Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-02-28
STAGE COACH ROBBERS.

There was an army officer, sutler, a
surveyor and two men who might have
been mine inspectors in the coach when 1t
drew up at Burt Hill to take on another
passenger.
"Howdy," said the new passenger, as he
crowded in.
AS he stood fora moment in 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
a second look felt the fire i'm his remaining
| eye was bright enough for two. Dark AS it
was in the stage he seemed to have "sizcd
| up" every man inside of a minute, and
seeming to be satisfied regarding the crowd,
he settled himself back in his seat, and
had no remarks to make.
BY and by the army officer mentioned
something about road agents, and directly
the conversation became interesting. Coach
es had been stopped at various points on
the line within week, and it was pretty
generally believed that a bad gang had
descended on the route and were still ripe
for business. The man with one eye had
nothing to say. Once or twice he raised
his head, and that single eye blaZed in the
darkness like Il lone star, but not word
escaped his mouth. The captain had said
what he would do in case the coach was
halted, and this brought out the others. 1t
was firmly decided to fight. The pasSen-
gers had money to fight for and weapons
to fight with.
The man with one eye said nothing. At
such time, and under such circumstances,
there could be but one Interpretation of
such conduct.
GA coward has no business travelling this
route" said the captain in a voice which
every one could hear.
The stranger started up, and that eye of
his seemed to shower sparks OF fire, but
after a moment he fell back again without
having replied.
If he wasn't chicken-hearted, why didn't
he show his colors? If he intended to fight,
where were his weapons? He had no Win
chester, and so far as any one had seen as
he entered the coach he was without revol-
vers. Everybody felt a contempt for a man
who calculated to hold up his hands AT the
order, and permit himself to be quietly
| deSpOiled.
"Pop! pop! haltm
The passengers were doz.hg as the salute
of the road agents reached their ears. The
coach was halted in a way to tumble every
| body together, and legs and bodies were
still tangled up when voice at the door of
the coach called out:
"No nonsense now! You gentlemen
hands! The first man who kicks on me
will get bullet through his head ~
We had agreed to fight. The captain had
! agreed to lead us. We were listening for
his yell Of defiance and the click of his re-
volver, when he stepped down and out as
humbly as you please. The sutler had been
aching to chew up dozen road agents, and
now he was the second man out. The sur
veyor had ntimated that he never passed
| over the route without killing ut least three
highwaymen, but this occasion was to bean
exception. In three minutes the five OF us
! were down and in line and hands up, and
| the road agent had said:
"Straight matters Of business! First one
who drops his hands won't ever know what
! hurt him 20
i Where was the man with one eye? The
robber appeared to believe that we were all
: out, and ne was just approaching the head
of the line to begin his work, when dark
form dropped out of the coach, there was
yell as if from wounded tiger, and re-
volver began to crack. The robber went
down at the first pop. His partner was just