The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-10-11
Road Agents.

The Tom Rell gang was for many years
the terror OF the mountain districts in Cali
fornia and Nevada, and many tales arc told
Of their lawlcss deeds. My father was in
tercstcd in the building of the Donncr Lake
wagon road, and in an encounter with this
gang managed by strategy to save large
sum of money. lie was travelling on horse
back and carried some of the money I'M
belt and portion in his boots He was
| accompanied by friend whose route lay
with his a portion of the way, but to him
he did not conide the fact that he was car
rying any considerable sum of money, as
his friend was naturally timidman and he
did not care to add to the fears which al
! ready possessed him. About ten miles from
their destination their roaGs divided, the
| friend going to tho place where the work
men were quartcrcd and my father to tho
house of a friend where he intended to pass
tho night. Ho logged along lcisurcly for Il
milo or moro, and as it was now about six
III the evening, was thinking of fastening
his stops in ordor to reach his stopping place
before dark, not expecting any trouble in
daylight, when he was suddenly Joined by
a horseman. The civilitics of the day were
exchanged, and they rode on together, con-
ycrsing upon topics of current interest, work
Gn the pond, mining III tho ncighborhood,
cto. at length the stranger asked careless
ly where he was going and asked if he was
not Mr., the contractor. Papa SAID he
was not, but that they came up together,
and they had separated few miles back.
At the next by-path the stranger left him,
and he learned the next morning that hia
friend had been SURROUNDED by road agents
and all his protcstations would not make
thom holovo that tho right man had gone
the othor way. 1t seems they had a de-
scrlption of the man they wanted and of
the road he was expected to go, but the
GOODNESS of his denial and his going another
way coupled with the fact that his friends
description was, in some respects, similar,
{hrow them or the track. AS this gang
were robbers, and not murdcrcrs, probably
eavcd the other mans life, for at that time
highwaymcn were known to- have murdered
men simply because they had no money.
A poor teamster on tho mountains was onco
slapped by couple Of mon and his money
demanded, but when thoy found he had
none they contentctl themselves with both
kicking him heartily and cursing him for Il
dcccitful bcggar rfortraveling without money.
One of my relatives q hyothee,in-la%,
momhoor Of q San Francisco commercial
houac, has ofton said ho would not submit
TO- being robbed without resistance, but
would be certain to shoot any man who at
tempted It. lie always travelled we'll l-arn,
cd and fortunately never mot with any rob-
bcrs Until about three years ago He had
como heavy collections to make through the
southern part of California, and in one town
where he stopped had several fYms to call
upon. As 10 game gut of one place where
bo called he saw g man standing at the
door, but did not think of 1t again until he
saw him at Q second PLACE no Visited. IIe
had hcen eenyegslng with q momber of the
firm and said among other things he had ta,
ken q buggy to 60 to several small towns In
tho vicinity and would bo back in two OF
three days, that he was then going to tho
livery stable for his team. just as he turn.
cd to leave the store the same man pescef
out before him On hIa Way to tho Ivory
atAhle he stopped at Wells Fargo & CO..
EXPRESS Office, as was his custom, and SEN
his coin to San Francisco. A few hour,
| after leaving town he found himself On |
pleasant hut lonoly forest Road, and tic day
being. warm, ne was beginning to enjoy tT'
c6olness Of the shade, when the horse sud
denly stopped and refused to moye IN,
rest will tel, as nearly as pessiblo, In hi
words: Gas I raised my head to SEQ wha
, was the matter I was met square In the fac
by the barrel Of pistol. Ihad looked int,
many one before but this was the frs
one had seen ono with q hole in II larg