The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-15
PULL UP" ,"
San Francisco Examiner.


 had worked in the mines of Cali fornia for two years, but bad luck seemed to follow me, so one hot sum- mer day I threw down my pick and determined to quit trying to make an honest living. There was Bill Jen- kins running faro bank and Mexican Jose dealing monte, and either of them made more money in a single night than did in months work. Rob- ping stage could be but little worse than dealing faro or monte, 30 I de- termined to turn road agent and rob other men for living.
 remember the afternoon was in- tensely hot. Leaving my tools in the mine, I hurried to my half brush and half canvas hut, put on the only de- cent suit of clothes had and set of.
 A walk of mile and half brought me to the nearest town and evening found me betting at one of the many gambling games that thrived in the mines.
 Though I had lost many dollar at gambling, luck now seemed in my favor, and before the game closed that night had won nearly thousand dollars.
 This made me believe that fortune was now with me, so determined to set off on my exploits as soon as pos sible.
 I bought a good saddle- horse, a pair of serviceable pistols, and adding 8 light but handy shotgun, was ready to begin my career.
 rode up the country some miles to the next town to study the lay of tne land and get the run of the stages. 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. I saw that single handed it would be useless to go on the road, so I looked about for a day or two to see whom I could find that would answer my purpose. The right man was not easily found, for l wanted 6 fellow that could be de- pended upon in time of danger, and one that would stay sober.
 At length picked up such man as I needed, and we two laid our plans tor stopping the stage l have mentioned. We concluded 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 rich stake on the road.
 We were now ready for business. The Shasta stage passed through Chico about daylight in the morning, and as this stage brought down the treasures from the rich mines of Sisk- iyou, Yreka and Shasta, we deter mined to rob that at all hazard. We selected spot a few miles south of Chico, where the stage had to pass through a deep guich. Here the young trees and rank-growing will lows afforded us a favorable hiding place.
 It was late in June, and the harvest was at hand, so we found no trouble in getting plenty of iced for our horse, 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 B blIklc UlhHkct3 0uu aS Wo AsCA MPVA4 meat alone, our cooking outfit was of the simplest kind. xI
 We spread cut lot of hay for q M beds, tied our horses close at hand, 4 waited impatientiy tor the morn that was to bring us thousands of dOts lars or else . cell in prison. Before daylight we were up and ready for what might enme
 We saddied our horses carefully and hid them in the bushes near where we intended to stop the stage. The guns and pistols were examined with cAxs, and then we proceeded to tic strong rope across the road in the deepest part of the gulch. One of our men, Cray, was . little nervous, and drank the last drop of whisky we had to brace up his nerves; but my hrst pai, Slim Jim, and were e cool as though we had followed the bus inea for years. We had not long to wait after everything was rsady, yet 1t seemed an hour before we nv the cloud of dust that marked the coming Of the stage, half milo awxy. We had plannsd the whole job care fully, and each man knsw jugt what