The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-02-28
The Mail Robber; Or the Stage Drivers
Advanfure

coaches, did not start until after dinner
so very often had good distance to
drive after dark. 1t was in the dead Of
winter, and the season had been tough
one. A great deal ofsnow had fallen, and
the drifts were plenty and deep, The
mail that / carried was not due at Little
ton, by tie contract. until one o'clock in
the morning, but that winter TIE postmss-
ter was very often obliged to sit up lit
lie later than that for me.
One day In January. when l drove up
for my mail at DankurY, the postmaster
called me into his office.
"Pete." said he, with an important, Sc
rious look, ''there's como pretty heavy
money packages in that bag" and he
pointed to the bag as he spoke. He said
the money was from Boston to some land.
agents up near the Canada line. Then he
asked me if I'd got any passengers who
were going through to Littleton. | told
him did not know, but "Suppose /
havn'ts" says |.
"Why," said he, ",he agent Of the
lower route came in to-day and he says
that there have been two suspicious char
acters on the stage that came up last
night; and he suspects that they have an
eye upon this mail. so that it will stand
you in hand to be little CAREFUL
He said the agent had described one
of them as a short, thick set fellow. about
forty years Of age, with long hair, and a
thick heavy clump of beard under the
chin, but none on the side Of his face. He
didn't know anything about the other.
l told the old fellow l guessed there was
not much danger.
20, no, not if you have got passen-
gers through; but / only told you this SO
You might look out for your mail, and
look out for it when you change horses"
Il l answered that should do SO, and
then took the bag under my arm and left
the Office. | slowed the mail under my
seat little more carefully than usual
placing i: so that l could keep my feet
against il; but beyond this | did not feel
any concern. 1t was past one when
started. and / had four passengers, two
OF whom rode on to my first stopping
place. reached Gowan's Mills at dark,
when we stopped for supper, and where
my other two passengers concluded tc
stop for the night.
, About six o'clock in the evening left
Gowan's Mills alone, having two horses
and an open pung.
/ had seventeen Miles to go--and I
hard seventeen it was too. The nigh
was quite clear, bu, the wind was sharl
and cold, the loose snow flying in all di
rectlons, while the drifts were deep ant
n closely packed. 1t was slow, tediou
y work. and my horses soon became lei
= weary aud resiive. At the distance o
six miles | came to little settlement calle'
, Bulls Corner, where l took fresh horses
I'd been two hours going that distance
: Just as was going 10 start man cam
up and asked II was going through t
Littleton. 1told him ! should 60 thrOug
il the thing could possibly be done. II
said he was very anxious to, so, apd a
he had no baggage, told him Jun p i
and make himself as comfortable as pos
sble. I was gathering up my lines whe
IL the hostler came up and asked me it
he knew that one of my horses had cut him
self badly? Jumped out aud went wi,
him, and found that one of the anima
= had got deep cork cut on the off fol
feet. gave such directions as l col
sidered necessary. and was about to tur
!, away, when the hosler remarked that |
~ thought came alone. told him did
on Then where did you got that passel
ger9" said he.
"He just got in," ] answered.
"Got in from where?"
|, ii don't know.
"Well now," said the hostler, "Ihai
, kind o curious. There ain't no such mi
irst been at the house, and | know there air
been mona at any of the neighbors."
? Lets have look at his Gace," said
1--WE can get that much at any rate. |
you 60 back with me. and when l
into the pung. just, hold your lantern
rug that the liglt will shine into his face"
- He did as wished, and as ! stepp
Ell into the pungT got fair view of su
NJ portions Of my passengers face as we
w not mufIled up, saw short thick fral
Yes, full, hsrd features, and could see ii
there was a heavy beard under ibe oh
- | thought Of the man whom the postm'
ter had described to me; but ldidn't hi
seriously upon ii until / had start
Perhaps | had got half mile, whe1
noticed that the mail bag wasn't in
old place under my feet.
"Hallo." says l. holding up my bor
= q little, "where's my mail?"
, Ny passenger sat on the seat bch
rT me and turned toward him.
" & "Hore is bag Of some kind slip
back under my feet he said, giving
Il kick, as though he'd shove it forward.
of Just at this moment my horses luI
cred into deep snow-drft. and l
. forced TO get out and tread down
snow ahead of them, and lead Il
~ through it.
X This took me al Of fifteen minutesii
D0' when / got IN again 1 pulled the mail
OF, forward ard got my feet upon it. !
was doing this, saw the man take SO
oftIh.o ofthc thing from his lap, beneath the buff
,iy. Iy Of and put it in bis breast pocket. At
-slf thought it was pistol. had cal
he g!earn Of the barrelln the s!arli
-, and when l had time to reflect, k
n p | could not be mistaken.
I'LL About this timo / bepan to think sc