The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-15
THROW UP YOUR HANDS"
IDAHO BILLS STORY OF THE
SHASTA STAGE.

Heap Before.
From the San Francisco Examiner.
| had worked in the mines of California
for two years, but bad luck seemed to fol-
low me, SO one hot summer day 1 threw
down my pick and determined to quit try
ing to make an honest living. There was
Bill Jenkins, running faro bank, aud
Mexican Jose, dealing monte, and either of
them made more in a single night than l
did in months work. Robbing a stage
could be but little worse than dealing faro
or monte So | determined to turn road
agent and rob other men for a living.
| remember the afternoon was Intensely
hot. Leaving my tools in the mine | hur-
ried to my half brush and half canvas hut,
mt on the only decent suit of clothes | had,
and set on.
TO the nearest town and evening found me
betting in one of the many gambling games
that thrived in the mines.
Though had lost many dollar at gam
hing. luck now seemed in my favor, and be-
fore the game closed that night had won
nearly a thousand dollars
This made me believe that fortune was
with me, so | determined to set off on my
exploits as soon as posslDie.
| bought good saddle horse, a pair of
serviceable pistols, and adding light but
handy shotgun, l was ready to begin my
career.
rode up the country some miles to the
next town to study the lay of the land and
get the run of the stages. l soon found
the one carrying the most gold
was that coming south from Shasta
but this usually had a good many
passengers, and in those days all men went
armed. l saw that single handed it would
be useless to go on the road, SO looked
about for day or two to see wnom
could find that would answer my purpose
The right man was not easily found, for
wanted a fellow that could be depended
upon in time of danger, and one that would
stay sober.
At length picked up such a man as l
needed, and We two laid our plans for stop
ping the stage / have mentioned. We con-
cluded to have more help, and soon found
two more who were willing to risk being
shot or sent to state prison for the sake of
making a rich stake on the road.
We were now ready for business. The
Shasta stage passed through Chico about
daylight III the morning, and as this stage
brought down the treasures from the rich
mines of Siskiyou, Yreka, and Shasta, we
determined to rob that at all hazard We
selected a spot few miles south of Chico,
where the stage had to pass through deep
gulch. Here the young trees and rank
growing willows afforded us a favorable
hiding place.
It was late i'll June, and the harvest was
at hand, so we found no trouble in getting
plenty of feed for our horses, though we
did not take the trouble to hunt up the
owner and pay him for the same. The
nights were so warm that we needed but a
81 lgle blanket, and as we lived upon meat
alone our cooking outfit was Of the simplest
kind.
We spread out lot of hay for our beds,
tied our horses close at hand, and waited
impatiently for the morning that was to
bring us thousands of dollars or else cell
in prison. Before daylight we were up and
ready for what might come.
We saddled our horses carefully and hid
them in the bushes near whore we intended
to stop the stage. The guns and pistols were
examined with care, and then we proceeded
to tie q strong rope across the road in the
deepest part of the gulch. One of our men,
Gray, was a little nervous, and drauk the
last drop of whisky we had to brace up his
nerves; but my first pal film Jim, and |
were as cool as though we had followed the
business for years. We had not long to
wait after all was ready, yet it seemed an
hour before we saw the cloud of dust that
marked the coming of the stage, half a mile
away. We had planned the whole job care
fully and each man knew just what he had
to do. We wondered how many passengers
the stage had on board and whether they
would show fight or not. Wehad gone into
this Job to win and were bound to stop that
stage though we had to add murder to our
other crime. This was no time to finch,
yet knew that it was an anxious moment
to all of us. An instant later and Jim gave
a sharp whistle, and then we knew that our
work would soon begin. Too late to retreat
now, for we could hear the rumble of the
heavy coach and see the horses pulling
hard on the bits. On they came, and /
could make out the express messenger on
the box with the driver aud anew that a
rich treasure was on board, for messenger
was sent only when the stage had large
amount of gold. Jim said to the other boys:
Take it easy, and don't get excited, for
We will soon have a big haul"
The masks over the upper part OF our
faces were now looked to to see if they were
all right, and our gnns once more exam
med with care.
We kept we'll out of sight in the thick
bushes till the stage came tearing down
into the little grlch. when the driver saw the
trap, but it was too late, for he had to pull
up suddenly to keep his horses from all pill
ing in heap at the bottom of the hole.
just at JQab IIOul6nU we spiauB OuI VI
our concealment and poked our guns right
up in the faces of the driver and messenger.
Pull up,n cried. "or we will blow the
top of your heads off,"
Pull up they did, and in mighty short or
der, for it pitched the passengers almost out
of the stage, and we could hear them ours
ing and growing before they knew what
had stopped them.
Throw up your hands and be -
quick about itl'' shouted Jim, and in reply
the messenger dropped his gun and held up
both hands, saying, Boys, you have the
drop on me-"
The driver did not attempt to make any
resistance, SO jim jumped up on the box,
and took away the messengers gun and the
drivers pistols. Gray and our other man
IN the meantime had the passengers well
under cover
Now" said Jim, 1--WE must have the key
to that box" giving the treasure box kick.
To this the messenger demurred little,
but as the lawyers say, jim over-ru!ed his
demurrer without giving him the usual
time to file an answer. After getting the
Key p, he pitched out the box SO we could
open it at our leisure The driver was
little bit shaky, looking right down into my
gun and said II wish you would raise
mat thing Il little; it might go off accident
ally, and somebody would get hurt"
Certainly" l replied, Il like to oblige
gentleman when l cam and l raised the
gun little SO rs TO point just over his
mead, but whore | could make use OF 1t III
an Instant if necessary.