The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-08-03
A Mail Robbers Story.

With heavy gives clanking in dull,
metallic ring at each movement, Henry
! Burton, confessed murderer ard mail
rob0er, Sat YEARLY on tho bench in cell
! Ii tho Central Station, where he was
| brought from the prison in Detroit las.
| evening by United States Niarslai Mat.
thews. Of Michigan. Burton never smok.
ed q cigar or pipe, or used tobacco in any
| other form, nor has he ever taken drink
of intoxicating liquor. He never swear rs,
! and he said last evening that the sound Of
| an oath cuts him like knife. lie was
born in Texas. my father was ranch.
man" said he, 'his name was White aud
my right name if Samuel White. When
| was thirteen years of age my father WAS
ehot by James Rown in a quarrel. 1t
was when was twenty ono years of age
that l met Rown FOR the first time. It
was IN camp in Rockdale county, Tex
as. l was told who he was. Stepping in
front of him exclaimed, you are NV
fathers murderer" and before ho had
time to draw pistol, shot himsthrongh
the heart. ! was arrested aftcrward
for the offense, and served a short time of
imprisonment. After my discharge |
began my career as a mail robber. or
train agent. worked without any assis.
tancc whatever; always alone. nApril,
1877, stopped mail express in Rock
Gale county, Texas. There were fourteen
passengers in the stage. You would
hardly think it possible that one man
could intimidate so many but erected
dummies that in the dark looked like
men surrounding the vehicle. Then
made the passengers step out of tho coach,
one by one, after first attending to the
driver and the guard by crippling them
with shot piece from my revolver.
as the passengers alighted threw black
hoods over their eyes and fastened their
hands. I got 81 600 from this haul, but
Was arrested soon after and sentenced to
an imprisonment for life. l WAS pardon.
ed through the influence of friends with
| in two years.
Il went 10 Colorado. l cannot tell
how it was, but after drifting about for a
time returned to my old pursuits One
dark night abouta year ago / learned
that the stage on the road between
Dreadnaught and Asamosa, in Colorado,
was full OF passengers aud carried rich
mail. l erecte" several canvas tents and
onilt dummies 'ooking like men on both
sides of the road. / barred the road
with two poles, fastened forkwise.
Shortly after midnight the vehicle came
caught on the stakes and rolled to the
ground. One by one ordered the driver
and the passengers to alight. There
were fourteen passengers. any one of
whom could have knocked me down, for
am cripple, remember; but out they
came as gentle as lambs, looked at my
dummy men and trembled with fear.
After my trial in the September term of
the court, 1881, in Colorado, was being
taken from Chicago to Detroit when I
disarmed the Sheriff and his two deputies
who had me in custody. This was in the
c::s. had TIE S!.sEiG7s revolver poin-
ted at his head. In an instant moro I
would have blown his brains out, but a
passenger, Miss Alice Smith, lady
whom had never seen before, and whom
/ have never met since, threw herself
upon me, begging for the Sheriff's life.
think am too teuder-hearted. Escape
was open for me, but Miss Smith called
out. Think of the mans wife and chill
dren." Without word I handed the
revolver back to the Sheriff and submit
ted without sound of complaint to
having shackles placed upon my hands
and feet. et."-Ihiiddeiphid Press