Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-05-28
New Series-Vol IL. No. 1 8
Fun on the Plains.

As we near Salina, Kansas, says Per
kins, Conductor Cheney comes alon
to collect the fare. Touching long
haired gentleman on the back he look
down and says: T
Tickets p ~
'Hain't got none,' says the passen
ger, holding his gun with one hanG
and scowling out from under his black
slouch hat.
But you must pay four fare, sir p ex
postulafed the conductor.
Now les look a-here, stranger! meb
by your a doin' your duty, but
hain't never paid yet goin' through
this country, and
Just then a slouchy, old frontiers
man who had been compelled to pay
his fare in rear car, stepped up il
front of the mulish passenger and
pointing a six-shooter at him, said:
See here, Long Bill, you jes pay yer
fare. I've paid mine, and they DOM
anybody ride on this train free, if
DON'T
All right, you'v' got the drop on
me, old boy, so put up your shooter
an PHI settle said the passenger
going into his pockets for the money.
DO these incidents often happen |?
/ asked the conductor a little while
afterwards.
well, yes, but not so often as they
used to in '68 and 10. The other day.
continued the conductor, some three
card-mOnte men came on the train and
swindled Grover out of $3.50. The
poor man seemed to take it to heart.
He said his cattle got so cheap during
the Eastern bust that he had to Just
peel 'em' and sell their hides in Kan
sas City-and this was all the money
he had. A half-dozen miners fiom
Denver overheard the talk, and, COM
ing up, they drew a bead on the
monte men and told 'em to pay that
money back.
''Just you count that money back,
conductor they said, and after 1 had
done it, continued the conductor, '0ne
of the head miners said:
''Now, conductor, you jes stop the
train, am We'll hang these three-card-
fellows to the telegraph pole.'
But the monte men flew out the
door too quick for 'em.'
To illustrate the value of human life
in this country, Mr.. Locke, the mama
ger of the Kansas City Opera House,
tells me this story:
Two years ago the James brothers.
the same two desperadoes who sacked
the express car, and went through
the passengers ON the Chicago, Rock
Island, and Pacific at Gad's hill, stole
the mOney-box at the Kansas State
Fair. li'-"
They rode into Kansas City on horse
back, and when the cashier was walk
ing to the bank with the receipts of
the day, about $1,000, they pointed
their pistols at his head, seized the box,
and gallOped off. This was done in
broad daylight, in the midst of a great
crowd.
Well, sometime afterwards one of the
Kansas City reporters wrote an article
about these highwaymen, saying some
kind things. He called them brave,
and said they had done the most dar,
ing deed in the highwaymen's record.
A few nights afterwards the James
brothers rode into Kansas City, went
to the newspaper Office, and. calling the
presented him a handsome
watch and chain. They said the arti-
Gle in qu' stiOn touched them in ten
der spot, and they desired to show
their gratitude.
Bat | don't feel at liberty to take
this watch said the reporter.
But do it to crafty US. We didn't
steal this watch; we bought and paid
for it with our own money continued
the desperadoes.
No; you must excuse me, continued
the reporter.
'Well, then, if you can't take this
replied the James brothers,
perhaps you can name
'ome man around here you want
killed =