The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-02-28

modes of crime of the other, and yet
they stuck together through thick
and thin, bonded by that sympathy
and admiration which, / suppose,
bounded outlaws can alone feel"
"Is Rudebaugh peculiar in hi:
mode of robbery" was asked.
"Oh. yes. all mail and highway
robbers are peculiar in their system
they all show their earmarks in their
work But Rudebaugh is the most
peculiar Of them all. When | heard
the details of the two recent rObberies.
| OWNED in moment that Rude.
baugh had committed them. In the
first place he never robs passenger
on either stage coach or a railroad
train /; his great weakness is express
matter. and then kind of incidentally
like he takes the mail. He stops a
stage coach with the boldness Of a
devil. Again, he never shoots at or
otherwise attempts to intimidate pas
sengers. He just orders them to step
aside and remain quiet until he has
got through with the trifling plumber
ing of the express and mail. No
matter how many or how efficient his
assistants. he does not permit them to
engage i'm 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 boxes or mail sacks, he is
usually unaided. These are peculi-
arities that cannot be charged against
any other highway robber that | know
Of"
"What is Rudebaugh's record"
at would fill a volume. He is 90
years old and commenced his long
career of crime near bis home in Ohio,
twelve years ago, robbing the express
car of railroad train. Only to think
he started an outlaw i'm bis seventh
year. He made a big haul and es-
capped to Arkansas, | think. During
the intervening time, he has robbed
railroad trains and stage coaches in
every state and territory between the
Mississippi and the western slope.
1t is not unreasonable to approximate
the total number of his thefts at a
million of dollars. He is not dissi-
pated 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; l am we'll acquainted
with him. / met him for the first
time when / went to Santa Fe year
ago to take hand in his prosecution.
[ was agreeably surprised to find in
him handsome, intelligent man of
personal magnetism of speech and
conduct. He is one of the most con
'cientious conversationalists that /
ever met. You know what / mean !?
There was no attempt at deception or
assimilation in anything that he
Isked or answered. He was plain
md outspoken even when speaking OIL
subjects closely relating to his con
yiction, and the apprehension of his
associates in crime. why. Mr..
Cameron he would say, Il can't tell
you this; you couldn't expect me to
riminate my partner or, Now, Mr..
cameron, will gladly tell you so and
o. That was his style throughout.
it was not generally known,
t was | who induced him to confess
he rObberies for which he was tried.
honestly don't believe that we could
ave convicted him if he had per-
listed in fighting the charges. Juries
n such cases are so wonderfully SYM
pathetic. Ordinarily we find that even
vhen We make a case Of mail rob-
cry, or com nanion crime so pain
nd evident that the prisoner will
reak down and confess, the jury
ave been against conviction until
he confession has been made / sup
'ose that that fact is attributable to
he romantic splendor with which most
eople surround highway desperate.
While We all fear the man VINO robs
he road at the point of pistol, We
dmire him for his daring. And that
J the reason postoffice officials work
0 zealously to force or induce such
riminals to confess"
"What is the appearance of Rude
'augh?"
HE is thick set and athletic in
uild is about 5 feet 8 inches in
eight. He is suave and very gen.
lemanly in department. He has
rown hair, hazel ewes, and a mus
ache of a shade Of brown lighter
han that of his hair. He is fluent
n speech, mildly argumeutative in
ispositiOn. and has that paculi lar fac.