The Phoenix herald., 1879-11-28
RUFFIANISM RAMPANT.
The Prescott Stage Robbed
 Last Night.
A Passenger Fatally Wounded
 and Robbed.

Last night about S:30 P. N. th' stage coming south from Prescott via the Black Canyon road, was, when within two miles of Gillett, attacked and robbed by three Mcxicans, who carried of the mail and three horses together with all valuables on tho driver and passenger, Mr. Thomas of Gillett, an ex-foreman of the Tip Top mine, whom they made the most stre nuous efforts to murder. Below will be found a vivid description oi the occurrence, given us by Mir William c. Ayers, who was driving g at the time:
 I was about two miles the other side of Gillett, and had commenced the ascent of short steep hill, when I disco vered immediately ahead three men running toward the stage shout ing to one another
 'PRoNTol rRoSTo"
 When they reached the head oi the lead horses they divided, two run ming down the right side of the coach, the one in advance rushed to the stage door, and placing his pistol so close to Mir. Thomas, the only passenger, as to burn his cloth ing, began to fire at him, while the other, covering me with his revolver caught hold of my wheel lines, and, in English, ordered me to stop driv- ing and get down, and, at the same time, calling, in Spanish, to the man on my left. who was blazing away at me pretty lively with his revolver, to cease firing. This he at once did, but running 10 the window of the stage door, he began to fire in at the pas nger-onc firing in at each door-aftcr discharging his pistol several times, he drew either a bayo net or large knife with whict he re- peatedly stabbed Bir. Thomas until he fell On the floor of the stage. when they left him, and coming up to me robbed me of my revolver, watch and money. While they were doing this Mir Thomas opened the stage door, and
 FELL ON HIS FACE IN THE ROAD. Recovering in few minutes from the shock of the fall he got on his hands and knees, and crawling to one side laid down, and was robbed immediately of all his valuables. They then ordered me to take his trunk from the boot and get the key and open it. On my doing this they co fly proceeded to pick out what they wanted. After doing this they made me assist them in unhitching the horses, which they leisurcly mounted and rode off in the direction of Prescott Throug ghout the whole transaction I watched them closely, and they appeared to take everything very coolly, and in response to my enquiry why they had killed the man in the stage, they replied; Este hombre es no Jueno." I then made the wounded man as comfortable as possible, and going to Gillette se- cured team and hauled the stage into Gillette.
 THE WOUNDED MAN,
 Mr. Thomas, is well known through out the northern section of our Ter ritory, where he has been engaged in the mining and liquor buslnesses His recovery is very doubtful, as he has received several frightfu. gun-shot wounds and stabs in the breast and abdomen.
 CLUE TO THE ROBBERS.
 Probably the chief clue which may lead to the detection of the prrpe- traitors of the outrage will be the three horses they have stolen. They are bays, and are branded with an isosceles triangle on the left hip.
 A RCAOR-
 It is thought by many that the men who made the attack on the stage did so in the belief that Mir. Thomas was General John c. Fremont, who had but short time previous passed over the same route on his way from Prescott to Phoenix, and that the attack was made not so much for what could be obtained by robbery, as to carry out murderous design. The opinion that murder was their chief design is strengthened on con sidering the conduct of the highway men who almost before uuering a syllable, and before a show of resist ance had been made, fired such mur derous volley into an unrcsisting vic tim.