Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-12-27
Far western Amusements.
How Two Men Robbed n store md Dis
posed OF Six Visitors.

and dry goods store, located south of
Grand River and few miles south of
the village of Westpoint, Missouri.
The store is decent frame building at
the cross roads, about half a mile east
of the Kansas stage line. 1t was just
es the shades of evening had cast a
gloom over the prairies in the vicinity
that two strangers rode up to the store.
They were young men, evidently be-
tween "a and % years of nge, one
air-complexioned man, wearing light
whiskers the other, rather younger,
had dark hair, and sported moustache
and beard q Ia imperial. The eldest
wore q brown chinchilla overcoat the
youngest wore soldiers overcoat.
Both bad their foreheads concealed by
common black felt hats. Mr.. Bryant
was alone in the store, the evening was
cold and rather dark, the nearest house
was several hundred yards away. The
two young men entered the store and
walked up to the stove to warm them
selves. They entered into a pleasant
and gossipy conversation with Mr.. Bry-
ant, and appeared to be acquainted
with the country. They asked to see
some wooden scarfs, and finally selected
one and paid for it and turned to the
stove. Mr.. Bryant proceeded with his
various duties in the store, all the time
keeping up careless and jovial con-
versation with the two good-looklng
young men.
Mr.. Bryant turned from his shelves,
where he had been busily engaged
Strengthening up for the night, when he
found his face in very uncomfortable
proximity to two large revolvers, while
the smiling countenances of the two
amiable young men had assumed a
very business-like aspect.
Mr.. Bryant, we want all your avail
able cash. We must have it or take
something you value still more dear.
So shell out without noise or delay"
But I will not submit"
i" Yes you WILL" replied the robbers,
and in another second the new woolen
scarf just purchased was over his
mouth, and his arms were soon securely
pinioned. His eyes were then shaded
with new shawl, and the two robbers
proceeded to rife the store. They first
secured the cash, amounting to about
$400; then they proceeded to select
such articles of merchandise as suited
their fancy, manifesting both taste and
discrimination in their selections.
While these gay and festive youths
were engaged in this questionable busi
ness, an old farmer just dropped in to
pass away long evening and talk over
the news around the cross-road store.
The young men received him courte-
ously, and took care of him. as speedily
as possible by gagging and blindfold-
ing him, and emptying his pockets of
his wallet, his knife, several pieces of
twine, buckle, and few nails and
some papers. He was escorted to
seat beside Bryant, there to silently
study and wonder what next was to be-
fall him.
This business was scarcely concluded
when two other farmers strolled into
the store. They were welcomed by the
bandits and seized upon as legitimate
prey. One of this last couple mani.
tested his desire to go home by starting
off without leave. He ran short dis
tance down the road, and was then
stopped by the persuasive influence of
pistol ball in his hip. He came back
under escort. He and his companion
were seated upon the counter with the
other two and their pockets rifed. Two
more men struggled in separately, one
of them an Irishman. These were sue
cessfully captured and pinioned, and
six men were ranged in row, helpless,
and uncertain as to their future fate.
The robbers having secured the ST.
lence and security of all their visitors,
pressed into service little boy who
"just dropped in," and who was en-
ployed in and about the store. With
his assistance they proceeded to "go
through the store, manifesting taste
and discretion in their selection of goods
and trinkets. They took an abundant
supply of cigars, tobacco, and whisky,
fitted themselves out with new gloves,
handkerchiefs, shirts, &c. During this
operation they discovered school-mas-
ter to be among their prisoners. The
youngest took occasion to lecture him
upon the immortality of being out late
at nights, and its tendency to promote
bad habits, and advised him never to
go abroad late again. The Irishman
was upbraided with being so poor as to
have only forty cints in his pockets,
which they averred was not enough to
pay for the rope to bind him with. The
wounded man was examined, and pro-
nounced not badly damaged, and was
made to stand up with the others.
Having satisfied their cupidity and
| Ill 10 Of n
BILE amount of whisky, they then pro-
ceeded to arrange for their departure
The prisoners were escorted outside the
store and ranged in line facing the
road /; the boy was pinioned and blind
folded like the others aud placed with
them. The thieves then led up their
horses, and third horse which had
been ridden there by one of the cap
tured farmers. The Oldest of the thieves
then addressed the prisoners:
81 want you gentlemen to stand per-
fectly still until my partner is out of
sight I will stay here with you awhile.
The first man that raises a noise or at
tempts to get away 1 will shoot his head
off. You must wait here perfectly still
for two hours, if you don't I'll make
meat of YOU"
One of the thieves had already de-
parted with the led horse. The last one
walked stealthily away some distance,
and soon afterward was heard galloping
away in the direction of the State line.
The boy managed to get himself loose
from his bonds, and soon had the rest
of the prisoners loose. But the beld
thieves were far out of sight and hear
ing. .
AS soon as daylight dawned numbers
of indignant citizens were out on trail.