Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-25
BANDITT OF THE FOOT HILLS.
Details ofthe Stage Robbery of the mn
on the Cheyenne Route.
TDeadwood Piooen,, .Tul, to1

[Deadwood Pioneer, July 80
The Cheyenne-bound coach which left
Deadwood on Tuesday morning was halted
at II o'clock on Tuesday night at the cross
ing OF the Cheyenne river by a band of five
road agents, who sprang from their conceal
ment and leyeled their shot-guns before the
least alarm was taken by either driver or
passengers. The stopping of the coach has
been of such frequent occurrence OF late that
the passengers felt quite prepared for such an
incident and knew Just what to do. In this
instance the command of the robbers to "get
out and throw up your hands was promptly
answered by five passengers inside:-D. III.
Spencer, L. A. Kent of Cheyenne: John
O'Donnell, j. I. OConner and Mrs.
Barnett, the wife of the driver of
the up coach. After getting their victims
into line, the robbers made a thorough.
search OF The men, taking all moneys and
everything OF any value. They even went
so far as to make each one pull of his boots
and turn them upside down. 1t is not
known how much money was obtained. but
three watches and three guns were taken.
On looking at the watches. however one
of the villains handed a watch back 10
O2Connor, saying, This is a very inferior
ticker, and you may keep it, They then
told Mrs. Barnett that they did not propose
to search her, if she would be kind enough
to let them have the key TO her trunk.
Tie lady readily complied, and after
1t had been ransacked and no
treasure found, the key was re
turned. Meantime two of the robbers
had split open the wooden treasure box with
a Ratchet, but found nothing in it. They
then completely, overhau!ed the inside of
the coach and the baggage in the boot, but
found very little which they cared to take
away. Among other things they relieved
one of the gentlemen of his lunch basket:
saying that 1t was some time since they had
been TO supper and hoped he wouldn't mind
their dining at his expense. Contrary to
their usual behavior they made no threats,
were very gallant, and even manifested no
surprise at the empty treasure box,
simply saying as they threw it
aside, that times must be
getting tough in Deadwood. The coach was
detained about one hour, and met the down
coach in about fifteen minutes after being
allowed to depart. The only trophy left bv
the road agents was an old worthless lack
knife which one of them threw away after
having supplied himself with a better one
from the pocket of one Of the passengers.
The talked very freely with the
passengers and to each other, not seeming to
care whether they were identified or not.
We have time and again asked the aues-
ton why some systematic steps were not
taken for the capture of the la xless gang who
seem to have SO far eftectually deGed arrest,
but no one having the proper authority seems
to consider the raids Of these ~rufians Of
sutficiens consequence 10 move in the matter.
The cavalry who are stationed at Hat creek
could certainly not be more henefoially en-
ployed than to make a thorough scout of the
country in pursuit of this bold gang. As
now employed they are considerably more
ornamental than useful, and if the oomman-
der of this department would take immedi-
ate steps to protect travel over our main
thoroughfares, by detailing a portion OF the
command for that purpose, he would render
the o ny an important service Until
some such step as this has been taken we
may expect a frequent repetition o, the
coach robberies.