The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-12-30
Road Agents in Southern California.

ROAD AGENTS are disagreeably active
on the telegraph road through the Te-
hachapi Pass, between Calicnte and San
Fernando, and the stage by that route is
stopped with more than ordinary ~treQuen-
cy. The Wells, Fargo & Co. treasure
box, which is transported by that line,
seems to be the great object of attraction
to these industrious gentlemen. On Sat
urday night, the 4th inst, they attained by
such a raid the magnificent sum of 81, 0
On a raid two nights later they secured
$1,000, all in gold. In no instance do
they modest passengers or assume to covct
private goods or valuables, confiningth their
operations exclusively to the treasure car
ried in freight for the express company.
Sometimes these enterprising gentlemen
make mistakes that, when pointed out to
them, must appear heartily disgusting.
From parties recently arrived from the
southern country we have obtained the
following interesting incidents: On Sat
urday night the stage left Calicnte on its
regular time, bearing an unusually heavy
load of precious metal. The treasure, box
contained one shipment of $3.50, 900 in
$50 gold-pieces, sent from this city to
Temple & Workman's Bank, at Los An
gelcs. This precious freight was especial.
ly in charge of Messenger Billy Pridham,
who was reinforced for the occasion bv
Detectives J. B. Hume and S. d. Brastow,
who had escorted the treasure all the wav
from this city. This guard was fully
armed with savage-looking shot-guns,
deadly Henry rifles and beautiful Colts
revolvers, and were duly prepared to sa-
lutte with real lead any road agents who
might present themselves. The stage
toiled on through the mountainous defile
without interruption or hindrance, pass
ing the coach bound into Caliente about
nine O'Clock. The latter contained a full
load of passengers, among them Mr.. Rob-
erts, the line agent. They had barely got
beyond the hearing of the treasure laden
coach when a very sprightly gentleman
stepped out of the brush that lined the
road, in a desolate locality, and, with a
show of authority eminently Characters
tic of his class, pronounced the single
word:
"Stopr
The driver refined in his furious steeds
with becoming promptness, and sundry
heads popped out of the coach windows,
a~nxiously DESTROYS to know WHAT the mat
ter was. The sprightly gentleman, seeing
his order SO unquestionlngly obeyed, leis-
urely drew a pistol from the hip-pocket
of his pantaloons, and, carelessly cooking
1t, issued this further mandate:
Throw out that treasure-box."
Having uttered the second command the
stranger stood at his ease awaiting COM
pliance, at the same time entertaining the
passengers with a most creditable per-
Torrance of the Arkansas Traveller"
whistled as only a cheralier d industrie,
conscious of his advantages, could render
it. The driver and the stage agent occu-
pied the box, and six male passengers, in
GLIDING the express agent, who had the
treasure-box with him, rode inside. No
one ventured a word of protest against the
assumption of the solitary gentleman
whose commands were so peremptorily ut
tered, nor was his authority in any way
questioned. The express agent with be-
coming haste tumbled the treasure box
out of the coach window, whcreupon the
aristocratic gentleman, disdaining to ex-
anime it in the presence of others, pro-
nounced his final command:
"Drive on!''
The driver gave his horses free rein,
shouted ''Get up there, you lazy brutes,"
sounded a tattoo with the snapper of his
whip, and the stage went rolling off at un-
usual speed with its load of valiant and
brave passengers, minus the treasure-box.
But what must have been the disgust of
the highwayman when lie opened the box
and found but $3.50 in silver to reward
him for his enterprise! Meantime the
other coach, with its precious burden Of