Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-17
TRAVELLERS COwARDS.
They are Robbed in street Cars. in
Steam Cars and i'm Stage Coaches
and are Reaten. Kicked and
CuTedsWith Impunity.

Hartford C0uraht: The average man on
his. travels is a miserable coward. A half
dozen determined old women could, If so dis
posed, capture any railroad train in the coun-
try, stand the men all In a row with their
hands above their heads, and then proceed at
leisure to pick their pockets. The safest thlev-
ing in the country IS that which constitutes a
part of the daily experience of passengers In
New York on the Third avenue horse cars.
A gang of roughs follows some bank messen-
ger or other persons who happens to have a
large amount of money about him; they at
tack their victim in the open car while thirty
stout men stlnd or sit 10y without attem pting
any interference, or, more frequently, run
away. Or the same men will sit still and
allow gang of pickpockets to go through
the car. Yet many of these
same men have been brave SOL
dIers, and would, if occasion required, charge
a hostile battery of Calling guns. The trOu-
Die seems to be that lack OF organization pro-
duces indisposition to take risks, and num-
bers, instead of giving a feeling of security,
only increase the general cowardice. 1t is
because this popularity Of the travelling pub
lie is well known that the train-robbers and
Toad-agents of the west are able to act with
such reckless impunity. The chances of sue
cess are all on the side of the robbers, for
there is not one chance in fifty that any pas
senger will attempt resistance. 1t is very
easy TO condemn such apparent coWardlce,
and yet to be suddenly halted and walked to
find a murderous- locking rife looking you in
the face MIST have a tendency to modify
ones views as to the relative value of filthy
lucre. But Mr.. Daniel Finn, of Cheyenne,
has earned fame by daring to change the
usual programme. He was one of six pas
sengers IN Deadwood coach on Wednesday
night. Heretofore the only object in running
the Deadwood coaches has been to give the
road-agents good opportunity to plumber.
As the stage on Wednesday night
approached the classic shades of ''Whoop-
Up" in the night, it was surrounded by
two masked robbers, and the usual collec-
ton of revenue was begun. All went happy
until Mr.. Finn was approached, when he out
ragged all precedents by discharging his re-
volger into one of the robbers. The result
was that the meeting was broken up in dis
order. The robbers ran away, only waiting
long enough to fire several shots into the
party of passengers. Mr.. Finn was wounded
in the head, not seriously, and two Of his fell
passengers received wounds in the legs
The coach then drove on in comparative tri-
umph, the only regret being that the shoot
ing had not begun before any plumber had
been secured. AS it was, Mr.. Finn was the
only man who had kept his money, and it is
not absolutely certain that he rejoIces thereat
But the adventure showed that a trifling
amount of resistance Is sufficient to scatter
a gang Of robbers, and as soon as passengers
are known to be likely to adopt the Finn tao
ties the robbery business will come to an end.
Mr.. Finn deserves a vote of thanks.