The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-06-21
A Mail Robbers story.


With heavy gives clanking in dull, metal
lie ring at each movement, Henry w. Bur
ton confessed murderer and mail robber
sat YEARLY on the bench in a cell in the
Central Station, where he was brought from
the prison in Detroit last evening by United
States Marshal Matthews, of Michigan. Bur-
ton never smoked cigar or pipe, or used
tobacco in any other form, nor has he ever
taken drink of intoxicating liquor. He
never swears, and he said last even
ing that the sound of oath cuts
him like a knife. He was born in Texas.
MY father was a ranchman," said he,
''his name was White, and my right name
is Samuel White. When 1 was thirteen
years of age my father was shot by James
Rown in quarrel. 1t was when was
twenty-one years of age that | met Rown
for the first time. 1t was in a camp in Rock
dale County, Texas. / was told who he was
Stepping in front OF him exclaimed, You
are my fathers murderer and before he
had time 10 draw a pistol | shot him
through the heart. | was arrested afterward
for the offense and suffered short term Of
imprisonment. After my discharge
| | began my career as mail
robber, or tain agent. / worked without
any assistance whatever; always alone. In
April, 1877. | stopped mali express in
| Rockdale County. Texas There were four
teen passengers III the stag. You would
hardly think it possible that one man could
intimidate SO many but | erected dummies
that in the dark looked like men surround
ing the vehicle Then | made the passen-
gers step out of the coach, one by one, after
| first attending to the driver and the guard
by crippling them with shot apiece from
my revolver. As the passengers alighted |
! t rev black hoods over their eyes and fss--
-ned their hands behind their backs. / got
"A geo from this haul, but was arrested
soon after and sentenced to an imprisonment
for life. I was lardoned through The intiu-
nee If friends within two years.
II weIt I" C,lu' sdo. | can not tell how
il was, hut after drifting about for time
returned u my old pursuits. One dark
night about year ago learned that the
stage on the road between Dreadnaught and
ArsmoSa, iu Colorado, was full OF passengers
aud carried rich mail / erected several
clnva, tents and built dummies looking like
men on both sides of the road. | barred
the road with two poles, fastened forkwist
Shortly after midnight the vehicle came
dashing along the road. The horse caught
on the stakes and rolled to the ground. One
by one l ordered the driver and passengers
to aight. There were fourteen passengers,
any one of whom could have knocked me
down, for | am cripple, remember; but
they came as gentle as lambs. looked at my
dummy men and trembled with fear. After
my trial in the September term OF Court,
1881, in Colorado, was being taken from
Chicago to Detroit when 1 disarmed the
Sheriff and his two deputies who had me in
custody. This was in the cars
had the SheriF's revolver pointed
at his head. In an instant
more would have blown his brains out, bu
a passenger. Miss Alice Smith, lady whom
had never seen before, and whom l have
never me. since, threw herself upon me
begging for the Sheriff's life. 1 think | an
too tender-hearted. Escape was open for me
but Miss Smith called out, Think of th,
mans wife and children Without wore
handed the revolver back to the Sheriff
and submitted without a sound of com
plant to having shakes placed upon M.
hands and feet"