The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-08
BLACK BART.


The recent appearance of "Black
Bart" in the San Joaquin valley has set
California to wondering if this, at one
sime most daring and eccentric robber
and highwayman, contemp'ates resum-
ing the business he made so successful
sen years ago.
Ten years ago "Black Bart" held up
stage coaches on the roads of northern
and central California, and put the
Wells Fargo Express Company to much
expense to protect their property from
him. Ten years ago he became too dar-
ing, and one night while under the intlu-
ence of liquor he reeled through the
streets of l,edding shooting his revolvers
at the doorways and windows. and SUBJ
sequently landed in the penitentiary at
San Quinten to serve term Of ten years,
which expired about two months ago.
In face aud figure "Black Bart" was a
handsome man. He was Of Mexican
parentage, and possessed the tall, straight
sgure of that race. He let his glossy
hair grow long and it fell like silken
veil over his shoulders. His dark and
perfect features were rendered doubly at
tractive by black moustache that curved
gracefully across his upper lip.
In ali his career as highwayman he
was never known to kill person, though
his nefarious business was carried on at
the point of revolver or rife, and his
body bears many scars made ly bullets
from the guns of watchful guards
when he became too yentursome. His
hobby was to rife mail sacks, and he
never wss in better spirits than when he
had held up mail coach, relieved the
driver and passengers of their arms:
money and jewelry, and, with his rifle
vi hin easy reach. sat down near his
HELPLESS victims and keeping one eye on
them ripped open love letters, business
notes, registered letters, read the con-
tents or part of them to his listeners
aud stuck them back into the mail pouch
through reat in the side, made by his
knife, a iumbled mass.
t:ne of the eccentricities of this strange
1obber was to write piece Of poetry
whenever he robbed the mail and shove
1t into the pouch when he had finished
sorting out the valuable part of its con-
sents. To these notes in rhyme he
would always sign the nom de plume
'aBlack Bart" and as this he came to be
known among men. In the Office of the
warden at the San Quinten penitentiary
there are. two bits of ''Bart's" poetry
found in mail pouches that he riied in
1865. They were written with lead
pencil, in legible hand, which indi-
Gates that the man had from some source
gathered some fragments of an educa-
ton. One of the poems, a quartraiu,
indicates his disgust at the poor haul lie
made, in the following words:
Pm sorry l spent my time.
Ripping up this mail,
didn't find money enough,
- To buy feeding for quail
Black Bart.
Another, distich, tells of a profit
able haul and the writer's satisfaction.
It runs thus:
Such hauls as this is very rare;
They soon would make ms millionaire
BLACK Ba, t.
Two peculiarities of the man were his
tender heartedness and his courtesy to
Indies. If he found money in letter
that had been sent by anyone to rela-
tive and by the tore Of the letter he was
satisfied that the person to whom it was
addressed Was in needy circumstances,
he would inciose the money in the torn
envelope and handing it to the driver,
make him promise 10 have it re addressed
when -he-reached town. He was ex.
sremely polite to ladies and was never
tot. haIr
but if he found firearms concealed about
them, he never hesitated in approprlat
ing them.
9.Bart" once he'd up the coach run
aing between Marysville, Cal, and Car
son City, New. There was young man
among the passengers, who had come
out from the East and gone into the
mountains for the benefit of his health.
His visit had only temporarily benefited
him and he was on his way home in the
1ast stages of consumption. he had but
little oI er hundred dollars, and when
'Bart took it from his inside pocket he
asked him where he was going.
"Home, to Massachusetts, replied the
young man.
SIS this all the money you've gota" in
quired "Bart."
every cent, so help me God," tremu,
}ously replied the young man, naturally
thinking the highwayman suspected him
of having more money concealed about
his person.
"Bart" unbuckled a belt from around
his waist and counting out $500 in gold,
handed it to the astonished consumptive
and told him to. get the best accommoda'
tions east the country aIorded.
Of "Bart's" gallantry to women many
stories are told, the most interesting Of
which is how he played game of stud
poker with young lady passenger in a
coach that he had stopped, the stake:
being kiss from the young woman il
beaten and the return of the money anG
valuables of the passengers by "Bart" i
Ia was worsted. In the spring of 1872
'Bart" had been doing smashing busi
ness in more senses than one in thu
northern part of the state, and had be
come such terror that double g,Iarc
was sent out with every mail that wen
out from Sacramento to Nevada City
Once the daring Mexican attempted tt
capture coach against these odds, bu
only succeeded in getting his left ca
partly torn of by ball from guard:
fife and flesh woand in his left leg
that was sufficient to dampen his ardo
for while, and it was several month
before he was heard OF aglin. Sc
long did he. remain out of sigh
that the express and stage companic
began to lessen their vigilance, and ono
more the mails and the strong boxes wer