Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-09-20

|
The writer sat in we'll known saloon, eat
ing delicious salad and sweltering over cup
of hot tea, when the proprietor stepped up.
"The boys have nice day for their excur-
sion to Kingston" said be. ..
"They have, indeed. Ever been there ?"
eyes, I took couple of bank robbers down
there about twenty FIVE or thirty years ago.
"Indeed p .> :.
"Yes, sir. Never told you about that affair,
did Iw
"No.".. sHs3 fy-s5fi's.5
"Well, will. 1t was-let me see-in 1910.
I was working at the Old Eagle tavern;
had couple of fine horses, and for young
man was doing fine business. Those days
there was neither railroads nor telegraphs ;the
stage coach was the only mode Of public trav-
Ell, and it was the event Of the day to see
coaches from the West and New York hustle
into the tavern yard. You know where the
tavern stood, don't your" -.
"N.no, think not" E<
"Corner of Broadway and Hamilton.
Well, one cold morning in the middle of De.
cember, was just stepping out from the office
to the long wooden verandah, when l noticed
two well-dressed gentlemen, each carrying a
good sized travelling satchel, hurrying to-
ward the hotel. One of them addressing me,
said :"
Stage for New York gone YETI"
eyes, eir."- 80 '7]t-EE -
"How, long?'
Morn'n two hours ago." -
"They were much excited over the news,
and asked what they could do to get to New
York speedily. I told them I didn't know.
The boats had stopped running month, al.
though one of them still ran to Kingston, the
river being open that far up She would
leave that evening for New York, and the
stage coach which left Albany couple of
hours before would transfer its passengers
and mails to the steamer at Kingston. Point.
Then the gentlemen said they must get that
boat. and asked if I knew of couple Of
fast horses in the city, and if they could hire
or get carriage to beat the stage in. 1t
was matter of life and death, they said, and
they would pay any price. I asked what
price; and they told me they wonld pay
$500 to beat the stage to Kingston. 1t
was big sum, and whistled, but | told
them I'd take them and off / ran I
found friend of mine-Hank Lewis-we
hitched up the horses to four seated sleigh !;
the two gentlemen bought some whisky, and
away we went 'heltersplit' for Kingston. Lord.
how we did go!i Two hours behind the stage,
and yet before we reached Athens we passed
it. Near Catskill the horses gave out com.
pletely, and We had to hire new team. l
didn't want to 60 any further on account Of
the horses, but one of the gentlemen asked,
"what is that team of yours worth ?" "Three
hundred dollars" said. "Drive on" he an
swered, "I'll pay for it." Once we tipped
over, and half an hour was spent in getting to
rights. Then we went at it again, and at
halfpast we drove up to Kingston Point,
where the steamer lay all loaded, but waiting
for the Albany mail. ... .#H-. ~. /!
The two gentlemen went on board and asked
for Captain Dean. He came aft and they
told him what they told Lewis and /, coming
down. How they resided in Canada, but
were the sons of an English nobleman, who
had recently died, leaving valuable estate.
Their presence was needed Immediately in
London if they would save the estate from
designing relative. The packet sailed from
New York for Liverpool on the first tide the
next morning. They must get it or wait thir'
ty days for the next ship, and so lose their
fortune They offered the captain $4,000 if
he would leave then and there and make GER
tain of catching the ship.
II would like to make that $4,000 gentle
men," said Captain Dean, "but my orders are
not to leave till I get the Albany mail, and l
cannot assent"
They seemed much disappointed, but said:
"It couldn't be expected" and then they
made themselves agreeable to everybody
about. They paid me the $500 promised,
gave me $500 for the lost horses, and gave
my driver and the men over 500 each. We
waited until the stage came in the mails and
passengers we're transferred away went the
boat in hurry. Then we rode leisurely back
to Albany, it being fine night, but before we
got there We met the mounted police furiously
coming after our passengers. the dead noble.
mans bogus sons. They we're bank robbers,
and those two satchels they had contained
over 100000 in gold and Bank of England
notes, the proceeds Of big Montreal robbery.
"Did they catch them ?"
"Catch 'em? No. When the boat started
that night they talked with Captain Dean and
offered him $500 if he would put them on
board ofthe outward bound ship before he
landed, as she would be lying 10 the channel.
Captain Dean accepted. and just at daylight
the steamer lay alongside the vessel, and by
the time Captain Dean got to his pier and the
passengers awoke, the ship was sailing through
the narrows and away to England"
"And the robbers we're never heard of"
"Never. Why they had start of thirty
days, and being young men then, they are
perhaps living in some European country on
their ill-gotten wealth. They we're smart
enough to take US in by their smooth talk and
gentlemanly address.
Just then the salad was finished. and so
was the story. The writer picked up his check
and Mr.. Veazle walked to another part of the
room to see that his walters we're paying prop
or attention to other hungry customers.
The story has the merit Of being literally
true.-Albany en- " Espress.
MARGARET LAMBRUN.
This daring Scotchwoman was one of the
retinue of Mary, Queen of Scots, as was her