The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-12-04
Stage Coach Robbers.
Nv NJ Quad

Stage Coach Robbers.
BY N. Quad.
There was an army officer, sHtler, q
surveyor and two men who might have
been mine inspectors in the coach when
II drew up at Burt Hill TO take on an
other passenger.
"Ho wdy," said the new passenger as
be crowded In.
As be stood for q moment Ia the light
OF the station lamp, all saw that his left
eye was gone. He wore no shade or
patch to conceal the loss, and those who
gave him second look felt the Hre 10
bis Remaining eye was bright enough to
answer for tWo. Dark as it was in the
stage be seemed to have "sized up" ev-
erysuan inside OF q minute, and seem.
~ 10 be satisfied regarding the crowd,
he settled himself back in his seat, and
had no remarks to make.
BY and by the army aforementioned
something about road agents, and di.
rectly the conversation became interest.
ing. Coaches bad been stopped at va.
rious points on the line wifhifl d week
and it wasfpretty generally believed that
q bad gang had descended on the route
and we're still ripe for business. The
maH With Ole eve had nothing to say -
Once or twice he raised his head. and
that single eye blazed In the ,darknes:
like lone star, bat not o word escaped
his mouth The captain had said wha'
he would do in case the coach was hal
ted, and this brought out the dthers.-
II was firmly decided to fight. The pas
seneers had money to fight for and
weapons to fight with.
The man With one eye said nothing
At such time, and under such circum.
stances, there could be but one interpre
tation OF such conduct.
"a cowari has no business travelling
this route" said the captain in voice
which every man could hear.
The stranger started up, and that eye
OF his seemed to shower sparks Of fire
but after q moment he fell back agsir
without having replied
II he, wasn't cbicken-hearted, why
didn't he show his colorsf If be inten
ded to fight, where we're bis weapons I
He had no Winchester, and so far. ..
any one had seen as he entered tbs
coach he was without revolvers. Every.
body felt contempt for man who cal.
culated to hold up bis hands at the or
der, AMI permit himself to be, quietly
despoiled. ,s,.s ~ ..
"Pop! pop! halt!'
The passengers were doing as the
salute OF the road agents reached their
ears. The coach was halted in way to
tumble everybody. together. and leg.
and bodies we're still tangled up when a
voice at the door of.the coach called
out:
"No nonsense now! You gentlemen
climb right down here and put up with
your hands! The first man who kicks
on me will get bullet through bis
head"
We had agreed to fight. The captair
had sgreed to lead US. We we're listen
ing for his yell of defiance and the click
OF his revolver, when he stepped down
aud out rs bumbly as you please. The
sutler had been aching to chew up 8
dozen road agents, aud now he was the
second man out. The surveyor had in.
timated that he never passed over the
route without killing at least three high
waymen, but this occasion was to be an
exception. In three minutes the Eve o
us we're down and 10 line and hands up
and the road agents had said:
"Straigit matters of business! First
one who drops his hands won't eve!
know what hurt him!"
Where was the man with one eyer
The robber appeared to believe that We
we're all out, and he was just approach.
ing the head of the line To begin bis
work, when dark form dropped out O.
the coach There was yell as If from
wounded tiger, and revolver begsr
to crack The robber went down at the
fret pop. His partner was just coming
around the rear Of the coach. He wa,
game man. He knew what had hap
pened, and be was coming to the rescue
Pop' pop! pop! went the revolvers
their flashes lighting up the night uuti
We colli see the driver in his seat.
1t didn't take twenty seconds. ON
OF the robbers Law dead 10 front of us
the other under the coach, while the mar
With one eye had a lock cut from hi'
head and the graz as OF bullet across
bis cheek Mt one had moved a finger
We we're Eve fools in row. There was
painful lull after the last, and it lasted
full mipu,e before the stranger turned
to US and remarked in q quiet, cuttini
manner:
"Gentlemen, ye kin drop yer hands =
We dropped. We undertook to thanl
him, and We wanted to shake hands, ant
somebody suggested shake-purse TO
his benefit, but he lnotioned Us into th'
coach, banged the door after US, ant
climbed up to seat beside the driver
His contempt for such a crowd coult
not be measured.
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