by fierce demand, directly be-
hind him, for his money. AT that mo-
ment Mr.. B. was riding behind Mrs.
Andrews, at slow pace, her mule
being somewhat lazy. Hearing the de-
mand, Mr.. B. turned quickly in his sad
die, drawing a small single barreled pis-
tol, and, presenting it at the foremost of
the robbers, pulled the trigger, and at
the same moment was greeted with a
shot from gun-musket, or from a
single-barreled gun. Mr. BIS pistol un-
fortunately missed fire, and the shot
from the gun of the robber being stimuli
taneous with his own attempt to fire, he
was hurled to the ground and sur
rounded by the party, who numbered
either six or seven men. Simultaneous
ly with the report the lady shrieked,
and while Mr.. B. strove to regain his
feet, be observed her falling over the
side of her mule, and naturally thought
she was shot, but being surrounded by
the party, who had several muskets
levelled at him close to his body, and
one fellow standing before him with a
drawn machete at his breast, be was left
with no other alternative than to sur
render at discretion, especially as he was
unarmed. with the exception of a mis-
cradle little pistol, which had already
missed fire. His portmonnaie, which
he delivered, contained between 5000
and $3.50; his steamer ticket to New
York, and small California gold ring,
and the pistol, which was taken from
him in the struggle. The adventure
was accomplished in very brief space
of time, certainly not more than from
three to five minutes being occupied in
the affair.
Mr. Bickham is confident that there
were either six or seven ruffians in the
party, tive of them being masked-one
with dirty colored handkerchief over
his face, the other having his face covered
with white cotton handkerchief, in
which were cut holes for his eyes and
mouth. The latter he thinks was about
five feet nine inches in stature; rather
spare built; had blue eyes and brown
hair; he was in his shirt sleeves, and
wore low-crowned white felt hat
The remainder of the gang, with the
exception perhaps of the other masked
villain, were natives. The fellow with
the white handkerchief was evidently
master of the ceremonies, as everything
was done according to his direction.
To him Mr.. B. is desirous of returning
his thanks for preventing the fellow with
the Dlachete from killing him.
The gang retreated into the adjoining
chapperal, up small gully leading into
the trah, as suddenly as they had ap-
Peared, when Mr.. B. mounted the mule |
which had been ridden by Mrs. An
drews, his own having gone off, and
started in search of the lady who, he
fortunately perceived, had fed from the |
scene, and whom he found almost a
quarter of mile distant, lying in a ma
tive hut by the roadside, where she had
fallen down in a fainting condition. She
soon recovered, and stated that she was
shot in the head, but upon examination
the wound, from which the blood flowed
freely, proved to be received when she