The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-03-23

San 5o1a1H CoaUiIS1Tir;;. siias:.'' 7IsHoiaaI1.
TAKEN PossRssroN OF BY.S R6HnHRs.
Since the withdrawal OF the Telegraph
from the San Joaquin: SoUntry, In: the
naighborhooda Of FiIebeuGh's Ferry
thore has been great inddx Of despe-
redoes to that section, and tactS az law
lessness have become6f daily Occurrences.
The absence OF the tolegraph gives these
characters every opportunity TO ply their
vocation without the fear Of speedy.
capture. and life aud property are il
constant jeopardy. Bands OF cattle and
sheep are boldly driven off, and horses
are stolen under the very noses Of their
.Qwnere.- Gaorga Il. Huffman keeps, 8
store and hotel there. and is postmaster
and WslA. Fargo e Go. 3 agent.
Last Wednesday evening. about z
O'Clock, just aa supper was, oyer and the
boarders. seven in number, we're seated
about the 61e.. enjoying their pipes, five
men. armed to the teeth. entered tho
the astoniahed crowd TO throw up their
hands. Being taken so completely by
surprise, no alternative Was Left bat to
comply with tue demand when thev
were bound and laid upon the floor. So
little disturbance Was made during this
proceeding that Mr.. Hoffman, who had
not yet finished his meal, knew nothing
OF what was going on until 10 emerged
from the dining-room, when he saw a
guard at each door, and found himself
looking down the barrel Of large sized
revolver. He was commanded to hold
MP bis hands, bat not complying at onco
with the command, it was repeated With;
an earnestness which lett no doubt of
the intention of the ruffinns to enforce
the order, Mr.. Hoffman was then
obliged to open his safe, from which was
extracted $3.50 Of his own money and
$400 belonging to Wells, Fargo & 90.
The stage from this place to Visalia
drove up during this time, and the
driver, Dennis O0nroy, was seized,
bound and laid on his face in company
with the others, after being relieved OF
$40. $27, were also: taken from a man
named Allen. and about $500 worth of
clothing from the store. But Eve of the
robbers were seen, all Spaniards except
one, who was Frenchman, but the
house vas supposed to be surrounded
with despefadoes. fr
Mr. Conroy. the stage driver, was
bound aud robbed about year ago near
Soap Lake. while making his usual trip +.
One OF his assailants was captured aud
tried. and Mr.. Conroy's testimony So
cured for him term OK twenty years in
the State prison. Among the band, on
Wednesday, night, he Recognized an
other Of the party who had attacked him, +,
q year ago, and the .rutiian seemed to
family remember. him, for he scruti-
nized hia oountenanhe CLOSELY number
of times, and turned him ovsrin order
to find some more sure resemblance.
He then, copBulted the leader of the
band, who asked Mr.. Hoffman who this
man was. Mr.. Hoffman. remembering
the previous robbery, replied that he
had just arrived in the State. aud that
the regular driver being sick. he had
been driving in his stead. This expla
NATION seemed satisfactory, and the rob-
bafd lett, mtoht6 the yeliefS Of tbe'poor
fellows feelipgs, Tor be says had he been
Identified, they would certainly have
killed him for sending one OF their COM
ladies' to prison.
The canal company is at work some
fifteen miles from Firebaugh'a, and the
party headed directly for that point, and
it was thought they contemplated an at
tack on them, though when our inform
ant left. nothing definite was known.
lGAroy { (CaI } Adcocate.