The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-06-16

Catch rat in a trap and he will
fight. Trap man and well, you can
rely on him 1t Els according to the
trap. In the heavy stage coach, as we
roll out of Leadville are seven men.
Or is an army officer who has half a
dozen scars to prove his bravery. Cut
off rom his command on the plains last
summer By a score of Indians, he in
trenched himself and fought the band
of Until help arrived. Two of the 9TH
ers are desperadoes. who have killed
their men. Three OF the others are
stalwart miners. each armed with two
revoIvers, and they look as il they would
prove uglv customers in a row.
The seventh man might do some
shooting on pincn, but he hopes there
will be no pinch. In the crowd are ten
revolvers, two derringcrs, three repeat
ing .1iies and four or five bowie knives,
aud there is perfect goo feeling as the
stage rolls along. 1t is taciiy under
stood that the army Captain is to as
sumo command in case the co;.cb is at
tackled, AID that all are 10 keep cool
and ire to Kill.
1t is ten o'clock in the morning. The
windows are down and the passengers
are smoking, and talking, and seek NO
for comfortable positions. The coach
has just reached the top of a hill, when
every horse is suddenly pulled up.
IF it's a b ar. we II have some fun. =
growled one OF the miners, as he put his
head out of the window.
''lf it's a robber gin me the fust pop
at him. whispered one OF the desper-
ADDE'S.
No one could say what the trouble
was, when wiry little chap about five
feet six inches tall, with black eyes and
hair, clean face and thin lips, appeared
at the left-hand door with cooked re-
volver in either hand, and said:
Gents, m sorry to disturb you, but
Eve got to make Il raise this morning.
Please leave your shooters and climb
down here, one at timer'
1t was sudden. 1t was so sudden that
it took ten seconds to understand the
| drift of his remarks. Then every eye
turned to the right-hand door, and the
two revolvers held by IL second robber
| were seen at the open window. 1t was
a trap. The rats We're caught, and
would they fight?
Z" Gents, I'm growing a leetle i'm
| patient" continued the first robber,
land | want to see the procession be-
| gin to move"
Let's see? The Captain was to lead
us, and we were to be cool and fire to
kill. But the Captain was growing
white around the mouth. and nobody
| had a weapon in hand. The rats were
cot going to fight. One of the miners
| opened the door and descended, and
the other six humblJ followed. The
seven were drawn UP in iine across the
road, and while the robber held his
shooter on the line he coolly observed
to his partner:
NOW, William, yOu remove the
weapons from the coach and then search
these gentlemen"
! As William Obeyed every victim was
ordered to hold his hands above his
head, and whatever plumber was taken
from his pockets was dropped into
William S hat. Four gold watches, two
| diamond pins, a telescope, a diamond
ring, Il gold badge aud 81, 200 in cash
changed hands in ten minutes Not q
man had word to say. The driver OF
! the coach did not leave his seat and was
not interfered with. When the last
man had been plundered the genreel
Dick Turpin kindly observed:
You are the most decent set of men
ever robbed, and II times Weren t sc
blasted hard, I'd make each of you q
present of ten dollars. Now, then,
climb back to your places and the coach
viii 90 on
The crowd 'tclumb," and the vehicle
resumed its journey. Nor a weapon OF
a time-piece or dollar had been saved
Seven well-armed men had been cleaned
out by two and not II shot fired or 8
wound given. Each man took his seat
without word Mile after mile was
passed III silence, and finally the sew.
enth man. the one who might fight OF
q pinch, but didn't, plaintively sug
gested:
Cant some of you gentlemen think
Of few remarks which would be apro
pos to the occasion2''
No one could, and the silence was re
newed. - Detroit Free Press.