The morning call., 1891-09-20
stage had to be ut each given point on time,
or the driver had to make good the losses.

or the driver had to make good the losses.
DRIFTED TO THE STAGE.
About nine years ago he drove Alf Wy
man, Snowman, over the route. and was
induced by him to lead the way for his
road show. From that he did work in the
concert. and finally drifted ON the legitimate
stage. In talk the other day he gave the
following experience:
Yes. was frequently held up by road
agents. OF course / gave up. ANY man
who would not would be fool. The rob
bers always have the advantage. The
coach is always attacked on an up grade,
and always at a place where there Is
canyon on one side so that there is only one
side to watch. You only see one man. de
orders you to stop. Only part of him is
visible. and you might shoot at him half
dozen times without hitting. him, and then
you don't know how many other guns are
pointed at you. You hear stories OF two
men holding up a stage. IL appears so, but
lying in hiding No more ever appear un-
less they are needed. On the route from
San Andreas TO Eldorado my stage was held
up one night and over $4,000 taken. One
man stood at the horses heads and called
out, Say, Rich, you're little late tonight!
Yes L answered, hurry up. for l want TO
reach the next station
A COOL ROAD AGENT.
"The man wore a plain black mask. His
side face was toward me, and little later,
when he cOugbed, the mask flew out, and by
the light Of the bulPs-eye lantern on the
coach l could recognize him. The next day
l met him in the Office of Wells Fargo IL
Co. at San Andreas reading an offer OF $1,000
reward for each Of the road agents. OF
course did not say anything. | wanted to
live a while longer, and il had told what l
knew | would have been picked off by a
bullet the very next time l mounted my
coach. Drivers never dared TO tell what
they knew, and don't believe any of them
stood in with the road agents. But the
sequel is that last year, when l was in Cali
f0rnia, l met this same road agent living in
fine style in Lodi. He OF course knew me
and invited me to dinner. L did not tell
him what l knew of his past, but just as
the train was pulling out the temptation
grew TOO strong and | repeated tbs CONVEX
sation in the gorge on the night of the rob-
berry. | could see the man turn both pale
and red.
DRUMMERS NOT DESIRABLE
"Another experience was with two fresh
drummers who were aching to shoot road
agents, aud carried their guns in their
hands. was always afraid when | had
such passengers, for some one was pretty
sure to be killed. and never yet heard of
it being one of the road agents. Well, we
were coming down deep gully. 1t WAS one
OF those lonesome places where passengers
hold their breaths. l could make out the dim
outline Of man with gun, and promptly
slowed up.
Il thought myself it was case of hold
up, but it proved to be only a miner who
wanted to board the stage. Then / looked
around for the fre-eaters, but they had
dropped off the back Of the stage and dis
appeared. There was no time to wait, so
drove on. While changing horses at the
next station the Wells-Fargo guard dashed
up aud wanted to know where the wounded
were. They said the drummers had rushed
back to San Andreas and told story of all
the passengers having been shot but them
SaIvps -