The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-08-11
A Gentlemanly FoOt-Pad.

THIRTEEN FULL GROWN MEN QUIETLY
ROBBED by A MELLOW VOICED BRIG
AND-AN INTERESTING HEARING
AT DENVER.
II. M. Burton, the alleged stage rob
ber, who was arrested In Pueblo and
brought to Denver, July |, had his
preliminary examination before Judge
Brazee few days ago. Burton is
charged with robbing the stage rum
ming between Del Norte and Alamosa,
about midnight of June 30, The
robbery was one of 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. Il. 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.
He said in substance:
"rhere were eight men and one
woman inside the coach, and four
men besides the driver on top. | was
among the latter, sitting beside the dri-
yer. IL was about midnight, l should
think, and about twenty miles from
Del Norte, when we were halted. 1t
was very dark, and we were just turn
ing bend when the word came to
halt. There was only one man visi-
BILE, to the left and about ten feet ahead
of the coach. The robber was stand
ing behind piece of canvass stretched
alongside the road, and had revolver
pointed directly at myself and the
driver. He told us to deliver ourselves
and he would not harm us, but if we
made n 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 he
got down the robber came from
behind the canvass and placed over
our heads a cloth cap which came
blinded us. He then ordered us to
stand still, and himself went to the
stage door and ordered the occupants
to come out, one at n time, and take
their position 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 concealment, and their lives
were in jeopardy. After the passen
gers were all in line, he put caps SINH
lar to mine over their heads, and then
proceeded to rifle their pockets. He
took nothing but money. Everything
else he would replace just where he
got il from. | do not know how much
money he got. From me be got about
$40 which he took from my pocket
book, replacing the pocketbook after
he took the money out He had a
light burning in front of the canvass,
behind when was reflector, which
shed the raVs directly in our faces.
He occupied about fifteen minutes to
the search. He then ordered us to
kneel, which we did, all in row, and
The woman at his bidding, held the
kept us kneeling about half an hour.
He kept talking all the time, using
very good language. In fact, during
the whole time of the robbery he was
very gentlemanly.
He had soft, mellow voice. He
was not nervous or quick, but did the
work in u business-liKe manner He
was man nearly six feet in height,
smooth face, had a heavy, light
moustache, and would weigh perhaps
one hundred and siXty-hve pounds.
He had on dark hat and coat, and
was not disguised in any way. After
he had robbed the mail he skipped off
into the darkness. When we found
he had left we removed our caps, UNI
tied each others hands, picked up the
remnants of the mail bags and the
mail, and proceeded on to Alamosa
1t is my opinion now that he did the
work alone, and that his companions
being in the bushes was all hoax.