Arizona citizen., 1879-12-06
The Robbery.

The following is he account of the
 last stage robbery. from the Herald of
 Saturday:
 Last night about s;3O p. m., the stage
 coming south from Prescott via the
 Black Canyon road was, when within
 two miles of Gillett, attacked and rob
 bed by three Mcxicans who carried of 'the mail and three horses, together
 with all valuables on the driver and
 passenger, Mir. Thomas, ot Gillett, an
 ex-foreman of the Tiptop mine, whom
 they made strenuous efforts to murder.
 Below will be found a vivid descrip-
 ton ofthe occurrence, given us by Mir
 William c. Aver, who was driving at the time:
 l was about two miles the other side of Gillett, and had commenced the assent of a short steep hill, when discovered immediately ahead three men running toward the stage shout 1T g to one another, Prontol prontow When they reached the head of the lead horses they divided, two running down the right side of the coach, the one in advance rushed 10 ihe sage door and placing his pistol SO clrse to MT Thomas, the only passenger, as to burn his clothing, 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 driving and get down and at the same time calling in Spanish to the man on my left who was blazing away at me prettly lively with his revolver, to cease firing. This he did at once, but running to the window ot the stage door, he began to fire at the passenger -oDe firing in at each door-after dis charging his pistol several times, he drew either bayUnel or large knife, with which he repeatedly stabbed MT. Thomas until he fell on the floor of the stage, when they left him and com ing up 10 me robbed me of my revol- yer, watch and money. While they were doing this MT. Thomas opened the stage door and fell on his face in the road. Recovering in few minutes from the shock Oi the fall, he got on his hands and knees, and crawling tol one side, laid down, and was robbed immediately of all his valuables. They then ordered me tc take his trunk from the boot and get the key and open it. On my doing this, they cOolly proceed ed to pick out what they wanted. Ali ter doing this they made me assist them in unhitching the horses, which they leisurely mounted and rode off in the direction of Prescott. Throughout the whole transaction l watched them closely, and they appeared to take ev- erything very cOOlly, and in response to my inquiry why they had killed the man Ill the stage, they replied: Este hombres es no huenO. then made the wounded man as comfortable as possible. and going to Gillctt, secured team and hauled the stage into Gil | lett.
 The wounded man, Mir. Thomas, isI we'll known throughout the northern section of our Territory, where he had been engaged in the mining and liquor businesses. His recovery is very doubt ful, as he has received several gunShot wounds and stabs in the breast and abdomen.
 It is thought by many that the men who made the attack on the stage did so in the belief that MT. Thomas was Gen. John c. Fremont, who had but a short time previous passed over the same route on his way from Prescott to Phenix, and that the attack was made not so much for what could bel obtained by robbery, as to carry out murderous design. The opinion that murder Was their chief design is on considering the con- duct of the highwaymen, who almost before uttering syllable, and before a shadow of resistance had been made, ' fired such q murderous volley into an victim.