The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-02-06
The Mail Robber.

distance OF forty-two miles and as had to await the
arrival OF two three coache did not start uetl after
dinner so l very often hada good distance to travel
after dark. 1t was in the dead of winter and the
sofl>had been hard one, A great deal Of snow had
allen and the drifts we're plenty and deep. The mail
that carried not due Littleon By the contract,
until one o'clock in the morning but that winter the
postmaster very often obliged sit up little later
! than that for me-
one day in january, when drove up for my neil at
Dapbury, the postmaster called me into the office.
| Pete said he, with important, serious look,
0there's some pretty heavy money packages in thai
bag" and he pointed to the bag as he spoke. He said
the money was from Boston to land agents
the Canada line Then he asked me if I'd any passens
gers who were going through TO Littleton told him
/ didn't know but suppose l havn't," said l.
,'Why" said he, 'he agent of the lower route came
in to-day and lie says h8l there have been two suspi
cious characters the stage that came up last night
and he suspects that they have an eye upon thls mal
50 il will stand YOU in hand to be little careful.
He said the agent had described one Of them as
short thick set fellow about forty years OF age with
long hair and thick heavy clump OF beard under the
chin but none on the side OF his face. lie dldnt
know anything about the other told the old fellow
/, guessed there was much danger
80 no. not if you have got passengers through but
only told you this so you might look out Tor your
mail and look out for it when you change horses
answered that shouid do so, and then put the bag
under my arm and left the office slowed away the
mail under my seat little more carefully then usual
placing it SO could keep my feet against it but be-
when started and had four passengers, two OF whom
rode on to nv first oppiug place. reached Gowans
mills at DARK when stopped for supper ana where
nv other two passengers concluded to stop Tor the
: night -.
!, About six o'clock in the evening left Gowans mills
= alone having two horses and an open pung.
{ IhaI seventeen miles to go-and hard seventeen
II was too The night vas quite clear but the wind was
: sharp and cold the loose snow flying IN all directions
while the drifts deep and closely packed II was
: slow tedious work, and lay horses soon became leg
weary aud restye At the distance oI SIX miles came
to little settlement called Bulls corner, where took
fresh horses I'd been hours going that distance
just as was going to star man came up and asked
e iC was going through to Littleton told him should
go through if the thing could possibly he done. de
said he very anxious TO CO. and as ne nae no oG
n gage, told him to jump IN and make aoSs as col,
tortabe IS possible vas gathering up my lines "hen
the hostler came up aud asked me if knew that one
is Of my horses had cut himself badly? ! Jumped out
e and went with him. and found that one OF the horses
IS had got deep cork cut on the oil fore loot gave
him such directions considered necessary and was
about to away when the hoser remarked that ne
Is thought came alone. told him did.
Then where did you get that passenger said he
ID sHe Just got in, / answered
u "Got in from where?'
= ~ don't know"
well now, sad tbeboser, "thats kind O. curious.
h. There amt no such kind Of man been at the house. and
b. know there aint been none any Of the neighbours
s. Lets have look at his face, said l. w e can get
IN that much AZ any rate Do YOU 60 back with me aud
when get into the pung Just holdyour lantern 50 that
in the light will shine in his face
ed He did as wished and as stepped into the punG
e got fair view Of such portions OF my passengers lace
e, as were not muf8ed up. l short thick tIamei
tn full hard features and could that ne had large
m heavy beard under his chin / thought OF the man
ed whom the postmaster had descrbedto me- out olah
think seriously OF it until had started Perhaps nae
er got half a mile, when noticed that the mail wasn't III
1w its old place under my teet
ok sHaioH' says I, holding up my horses little
nd where's my mai9"
y d. passenger sat on the seat behlnd me ana IuAeo
ret Heres bag Of some kind slipped back under my
IRE feet" said he, givngi kick as though hd showed u
m. forward
Id; Just at this moment M horses numbered into deep
at snow drift and was forced to get out and tread down
INT the snow ahead Of them and Rad them through it.
go This took me al OF fifteen minutes; and when got
H. in again Ipued the mail bag forward and got my feef
for anon it. As was doing this, saw him take some
iu from his lap beneath the buffalo put 1t into hle
ex- breast pocket At this thought it was pistol |
had caught the CLEAN Of the barrel in the starlight and
nt when had time reflect knew that could not be
ant mistaken.
lis About this time began to think somewhat seriously,
res From what had seen and heard soon made up my
mind that the individual behind me not only intended
ap to rob the mail but he prepared to rob me OF ny
fife If resisted him he would shoot me, and perhaps
u he meant to perform that delectabe jcb any rate
While was pondering, the horses fel INTO anothe9
deep drift and1 again forced TO get out ana
is tread down the before them. asked my pasen-
ad GER If be would helpme out he said he didn't feel very
of we'll and wouldn't trv: so worked alone and all
of quarter of an hour getting my team through the
,ry drifts. When got into the sleigh again, | began
he to feel for the mail bag with mteet and found 1t Tere
ed had left IT, But when attempted to Withdraw my
it. foot discovered that II had become entangled in some
ds thing-I thought the buffalo, and tried to kick it
ed clear but the more kicked the more closely was II
led held reached down my hand, and alter teen5
eft few moments found thatmy foot was in the mail bag
GIi ro1t 4 j1yrh
ht the letters and papers! my fingers over the ede
ep of the opening and became assured that the stout
lto leather had been cut with knife.
nd HIRE was discovery. lbegau to wish had taken
nd little more foretlough before leaving Danbury; but
he as knew that mubug such wishes was only wasting
set time and quickly gave II up and began TO consider
in what had best be done under existing circumstances
for wasn't long in making up my mind upon few essen
ii tal p. % First, the mau behind NE was william
the seconu e had cut open the mail bag and rosbed H OF
int come valuable matter He must have known the mon
the y letters by their size and shape Third he meant te
md leave the stage on tae first opportunity and, tourhlF
the he prepared TO SHOOT me attempted ID atee
gh or detaiu him.
: Ircsolved these things over in my mind, and pretty
The sooa thought Of course to pursue knew that
nee could once get ny hands safely the rascal mus
ng take him unawares and this could net 90 While Ii
was behind ne-for his eyes on me all the time
ale 80 must resort to stratagem Only little distance
he ahead of us was house An old farmer named Lou
ph gee lived there and directly in front Of 1t was huge
- snow bank stretched across the road through winch
red track had been cleared with sEoveis.
on As we approached the cot saw i ght in the tro1
ng room as felt confident should Tor the old man gen
orally sat up until the stage passed drove on unit
the nearly opposite the dwelling stood up frequently
oa had done in approaching bad places. saw the snoy
sed bank ahead and could distinguish the deep cut which
or had been sho1eled through it. urged my horses t
ep good speed and when near the bank forced them III
ysi- to it.
it One of the runners mountodt the edge OF the bank
a after which the other ran into the cut thus throwing
for the sleigh quick as though lightning haq stfae
md Nv passenger had not calculated any such move
ing ment and wasn't prepared for it but had calculated
he and was prepared He rolled out into the deep snow
hts with heavy buffalo robe about HIM punched III
WITH head in the snow and then sang out for old Lougee
low did have to call second time, for the farmer ha
,up come to the window to pass and as soon as
hat saw NY sleigh overturned he had lighted his lantef
rth AID hurried out.
ne WHAT'S to pay?7 asked the farme- as he hurret
was out
re Laad the horses into Che track and taon c5e herc,