The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-05-09
Black Hills Highwaymen.

The peaceful dulness in and around
Deadwood, in the Black Hills, says n
New York Sun correspondent, has been
abruptly and tragically broken. The
northward bound stage from Cheyenne,
for Deadwood recently, carried eleven
passengers, one of them lady. The
trip had been safely made through 200
miles of Indian country, and the passen-
gers, worn out by six days travel over
the rough and muddy mountain roads,
were congratulating themselves that an
other hours run would bring them to
their destination.
They entered the grandly picturesque
Whitcwood gulch, whose fanking monn-
tains, fringed with pines, rise hundreds
of feet on either side above the road.
Upon the box sat the driver, Johnny
Slaughter, as Jolly fellow as ever held
the reins, md as harmless as child. BY
his side sat Walter s. Her, of the firm of
Her & McC Cafrey, wholesale liquor dealers
of Omaha and Deadwood, who was return
ing from business visit to the East.
The other passengers were inside the
coach. AS the weather was warm every
curtain was rolled up. Down the gentle
incline the four steaming horses went ut
good round pace, the passengers sing
ing and joking. Suddenly five men were
seen ahead, walking in single file and in
silence. Johnny said to Her: 81 won
der what gang that is ?" "Oh, I guess
it's only crowd on a lark" replied Her.
Scarcely were the words out of his
mouth, when the strangers turned, lev.
eled their guns and pistols, and ordered
the driver to stop. Johnny reached for
closer grip upon the reins, but, before
he could check his team, the outlaws
fired. Fourteen buckshot, piercing the
coat of Mr.. Her at the shoulder, passing
across his back, and out on the other
side, struck the drivers left breast just
above the heart. Poor Johnny fell from
his seat corpse. Another ball slightly
wounded Mr.. Hers finger. That gentle
man, believing death certain if he stayed
on the box, leaped to the ground. In
the meantime the desperadoes, separat-
ing to right and left, had fired through
the windows Of the coach. Henry Lake
seized the barrels of two revolvers with O
grip that the robbers could not break.
They pulled him from his seat, threw
him upon the ground, and ordered him
to give over his weapons. BE replied
that he had none, and tossed his empty
pistol belt toward them. He was order
cd to "git," and obeyed with elacrity,
jumping up and running down the road
in pursuit of the coach. The team,
frightened by the fusilade, had started
off, driverless. The chase continued for
half mile, when Messrs. Her and Lake
overlook and stopped the coach, and the
former, mounting the box, drove into
Deadwood, distance of two and half
miles. The only other passenger hurt
was B. P. Smith, of Denver, whose face
was badly burned with powder.
Sheriff Bullock and forty men were
soon galloping toward the scene OF the
attack followed by many citizens on foot.
The lifeless body of Johnny Slaughter
was found lying by the roadside. Ten
derly they lifted the corpse into wagon
and returned to Deadwood. No man in
the community was better known or
more respected. Grizzled miners pushed
forward to gaze upon his face, and with
drew wiping their eyes and clenching
their fists.