The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-06-04


] long as any in Montana, and its coaches
/ have carried as much lucre as any other
4 but still it has been left until this late
day to record the first stage robbery on
/ this line-which occurred a mile this
side of Mitchell's station about noon on
Tuesday. .-~-~-""~----~
The place of attack is near the en-
trance of the lower canyon, where the
road makes a sharp turn around point
of rocks. AS the down coach reached
this spot, two masked men stepped forth
with cooked revolvers in their hands
and persuaded the driver to stop very
suddenly. The passengers, three in
number-C. w. Cooper, F. It. Bradley
and C. E. Dudley, all destined for Sun
River-were asked to throw up their
hands in approved style and step out,
and the request was promptly complied
with. One of the robbers then "went
through the pockets of the three gen
! TENED and helped themselves to their
watches and about $3.50, of which am
cunt Charley Cooper gave up about
$1OO. The highwaymen then turned
their attention to the mail sacks, which
they cut open, and then made an exam
nation of their contents. The register
ed packages containing money were APP
proprated, and after taking everything
wanted they made the passengers gath
er up the refuse and put the same back
into the sacks and into the coach. They
did not modest the treasure box, but if
they had they would have found very
light one. Only one parcel (for Chi
naman) came through in the box, the
value Of which we do not know. Hav-
ing thus concluded their work success
fully, the robbers gave the command,
''all aboard ~ and bade the driver move
on, while they stood and watched the
coach till it was out of sight Their
course of proceeding after this is still a
mystery.
What amount of booty they got in adj
dition to that obtained from the passen-
gers is not known, but it is not believed
to be very large. There is nowadays
comparatively little money sent by reg
istered letter, the money order,
draft and check taking it's place to
a great extent. Postmaster Flanagan
says he would Judge that the amount
received from the registered packages
will not make them rich.
None of the robbed passengers came
through to this city and only meagre
details of the occurrence can be had. 1t
is very likely that the fellows are new
hands at the business or they would not
have taken such chances without know
ing whether or not there was anything
worth the risk on the coach.
AS the telegraph line was out of work
ing order last evening we could not
learn what action the officers have TAX
en-, but they are doubtless on the trail.
In this case uncle Sans mail bags have
been ruthlessly tampered with, and the
government will spare no cost Or pains
to bring the criminals to justice.
The Sun River Sun has the following
particulars of the coach robbery, as fur
nished by Charley Cooper, one Of the
victims:
''We had just had dinner" said our
Informant, "and it seemed as though we
We're scarcely out of sight of the station
when the coach suddenly stopped. =.
L. Dudley and myself were inside. The
right hand curtain was down, and a
moment after the stoppage OF the coach
1t was pulled aside and man showed
slx-shooter inside and said Now, then,
you fellows, get out here lively We did
not appreciate the situation at once, and
the order was repeated in tone that
caused us to realize that it was no joke,
and we got out. We were then ordered
to throw up our hands and march up in
front of the horses, and told to look down
The road and not move. One of the rob-
oers held six-shooter in each hand
the other then went through us, from
The ground up, taking everything that
ne found-pocket-books, knives. pipes,
tobacco, jewelry, watches, and about
s5o0 After they had got all that we
mad, they pulled out the mail sacks and
Gu cut them open and took all the valuables
tneY contained They then ordered us