Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-19
INSURANCE AGAINST ROBBERY.
How a Rhode Island Man Succeeded |
MAKING Money!


Making Money.
We were staging from Anton Chico to
Santa Fee, says New York Sun writer,
and there were six passengers, all men.
Every man was armed, and one might
safely Judge that every one would fight if
driven to it. One of the passengers was
man from Rhode Island, who said his
name was Hastings, and after we were
fairly started he began:
Gentlemen, / have a proposition to
make. If you accept it hope it will be
to your benefit. If you do not, then no
harm has been done. We are quite likely
to meet with road agent before we get
through. Is SO, how many of you will
fght%
This was putting it pretty broad, but
seeing that no disrespect was meant, one of
| the passengers looked over the crowd and
| replied:
81 think every man can be depended
| on"
ayes, you think so, but when the pinch
| comes the case will be different I've
been through the mill, and I've seen a
man with two revolvers go right down in
his boots and submit to be kicked"
"What is your proposition ?"
"Well, Pm about dead broke. / want
to engage to defend this crowd for 10 per
cent. of tie money it is carrying"
"How do you mean?"
"Why, if stopped, I'll agree to kill or
run off the chap who does it. If i do you
pay me 10 per cent. If don't you pay
me nothing I'll leave it to each man to
size up his pile"
"You must think yourself very brave
and smart man." remarked one of the
| Others.
| ooh, no; Pm not at all stuck on myself.
This is a matter of business. / guarantee
to do thus and SO. / want you to do the
! same"
| We chaffed him for a while, but seeing
how good-natured he was, finally agreed
that if we were stopped and he killed or
drove the robber off we'd come down with
the per cent. demanded. Stages had been
robbed on that route. but We had no fear,
| and it had come along to 5 o'clock p. NJ
| and we were about to cross creek running
through a chaparral when a voice cried
NHalt!" and the driver pulled up.
| "Egad! but here's the agent p chuckled
Hastings, who had been, doing for half an
hour. Remember the terms, gentlemen
10 per cent. if | save your Doodle %
| Throw down your gum shouted the
voice, and we heard the driver comply.
"Now, get down and unhitch your horses
from the stagew
| The driver was swinging himself down
when Hastings opened the right-hand
door and jumped out, revolver in hand.
| As tough a locking chap as ever you saw
stood at the horses heads, a double-bar-
relied shotgun in his hands, and he yelled
at Hastings as he saw him drop. The
latter fell on his hands and knees, crept
swiftly under the vehicle, used one of the
wheel horses to cover him. and while the
| robber was peering about to locate him,
| and at the same time warning us not to
| leave the coach, the Clam State man rose
up and sent a bullet plumb through the
fellows head. He ran forward to finish
his work, but the fellow was as dead as
herring.
Scents, 10 per cent, if you please"
said Rhode Island, as we piled out of the
stage, 'and whatever find on the body is
NINE"
He got two reyolvers, the shotgun, two
gold watches and $l7o in money, and we
paid him $500 more. We felt fiat enough.
given no show. Hastings stripped the
body, dragged it out of the road, and
took his place in the coach with the re-
| mark:
"Hope you gents are perfectly satisfied
with my work, and If you want to contract
| for my services the rest of the way I'll put
'em in at 5 per cent, which is an ex-
tremely low rate"