The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-12-02
A THRILLING CHAPTER.


There is in the Detroit Work House today
a prisoner whose smile issoft and sweet as a
woman's, and the stranger who meets him is
instantly drawn towards him by his clear.
blue eye, soft voice and gentle smile. And
yet that very man is accounted the shrewd-
est, sharpest and most "nervy" prisoner of
the lot. The fact that two officers rode over
thousand miles with him handcuffed and
shackled and constantly watched is proof of
the above assertion. When they turned him
over at last to the custody of the Superin-
tendent they lett the following record on the
books
Prisoner has been engaged in one train
robbery at least and in half a dozen stage
and highway robberies.
Has broken jail three times and bears the
scars of several wounds.
HAS the reputation of being a shooter
and a fighter; has killed at least three men
was a pal Of Wild Bill is supposed to know
all the leading outlaws in the far West. Is
sharp and crafty and has great nerve. Look
out for him. OffeDse Highway robbery
The ''smileT' has not yet exhibited the
slightest desire to see the outside walls of
the Work House, but is reported as one of
the most orderly and quiet prisoners in the
Institution
The first DeadwOOd line stage robbed was
the work of a single man, and if that man
was not the prisoner we write of then he has
a twin brother. The robbery occurred lust at
sunset six miles from Deadw wood The stage
contained seven men, all well armed. 1t
was just rounding a thicket when q man
stepped in front Of the horses, halted them,
and quietly said to the driver:
of you pull a line until | am through I'll
send bullet through your head -
This was accompanied by such a soft,
bland smile that the astonished driver yelled
back:
stop your fooling or I'll nm over YOU -
But the smile was deceiving. Up came a
navy revolver on line with the drivers eve,
and his teeth chattered as he Ioosened the
reins and soothed the horses. YeIls and
shouts were heard inside the stage, but none
Of the passengers suspected what was hap
pening until the road agent pulled open one
Of the doors and called out
Now, then, gentlemen, please climb
down 70
'Who the -- are you ?" was shouted
at him by three or four in chorus, and his
smile was honey itself as he answered:
"Ill introduce myself directly. Come.
gents-these shooters are In a hurry to hurt
some one -
He backed off a few feet, revolver in
either hand, and the passengers began climb
ing down.
Leave your arms in the stage" - shouted
the 'Smiler." 'I'll pop the man brings out
any sort of weapon with him Come, now
suns going down fast -
There were seven revolvers and three Win
chester rifles among the passengers, but that
one man had the bulge on the crowd Men
are half disarmed when surprised Coop
them up in addition to surprise, and pluck is
gone. The road agent knows this, and the
fact is as good as half a dozen men behind
him. One by one the seven climbed down
and stood in a row, and as the last man left
the coach the "Smiler' confronted the line
and softly remarked
81 will now trouble you to deposit your
watches and money on the ground -
With many groan and curse and sigh the
request was complied with. Those who had
wallets lost all those who had divided their
money in different pockets saved half. Two
of the seven had no watches 20 lose. After
the last man had deposited the robber
polAted to the open door of the stage and
said:
Its a tough country and / won't take
your weapons. Please climb in. -
AS the last man mounted the step the rob
Der slipped behind the coach and called to
tI,a n to
time firing three bullets over the coach to
start things with a rush. Half mile away
the coach halted and the seven victims
jumped down with their arms, but the
''Smiler had disappeared with his booty.
Less team month after the robbery reIa-
ted above the ''Smiler'' was half asleeD in a
Custer City saloon when in came a sharp
known as ''Glizzly,' accompanied by three
or four men, whose admiration for his brag
and bluster made them his hackers 'Griz-
zly'' wanted to fight some one, but he want
ed to pick his man. When he saw the
''Smiler" doing away IN his chair he tho't
he had discovered ''tender-foot'' whom he
could wallup. Without word of warning
he advanced and pulled the sleeper's nose.
The soft smile came to the little mans face
as he slowly rose up, and his voice was no
more than whisper as he inquired
stranger, did you mean that?''
''YOu bet 80
Then sieh of this crowd as don't like bull
lets had better git %
Three or four men rushed out lust as the
revolvcrs commenced to speak. The "Smi-
ler' was alone-the bully had three hackers.
For three OF four minutes there was a con-
slant pop popi of revolyers, and then two
OF the "GriZzly's" friends rushed out and