, 1866-03-21
SINGULAR TRAGEDY ON THE
PLAINS. :,
Attempt to Murder tie Passen-
gers Of an Overland Stage.
| The A4Aasstn mud Ono Passenger Killed
| and Two Wounded

this article. By the arrival Of several Of the
participants. who reached the city on yester-
day, NO aro placed in possession of full par
ticulars. The affair is singular and desperate
beyond any 1t has ever been our lot to chrun-
II The Overland Mali stage on the Denver
City and Atchison route Left the former place
on the 11th INST, with five passengers,
r. Deidcshelmer, Esq. Of California
Augustus Steitz, Of st. Louis; E. Kimball, Of
Central City, Colorado; y. ". Barlow, Of
Denver. and one Fred. Henshfld, the last
whose proper place Of abode could not be
azcertalned. To one Of the passengers be as
stunned to be q merchant IN Toufs to st. Louis
to buy goods to another he asserted TINT be
WAS under charge at Denver Of having stolen
several head Of cattle somewhere tn Colorado,
son to procure testimony that would
demonstrate his innocence Of tue charge. At
junction Station, On the night after starting,
Two more persons took the coach-Lewfs 4.
Eice and Robert Boyd, who were originally
from the State Of New York, but who had
1859. ATS 'clock, On Monday, the 1ath Inst,
Alr. McCaul, from about Chicago, but who has
been in Government employment as Mnster of
the Forage Department at Fort Laramie, also
became passenger. While at Julesbure, 1t
became apparent that Mr. Barlow was Dep
uLf " .. ol1l6uaL 11G CuH1Et1EA WALL tuE
officers at the garrison there. Forwarded some
telegraphtc dispatches to other military sta
tions, and announced that be Was In pursuit
Of O criminal, whose arrest he hoped to &c.
complish. At this intelligence the mysterious
passenger, Henshild, became very uneasy.
lie mentioned TO one or two OF the passengers
that the Marshal intended to arrest him, and
Tliis suspicion increased In his mind hourly,
and he regarded Barlow with hourly aug
mcnting distrust, Notwithstanding the efforts
Of those TO whom he spoke to reaasure him.
Barlow himself at last told him to bo ut
bis ease, that he had no warrant and no ac-
cusatfon agaInst him, md that II he had ever
done anything wrong he Was under no obliga-
t1on to crfm,nate himself by present confes-
sion. Hcnsh1ld, however, continued to talk
In riddles, and worry the passengers BY mani
Testing to them his fear OF that official. When
rope which was dangling from tho top Of
the coach wns put baek to It's PLACE & By some ,;
ami going to hang NET At Alkali Station
Barlow sent other dispatches which again
alarmed the fcars Of Henshild.
The reader must here understand that, dur
ing the day, the passengers once or tHfce con
rerscd about the possibility Of an attack upon
the stage by lndlaps and ,helr nnpreRate,d
had them In their carpet bags. Messrs. Rice
and McCaul only had such weapons upon
their persons, but as no one thought seriously
that danger Was imminent, the Others did not
take the trouble to get out their revo1yers.
Heashild had nothing to say in those conver-
made fearful use Of their confessions.
Beyond A1kali, the coach Was occupied IN
the following orders Henshlld, MeCaul and
Barlow on the back seat, Rice aud Boyd on
the middle seat, and steitz and Deideshelner
On the front scat, with kimball on the top: Of
q. TAI hrI via
with 3Ir. Steitz quarter Of IN honr before
the opening Of the tragedy. The time vas be-
tween and O'Clock at night, and all except
Ing Heushild were sleeping, most Of them
soundly. The assassin, upou Whosc guilty con-
science the weight Of previous crimes Was no
doubt pressing heavily, heard, far to the rear,
tho clatter ofhorscs' hoofs. It was the two car-
airy guasdsmen, Who ordinarily accompany the
overland coaches In thelr journeys, approach
ing from Alkall Station. His coward fears, 1t
is believed, caused bin to think they were
coming at Barlo~'s fnsttgation to arrest him,
and he at oncc began Ills work Of murder.
