Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-10-04
ERDSTOWN JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. SATURDAY OCT 1878
THE NEVADA STAGE ROBBERS.

Four Men MAKE Fourteen MEN
SoUAT ON LOG, SILENT WITNESSES OF
TIE BAGGING OF s12, 2,000.-Our readers
will remember the telegraphic accounts,
three or four weeks ago, Of the hating
of n stage in Nevada by brigands,. who
robbed Wells, Fargo e Co.'S safe OF a
large sum of money. a citizen OF Dav-
enport was passenger on the said oc,
casion-E Baldwin, Chief Engineer OF
the Davenport and ST. Paul railroad.
He writes an account of the affair to 4
friend. lie says he left Colfax at p.
m., with thirteen other passengers
destination, Downieville. Sierra county.
At the start they "ascended 1000 feet,
then descended 200 feet, and then re-
peated the ascension, and just rs the
coach reached the last summit, an cpl
sode occurred. -Four men sprang from
behind rocks, seized the leaders 10y the
bit.and babe the driver ''get down from
there. 1t was some time, Mr.. Baldwin
says, before the passengers could under
stand the interruption, but at last they
were made to comprehend 1t without
much ceremony. The driver was order
ed to take the horses from the coach,
and lead them to one side. He obeyed.
Next the passengers were told to dis
mount and seat themselves on red
wood log. AS each of the robbers held
A double barrelled shot-gun and swore
that somebody's brains wonld be spilled
unlees ''you step right lively now," the
order was obeyed with alacrity. Il tell
You, my friend" writes Mr.. b., Il felt
terribly put out = The passengers sat
still as mice under the cover of the shot
guns, and silently watched the opera
tons of the robbers i'll getting at the
contents of the safe. The scoundrels
drilled holes about the lock, and else
where in the door,poured powder in the
openings, tampcd them, and then light
ed the fuse. In half minute there was
thick puff of smoke, dull heavy sound,
and there lay the safe, open. 1t was but
the work of minute to sack the bags
of gold and packages o. greenbacks, and
then the robbers ordered the passengers
to ''mount" The travellers obeyed, and
took their seats; then the driver was or
dered to "hitch mp, and he did as he
was told, and was requested to drive
on quick, and not lag once for mile.
And the way the four-horse team flew
from the locality would astonish loco
motive The robbers uobbled between
$4,000 and $4,000.
After making the AFORESAID mile III un
commonly quick time, the passengers
got to comparing notes concerning the
slate interruption, and it was found
that every man OF the fourteen had a
revolver-safely slowed away in his
trunk or valise. Not man among them
had a weapon about his person when
the robbers were at hand.
When the stage reached Grass Valley
the passengers told the people the
''story of their suffering" And they
were laughed at. Fourteen passengers
Ct you ordered to sit on redwood log
by four robbers armed with nothing but
d-d old shot-guns,and you did it-you
squatted, did you, u,while they robbed the
safe 2" was the gist Of the remarks OF
the Grass Valeyites, delivered with
looks and accents of scorn.
Mr.. Baldwin says one experience OF
the kind is enough for him-he wouldn't
90 across the street to meet another
Davenport Gazette.