Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-08-31
Wonderful coolnssa aud suavity Of bob

Wonderful Coolnsss aud saavity OF bob
bers.
The San Francisco RcrcM gives the sub
joined account of the robbery recently com
mitted BY four highway iaen On VI chs, largo
Co.'S Express, near Chico, ia Butte coun-
ty, California. The sum obtained was sl5,-
The outrage was committed az about nine
o'clock in the evening The night was dark
and as the stage wa rnerging from 4 wood
and about to descerd into q creek, the bed of
which was dry, SOM person ahead OF the
coach called on the driver. ia loud voice. 10
stop. The driver supposed that a team, OF
some other 0bstruci on was IN the way, ana
suddenly reined in ais horses. On looking
round, somewhat to his astonishment, he dis.
covered two men with double barrelled guns
levelled at the passengers on the box seats,
and another with similar weapon covering
the four or five persons. inside. ssa
The captain Of the gang, with cooked re-
volver in his hand, stepped up to the driver
and informed him in clear. cool voice that
he must have the money in the treasure box.
and then turning to Mr.. Bowen. EXPRESS mes.
senger, said, !" Charley, it will be Of no use
to resist. Nobody shall be harmed If YOU
don't make any FUSS And, "in the mean
time" pursued the robber, "gentlcmen will
be kind enough to hold up their hands.'-
It is not necessary for us to saw that the
passengers obeyed, the driver dropped the
re'ns and each mans fingers pointed instant
ly to heaven. Now, then, Charley" said
the robber, must have your pistol to pre-
vent accidents;" and he proceeded to disarm
the expressman, notwithstanding the out
ragged mans remonstrances. As the robber
took the pistol, with native affection of
surprise, and an ominous shake of the head,
ne said, Why, Charley, the pistol is actu-
ally cooked. Don't be foolish, Charley
Thercupon Charely Immediately subsidized,
with the remark that it was very hard that
he should be treated in such manner. /" Not
at all, Charley" answered the robber; ~
am not robbing you-you cannot help your
self-but your company advertise that they
have a capital stock of $500, 900, and $15, 900
to divide among the boys would not be miss
ed, Charley, you know" BY way of molli-
flying Charley's feelings, the highwayman
politely assured him upon his honor, as a
gentleman" that he was not murderer, and
did not desire to take q dollar from any per.
son then present. &s&
At this time Mr.. McDuffee suggested that
there existed no absolute necessity for the
strange gentleman's friends on the road to
persist in holding their guns in so very d.
rect line with his head, as he had known
men under such circumstances suffer frem
nervous excitement, and, although he could
not doubt their peaceful assurances, or the
honesty Of their intentions, If the triggers
CHANGED to be gerry finely set, an explosion
might take place unconsciously. Therupon
the robber bowed politely, and expressed his
desire to make the interview as pleasant
one as possible, and directed his men to keep
the enemy "well covered" After this, he
unhitched the horses, fastened them securely
to fence near by, declining in affectionate
language the assistance of the driver, and
drew from the stage the box of treasure.
He was about to split open the box with
an axe, when he remarked to Charley"
that it would be pity to spoil the furniture,
and asked for the key. Observing some hes
itation and grumbling on the part Of the mes
scnger, he brought forward bundle of cord.
and expressed the opinion that it would be-
necessary for him to tie Charley" as he
was talking q great deal to much. "What
would you give to know me, (his face was
Masked Charleyy' he asked. "Two and
half" was the sullen reply. "Ah, your
liberality viii be the death ofyoy," replied
the highwayman, who then very coolly OPEN
ed the treasure box, filed the pockets of his
comrades with the contents, placed "Char-
ley's pistol in the bed of the coach, fastened
the horses again to the stage, expressed the
delight he experienced in meeting with gen.
tlemen who were SO unexceptionable in their
department, and badc graceful adieu. The
robbers then left for the woods. During the
whole proceedings not an oath was heard,
and the captain Of the gang did his utmost,
says our informant, to soothe the alright Of
the passengers.