The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-11
Am old.Fasnioned stage Robbery.


Alive,y sensation was created in the city
Yesterday by the announcement that stage
robhery had taken place in Nevada county
an Sunday evening, which resulted in the
cantnre bv the highwaymen of large sum
of money. Although more than twenty.
four hours had elapsed last evening since
the robbery but few points in the case nau
been received by telegraph. we nave, now ~,
oyer rece;ved from private sources the fol-
loving details. On the arrival of the east
hornd train from San Francisco and this city
at Colfax the stage started as usual Tor Grass
Valley and Nevada with load OF passengers
and Wells. Fargo & Co.'s treasure.ooG.
When opposite Sheets ranch, about fVe
miles this side of Grass Valley. the stage came
70 n sudden halt. It was then about hall
past o'clock in the evening. Four men
had suddenly stepped out from among she
rocks or bushes, each wearing biack MASK,
and levellinr a double barrelled shotgun at
fine driver. Each was observed to carry re-
yoIyer in addition to bis gun. Inc stage
was driven By Bob Scott, who at hrst de-
INJURED TO the proposition to dismount. he
was assured by one of the robbers that tney
meant business. and that there was no LIME
70 waste in parleying. Scott concluded 10
d;smount from his seat. Two OF the men
stood at the horses heads, and the other TWO
Maid their respects to the passengers. AZ
the suggestion Of the other hlghWaymen,
and through the persuasive power OIL snot-
o1n ON each side of the stage, the passenger,
ali vacated the stage. There were IN al
thirteen Messengers. Among them were a..
Rlock RGan and Judge Mcfarland, OF tnIs
city- and Brigadier. General Charles Cad"al-
ader. formerly of this city but at present u
resident of the northern part OF the oCate'
We are also informed that Senator n. a.
Sargent was among the number.
Ne possed through this city on tue Tram
Of noon. and it is reported was on the stage
on the occasion referredto. The passengers
were directed to sit down Oh the ground,
and we're arranged in 4 row about thirty ieet
from fine stage. The only weapon I'D Tue
stare was a Deringer pistol in the pocket Oh
General Cadyalader. That officer was too
GOOD a soldier to give battle under tne CIR
cnmstances. and did not expose his ai.ilieI5
10 the enemy. The horses were tlnnltclleu
from the stare and taken short DISTANCE
from the spot: while one man Suarde9 Tue
nassenrers another held the horses, ana Tue
rremaininr two directed their attention 10 tue
treasure in the stage. 1t is generally uhaer-
stood that of late years suDstantlai lton
chests are constructed under the hlnq Seats
of nil stages which are used to carry Wens,
Fargo & Co.'s express matter. ThlS 1act Tue
robbers of course knew, and tfey came
fnllv prepared for the emergency, nav
inc with them supply of both DiastinS
and giant powder. They used Doth, ana
mt in blast which shiyered the cDest 10
nieces. knocking the lid through the top OF
the stage, and SCATTERING the stage IN otner
respects so as to almost destroy Cue BODY. IL
il reported that the passengers, sitting on the
ground in such close proximity to the stage,
did potenjoy the fireworks very much,
h,lt none of them were injured by the blast.
The robbers now found it easy to secure all
fine treasure in the box. Having removed
II TO convenient distance they hitched up
the horses and loaded up the passengers, ana
told the driver to drive on. The stage
moved forward, and the highwaymen re-
manned where they were until space anu
darkness hid them from view. The robbers
81 900 in coin consigned TO the bank
ipc.house of T. Findey & Co., and several
other sums consigned to other parties 10
Grass Valley and Nevada. 1t is con-
coded by all that these additional sums
amounted to $1,000, and some reports
place them as high as $4,000. The total
amount carried off was not less than
IS, 900 and not more than $1,000. When
the stage reached Grass Valley and the IN,
telliyenee of the robbery was disseminated
a great deal of feeling was, OF course,
aroused. A number of officers started out
in pursuit of the robbers. We are informed
bv Frank G. Ross, of this city, who came
through from Grass Valley yesterday morn
ing, that the stage met Sheriff Perrin on the
road near the scene of the robbery. Perrin
had two men in custody at the time, whom
he had arrested on suspicion. The robbers
were not only masked, but they had their
feet muffied with socks so as to prevent the
officers from tracking them, and especially
from identifying them by the footprints OF
she;r boots. Notwithstanding this precau-
ion the sheriff and officers had traced the
robbers some distance in the direction of
Ophir Hill. They found on the trail one
mask, several cartridges. of giant powder, u
iask Of blasting powder, and several perclls-
zion caps, all Of which had evidently been
brown away.