Arizona weekly enterprise., 1889-10-12
(coMMUNICATED.) Hold up Your Hands!

through an atmosphere which fringed his rays with gold as "Nels" the Flor ence and Casa Grande stage-driver was demanded to hold up his hands. The conviction has grown and deepeh- ed since the occurrence of that event, that some one not immediately con cerned in the robbery aided and abet- ted the two men who took from the stage the mail pouch and Wells, Far go X Co.'s express bag and riiled them of their contents. They certainly un- derstood the advantage of rapid move ments, for officials started on their trail in less than an hour after the commission of the deed. Papers and letters were picked up after them but the robbers were never seen, although supposed at one time to be surround ed and almost captured. It is a strane commentary upon the boasted power of the law that these raiders and stage robbers have gone on so long upon a scale of startling magnitude and bold ness. They have been hunted at var ious times by armed men with the promise of large rewards, and still they are not heard from. In this last robbery their gain was hardly worth the daring, as there were no passen- gers and no one but the driver to be subjected to their manipulation. It is only rapine now, but murder will next follow in its footsteps. As there is a full record oi these robberies it is needless to recount them now and there are enough well authenticated incidents in the various ones to fill spacious volume No doubt we Would be astonished to see one of desperados or his confederates unmasked at his own freside, so little like his deeds had pictured him to be-tall hand some, gentlemanly in bearing, de- meanor and language, making a most favorable impression on everyone he converses with, still who can engage in desperate work and have q dark and strange career. 1 admire out spoken denunciations of men who will not uphold and shield such outlaws, but many are restrained in expressions of hostility because they fear the des- perate and vengeful character of those who are in authority and even abstain from an act or word that might lose to them the effect of the slight Ievul- sions of public opinion, hence there will be the same programme again and again as that on October 2nd, at Dry Lake in Arizona. The topography of the region and other favorable circum- stances render the task an easy one. The smooth-faced youth and grey haired old man mingle and revel in plots and schemes sordid and debasing. Year after year chase each other down the steps of time, when others will take their places-some not old in years but ripe in crime and perfectly familiar with the old spot, and have friends to aid them in their nefarious calling. It is to be hoped they will not as now have officers of the law whom they can set at defiance or friends to afford them such excellent hiding places, and that when all had passed out of the public mind in a measure, they could come back to the scenes of their former exploits and mingle with the good citizens and vot- CTS as if they had kept faith with their God and law-abiders, also be in per feet and friendly relations with some of our best men. It would look as if outsiders were ill communication with this gang. Time may disclose this fact at some future day, for sever al circumstances combine even at the present to show that it is both possible and probable. There are no swamps and bayous, thickly timbered land or underbrush furnishing a cover for their retreat No, for when the rob. bers galloped away from their bold ex ploit on Wednesday afternoon they did not find 1t necessary to seek shel ter in thickets or river bottom, fol from past experience they knew thai cover was close at hand and after di viding their plumber they separated and spent the night under friendly roofs where their entertainers eithel cared not or dared not to ask imperti nent questions and doubtless, in- deed, it would have been an easy task for some of them to have rolled | themselves into bed at their owT homes. AS I do not happen to be ont l of the kind who thlnk 1t always pru dent to keep suspicious to themselves 1 simply make these suggestions. Be side mans home is the last place a prowling detective as apt to hun
 him. A careful inspection even a this late hour might show a clue t what is yet a mystery. These lawles deeds and monstrous wrongs agains which the law affords no protection i
 a disgrace to our American people Various classes of persons eXhibi
 friendship for bad men because the, think them brave. We have too man
 of brave ones in our midst, which ex erts dangerous influence over tn
 youths and young men just comin
 upon the stage of life. Such example
 burn up all that is good in human ma
 ture, and upon all such the night 0
 woe is sure to descend; anarchy wi
 soon prevail, society be rent into frae
 ments and the law of hate triumph
 May God grant that this drama S
 full of marauding and sin be complet
 ed and the curtain forever dropped
 As for the actors we would not under
 take to defend them. Their course i
 indefensible. We cannot apologiz
 for them; for outlawry cannot be tol'
 rated. Let them expect no mercy, c
 turn from their evil ways and aton
 by an upright life in the future for a
 the past. P. F.
 A Fortunate Druggist.
 MT Edwin ". Joy for many years and now pro