New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-09-03

dimes.
4,,I ever ! poor aaortal see such time as II g
sDh winnie. dorH come near mel You brute! 80,
let me cry ~
THE HUNT ON THE HIGHWAY.
There was a sshrewd robber somewhere. The
farm houses were robbed; shops were robbedss
she tills Of the bars at the wayside inns were
robbed and the people had their pockets picked
All this happened in the region q country pc
tween Sidney and Lowstone-not field of vast e1
yet tho rebheF or robbers could net be
found. Officers had searched in every direction,
and several suspicious individuals had been appre-
s hended; hut the real culprit remained at large.
one day the mail was robbed. and on the next
man had his pocket picked of five hundred pounds
while riding in the stage coach-for my narrative
dates back to the old coaching days: me money
had been carried IN bis breast pocket, and he knew
~ that IL was stolen from him while he was enjoying
II - bit III VI dozs On HE road.
had been confined to my house by severe
cold for several days. and was not fit to go out
now; but as this matter was becoming serious,
felt it MY duty to he the move, and accordingly
fortified my throat and breast with warm flannel
and set FORTH. had no settled plan in my mind
tor had not yet been upon the road, and was not
thoroughly posted up. ride of fye miles brought
szne tp Sidney, and thence meant to take coach
~ LowBtone, where Sam Shckney, one of the
shrewdest men lived. Stickney had already been
on the search, and wished to consult him before
making any decided movement. Preached Sidney
NJ half past five in the morning and the coach left
x. NiSSU
ii good ride before me. During the early part of
the day rode upon the box with the driver, and
from him gained considerable information touch
in8 the various rnbheries that had been committed
= Hs was forced to admit that several people had
been robbed iii bis stage, though he declared that
he couldn't into it, for he had not the most re-
mote idea even of whom the robber could be.
We reached Bonniviile at noon, where we stop
ped to dine. and when we left this place was the
only passenger. At the distance of twelve miles,
at little village called Cawthore, we stopped TO
change horses, and here another passenger got up.
Nh had been occupying the forward seat, % that
happened TO be wider than the others, and gave
me 3 better opportunity for lying down; and when
The new conner entered be took the back seat. He
was . young man, judged, and not very tall in
stature, but so completely was he bundled up in
shaUls and mufiers that his size of frame was not
80 easily determined. He was very pale, and
coughed badly; and at once made up my mind
&hat ha was far less ut 10 travel than was. After
WIKI had GOT fairly On our way, remarked to him
Ehat had been suffering from q severe cold, and
that this was the first time had yentured out for
quite number Of days. He looked at me out of
d pair of dark, bright eyes; and when he seemed
to have determined what manner of man was, he
said "a
broke into q ht Of Geughing which lasted minute
tcr 90, and then added, Il won't be great while
before Ishall take my last ride
AGain he was seized with spasm of coughing
and when he had recovered from it, he continued,
e The disease is eating me up and shaking me to
pieces at the same time. y
He Lur Tier informed me that he mad started
tour for his health but that he had given it up and
Has now on his way home, which place he was
anxious 10 reach as soon as possible. Another
paroxysm seized him at this point, and he intmated
that be was unable to converse, as the effort
Brought Oh his cough had noticed this, and had
made up my Eaind to trouble him no more, even
before he had given me the hint.
After this he drew his outer shawl more closely
about his neck and face, he closed his eyes, and
was not long in following his example. Toward
the middle Of the afternoon the coach stopped alta
small village, where we changed horses again, and
where four passengers gnt up. This broke up the
arrangement of my ffivnd and self for rest, he
Hind t0 take one of the strangers his seat while
toek another upon mine, the other two occupying
the middle seat. The new Corners soon preached
The subject of The robberies which had been com.
mitted in that region, and listened to gain infor-
aafion, If possible but they knew no more than
anybody else knew. They had heard all about it,
and were Inflated with wonder. t
Dne--an old farmer--asked me knew any
tAing 81 the rohher. told him that knew but
little of the affair n any way having been sick and
my consumptiye friend ii he knew anything about
ii. The latter raised his head from its inclning
position, and was On the point of answering, when
we heard driver, in quick, abrupt tones, order
ing some one to get out Of the road. / instinct
lively put my head out at the window to see what
kfle trouble was. and my eye was quick enough to
detect n load pf fagots IN time 70 dodge back and
escape them. The road was quite narrow at this
point, and as the fagots were loaded very widely,
In was impossible for the driver to wholly avoid
them, and the side Of the coach was swept by them
quits smarty. escaped without being touched,
but not so my friend. heard an excamation--I
thought rather q profane one-from his lips, and
On looking towards him. saw that of the fagots
had struck him over the left eye, making quite a
mark upon the pale skin This Incident turned lie
conversation from the subject of the robberies and
I it was not again alluded to during the day.
We reached Lowstone shortly after dark, and
II went at once TO the residence of Mr.. Stickney
whom found at home. He had been out all day
and had made I'll sorts OF Efforts to obtain some
clue to the perpetrators of the robberies that were
being committed, but without effect
He said be could learn nothing on which to hang
suspicion. Two shops had been robbed in his
town, but he could get no clue to the perpetrators
We consulted together, and finally proposed to go
in the morning and see another detective officer
named Gambit, who resided about twelve miles dis
tart Id the town of orion.
This met the views Of my host, and so we left the
matter for the evening. On the following morning
we were mn early and as the coach would take M
directly To NaanhlIts houss, we chose that mode 81
convey Atseas no repaired al reasonable hour to
the tavern for that purpose When wa reached
the inn. We found the old farmer. who had been one
OF my fellow passengers the night before stem
ping about the door in state of high excitement
He had been robbed Of three hundred pounds, and
he was sure it nnst have been done in the stage
for he had slept with his pocket book under Ris
pillow. He had not thought to look into it when
M retired, but BE- bad found It empty that morning
when he got up. He said the wallet had been
taken from bis pocket and put back again-he knew
it. As soon as be saw me he was anxious should
be searched 0feourse allowed the operation to
BE performed willingly. After the excitement
was allayed, 4 asked where the pale Young man
was who came IN the coach, and was told by the
landlord that he went away soon after the coach
arrived
NV irst aim was TO satisfy myself that the old
man had been robbed IN the stage coach, and Of
this he succeeded in convincing me. After this nv
suspicious rested upon the consnmpiiYe man, and
believed, If could find him, should find the
rogue. So bade the landlord TO keep a sharp
Iooknnt; and also spoke to the driver who had
brought me from Sidney, and who was now on the
point or returning, requesting him, if he saw any
thing Of the pale man to see that he was secured
Ths suspicious dsridnal had only remained at the
Inn FEW minutes on the previous evening, and had
then gone away In a gig which had come for him
bnt no one could tell what direction he had taken.
The coach for Orion so2n eame to the door, and
stiekaey aud myself took our seats inside, the
farmer having determined 10 remain where he was
until he heard something about bis money. There