Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-08-16
WEEKLY CHRONICLE,
A BOLD HIGHWAYMAN
Thirteen FuIl-grown Men Quietly SubIuft
to be Robbed by single Brigand.

Thirteen FuIl-grown Men Quietly Sub1urt
to be Robbed by a Single Brigand.
Denver Republican.
H. NJ Burton, the alleged stage-robber,
who was arrested in Pueblo, and brought to
Denver in July, had his preliminary exam
nation before Judge Brace yesterday after
noon Burton is charged with robbing the
stage running between Del Norte and Ala
mOsa, about midnight on June 20. The
robbery was the most audacious in the
annals of highway robbery, and links the
name of the perpetrator with that of Billy
LIE Roy. The story of the deed is best
told in the words of J. B. Mcmillan, of Del
Norte, one of the victims Of the robbery,
and who was the first and principal witness
for the prosecution in the examination of
Yesterday. He said in substance:
"There were eight men and one woman
inside the coach, four men beside the driver
on top. 7 was among the latter, sitting be
side the driver 1t was about midnight, [
should think, and about twenty miles from
Del Norte when we were halted. 1t was
very dark, and we were Just turning a bend
| in the road when the word came to halt.
| There was only one man visible to the left
and about ten feet ahead of the coach. The
robber was standing behind piece of can
|
revolver pointed directly at myself and the
driver. He told camly to deliver our
Selves and he would not harm us,
! but that if we made bad break he would
shoot. | was on the side next to the robber,
and | Immediately got down from my seat,
| followed by the driver. After we got down
the robber came from behind the canvas
and placed over our heads a cloth cap
| which came down to our shoulders and
completely blinded rs. He then ordered us
to stand still, and himself went to the stage
| door and ordered the occupants to come
ont one at Il time, and take their positions
in line alongside the driver and myself.
= He told the passengers not to make any
unnecessary movements, as they were all
covered by the guns of his men in conceal
ment, and their lives were in jeopardy. AT
ter the passengers were all IN line, he put
caps similar to mine over their faces, tied
their hands behind their backs, and then
proceeded to rifle their pockets. He took
nothing but money. Everything else he
would place Just where he got it from. /
do not know how much money he got.
From me he got about $40, which he took
from my pocketbook, replacing the pocket
book after taking the money out He had a
light burning in front of the canvas, behind
directly in our faces. He occupied about
fifteen minutes in the search. He then
ordered us to kneel, which we did all in a
row, and he proceeded to rifle the mail
bags. The woman, at his bidding, held the
light for him while he did this. He opened
only two sacks, [ believe. He kept us
kneeling about half an hour. He kept
talking all the time, using good language.
In fact, during the whole time of the rob
berry he was very gentlemanly.
He had soft, mellow voice. He was
not nervous or quick, but did the work in
a business-hke manner. He was a man
nearly SIX feet III height, smooth face, had
a heavy, light moustache, and would weigh
perhaps 165 pounds. He had on dark hal
and coat and was not disguised in any way
After he had robbed the mail he skipped of
into the darkness. When we found he haC
left we removed our caps, united eacl
others hands, picked up the remnants o.
the mail bags and the mail, and proceeded
on to AlamOsa 1t is my opinion now tina
he did the work alone, and that his com
rades being In the bushes was all a hoax"