The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-04-19

matter how many or how efficient his assist
ants, he does not permit them to engage in
the details Of a robbery. From the stopping
of the horses and the interviewing Of the
driver and passengers to the breaking open
of the treasure box or maiL-sacks, he is usu-
ally unaided. These are peculiaritles that
cannot be changed against any highway rob-
Der that | know Of"
"Wha is Rudebaugh's record ?"
ut would fill a volume. He is twenty
nine years old and commenced his long ca
reer of crime near his home in Ohio twelve
years ago, robbing the express car of a rail
road train. Only to think, he started an out
law in his seventeenth year! He made a big
haul and escaped to Arkansas, | think. Dur
ing the intervening time ne has robbed rail
road trains and stage-coaches in every State
and Territory between the Mississippi and
the Western slope. 1t is not unreasonable to
approximate his theft at 81, 900, 600. He is
not dissipated: he never gets intoxicated; yet
he is a reckless %spendthrift in many ways.
Most of the proceeds of his robberies have
been lavished upon women or spent at the
gambling table. These two subjects are his
weakness
DO you know him personality"
eyes, indeed; | am we'll acquainted with
him. | met him for the first time when I
went to Santa Fea year ago to take a hand
in his prosecution. | was agreeably SUI
prised to find in him a handsome, intelligent
man, of striking personal magnetism OF
speech and conduct. He is one of the most
conscientious conversationalists | ever met
You know what | mean There was no at
tempt at deception or dissimulation in any
thing that he asked or answered He was
plain and outspoken, even on subjects relat-
ing to his conviction and the apprehension
of his associates in crime. why, Mr.. Cam
eron,' he would say, / can't tell you this;
you couldn't expect me to criminate my
partners or, Now, Mr.. Cameron, | will
gladly tell you 80 and So That was his
style throughout. Although it was not gen.
orally known, it was | who induced him to
confess the robberies for which he was tried.
I honestly don't believe we could have con-
victed him if he had persisted IN fighting the
charges, juries in such cases are so wonder
fully sympathetic. Ordinarily w find that,
even when we make a case of mail robbery
or a companion crime so plain and evident
that the prisoner will break down and con
fess, the jury has been against conviction un-
till the confession has been made. | suppose
that that fact is attributable to the romantic
splendor with which some people surround a
highway desperate. While VIZ all fear the
man who robs the road at the point of the
pistol, we admire him for his daring. And
this is the reason the postoffice officials work
so zealously to force or induce such criminals
to confess"
''What is the appearance of Rudebaugh p
"He is thick set and athletic in build, is
about five feet nine inches in height. He is
suave and very gentlemanly in his deport-
ment, He has brown hair, hazel eyes, and q
heavy mustache of a shade Of brown lighter
han that Of bis hair. He is fluent in speech
mildly argumentative in disposition, and has
that peculiar faculty of being able to obtain
news and facts where others would fail.
This is a faculty which he uses advantageous
ly in his search for express news on rail
roads. He is as brave as a lion, and a natur-
al born organizer. He gathers a gang and
has it in working condition in a few days.
He has never been betrayed. He is always
~clear-headed, has the cunning of a fox, and
never falls into g position of unnecessary
danger through The recklessne:ss of bravery
or dissipation"
"What did he clean up in thu FL Paso and
Tombstone robberies ~mentioned?"
"As near as l can estimate, he secured
So, 900 in the El Paso express, and got about
81, 500 from the mail bags on the stage
coach. He made a miscue on. the El Paso
robberies. He had been laying for a large
express transfer Of money for San Francisco
and missed the train one day. There is no
~discounting the fact that Rudebaugh to-day
is the biggist Injun in the highway robbery
business in this country.
DilatOry levers.