The Placer herald., 1866-05-19
Stage Robber Vt he Robbers Killed.

stage Robbery vi ne Robbers Killed.
On Tuesday morning, about 4 o'clock
the down stage between San Juan and Ne
vada, containing six passengers and $4,000
in the Express safe of Wells, Fargo & Co.,
was stopped by three robbers. who made the
passengers get out Of the stage, and also un.
bitch the horses. After searching the pas
sengers, to secure their weapons, two Of the
robbers stood guard over them, while the
third blew open the safe and secured the
money. The stage was then allowed to pro.
ceed after baving been detained ten
minutes. No money was taken from the
passengers.
After the stage arrived at Nevada, and
the robbery became known, Sheriff Gentry
organized posse and proceeded to the
scene Of operations, where the party divided
One of the posse, Stephen Venard, soon
found the trail and suddenly found himself
within twenty feet of the robbers, They dis.
covered each other at the same instant. One
Of the robbers drew his revolver to fire, but
Venard, who was armed with Henry re-
peating rifle, fred first and shot him dead.
lie did the same thing to the second, send.
ing ball through his brain. The third and
remaining robber, then attempted to escape,
when Vensrd, at the second fire, shot him
through the heart. Vensrd fred but four
shots, and killed all three Of the robbers
two Of whom were found with cooked ps
tolls in their hands. The remainder of the
Sherif's party beard the firing, but by the
time they came up, the robbers had all been
disposed Of and The money with the excep-
ton of twenty doliars) recovered by Venard.
The Sheriff and party returned to Nevada,
where they were received with great epthu-
siasm by the citizens. The robbery was
committed at half past four in the morning,
at half past twelve at noon the robbers were
all killed and the money recovered, Wells,
Fargo & Co., offered $4,000 for the recovery
Of the money, but this was not known to the
Sberif's party when they started out.
The Grass Valley Nutianal gives the fol-
lowing account Of the men who were killed:
George Sbanks, alias Jack Williams" :"
who was one of the robbers killed yesterday,
has long been notorious outlaw. Some
three years ago he shot and wounded one Of
the Barton Bros, at night, through win.
dow, in Nevada. Last Fall be shot Lew
Kopp, at Colfax, and forced all the business
men to close their places. He afterwsrd
raised row in Grass Valley, and drew a
pistol upon officer Meek, who attempted to
arrest him. lie has been for months oper
ating on the road between French Corral
and the Anthony House. Keegan, alias
Bob Flynn" was by birth an Irishman,
and an old offender, having been in San
Quentin, twice. In 1862 or 1868 he was
arraigned for highway robbery in Sacramen.
to- He was sent below for the offence,
when he escaped in September, 1868. He
then went dow to Mariposa county, where
he was again sentenced for grand larceny
and sent to San Quentin. He escaped from
there January Is, 1866, since which time he
has been running around loose, until he was
finally disposed Of The other man goes by
the name of Moore. He was sent to San
Quentin on two charges, in 1861, for term
of ten years, and succeeded in escaping in
1868. lie was living at Virginia, Nevada,
in 1864, when he had his right leg broken,
by scaffoId falling, on which he was at
work, being carpenter. lie went to San
Francisco in 1865, where he was arrested
for burglary and sent to San Quentin for
four years. He attempted to escape in No.
vember, 1865, but failed. lie succeeded 10
escaping in April 1866, and has been roam.
ing around ever since, until he was induced
to 60 into the stage robbiug business, which
proved too much for him. The above par
ticulars have been given US by one who
knew the parties while living and has recog'
nized them since their DEATH