News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-09-02
REAL LIFE ON THE ROAD.
aEwAsAyERY POLITE ROAD AGENT.
But the Crowd Took Advantage of him Ina
n Tender-fOOt Way.

Tender-fOOt Way.
CAPTAIN Long, an army officer, was
staoinr it between Julesburg and Chev-
enne before the railroad connected the
two. The through passengers num-
bered seven, being five men and two
ladies, the latter being the wives of two
of the passengers. He was the only
military man aboard. The two married
men were Fasteners, who were going
to Cheyenne to set up IN mercantile
business. One of the others was an
artist and correspondent for New York
illustrated paper, and the fifth was a
stockman. 1t was but natural that they
should soon strike up speaking &C
quaintance, and the natural result of
this was a general conversation about
stage robbers. Those chaps were
pretty numerous at that time, and the
chances were at least even on the coach
being held up before the end of the
journey. People who regard them
selves in peril often become communl-
cative. These had not been travelling
half day before it was known that the
two mercantile men had about SIC, 900
in greenbacks, and all but 5000 was
concealed In the bosoms of their wives.
The artist had $3.50 in the lining of his
cap and $50 in his wallet. The stock
man had 500 in his wallet and his boot
legs jammed full of greenbacks. Long
had $50 in his pocket and not dollar
elsewhere. The fact of his being an
army officer will satisfy all inquiries as
70 univ ho 1iSDpt bauo morn Tho nnyt
thing was to expect the stage to be
stopped, and to plan what they would
do. They had all read and heard of
such affairs, but no one had been
through the mill The five men each
had trusty revolSer, and it was hardly
to be expected that they should permit
themselves to be robbed by one or two
men. 1t was arranged that in case the
stage was stopped the ladies should
sink down out of harms way, and give
the men a chance to show their mettle.
AS a matter of course they depended
on the driver to help them out as he
could.
1t was about half an hour before sun
down, and they were skirting the cot
tonwoods along the north fork of the
upper Platte, when the driver suddenly
pulled up. They looked out to see
what had happened, and a man opened
the right-hand door of the coach and
looked in on them. He was about 30
years of age, light hair, blue eyes, sandy
beard, and regular features Indeed,
he was a good-looking man. His dress
was half hunter, half gentleman, and
he looked clean and tasty. He had
cooked revolver in his right hand, and
his left held the door open.
observation-disclosures" he count
ed "Ladies and gentlemen, l am
sorry to put you to any
trouble, but l shall have to ask you to
alight That is, the gentlemen will
please step out, while the ladies can re-
main in the coach"
They had planned how they were to
open fire and riddle the fellow with bull
lets. Here he was and not one of the
men made a move. Why9 Well, it
seemed as if those blue eyes kept close
watch of every mans hand. The Cap
tain relates that his first thought was to
slip his hand down to his revolver, but
seemed to cover him, saying:
Gentlemen, hope l shall not be
obliged to shoot any of you. Please
come out"
It's no use to say they were set of
towards, for such was far from being
the case. They were packed in the
coach like sardines, no one prepared to
shoot, and it takes time to draw re-
volver and make ready. 1t is probable
that if any of them had attempted it,
there would have been a tragedy. The
Captain was on the front seat, and he
hoped that as he rose up to leave the
coach he might draw his weapon unob-
served, but the agent had been there
before. The artist was the first one
down, and his revolver was taken as he
reached the ground and he WAS ordered
to "stand over there" Each one was
disarmed the same way, and the pistols
of all were flung under the coach.
While no one could say the driver stood
in with the agent. he certainly acted a
part. He had stopped
the coach at a gesture, and now sat on
his seat with a ce entirely free from
anxiety He was armed with two re-
volvers, and be could have easily shot
the agent through the head, as the lat
ter gave him no attention whatever.
Well, there stood five men in line, and
the agent surveyed them and said:
81 must have five thousand dollars
out of this crowd. Captain, place your
money on the ground. Watches and
rings don't care for, and none of you
seem to have any diamonds"
One threw his wallet down in con
tempt, and the others followed suit
The agent picked them up, selected out
the greenbacks, and, upon counting up
the sum total, he laughed merrily and
observed:
"This crowd must be looking for
poorhouse Now, gents no more fool
ing. There's money here, and I'm GO
ing to have it. If it isn't in your peck
cts it's in the coach. If it isn't in the
coach the ladies have got it. Shell out,
or I'll search every one of you"
you have got my last dollar, and
may the bills burn you," said the Cap
tain as the agent stood waiting for him
to hand over some mole.
''No hard feelings, Captain, he re-
piled, as he turned to the next. Every
man in the line denied that he had any
more money, and for a moment the
agent seemed nonplussed. Then he
backed up TO the open door of the stage,
leaving them about ten feet away, and
still covered with his revolver.
Ladies', -" he said, in a voice as soft
as a girls, II didn't mean to trouble
you, but I've had such poor luck out
side that | must request a contribution
Please hand out the money you are car
rying for these gentlemen"
The women were terribly frightened,
and both at once started to comply with
the order The husbands saw ruin
staring them in the face, and the one
next to the Captain, whose name was
Travcrs, breathed so hard that all could
hear him. Suddenly, as if shot from
cannon, and with the agent still cover
ing them, Travers sprang forward. He
made Just two jumps to cover the dis
lance. The revolver cracked, and the
bullet cut a lock of hair from his head
but the next instant he had seized the
barrel with his right hand, the mans
throat with his left, and was crying for
help. All gave it fast enough, and in
side of two minutes had the fellow dis
armed and bound. 1t was wonder
some of them were not killed, for he
fired every chamber in the revolver.
His struggles, too, were terrific, and it
was not until the artist picked up one
of the weapons, and belabored him over
the head with the butt of it that he
grew quiet The first move was to
search him and get the money, and dl-
vide it according as they had contrlbu-
ted. He took matters very coOlly
when he realized that he was helpless,
saying that they were no gentlemen to
use him so roughly, and calling atten