The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-21


Everybody here remembers him O
old. For that matter, his fame was
national a few years ago. and there
are people in sill parts Of the country
who have not forgotten the account
that went flashing over tia wires. O.
his daring feat on the 18th of May
1856.
History tells us that the stage
from North San Juan 10 this city was
stopped at $3.50 10 the morning, neaI
the top Of the bill, on the south side
of South Yubs, above Blacks Gross
ing, by three men in disguise, and
81. 900 taken from Wells, Fargo &
Co.'S coin chest, which was a fixture
in all the stages wherever the compa'
Nv had q rot e. The passengers, sev.
ca Ia number, were ordered 10 get
out, and the driver commanded to
take the horses from the wagon with.
cut delay. As the robbers were arm
ed with revolyers, there was no alter
native but to obey. The robbers then
proceeded to blow open the chest
with powder. with which they can't
prepared. Their object was accom-.
plished at the second attempt. The
coin was taken aud the driver was
ordered TO drive IN.
The stage drove quickly into Ne
vada, q distance Of five miles The
news was made public. Sheriff K
b Gentry rallied a posse and repaired
in ali haste to the scene of the rob
berry The posse consisted of Steve
Yensrd, james Ii Lee, Albert Gen
try and A. w Potter. An examina
uoa of the spot showed that The rob
beers had turned cut Of the road aud
gone down the river Oh u parable
With it. Yenard aud Lee got on tbs
trail of The robbers and { ll0wed n
over tbe roughest Of alt imaginabi,
ground for the distance Of q nile ant
a balf. IL was evident which wa,
the robbers went Lee went back L
take the horses around TO the road q
the crossing below, the rest Of th,
Sherih7s party having previously gon'
n that direction.
Venard, left alone, followed th'
trail. He came to Meyers Rsvine
at it's debouchure into the Yuba
He saw that the pursued had GOT,
up the ravine TO a crossing. He wal
alone ia one Of the widest and rough
est of spots in that wild and rugged
region. The hills hing steep above
Rocks, trees, brush and logs Their,
were In profusien on every hand
Venard was armed with a Henry ri
fle. The waters Of tie ravine came
tumbling down its steep bed of bould
ers, with a rush and a noise which
rendered no other sound audible
The hero of the hour proceeded will
caution. A huge rock arose twent,
feet in height 10 the midst of the mud
dy water; other smaller rocks sur
rounded it, altogether forming an is
land. A tree or two grew upon thl
lower end of the island 10 the mids
Of the rocks, their branches and foil
age partially covering the rocky ram
part above.
Below the island, at a few fee: Gis
tant, was . precipice Of fifteen feet o
more, over which the waoers OF u,
rayine tumbled. Vensrd attempted
TO cross the stream at the head Of ID,
fall. He walked on q short log to
rock. Above him rose the huge mas
of granite, buttressed in front by tw,
smaller rocks. Between tbese latte
was an alley which led up the base O
the Titan.
His position was such as to lool
up me alley. At the base of the grea
rock Venard discovered the object .
bis search. The leader Of the gam
was sitting on The ground and 10 th'
act Of drawing his revolver. Nenari
INSTANTLY l-vvivd hts une upUn tn
robber, who was oot more than TWEEN
" feet distant. At the same momen
be saw another of the gang pointin.
Ct him over the edge Of a rock
There was no time to change hi
aim. He fired; the leader fell baeI
shol through the heart The othe
robber attempted to shield himsel
farther behind a rock, leaving tn
point of his pistol exposed over tb,
top. The exposure was fatal Ven
ard covered the spot with his uner
riug Heery. No sooner did the heai
OF the robber peer above the rocI
than his brain was pierced wits
bullet. There was yet another, bn
he was not to be seen. His pisto
might al that moment be pointing a
Nenard.
The latter, quick as thought, clam
bered up 10 the lair TO beard him il
his den. He found the treasure, tool
the pistols from the dead, covered
quickly the former with earth ant
leaves, snd proceeded to hunt tb.
missing robber. Crossing the stresn
and ascending the steep mountain be
yond, be discovered the robber run
ming up the activity, sixty yards OIL
more ahead. Nenard fired aud th,
robber fell. Another bullet, and Tho
last robber rolled down the hill
dead.
Fenard now sought his compan
ions. They ell proceeded to the seen,
of the tragedy, recovered the money
and by two O'Clock of the same day
the Sherif's party deposited the cast
with A. d. Tower, Wells, Fargo &
Co.'s agent in this city. After the
Sherifs party had left Nevada
Wells, Fargo & Co., offered a reward
of $4,000 which was paid. The com
pany also presented Steve Nenard
with a magnificent Henry rife, gold
mounted and beautifully inscribed
and Governor Law appointed him on
his staff with the rank Of Lieutenant.
Colonel. "for meritoriops services in
the field"
The bodies of the robbers were
brought to town, washed, and fully
identified.
Upon them was found property
they had taken from the passengers
10 stages they bad stopped before
The names of the robbers were Geo.
Shanks, alias Jack Williams, the
leader; Bob Finn, alias Cation. and
George w. Moore.-Necada Tran.
SCRIP.
Attempted Assassination.