The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-01-30
BLACK BART, THE POS.


The detectives at last have caught that
facetious, gentlemanly, poetical disciple of
Turpin who has so often tackled bit of
doggerel to mutilated and depleted box or
mailbag and boldly signed it Black Bart,
the Pos The fellows real name is thought
to be Charles f. Benton. His first appear
ance in California was made on the third
day of August, 1877. On the evening of
that day the stage from Fort Ross to Rus
sian river was brought to a halt by the sud
den appearance of q scarecrow-like figure in
front of the leaders, heads The foot of the
figure, or rather the lower part of the legs
was dmped In brown understanding, or bur
laps. From the knees to the shoulders the
drapery consisted of linen buster and the
head was shrouded in white four-saelS
and hat somewhat resembling that usually
affected by circus clowns The outer figure
might easily have been taken for q farmers
scarecrow, as stated, but for the facts that
two bright eyes peered through two holes
IN the sack and the long slender hands at
the ends of the buster sleeves grasped a
double-barreled shotgun, the muzzles of
which, the driver afterwards declared, look
ed large enough to crawl into The robber
was successful, On the box and mail-bags
afterward found were scrawled some rhymes
signed ''B. b., the Pos
The humorous vein evidently peyyading
the robbers composition was remarked by
the officers and while they worked vigorous.
ly to catch him they often laughed at his
impudence. The Governor offered $500 re-
ward for his arrest and conviction, Wells,
Fargo 4 Co added $500 TO ii and the Postal
authorities $500 more, making total of
$500. This reward WIS repeated with every
fresh robbery, until now, If his captors can
convict him of committing all the robberies
which he undoubtedly did commit twenty.
three at least they viii be entitled 10 AN
aggregate of 1918, 400.
Black Bart continued to stop stages when
ever he pleased until the morning of S.tur-
day, the Sd instant when an oversight ON
his part caused his capture Early on that
day he stopped the stage from Sonora to
Milton at point about three miles east of
Copperopolis II was his twenty-third rob-
berry and he was becoming SO expert in the
trade that he used pair of powerful field
glasses to detect the approach of the vehicle
and ascertain the number of passengers he
would have to contend with. From half n
mile away he saw the stage and ON its box
made out boy with Mcconnell, the driver.
The yomgster was only farmers lad, who
bad been spending a day some distance
from home, to which he was returning by
stage. Between the hillside on which Bart
first saw them and his standpoint the bow
concluded to dismount and walk the remain
ing two or three miles to his house, with n
view to killing some game by the why with
u rifle which he carried.
Accordingly, when the stage came up and
was duly halted by Bart the boy was not on
the box, md Bart at once inquired Of the
driver: " Where's the man that was with
you q few minutes ageyn The driver stated
that he had gone shooting, to which Bari
responded with +" All right, throw down
that box" Mcconnell obeyed and was then
compelled to get down himself and unhitch
his horses, while Bart broke open the box
From it he obtained 229 ounces of amalga-
mated gold from the Patterson mine at Tut
tletown, which WINS valued at VI, 400 three
and-one-quarter ounces of gold dust and
$3.50 in coin packages. He gathered up the
treasure in his arms, and, with q CHEEKY
"good-by TO Mcdonnell, started of with
his shotgun under his right arm. Half
minute later the boy with the rifle came up
and Mcconnell snatched it and opened fire
on Bart at about ona hundred yards range.
The bandit soon surrendered and was taken
to Copperopolis. He has pointed out a cache
from which 4 200 in gold dust has been
obtained but most of his booty is still in
hiding. Condensed .fiom tie San Fanneisoo
Papers.