The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-05-16
UTAH CHARLEY'S LAST.
HE RIDES IN A COFFIN A LITTLE
BIT AHEAD OF HIS TIME.

Fellow Mourners-The Baggageman Who
Was Afraid of Being Called Tender
foot-A Railroader's Thrilling Story.
Let me relate to you some of my early ex-
periences, said Conductor Frye, of the Bur
lington, when was running baggage on the
Union Pacific. 1t was back about ten years
ago. We were coming east from Ogden, and
at small station box supposed to contain
corpse was put in the express car, consigned
to Lincoln, Neb Bill Axley now ON the
Santa Fe was express messenger, and as We
elevated the box into the car he remarked
that it did not fit the coffin WELL as he felt
reacting jar as the article was put in the car.
There were two men fairly well dressed,
and showing no signs of suspicion, together
with what we took to be an aged woman, who
accompanied the remains She was repre-
sented as being the mother Of the deceased,
and the two men were the latter's brothers,
The woman, or man, as she turned out to be,
was anxious to remain with the corpse in the
car. Shealso desired that her two sons might
be by her side. This was against the rules,
and they were informed that transportation
would only be allowed the corpse in the ex
press car, and accordingly they agreed to
take seats in coach,
HER PoNDERoUS FOOT.
Just before the train pulled out Bill said
to me that he thought the game was q
concocted robbery, and was determined to
have the box handed out and inspected before
the train started. But what if it were a real
corpsel The boys would have hooted Bill off
the road for his cowardice. This | said to
Bill, and he finally concluded to let the worst
come if it must. The conductor signaled the
train to start and Bill jumped into his car
and got into mine; but the more thought
of the situation the more found that Billy's
suspicious were not unfounded Finally, at
the next station, we stopped to await a clear
track, and, Bill not being in his accustomed
place at the doorway of his car, / decided to
ascertain where he was.
At the door there sat Bill with face as pale
as a dead person, and with large dropsof per-
SEPARATION standing on his forehead. l was about
to laugh, but sudden motion of his hand
prompted me to refrain, Finally he walked
close to the door and with one eye on me and
the other on the box he said; "There's man
) in that box alive and l know it. You had
better keep your eye on those other fellows
or we're their game sure" | paused for c
by informing the conductor and, being called
. tenderfoot; but supposing that the boz
t contains live robber, there was the point
l l meditated and | finally said to Bill K
watch further developments, but he refused
and said that if did not come to his assist
ahce he would call on somebody else. say
S that he was frightened, and he did not hav
t much the better Of me. Taking hold of tn
: car door l entered it and we both stood AM
o gazed at the box 1t was sealed and neithe
D of us had right to open it. finally calle'
: the conductor and informed him of the case
YES" said he, land noticed that the oil
lady who is weeping in the coach back Their
has ponderous foot for woman" But W
a all agreed to await developments, and
l. agreed to ride in the exT ress car with Bill.
THE TRAP DIDN'T WORK.
n We again pulled out but we had not gon
. far before the bell rope was pulled and tn
train began to slacken up. At this junctur
4 Bill did not rush to the door to see what wa
is I'D, but set both eyes on the box. A momer
r of anazement and suddenly the cover of IL
a box few off and heavily armed bandit a
10 tempted to rise, but Bill had him and in a
" instant the ball went whizzing through til
n fellows neck and he fell over. "Guard I'll
Il door" shouted Bill, and the words had ne
"a fully escaped his lips when the individual
n female attired appeared and was about
n enter the car when leveled my revolver an
10 said "Woman or man, throw up your hant
or I'll shoot" In full range the individui
could not do otherwise and one of the hant
while suspended clutched fine specimen
firearms.
a | held the strange guest at the point or m
u revolver and was surprised to see lit
D. gray haired man come out Of the ne1
W coach with the two alleged brothers heavil
g shackled. The little man who subdued IL
70 two companions was a United States ma
IL shall who was on board the train at the tim
lis The conductor was covered and ordered
g. pull the bell rope, but before the train WI
ie fairly stopped the little officer had both me
So in irons. The supposed female turned OF
II to be man in female attire. The fegne
IL corpse was converted into real one, and
er companions were sentenced to the penitel
W tiary for twenty-one years each, and are no
o at Joliet, Ills
The victim of Bills craftsmanship WI
Utah Charley, one Of the most daring ira
robbers that ever infested the plains "
. put the box and body off at the next static
. and they were disposed of in a manner whic
Us | never learned Anyway, Bills temerit
u was the means of breaking upa band of ira
10 robbers that had terrorized the west, and
= craftsmanship sent Utah Charley TO anoth
!, home where he could not stay in pine bc
10 long, Bill had about $35 900 in charge at Il
~ time, and after making that trip be turnC
~ over his keys and abandoned the service
Omaha Bee.