Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-10-14

some OF Their Exploits In the Black

Letter from q SENTINEL Correspondent
when the early history OF the Black
Hills country is written up by some
future historian, m of its most promi-
nsnt chapters will be devoted 10 the
lawless doings ofthe highwaymen who
have roamed through the Hills this
summer, and who have piled their call
ing with the boldness and dare devil
traits that characterized the knights OF
the road in the days of Dick Turpin,
Claude Duval, and others whose deeds
are set forth in all their glory between
the pages of yaller kivered novels. In
all new mining regions, along with the
rush Of gold seekers, come sporting
men, desperadoes and outlaws, who I'm
these new settled communities, where
the law is lax, and all to q certain ex-
tent adventurous, find glorious oppor
tuniiies to swiudie, rob and steal, with
no n to hinder. Such has been the
state of affairs during the past season.
RoAD AGENTs.
The roughs have taken advantage OF
the situation and have held almost sb-
solute sway, the resistance to their
depredations offered by the officers
having been weak and Intellectual. Not
only one, but a. many as five organ.
lied gangs have raided the Sidney and
Cheyenne roads. stopping stages, rob
bling small parties of miners, running
off stock and committing other lawless
acts, seemingly without any fear OF
molestation from the authorities. Dur
ing all this Time they have made Dead.
wood City their headquarters, their vo.
cation being well known among those
whom they associated with, and it has
been a common occurrence, and was
considered among the sights, to point
out to the stranger the leader of the
gang. and mention that the MAJ lean
ing against the awning post over yon-
der was Bill Beyens, Jack Farrell,
Blackburn, or some other notorious
road agent, who had probably just got
back into town from one Of their daily
free-booting excursions.
THEIR IMPUDENcE.
To illustrate the impudeuce of the
fraternity, the following will suffice:
Last April the Cheyenne coach was
stopped in wildwood canyon about
ten miles from the city, and without a
word of warning the bighwaymen
opened fire. killing Johnny slaughter.
the stage driver, who tumbled off to
the ground. The cam, becoming
frightened a: the racket, ran away,
and came back to Deadwood, and The
robbers failed to secure any booty.
The next day. Bill Bevens, the leader
4 of th. 30 ..f -. -
OF the line, and a~pologized for the
b~ungliDg job, expressing himself as
very sorry that Slaughter vas killed,
laying the blame on the greenpess OF
the balance OF the gang, who, as he ex-
pressed il. "hadn't sense enough to
rob a sick teamster The apology
was accepted, and Bill, in his future
operations, made a more careful selec-
ton, and was correspondingly success
full. The last and most brilliant ex
plot, the robbery of the xpress car
n passengers on the u. Il. railroad,
has drawn public attention to the out.
laws, and what has been a matter of
notoriety to everybody ~hereabouts,
now engrosses the attention of the out
side world, the affair, however, is but
n natural sequence to all that has hap
peDed this summer, and the wonder is
hbat ~ ~ " COtIc oA dl al tdIlltI
period.
EXPEDIENTs.
The stage lines have suffered so Sc
verely in having to replace treasure
which has been stolen, aud which they
were responsible for. that they have
lately declined to ship coin or dust
over the road, unless doubly guarded,
and sent out under escort. 1t did not
pay to rob the passengers AS they de-
posted their coin in the Dead wood of.
flee, receiving a receipt therefor, n
an order on the Cheyenne or Sidney
Office at the other end of the route Tor
a similar In consequences OF
these precautions, stage robting got 10
be a very poor business, and the for
tunes Of the robbers fell to a very low
ebb. Bevens, after accommodating S20,-
900, left the Black Hills in company
with his mistress, and started for
Montana, his old haunt. but was cap
tured in the Sweetwater country,
brought back, and now lies in jail.
awaiting trial. The rest scattered all
over the Territory, leaving a few OF the
holder spirits in Deadwood.
THE U. P. ROBBERY.
Among these the suggestion WAS
made that the Union Pacific railroad
furnished an inviting field, and the
scheme, as finally contaminated, was
discussed for a month before it was
put into execution. The arrival of an
acknowledged leader from California,
q man fertile in expedients, plucky,
daring, and OF considerable brain
power, p~recipitated matters. He ooh
In the situation at once. and picking
out five others, laid his plans, and
soon put them into execution. All
six had considerable experience in the
business; -four OF them had success
fully robbed Phoebe stages years ago,
and had got away with their spoils
without trouble. The leader had Just
jumped his bonds in San Francisco
and wanted to raise money TO pay
them of, and the sixth man OF the
party graduated in the Hills from a
high toned gambler to a road agent,
and was = very 500 and courageous
man. The robbery Is a matter of his.