The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-05-13
HIGHWAY ROBBERIES IN CALI
F0RNIA.

CoLFAx, April 16.-About half past s
o'clock this morning, within two miles
of this place, two highwaymen, both
masked and armed with guns and pis-
tolls, stepped out of the brush in front
of the Grass Valley stage which was
coming slowly up the hill, and covering
the driver with shot-guns, ordered him
| to stop, which he did without further
| persuasion. The robbers then called on
/ the passengers to climb out one by one
and ''shell out" The passengers were
| all relieved of their watches and money
except Nick Dodsworth, Superintendent
Of the Omaha mine at Grass Valley, who
was riding with the driver, and from his
! general appearance the robbers did not
consider him worth going through He
escaped with his watch and considerable
coin. While robbing the Grass Valley
stage, the Nevada stage also drove up,
and the driver and passengers were treat
ed in like manner. Wells, Fargo & Go. s
| treasure was not taken, the robbers not
| being able to open the strong iron safe
which is fastened in the coach The
highwaymen were evidently new hands
at the business. The man who covered
the driver, Scott, trembled so that Mr..
Dodsworth requested him to please to
elevate his piece a little. He complied,
and had hardly done SO when the gun
went off, barely passing over SCOTS and
Dodsworth's heads
AS soon as the alarm was given here,
several armed parties started out in pur-
suit of the robbers, but up to this time
there is no prospect of their capture.
Several of the passengers stopped here
till their friends could send them means,
and were frequently heard asking each
other, ssWhat time is it %
THE BONNEVILLE STAGE ROBBERY.
From the Marysville Appeal, April Is.
Yesterday morning, at about 10 o'clock
the DownieviIle stage, en- route for this
city, was stopped while ascending the
Oregon Hill by a single highwayman
and a double barreled shotgun, and
robbed OF Wells. Fargo & Co. s treasure
box, containing $4,000 in gold dust,
gold bar valued at 81, 700, and about 5000
in small packages. The locality of the
robbery is favorable one, as the stage
horses ascer d this grade at slow walk,
and the upper side is a beautiful grove
of mountain spruce. From this recluse
stepped suddenly off the sharp embank-
ment, and, leveIing his double-b barrel
! shotgun at the head of John Sharp, the
driver, ordered him to stop and throw
out the treasure box. "Throw it out
d quick" said the highwayman. Gas
I'm in hurry Johnny very coolly
responded, ''don't hurry you'll get it
presently
The robber kept his weapon bearing
on the head of the driver during this
exciting conversation, while the passen-
gers at this critical moment, as may we'll
be anticipated, were not resting under
the most pleasant state of mind. There
were ten passengers aboard the stage
four females and six males. Among the
former were Mrs. William Edgar, of
| Greenville Mrs. David E. Williams
and two daughters, of Monte Christie
near Downieville } and among the lat
ter were Mr.. Williams and his son and
four men whose names were not ascer-
tanned. None of the party bore arms
and could make no resistance, however
much disposed. But the passengers
were on the quj vive. One man sud
denly transferred his purse to one of his
boots, and Mrs. Williams who wore an
attractive gold chain about her neck,
was advised by her eldest daughter to
draw her shawl so as to obscure it from
sight.
One of the ladies screamed with fright
when the gallant robber turned and re-
marked 'sDon't fear, ladies no harm
will be done you" Miss Williams saw
the robber descending the hill before
reaching the embankment, and called
her mothers attention to his approach
before word was spoken. She decsrib-
ed the robber as slender, tallish person
with cloth mask over his head, with
eve apertures, wearing no boots or coat,
having on ightish and striped pair OF
pants, with very small feet covered with
stockings. While the robber held his
gun upon the driver he pretended he
was supported by confederates, crying
out, s'keep back there, [ need no assis-
| lance" AS soon as the treasure-box
struck the ground the robber ordered
Mr. Sharp to go on, and as he drove