The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-12-05
A TRAP FOR SEVEN.
A WESTERN DESCRIPTION or AN IN.
CIDENT IN REAL LIFE OUT THERE.
How Seven Well Armed Men Were Cleaned
Out by Two-The Painful Silence Which
Rnaued.

Catch rat in trap and he will fight
Trap man and-well, you can't rely on
him. It's according to the trap.
In the heavy stage coach as We roll
out of Leadville are seven men. One is
IN army officer who has half dozen
scars TO prove his bravery. Cut off from
his command on the plains last summer
by score of Indians he entrenched
himself and fought the band off until
help arrived. Two OF the others are
desperadoes who have killed their men.
Three oftha OF hers are stalwart miners,
each armed with two revolvers, and they
look rs if they would prove ugly custom,
ers in row.
The seventh man might do some
shooting on pinch, but he hopes there
will be no pinch. In the crowd are ten
revolvers, two derringers, three repeat.
ing rifles and four or five bowie-knives;
and there is perfect good feeling as the
stage rolls along. 1t is tacitly under
stood that the army officer il to assume
command in case the coach il attacked,
aud that all are to keep cool and fire to
kill.
Ii is ten o'clock in the morning. The
windows are down aud the passengers
are smoking and talking and seeking for
comfortable positions. The coach has
Just reached the top Of hill, when ev-
cry horse Is suddenly pulled up.
"If it's bar we'll have some fun"
growled one of the miners, NJ he put his
head out OF the window.
IF it's robber, gimme the fust pop
ut him, whispered one of the despera-
does.
No one could ray 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, am sorry to disturb you,
but I've got to make raise this morn
ing. Please leave your shooters and
climb down here, one at n time"
1t was sudden. 1t was 30 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 second robber
we're seen at the open window. 1t was
trap. The rats were caught, and would
they fightp
"Gents, I'm growing leetle impa.
TENT" continued the first robber, "and
l want to see the procession begin tc
move"
Let's see. The captain was to lead
us, and we were to be cool and fire t,
kill. But the captain was growing whit,
around the mouth, and nobody had
weapon in hand. The rats were not go
ing to fight. One of the miners opene,
the door and descended, and the othe
six humbly followed. The seven wer
drawn up in line across the road, ant
while one robber held his shooter ON th,
line he cooly observed to his partner:
"Now, William, remove the weapons
from the coach and then search thes,
gentlemen.
As William obeyed, every victim wa!
ordered to hold his hands above his head
and whatever plumber was taken from
their pockets was dropped into William
hat. -Four gold watches, two damon,
pins, telescope, diamond ring, gol,
badge and 81 200 in cash changed hand
in ten minutes. Not man had wor
r to say. The driver of the coach did ne
r leave his seat and WAS not interfere
. with. When the last man had bee
plundered, the genteel Dick Turpin oil
served kindly:
: "You are the most decent set of me
. / ever robbed, and if times weren't +
! darned hard I'd make each of you
! present of $40. Now, then, climb bac
I to your places, and the coach will 8
on"
The crowd got ::and the vehicle re
sumed its journey. Not weapon,
timepiece or dollar had been saved
Seven well armed men had been cleane,
out by two, and not shot fired nor
wound given. Mile after mile was passe,
in silence, and finally the seventh man
the one who might fight on pinch bu
didn't, plaintively suggested:
Cant some of you gentlemen thin
OF few remarks which would be apropo
to the occasionp"
No one could, and the silence was r,
sumed Seattle Post Inteliigencer.