Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-09-26
NEVADA HIGHWAYMEN.
Successful Resistance of two EXPRESS
Messengers

The Eureka New Republican contains
the following thrilling account of an at
tempt to rob one of Wells, Fargo &
Co. 5 coaches, which was successfully
resisted by the messengers, one of
whom--Brown-formerly run in and
out of that city. The stage that left
Eureka for Typo on Monday afternoon,
the Sd inst, containing Professor r.
Prince, the mining expert, and J. NJ.
Haskell as passengers, the driver, Jack
Perry, and an employee of the stag
company was accosted about 9 o'clock
at night us it had drawn up before the
Willows station forty miles south of
Eureka, by three masked men, one of
whom called upon Blair to surrender,
saying: Eugene Blair, get oil that
stage and surrender" Believing that
the men in the station had got drunk
and that one of them was playing a
bluif game. the demand was not ims
mediately complied with; besides, the
plight was so dark that the speaker
could not be distinctly seen. The de-
mani, however was more peremp-
torlly repeated, when Blair prepared to
dlsmount leaving the driver and Jimmy
Brown ON the seat. Blair had hardly
reached the ground with his trusty
shotgun, when he was greeted by a
double discharge of shot, one from the
rear of the stage and the other from
corner of the stable, both passing SO
near his head that the powder of one
warmed his face. Blair returned the
fire almost simultaneously, but being
partially blinded by the smoke, and
not seeing his object plainly, evidently
without effect. The report of his gun
had not died away before the cold
muzzle of gun was placed against his
breast by one of the robbers with the
intention, no doubt, of making sure
work OF the brave messenger. Blair
caught it and chucked it aside, and
turned the robber, who was pulling the
wrong trigger, half round, when Brown,
on the seat, watching his opportunity,
raised his shotgun as quick as Il flash
and gave the road agent the full con-
tents of one barrel square in the back,
and he fell over MORALLY wounded, load
ed with eight buckshot Almost simll
taneously with this deadly shot Blair
had placed his shotgun squarely against
the fellows breast, and would have
blown hole through him us big as
the moon had not his brave companion
performed the service, Brown, after
firing the shot, jumped from the stage,
bot had not fairly reached the ground
when he was shot in the calf of the left
leg, intlicting painful but not serious
wound. The other two robbers then
fired four more shots at the messengers
ut close range with shotgun and re-
yolver none of which, however, did any
harm, though they came uncomfortably
close, AMI disappeared in the darkness
The firing having ceased, the passenger
got out of the stage cautiously and took
II look at the wounded robber, who was
writing IN mortal agony. and implored,
begged and prayed to be killed. A
noise in the station now attracted their
attention, and on proceeding thlther it
was found that the blacksmith and
rancher, who were in charge of the
place, had been bound securely, and
threatened with instant death by the
robbers if they would give any alarm on
the approach of the stage. The robbers
had come to the station about an hour
previous, compelled the inmates to sur
render, cooked meal and ate it, I'M
harnes3ed the horses that had been pre-
pared for the incoming coach, and then
proceeded to law their plans of attack
A small fort was built with boards at
the corner of the stable, and an old axe
placed sandy for the purpose of open
ing the treasure-boX. The wounded
robber was taken into the station, where
all the parties remained during the
night. Yesterday morning Mcssrs.
Prince and Haskell continued on their
Journey to Typo, while the two messen-
gers, the driver and the dying robber,
who had suffered eXcruciating tortures
through the night and was very low,
proceeded to return to Eureka.
Every effort was made to induce the
robber to reveal the names of his asso-
ciates, but to no purpose, and when
nearing Pages place, few miles from
Eureka, began to breathe his last. Just
before expiring he gave his name as
Jack Davis. The party arrived in town
with the corpse on Tuesday evening at
7 o'clock, and stopped before Wells,
Fargo & Co.'S office
James Brown and Eugene Blair de-
serve the greatest gratitude Of the peo-
pie of this state for their matchless
heroism. They have fought one of the
greatest battles that is recorded of the
highway, and their miraculous escape
against such large odds, covered with
double-bareled shot-guns and dark
night, can only be attributed to their
unhinching bravery.
Wretched Sport--A Lad Crippled for
Life by the fun Of Railway Passen.