The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-07-10
PICNIC WITH ROAD AGENTS.
RObbIng u DealwOOd Stage in
SDIIe of q valOrOuS NIeHSenECr.

RObbIng u DeaGlWOOd Stage in
Spite Of "a ValOrOuS Messenger.
From the Denver Tribune.
The coach leaving Deadwood last
Tuesday morning, the 2Gth inst, carried
seven passengers, two messengers, dri-
yer and n treasure box well filled with
dust" Roberts, the messenger, who rode
with the driver, was armed cap.a.pie
with a shotgun and heavy six. shooter,
and had boasled that "he would like to
see any d-d road agent stop that coach" ."
He had been warned that very morning
that five men had gone down the road for
the express purpose Of stopping the
coach. The passengers were all armed
with revolvers and two had guns, one
shotgun and one Sharpe's rifle in the
hands Of an "old timer" from Motana.
About II P, NJ. the coach had reached
point some seventy miles from Dead.
wood, beyond the stockades. Here the
road for distance Of some hundreds Of
feet ran through gully about ten feet
deep and twenty feet wide, with deep
descent and ascent-just the joliest place
imaginable for "agents" 10 work in. 1t
was pitch dark, and raining so that the
curtains had been fastened down tightly
on one side. The messenger outside,
though knowing the road well, never al.
tempted to warn those inside ut this spot,
30 that they might be prepared with cur
tains up and weapons primed ready for
any emergency. The team was poor
one.-three horses and mule, all jaded
out by the heavy roads.
Suddenly from out the inky darkness
came loud command, stop that team;
throw ont the treasure.box ~ followed by
the sharp crack OF rifle, and the driver
tumbled oil the box with bullet in his
side. OF course the team stopped, and
the hoarSe shouts Of apparently dozen
men plainly announced TO those inside
that something was up" Under the
persuasive influence Of rifle pointed at
his bead the messenger proved to be
very"docile fellow after all his swagger,
quickly throwing out the Custer CITY
treasure'b0x (which contained only spec
imens and getting down himself. The
gents inside, however, were disposed 10
tight, the Montana man having at the first
shouts discharged his rife Out Of the onen
side OF the coach. Threats came fast Rnd
thick from the "agents" that II another
shot was fired they would pour a broad.
side into the coach, which meant sure
death to some and perhaps to all, as The
coach was only covered with canvas and
not very bullet proof. After considera.
ble dogged hesitancy the eight men in
side concluded that the agents had dCcid.
edly the "drop on them," and discretion
was the better part Of valor. They got
out, each man in turn enjoying the aspect
Otthree murderous-looking rifles levelcd
at his head, coupled with the command,
Drop your weapons, and hands to your
hats, boys" and, none Of the
number deeming that the situation
warranted him in making an Ar
mold Winkelried OF himself and
sacrificing his lie for the express com.
pany on his fellows, obeyed orders. They
were ordered in line, well covered" by
the villains, and each searching for such
little ttinkets Ns he had about him. In
cludipg watches and money the agents
got some $1,000 from the passengers.
One Of the latter gentlemen, however,
had lett a roll Of $2,700 in his haliempty
sRtchel in the coach, the leader Of The
gang pickingit up and throwing il aside
on account OF its empty appearance. An.
other passenger had thoughtiully tossed
Nroll Of $500 into n broken corner OF the
coach, where it was hidden from view.
Mr.. Holiday, by adroitly covering the
wallet in his inside vest pocket with his
hand while Monsieur was searching his
outside vest pocket, saved that.
hThe robbers then turned their atten.
tiOn to the Deadwood treasure box, which
Of lato has been made OF boiler iron,
strongly riveted, and patent lock, and 80
listened to the bottom OF the coach that
ltcCu!d only be blown open or the yehi.
Gle destroyed, The agents brought pow.
der into reQuisition, and after an hour
or!wo Of hard work blew the box open
and took out some forty pounds in dust
and $1,000 in greenbaeks, realizing alto.
SeShet some $4,000.
They kept the passengers "picnickinpn
M1oeelher some three hours on the damn
ground, the moon having in the mean.