The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-15
How One Man with q Gnn Managed
Three Mcn and d Cavnlry Offcer.

K = -.
The Troy Times, 10 a recent issue, says
The dangers Of coaching il New Mexico
are aptIy illustrated by the appended ex-
pIoits Of single road agent taken from the
MessiIla IN. Ny Ne,rs. The Major Willard
referred to Is Major John P. Willard, son
Of the late Colonel VT. Willard, Of this
city. The Maior is well known here, and
the description of how he and two COM
panions were robbed by single brigand
will no doubt be read with interest BY his
many yrfriends. The robbery occurred about
six weeks ago. The account is rs follows: !:
One OF the boldest roberies that has oc-
Cured in this section of the country for
long time happened this week. Ws inter
viewed the passengers and gathered the fol-
lowing facts:
"The coach was coming from Silver City
to Messilla. having as passengers Major
Willard, paymaster; Mr.. Hathaway, his
clerk, and Lieutenant West, Sixth cavalry,
from Arizona, with Samuel Eckstein as
driver. About $50 O'Clock P. NJ, as the
coach was on an open plain about mile and
half this side of Deadman's arroyo and
the other side OF Cooks canon, man,
masked, suddenly jumped forward from be-
hind some bushes which had concealed him,
leyelled his rifle at thedriver, and said Stop
and throw off that mail-sack, or I'll blow
you to hell Sans mules had jumped one
side, but he pulled them up and stopped, and
found looking down rSfle-barrel not very
comfortable position, and, notwithstanding
Beecher says there is no such place, he did
not feel as though he cared to be started on
the road just at that time and in that par
ticular manner, so he threw off the mail
sack. He then said: 'Throw off the eX-
press box Sam. replied Il have none'
He said !: 'Throw off the other mail-sack'
Sam. replied: Il have no other.' He then
changed his gun sufficiently to bear upon
Major Willard, upon the back seat; he had
revolver strapped to the side of the gun,
and finger on the trigger Of each; he was
cursing ut a terrible rate most OF the time; he
said, Pm id desperate; some OF you may
get me, but I'll get some OF you, sure; shell
out what you got quick; throw it out, and
The first man that makes wrong motion I'll
blow him to pieces Major Willard said /:
You say il I move my hands you'll shoot.
How can I get my money! He said /:
You can move one hand for that So the
Major got his money-twenty-six dollars
and threw il out. He then turned to Lieu
tenant West, and said: Throw out what
you got.' He threw out eight dollars. He
now saw Hathaway on the front seat, and
said: 'Throw out what you got.' Hatha-
way says: 'Fve only six bits He said {:
sThat's TOO thin.' Major Willard spoke
out: That's all he's got. paid for his din
ner at the last station The robber said /:
sWell, Pm not robbing anybody. You can
keep that; you may want to buy something
on the Rio Grande. Now go ahead. I'll fol-
low after the coach for some distance, aud
il any one attempts to get out I'll riddle
him. He appeared either very much ex-
cited or half drunk, and, keeping his gun
levelled at the coach, walked after it some
distance, then returned, taking the mail
sack, and went to one side OF the road.
Whether he had horse or not is not known.
The coach came on to Fort Cummings. It
now appears that there were two men,
although only one was seen at the time, and
one had horse. They were tracked sevc-
raj miles on their way to Mexico'