Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-01-21
I THE SHOTGUN GUARD.
A CONVERSATION RELATIVE TO THE
 EXPLOITS OF HIGHWAYmEN.

EXPLOITS OF f7lG1WHfMeN'
 How Road Agents Attack a stage-Try-
 ing to the Nerves of the Guard-Lst-
 ters of warnIng-A Case of Total Col
 lapse.
 When the treasure box came in on the Deadwood stage the other day, the mem bers of the shotgun guard carried it into the express car and sat down by its side. There were three of them The box had tl5O.OOO in bullion in it, and as usual a crowd assembled to look at it and at the men having it in charge. As there was an hour before the train would start, the crowd and the guard fell into n conyersa- tion relative to train and stage robberies- After some of the exploits of highwaymen on the Hills road had been referred 10, Bill Dunn, one of the shotgun men, said;
 II see that there is heap of talk in the papers about the cowardice of men who happen to be mixed up in tussles with the agents Now, this is all very funny when you are 1 900 miles away from them and know there isn't Winchester within four miles of you, but the thing takes or a different aspect when you are within range l never was in hold up but once, but have seen more than one time when I felt as though would like to get out and walk and let the box go. The fact that you have SO much money in your Keeping is of itself enough to make you nervous in a country like this. As a rule when agents attack a treasure coach or a train they are on you before you know it. Then you can fight or die, just as you please. The times that make your shirt collar wilt are when you have reason tO believe that you arc to be attacked and yet are not attacked.
 LETTERS OF WARNING.
 ''When I carried gun on the Sidney route there was month at one time that I never left Deadwood without having re- eeivsd a letter notifying me that l was 10 be held up on that trip. Sometimes got the warning through the the pOstOffice, once received it in Sidney, and several times it was pushed under my door at my bearing house when I was asleep. In some of the letters the writer assumed to be the robber, and he always wound up his warning with the words: So look out, I'll have the box, and I may have you. Others of them, though they were all written in the same hand, came ostensibly from others parties, who pretended to have only my inDrest at heart, Of course knew that that was a dangerous road, and 1t was my business to shoot and be shot; but after this sort of thing had been kept up for Q fortnight or so l began to get nervous. I found that every time I started it took bigger drink to get my nerves in condition, and on inquiring the value Of the box l came to feel a sort of relief when 1t was comparatively small. The thing was wearing on me, and at last l got so l thought I could tell how strangers out here, who came west with exaggerated ideas of the dangers to be en- countered, felt when they found their fears realized. Now, I'll tell you some thing that was never told yet
 After had been getting these warn ings for about three or four weeks left Deadwood one day with a box worth $200, 900. As soon as heard the value of the bullion the precipitation came out on me, for, l thought to myself, these cut throats always know when there is big treasure aboard, and this is their meat. It made me mad to find myself so nervous, because the fact is never yet ran, and I don't think I ever will, and I walked around a little while trying to get my grip. The fact of the matter was wasn't well The work had been heavy, and my anxiety had upset me. But when it came time to start put on 6 reckless air, and getting up in front with the driver l bade the boys good-by and we drove of.
 TOTAL COLLAPSE.
 "The roads were heavy, and before VIC reached the first station, where we were to pass the night, 1t was dark. Some of you may know what darkness in western Nebraska was in those days. We had about three miles to travel before hauling up for the night, and Parker, the driver, and l were strainfng our eyes to see the light, when, with a sudden yell at the horses he pulled them up on their haunches and shrieked fin my ear; Whats thatH Well, now, at the instant that he first yelled there was a crack like a rife, and heard 1t as well as he. IL may seem highly ridiculous, and so it was, but the minute that he shrieked just dropped off the coach like Q log, shotgun and all How it happened cannot tell to this day It was a total collapse. l had no power over myself, and, what is more, when I found myself in the mud almost under the horses heels could not rise. I am free to admit that if an agent had shown up just then I would have caved. He could have anything that he wanted.
 'The driver got down after little and helped me up. By that time he was con vinced that there were no robbers'arOund, and on reassuring me We went back a little ways and found that the report which we had heard had come from the breaking of a dry limb over which the coach had run. knew that if that-thing got out it would ruin me in the business, and l fixed it up with the driver so that we agreed to say nothing about it. After that trip took a rest for few days, and when felt better went back to work, and haven't fallen of from anything Iince. Since then, also, have made it a point never to think much about agents. It don't do you any good, and it may do you harm. And that's why never make any remarks when l hear of a tenderfOot In hold-up nshing around and insisting that the Agent shall take some things which he never asks for. He simply can not control himself. He has fallen oil the box, so to speak, and needs rest and recu- peration. ."-Dakota Cor. New York Sun.