The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-11-05
ROAD AGENIS.
Some Singular Rules For High
waymen.
Two Robust California Brigands, Havin6
Been Captured at Their Nefarious
Work, Reveal Some Of The
Tricks OF Their Trade.
ECloyerdale tCal.l Letter.l


ton of living well in the large cities Of the
country during the winter. They are
strangers here, one OF them, Billy Corbett,
claiming to live in San Francisco, and the
other, John Dwyer, hailing from the East.
When the Wells Fargo men overhauled
them they were preparing for one more
raid, which they had agreed should be
their last.
n "That's what we said about every one
though" said corbett, "after September !.
The fact is, we did good deal better than
we expected, and every time we would get
n good sum we would say, Now we will
quit but before we got packed up we
would agree to try 1t just once more. Now
look at us. II we had only choked our
selves Off we would have been in shape now
for fun"
The detectives who had wosked up
clear case against the boys, learned from
them the place where they hid their
plunder, and after careful search in the
mountains unearthed about $1,000 in gold
and several hundred dollars in bills. Be
sides this there wasmuch valuable jewelryi
and the boys had good deal of currency
on their persons. Before leaving here the
detectives got long story out OF their
prisoners, who regard themselves as very
clever thieves. Having made up then
minds that they will have to serve out
long sentence, and that nothing will avail
them as n defense, they are making merry
over bad job.
"The way of 1t was just this" observed
Corbett. "My partner here and / met in
San Francisco last May, and we agreed on
this little enterprise. We saw by the pa
pers that stages were being held up in all
parts OF the State, and we concluded to try
il. The first one we tackled was down in
the mountains, hundred miles south Of
here, and we got nothing but little silver
from the drivor-and some good advice.
he says: "See here, you fellers. You're
rreen az tho business, and know IL. When
you order up a stage just you remember
also to call for 'em to throw or the box.
Thv box is the thing that's got the dust in.
| don't happen to have any just now, but
that's what you're after We tried ID
next time on the Oroville line, but IL 80
happened that that driver didn't have any
box, and we had to stand the Passengers
up.
1--WE made n great reputation that time.
In fact, that is what wo were trying to do
everywhere. The papers got 1t all in
about our being courteous and gallant. No
one ever tried harder in that line than we
did. Down near Mendocino once, when
big fellow hit me across the mouth with a
walzing-stick as big as my wrist, l didn't
say anything. We simply robbed him
little more thoroughly, taking his coat,
vest and hat. I've got them on now.
After we got our hand in We
found things worked a good
deal better. We got so we couls
do up stage in four minutes from the iirst
yell, and IL they'd let us alone we would
have lowered that cord little. There's
an awful sight for a beginner to learn In
the business. 1t makes me mad to think
that some butcher will be agoing over this
route next summer, making bad breaks.
What we intended to do was to get away
from here this week and go East for the
winter. Then next summer we intended
TO came back again, unless we struck
something"
Dwyer assented to all that was said, OBJ
serving that his luck had always been bad.
When his partner ceased talking he said:
"There is something in the air of California
that makes travelling man chump. It's
Just as my partner says. You have got nm
awful sight to learn. am thinking some
OF writing book on the staging business.
could give some OF these fellows points.
There ought to be some authority which
the young might use as a guide. All the
old rond agents are gone, and the only way
a new conner can get along is to learn by
experience. Now, as Ii will be a good while
before have any use for stage-coaches
again. will give you few precepts.
"In the first place never appear to be In
a hurry-that is, in nervous hurry. Just
keep bustling about as though II was a
very disagreeable duty that must be at
tended to. Second-Never get scared at
all. There Is no danger. Just keep your
weapon handy and don't take your eye of
your victims. Thlrd-Remembe that the
big haul is generally In the treasure-box
or the mail sack, and that neither the
driver or the passengers care for either of
them. They will not make themselves OBJ
noxious about them, and you may depend
upon IL, II you work IL right. Fourth
Don't be too hoggish In going through the
passengers themselves. just take what
comes handy and no more. This isa partic-
ularly wise rule 10 follow when you have q
heavy treasure-box and fat mail bag.
II you exasperate a passenger he may
Hght. II you simply relieve him Of what
comes handy, and don't appear as II you
were In very needy circumstances your
selves, or as II you wanted to bankrupt
him, you will gain his admiration and
gratitude. Fifth--If there are ladies aboard
assure them the first thing that they viii
not be disturbed. Make them stand up,
and watch them, Of course, for they
are treacherous: but when you come
10 them In the line just say that
YOU never rob the fair sex, and hand them
back their things. Yourl make tup in the
long run. Look out for yourself every
minute you are at the job. Some Of the
most harmless looking men ever saw had
the hardest and heaviest 6sts. One fellow
down here on the big tree road told me he
was consumptive, and Eve minutes after
ward, when he hit me back Of the ear, I
thought tree had fallen on me. Seventh
Pay no attention to the driver. He's
.used TO IL, and as long as no one offers TO