The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-07
DRIVEN BY A MANIAC.
FEARFUL RIDE IN A COACH DOWN A
STEEP MOUNTAIN ROAD.


Behind Frenzied Animals.
My fathers death followed close on the
heels of his failure in business. leaving me,
his son and only surviving member of mis-
! family, without penny. | left college.
but wholly untitled for any work / found
| myself on the verge of starvation, so left
| Philadelphia and started west, turning ND
| finally in Virginia City. was pretty des-
perate by this time, and glad enough to
! accept an offer made me TO drive the stage
| to Sacramento. 1t was not a long drive
nor an unpleasant one, though in parts
| rather dangerous, or at least requiring
! careful driving and steady horses.
| | had made several trips very success
| fully, when one morning | left Virginia
| City with single passenger. This was a
| man of slight, delicate build, rather under
| sized, too, dressed in heavy clothes, which
! struck me at once as peculiar, for the day
was lovely June one.
Another thing impressed me disagree
! ably in my pdsseD ger-his eyes were a
| bright, unnatural blue, with something
! in their furtive glance that spoke i'll for
| his conscience or his wits, though did not
| think of the latter then. 1t was q very
unusual thing for the stage to carry SO
| light load, and found myself lingering
few minutes behind time to see if more
were not coming for had a vague dislike
which must have been preseutinent,
against setting Off alone with my queer
passenger.
There was nothing for it, though. but to
60, so | started, hoping still to pick up
others on the road. l did not, however,
and gradually lost my depression, though
it was a lonely ride without any one to
speak TO, for, unlike most people who
patronized the line, the man showed no
disposition to talk to or question the
driver, so after one or two attempts to
| draw him out let my gentleman alone
LUNATIC WITH A REVOLVER.
After awhile, however, he began to COM
plain aloud, though to himself at my man
agement of the horses, but Itook no notice
of his growing. We had by that time
reached the mountains and entered on a
narrow strip of road running along the
brow Of a canyon, at the bottom of which
cleaned tiny thread of silver, which l
knew to be the river.
It was a sheer descent of zoo feet. and
usually checked the horses at this part of
the journey. | had done this, when my
passenger stuck his head out of the win
dow and demanded if ! meant to keep up
that funeral pace, but did not give me time
to answer, and thrust out his hand with
revolver clasped in it.
Get off that seatr he yelled. 81 will
driver
l saw he would not hesitate to.sboot me,
so | climbed down with alacrity when he
advanced toward me- and threat ening me
still with the pistol, made me get into the
stage.
''Do you know who I am" he said
''Well, l am the devil, going to drive you
to hell"
This speech and his looks. which were
those of a Iunatic, and a dangerous one,
too, in his excitement, told me the truth,
and | can tell you felt the icy sweat
break over me, but climbed meekly into
the coach and watched the mailman mount
to my seat. l could only hope that he
would still retain wits enough to drive
slowly, but the first thing he did was to
bring the lash down upon the horses with
a viciousness that made them start into a
frenzied run, and then the maddest, most
terrible journey a man ever took began.
The stage spun along like a crazy top,
the horses galIoping wildly, springing
every now and then to cut from the
shouting drivers whip, while, absolutely
sick with terror, had not strength to leap
into the road, as l made up my mind to do
time and again. / would undoubtedly
have been killed at the rate at which we
were going, and it was the bare shred of
hope, which they say never wholly leaves
US, that kept me from springing out.
Part of the time crouched on the floor,
hiding my face in the cushions, but fascf-
mated by the terrible scene outside, could
not refrain from looking out upon it again
and again. On one side rose wall of re ok
as bare as my hand; on the other, and
barely five feet from where | looked out,
was the canyon and certain death.
The stage swayed feaffulIy, and every
time the whip cut into the horses they
would swing it to the very verge of the
precipice, when I could look down the wall
and see the rivers gleam, when would
throw myself against the opposite side of
the vehicle Once the hind wheels literal
ly hung over the edge for the thousandth
part of a second, though it seemed an eter
nifty to me, but were jerked onto the road
again, just as l felt the stage drag back
into the chasm.
l remember screaming like a frightened
child, and standing up in the stage laugh
ing horribly when I saw the wheels back IN
the road. l doubt if the madman on the
box was further off his balance than ! at
that moment. He was standing up, though
how he could have retained his footing is a
marvel TO me, and yelling with delight,
occasionally breaking out into song,
varied by bursts of laughter.
THE COACH STOPPED
We had covered nearly five miles when
the road widened several feet, and all at
once l saw, as we tore by, the faces of a
group of men drawn to one side to let us
pass. l shrieked to them a wild cry for
help, but as our speed was undiminished
made up my mind the noise we made had
kept them from hearing me, or that it was
impossible for them to overtake us, but
even as | despaired | heard a hoarse crv,
and looking out saw my lunatic's body
hurled from his seat into the road, and the
next minute felt the horses checked and
finally stopped. The door was flung open
and bearded face thrust in, when ! threw
myself into pair of strong arms and knew |
40 more.
When I came 70 I heard a voice say:
Give the poor chap mother swallow O. the
stuff, Jim. He's a-comin' TO" Some fiery
liquor trickIed down my throat, and open
ing my eyes, gasping, found myself sur |
rounded by a crowd of roughly dressed |
men, but they TO rny eyes had the appear |
ance of angels.
They were miners who, judging from the |
drivers actions, had guessed something OF |
the truth, and hearing my cry for help, |
bad stopped the stage This was accom- |
plshed BY two OF them catching held OF 4
and climbing I'D over the boot behind aud /
Al. -tr,a