New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-29
THE MAIL ROBBERY IN NORTH LOU.
ISIANA.


1
How It Was Done-COol Proceedings.
Perhaps one of the boldest highway rob-
berries ever committed in this country was
done near Arcadia Louisiana, on the eighth
| OF January. The facts as gathered are
about as follows, and are perhaps more re-
liable than any version of the deed that we
| have noticed. Our information is gathered
from Mr.. j. r.. Jolly, special agent of the
Postotfice Department. who has just re-
turned from investigating the affair.
| There is a daily line of United States
| mail stages leaving Monroe and Shire ve-
por: every morning, the distance be-
! tween the two. towns being ITO miles.
| The road Travelled is the main
public road, and the coaches being drawn
/ by four horses each. and large and commO.
dious. it causes a large travel of persons
I over the line. The coach bound for Mon.
roe on the seventh instant had proceeded to
| within about three miles of Arcadia, Bien.
| Vile parish, on the eighth, and while de-
! scending hill person disguised with a
| handkerchief over portion Of his face,
sprang in front Of the horses in the lead,
| and bringing double -barrelled shotgun,
cooked, TO bear on the driver, demanded
| him to stop the stage, which was
| done. as the driver remarked that he
"could almost see the bottom Of both
| barrels OF tho gum owing 70 the
direction it was pointed. At the same
! moment two of the robbers standing unob-
! served behind the pine trees sprang to one
| side of the stage, while two more, secrete d
! behind fallen trees, Immediately jumped to
! the other side, and the four having large
revolvers in each of their hands, demanded
the passengers, five in number, to surren.
der their weapons. One revolver and two
derringers were recovered by the robbers g,
after which the passengers were requested
| TO get cut of the stage one at time. On
| alighting he was compelled to raise both
arms and submit to tho very unpleas
ant proceedings OF having mis- person
| searched for money or other yaluables
This performance was gone through wit b
| until all of them had been relieved, as the
| highwaymen supposed, Of their wealth,
when they were politely requested to be
seated in a row, and be quiet and obedient
from the passengers, but the robbers re-
| turned S. each 20 three of them, and $40
each to the other two. But one of the $40
notes was given in payment of the appro-
priated revolver. A request to strip and
search one of the victims was suggest ted
| 4 I anl of@
| his clothing, at the same time telling the
| robbers that it was rather hard to take all
of his money and then force him to dis
robe. His extreme willingness seemed
to convince them that he possessed no
more shekels, and they permitted him tu
again fall in line, without further investi-
cation, which was fortunate for the weary
traveller, as be delivered to the postm aster
at Arcadia, afterward, a belt, taken from
around his body, which contained $500 in
gold. His apparent willingness to be
| thoroughly searched, had satisfied the rob
have lost all.
Having settled with the passengers the
| mails bags were taken out, cuG open, con-
tents emptied on the ground, and the
letters were carefully torn open, read and
! afterward replaced in a pouch and thrO wn
on the stage. Many drafts were foun in
the letters, but one Of the highwaymen re-
| marked, they did not desire to be both hered
with them, and only few were taken. No
| registered valuable letters were in The mail,
| as the postmaster at Shreveport, on that
morning, was sick and fortunately did not
place the registered matter in the pouc h..
| They then stated they wanted some late
| papers to peruse, and cutting open sack
containing latest papers helped themselves
| At this juncture an old resident of the
| parish came riding up on a mule and lead {.
| ing another one. Immediately the robbers
! accused him of stealing the mule, and SO
forcible was their argument that the old
gentleman became of the opinion tina ne
! had stolen the quadruped. After having
! their sport at his expense. and undoubtedly
thinking him an honest farmer, perhaps a
| granger. he was politely requested to is.
mount and take a seat in the same pen with
! the relieved passengers.
! This operation lasting about one hour, the
| other stage was heard approaching, as the at.
! tack was made at or near point where they
| usually pass one another. When in sig ht it
| was halted in a similar mauuer. and the
driver was permitted to gazs into the bar.
| rels Of the shotgun for a moment. There
! being no passengers in the coach, the mails
| were robbed, but no valuable registered let
ters were found. Having finished their
mission, both stages with the plucked pas
| sengers were started on their routes, and
the old gentleman. who had not been
| robbed, was permitted to take his mules
and journey on. The ROBBERS then coolly
went into the woods few rods, mou nted
their fine horses. and quietly stole away.
They were thoroughly organized and dis
! ciplined. All the funds captured were i'm.
mediately handed to their captain, who ap-
peared to be their cashier. 1t is not kno wn
| where the band was from. but the supp osi-
| ton is they came over from Texas, as it is
positive none of them were citizens of that
section of country. Neither of the coaches
were moved out of the main road du ring
the robbery. and none Of the passengers
xuara in the least mcie,.e3 nn5iiv .Jrhn,1rb