With the right hand he discharged pistol,
passed ont at the breast Of Mr. Rice, killing
him Instantly. The same bal1 he expected
would kill Mr.. steitz, who sat In line with and
directly N front OF Rice, but It only gtazed tho
hand against which be was leaning his head
while sleeping. With the left simultaneously
he thrust a butcher knife at the breast Of
the other armed passenger, Mr. McCaul.
It penetrated tho 1apels of three coats, which
the latter had On at the moment, and also his
waistcoat and coat, wounding him slightly.
Sitting next to the assassin, he comprehended
the situation Of affairs The moment he woke
incumbcred With clothing, and his great coat
being buttoncd up, he could not draw bis
own pistol, hut he SO reso1utely held the arms
Of bis adversary that be WIS enabled to stop
further murder. In tho struggle .Henshild's
Rs{Gl {c went saf,s o IT., three f,1a ors tines M ore
Of the already dead Mr. Rice, and the
others grazed two more passengers.
ALL this WIS but the work OF an In-
STINT, The in1nates, on being reused by The
shots, thought tho stage was attacked, anil
there we're cSclamatlons OF :. Drive ont and
stopped, and all pitched ont, the body OF Rice
falling out Of the door at the sumo moment
Nr. McGaul held on 10 the dcsperado while
longer, but, incumbcrcd us he was and liable
to be oyerpowcrtd, he let 50 his antagonist
and lenpcd out alter the others. The case
now fully understood, and the two soldiers
were called upon to arrest Henshfld, who had
become sole tenant Of the vehicle. They de-
clfncd to take the risk, on the ground that
their duty was to protect the stages from OUT
side attacks only. The driver approached the
door, when Henshlld thrust at him with his
knife saragely.
A conference was then held, at which Mr..
Steltz suggested that be should be captured
uptarmca, as he Was perhaps crazy. Mr.. g.,
however, had ridden outside during the pre-
ceding time, and did not know Of facts Of
which his companions were cognlzant, TINT
proved the existence Of method in the ruf.
dams madncss. llc, therefore, surrendered
lis opinion, md agreed With the others that
Henshild should be thoroughly disabled. a
carbine was borrowed from the gunrd for
the purpose, but It snapped on pulling the
trigger. Mr. 31cCaul then discharged
pistol three times through the side Of
the stage. Tie fellow exclaimed "Oh
You have shot me In three placcs,'' and
became motion1esa. Barlow approached md
took hold Of his feet to pull him through the
door, when the latter roso and thrust nt him
With the knife, with such effect that Barlow's
side, face and check were awiully gashed and
his tongue and mouth split open. The assas-
by whetting bis knife on piece Of iron. Nc
Caul now fired the contents Of his pistol, but
owing to the darkness, the eject was not
tatn1. He thereon took the pistol Of the de-
ceased Rice, and guided by the stage lamp
which Was lighted and held by Stcitz, he fired
several more shots with better aim.
The body, still breathing, was dragged out
By the roud side, md one Of the guards in
structcd to cnrry word Of the .nf1air back to
Alknu Station. uenshi,d's knife and pistol
were retained ey MeCaui, but there Wss no
IT, o. M pGshsts Saa OF asarsn ioe
lapers. ihe tlaEcllets naa SEP enough Ct SO
desperate ano aanecIons Flllain' Nr' ltce's
body WIS cafeinil{ placea on the top OF the
Stage 4hd carried 1oTty mlles a. aaeao 70 lotion
Weoa tost, Nnefe NJ, bo5a lMho Was wound
ca 10 the nano " . shot during inc oloody
| events 81 Inc hfghtl renamed 70 see to ils
Efm6an escaped unilurt: Henshild, Is il In In
9ns1 "it9 i3f tnH e., desperation Q! resisting even
ueatn usea' ala not expire untn t"elge hours
allelHa1osIso s. .ae RasSense1s learned 6y tel
esIapu sp genl ron A!kan % cottonwood.
to4' D1o"n' commanding Tue troops at
had reached hin that iatal ifaeas Ind taken