St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-06-12
STAGE-ROBBlNG.
The Perils and Rewards Of Those Engaged
In This Dangerous Profession.

STAGE-ROBBING.
The Perils and Rewards Of Those Engaged
In This Dangerous Profession.
During the past fourteen years on.
hundred and five men have been en-.
gagged in the business of stage-robbing
on Wells, Fargo & Co.'S Pacific coach
stage lines. That it is a business per
sued with great diligence and skill is
shown by the Robbers Record" kept
by the company for the use of its own
detectives. This record was recently
published by the company, and makes
public many instructive facts about the
business of stage-robbing, not the least
interesting being the fact that pardon
to stage robber is to him what the
operation of the bankruptcy law is to
a merchant-gives him an opportunity
to renew his calling unrestricted by
the law. The extent of the business
will doubtless surprise many people.
1t has in the last fourteen years cost
Wells, Fargo & Co. 1927, 1865, or an
average of 500, 266 per year. This as
sessment on the company is divided as
follows: The robbers are charged with
$415, 312.55; rewards for arrest, ETC.,
S73.541; attorneys, $50, 367; expenses
incurred in arresting and convict
special officers, S326,517. This makes
the total which the business costs
the company, but, of course.
is very far from the total
amount assessed against society by the
robbers. In this is not included the
great amount stolen from the United
States mails in the same robberies, and
the still greater total of cash and val
uables taken from stage-coach passen-
gers. But taking the sum the robbers
have secured from the Wells-Fargo
boxes alone, $415,312. it is seen that
the hundred and five men who have
engaged in the business have averaged
1856, or about $500 per year each.
What the money and jewelry have
netted the road agents it is, of course,
impossible to even estimate.
Many stage robberies have been
planned solely to capture large sums
known to be in the possession of some
passenger, and the average traveller by
stage has very decent sum with him
for expenses, to say nothing of rings
and watches, so it is surely safe to esti-
mate that the returns from passengers
and the United States mail will equal
those from the little green box of the
stage company. This, then, gives as
the average profit of one hundred and
five stage robbers operating for four
teen years 500 month in even fig
ures. This sum, aggregating about an
even $1,0OO,O00. has been secured
through 374 robbers, which shows
that each man engaged in the bust
ness has averaged nearly four rob-
berries. This suggests new phase
of the question-that is, while the
earnings in the business of stage-rob-
bling are only 800 per month, the pay,
say of a salesman or book-keeper, yet
the average profit per robbery is about
5000. Thus the person engaged in
the business is enabled to earn the
wages of a mechanic of fair skill, yet
be employed between three and four
days in fourteen years. Much of the
implied leisure connected with this in
teresting business is, however, en-
forced, and cannot be disposed of ex-
cept at command. The leisure from
business cares, in fact, is generally
passed in Jail. A few figures in this
connection will be timely. 1t has
been already stated that the stage rob-
berries (and attempts) number 378, for
which there have been 240 convictions.
Thus, while each professional stage
robber averages in fourteen years
3.63-105 crimes. he also averages
2.3O-105 terms in prison-that is, once
out of three times he manages to dis
pose of his leisure and gains unadvised
by court and jury.
During the years being considered,
stage-robbers have killed two and
wounded six Wells-Fargo guards; have
killed four and seriously wounded four
Wells-Fargo stage-drivers; have killed
four and severely wounded two stage
passengers. This is total of ten
killed and twelve wounded. The re-
turns on the other side are five robbers
killed while in the act ofrobbing stages
and eleven killed while resisting arrest.
To this should be added seven robbers
hanged BY citizens, making total of
twenty-three robbers killed. Thus. the
business of stagc-robbing has resulted
in the loss of thirty-three lives; the
total number of wounded not stated,
as the wounded robbers are not re-
ported. 1t is interesting to note that
over two-thirds of the men who have
made it their regular business to rob
stages, with murder as a frequent in
cidental experience, have been par
doned out Of prison while serving terms
for stage-robbery.-San francisco
Chronicle.
ncnEENr hARAl EGG