The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-01-02
THE SEVEN RULES
Which Govern the Business of the
Successful Road Agent.
Two Captive Htshwaymen Reveal
some of Their Tricks or Trade
-Treatment OF the Lady
Passenger.

| tCloverdale (Cal) Cor. New York SUM-
The perpetrators of the stage robberies in
this vicinity have been discovered in the
persons OF two young men, less than 20 years
of age, who embarked in the business early
In the summer with the intention of living
well in the large cities of the country during
the winter. They are strangers here, one Of
them, Billy Corbett, Calming to live In San
Franc isco, and the other, John Dwyer, hail
ing 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. Before leaving here the
detectives got long story out of their prio-
oners, who regarded themselves as very
clever thieves. Having made up their minds
that they will have to serve out a long sem
tence, and that nothing will avail hem as
defense, they are making merry over
bal job.
"The way Of it 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 papers
that stages were being held up in all parts of
the state, and we concluded to try it. The
first one we tackled was down In the noun
tains, 100 miles south Of here, and we got
nothing but little silver from the driver
and some good advice He says: See here,
you fellers You're green at the business,
and know 1t. When you order up stage
just you remember also to call for 'em to
throw off the box. The 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 it next time on the Oroville line,
but it SO happened that that driver didn't
have any box, and we had to stand the
passengers up
ave made great reputation that time.
In fact, that is what we were trying to do
everywhere. The papers got it all in about
our being courteous and gallant No ore
ever tried harder in that line than We did.
Down near Mendocino once when a big fel-
low hit me across the mouth with walking
stick as big as my wrist, didn't say any
thing. We simply robbed 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 good deal
better. We got 50 we could do up stage in
four minutes from the first yell, and if they'd
let us alone We would have lowered that
record q little, There's an awful sight for
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 90 east
for the winter. Then next summer we in
tended to come 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 n travelling man a chump. It's
just as my partner says. You have got an
awful sight to learn. / am thinking some of
writing a book on the staging business.
could give some of these fellows a few points.
There ocght to be some authority which the
young might use as a guide. All the old road
agents are gone, and the only way new
conner can get along is to learn by experience.
Now, as it will be good while before have
any use for stage coaches again, will give
you few precepts
"ln the first place, never appear to be in a
hurry that is, in a nervous hurry. Just keep
bustling about as though it was a very disa.
greeable duty that must be attended to,
Second - Never get scared at all.
your weapons handy, and don't |
take your eye off your victims. ThiId-Re-
member that the big haul is generally in the
treasure box or the mail sack, and that
neither the driver nor the passengers care for
either Of them. They will not make them |
selves obnoxious about them and you NAV
depend upon it If you work it right. Fourth
Don't be too hoggish in going through the
passengers themselves. just take what
comes handy and no more. This is partic-
ulaTly wise rule to follow when you have a
heavy treasure box and q fat mail bag. IL
you exasperate passenger he may fight. IL
you simply relieve him of what comes
handy, and don't appear as if you
were in very needy circumstances your
selves, or as il you wanted TO bank
rupt him, you will gain his admiration
and gratitude. Fifth-If there are ladies'
abroad assure them the first thing that they
will not be disturbed Make them stand up,
and watch them, of course, for they are
but when you come to them in
he line just say that you never rob the fair
ex, and hand them back their things. You'll
make it up in the long run. Sixth-Look
'ut for yourself every minute you are at the
Job. Some of the most harmless-lo looking
men ever saw had the hardest and heaviest
lists. One fellow down here on the big tree
Dad told me he was a consumptive, and five
minutes afterward, when he hit me back Of
he ear l thought tree had fallen on me.
no attention to the driver.
Hes used TO it, and as long as no one offers
% shoot he doesn't worry.
Il bave met some very sociable drivers in
ny day that / would like to describe, but
will not bother about them now. The idea
conveyed in all these precepts is to do the
york without friction and make no enemies
The box and the bag being heavy YOU can
.fford to be easy on the passengers II they
10 not lose much and are well treated, they
re rather proud Of the experience, and they
ever tire OF reciting the details This makes
hem your friends-that is, you've got no
owing, wild-eyed avengers ON your trail
xcept the Wells-Fargo and United States
harps, and You can dodge them after you're
sed to it. I'll bet you the whole pile I've
made this summer that IL I knew q month
60 what i know now I'D Wells-Fargo man
1ould ever have run me down.
THAT'S all true, every word Of it." broke
, Corbett I'VE learned o good deal one
ay coming over the mountains. We had
cen off for little recreation, and coming
ack here in the stage three big fellows with
aotguns stopped u.s. My partner and were
a the front seat on the inside, and we were
cry anxious to ses how they did the work
Veil, they we're slick ones. We stood up in
row with the rest of the passengers, and
hen one OF them came along to me / said,
I'M a member of the profession I whis-
ereo " genIly, 80 the others wouldn't hear
'e, and he looks at me sharp lihe, and says
ud, so all could hear him. rs that 50. We
sver rob preachers And he handed me
SEX the little roll of bills which he had taken
ON me. Well, rather admired the chan
n his geniality, but it cut me up dreadful
J be called a preacher. It was all right.
lough- There's where we learned a GOOD |
sal OF what We know now {
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