The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-09-11
ROAD AGENTS.
A Lively Experience on Hank Monks Stage
ROute-The AhabIe Highwaynan Who
Would Not Rob Lady.

A Lively Experience on Hank Monks stage
ROute-The AhabIe Highwayman Who
Would Not Rob a Lady.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Times.l
Old California and Nevada stage
drivers, in relating their experiences of
the past, always speak with pride and
affection of the 'PIacerville route, -
which has been the scene of so many
startling adventures Indeed, the State
is not, even now, free from the ravages
of marauding bands, who rob on the
highway and would steal from church.
Many daring stage robberies have been
committed on the PlacerYille Road, be-
tween Sacramento, in the valley, and
Placerville, in the mountains, which
was also made famous by - Greeley's
ride A picture of the coach, with
Hank Monk on the box and Mr.. Gree
ley's venerable head bursting through
the top of the coach, now adOrnS the
walls of the 0rmsby House, in Carson.
Some years ago l was II passenger on
one of these coaches, and it happened
to be Just at a time when stage rob
berries were unusually frequent. We had
a full list of passengers, but l was the
only lady among them. l was in charge
of gentleman friend of the family, who
made such boasts of bravery that it was
confidently expected that l should be
safely delivered into the hands of my fa-
ther at Placerville. l had with me Il
case of Jewels (Which | may here state
no woman had any use for at that time) g,
which l intended to send by express,
out my valiant escort declared that the
expreSs-boX, which would be on the
same coach, would be the first thing
seized, and ! had much better intrust
| them to his care He carried two re-
vOlvers and a knife, which he said he
intended to use in case of attack, and
did not mean to be robbed of any thing,
unless his life was first taken.
! The stage-drivers never seemed to
| take any interest in these little affairs.
! They were unarmed, carried nothing of
value about them, and simply halted
when commanded, and drove on when
! ordered to do so. Their discretion was
certainly commendable, as resistance
was useless, and if they did not lose their
! lives then they would certainly be as
sassinated if they attempted to make an
other trip. These trips are made with
no stoppages except for change OF
! horses and drivers and for meals. Six
| horses were used and a mad gallOp the
| only gait The first night out there was
no apprehension, as we were not yet on
dangerous ground, and the passengers
| dozed, chatted and complained of the
rough road, and, altogether, managed
to pass the night as comfortably as could
| be expected under the circumstances.
ROBBED BY HIGHwAYMEN.
| As darkness closed in on the second
evening the passengers examined their
arms and decided not to sleep but keep
on the lookout. The horses must have
kept the road from instinct, for the
darkness was almost Egyptian in densi-
| ty, when suddenly, with a swerve that
almost upset the coach, they came to a
sudden stop. Though we had heard no
word of command the inside was i'm
mediately in state of confusion, sup
posing it to be road agents, and my
valiant protector hastily transferred the
! Jewel case to me along with his own
watch and purse, saying they would be
much safer in my possession. This
scarcely occupied a moments time
when the e-driver called ont that it was
only a fallen tree and he would have to
find some way of getting around it, and
| if that could not be done, the pas
sengers would have to assist in cutting
it away, axes being slowed away
under the seats in anticipation of acci
dents of that kind, which frequently oc.
Cured.
We heard the driver climbing down
from his perch, and as he struck the
ground he uttered a smOthered eXclama
ton, and at the same moment, in {
clear, commanding tone, came the order
Hold up your hands, gentlemen!' anC
each side of the coach bristled with tn,
barrels of shOt-guns. 1t is needless Il
| say that the order was instantly Obeyed
They "went through - the party il
much less time than | can relate it, anC
in the meantime l sat paralyzed in tn,
corner with my valuables in full view
At last, with an effort, l handed then
toward the leader, who was keeping IN,
escort 1" covered" He held his revOlve
with his right hand, and with his lef
politely raised his hat, saying: ''NIiss
you wrong me; never accept any thing
from LADY, The driver was thei
allowed to resume his seat, and thOS
who were holding the horses showed tn,
way around the tree, which had beel
felled for the purpose, and, while tn
coach was still kept " covered tn
order was given: ''Drive on, and dom
look back which order was strict,
and promptly obeyed. Our passenger
were a crest-fallen lot, and nothing NOR
was heard of resistance, as they had al
been deprived of what had proved to b
, useless weapons. We reached our jour
, ney's end without furtherinterruption.
SAVED BY STRATEGY.
The Tom Bell gang was for man
wears the terror of the mountain dis
tricts, and many tales are told of thei
lawless deeds. My father was interest
ed in the building of the Donner LAX
wagon-road, and in an encounter wit
this gang managed by strategy to say
a large sum of money. He was travel
; ;; ing on horseback and carried some G
! the money in belt and portion in hi
, boots. He was accompanied by a frien
| whose route lay with his a portion of tn
way, but to him he did not confide tn
fact that he was carrying any consider
able sum of money, as his friend wa
naturally a timid man, and he did nc
care to add to the fears which alread
possessed him. About ten miles fro1
their destination their roads divided, tn
! friend going to the place where the wOrE
l ! men were quartered and my father {
; the house of a friend where he intende
: 20 pass the night. He logged alon
leisurely for a mile or more, and as
was now about six in the evening, VIZ
thinking of fastening his steps in ordC
5 to reach his stopping-place before darl
2 not expecting any trouble in dayIigh
y when he was suddenly joined by
5 horseman. The civilities of the da
t were exchanged, and they rode Q
t together, cOnversing upon topics
t current interest, work on the road, mil
k ing in the neighborhood, etc. At la
e the stranger asked carelessly where /
: was going, and asked if he was not NJ
= -, the contractor. Papa said he W;
Y not, but that they came up togethe
1 and they had separated a few mill