The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-29
ROBBERY AS A FINE ART.
THRILLING STORIES RECALLED By
RECENT EXPLOITS.

Importance of Firearms When
Viewed Down the Muzzle-Some
Instances by Way of Illustrations.
krom the San Francisco Chronicle.
In 1881 the stage road between Benson
and Tombstone was bad route to trave
by night or by day. Benson was inhabited
mostly by rustlers and toughs, and Tomb
stone was infested by Doc Holiday and
other people of that sort. The Earps
managed TO hold things level in Tombstone,
but the road agents bossed the highway,
and in Benson man was liable to be held
ND at noon on the depot platform while
waiting for train. Budd Philpot, brother
ip-law of Charley Foss, the king of stage
drivers, was driving the Benson and Tomb
stone stage, and one night some one tried to
hold him up not many miles from Tomb
stone Philpot had had experience with
road agents, and when he heard the order to
halt come from the darkness little behind
the off-fore wheel, he concluded that the
robber was a green hand at the business,
and instead Of putting on the brake, he
gave the horses the silk and sent them
ahead on the run.
In nine cases out of ten the trick would
have won, as the robber would have thought
It hardly worth while to fire at rapidly
escaping stage, and the darkness would
have spoiled his aim if he did fire. But the
crack of Philpot's lash was answered by the
crack of a Winchester, and Philpot half
sprung to his feet, dropped back with a
moan and swayed in his seat. The mes
senger who sat beside him threw his right
h.. All 1..,,kL IL.
seized the lines as they fell from Philpot's
relaxed fingers.
The Winchester cracked again and again,
and cry from the inside Of the coach told
that one of the passengers had been hit
The frightened horses flew over the road.
The messenger held the dying driver with
one arm, aud with the left hand tried to ar
range the tangled lines while the bullets
whistled by in the dark. He got the stage
into Tombstone with the express box safe.
but two dead men were taken from the
coach.
That was not the work of a professional
road agent. The main purpose of the rob-
Der Is co secure plumber, and if he does any
killing it is either to prevent somebody
from Killing him or to insure the success
of the robbery. The attack upon the
Tombstone stage was the work Of
mankiller who had turned road agent for
one night only. and for that and other good
reasons the job was generally attributed to
Doc Holiday. man who left q trail of
blood across every state and territory be-
tween the Mississippi and the Sierras
A man who understands the art Of high
way robbery can hold up any stage without
firing shot, unless fighting shotgun mes
senger happens to be on the box, in which
case he may get into trouble and miss the
trick. The expert professional never fools
with stage ON open ground or steep
down grade. He selects mis- ground with
ease and Judgment, choosing a place where
the stage must be driven slowly, and taking
such position that he cannot be seen until
he has the driver covered with his shotgun
He uses the shotgun rather than the rife or
revolver, because the shotgun is the formida-
bic weapon at short range, its capacity
for scattering fire being we'll known and
duly respected by the drivers.
The bigger the bore of the gun the more
terrifying it is to passengers, although it is
singular fact that under such circum-
stances a % 'canber rife barrel is likely to
be mistaken for the mouth of the Sutro
tunnel. On the line Of every stage road
in California is pointed out some spot that
is a favorite stand for robbers. 1t is usually
in sharp re-entering angle where the
horses mu It be broughtdown to a walk, and
the ROCKY bank or tree affords hiding
place f. r the robbers. 1t does not matter If
the dri yer knows that he is liable to be held
up at that spot and is on the alert. lie can
not make the turn at high speed, and he must
CIV his attention to his team to avoid an
" set.
Just as the coach swings into the gully
and the driver is about to rein the leaders
out from the bank, he hears the sharp COM
maud to halt. and without turning to see
he knows that shotgun is pointed at his
head from behind the tree The stage
driver, being commonly man Of sense and
good judgment, puts on the brake and stops
INSTANTLY.
Throw down the box" is the next or
der, and thu driver losses out the express
box. Sometimes the man behind the tree
wants the mail sacks, too, and If he is very
greedy and bold, he orders the passengers
TO jump out and empty their pockets.
Usually the passengers tumble over each
other in their haste TO obey the orders of
6ne man with the gun, and he makes good
haul of watches and loose change,
II the robber is alone nobody need lose
much wealth in hold up, however. The
robber will not throw himself off guard to
search the pockets of a lot of passengers. 1t
Is his business to keep them covered with
bis gun. and he depends upon their terror to
Induce them to give up what he would not
search for. 1t requires an artistic operator,
aud one with supreme audacity, to go
through a whole stage load of people aud
clean them out to the ultimate nickel, but
California can proudly boast Of having pro-
nuced such artists. One way of doing the
trick is to pretend that another robber is
concealed in the brush close by.
Jim, you Keep these galoots covered
while go through 'em," remarks the road
agent in a cool, matter of-fact way. after
ne has ranged the frightened passengers in
a row, with their hands above their heads.
and then be goes through them without
undue haste, making facetious remarks as
ne brings up the plumber.
The lone highwaynan of Shasta, who
was captured recently, had neat method
OF taking care of passengers when they
were numerous enough to be troublesome.
nis outfit consisted of q six-shooter and a
bundle Of barley sacks He stopped the
inward bound stage within the town limits
u heddlng, and put barley sack over the
ueed OF every man In the crowd.
4, Just as he finished that part of the job
sne outward bound stage drove up. and he
stopped that and bagged the heads Of all
uanas Then a farmer happened along, aud
ne was treated similarly. A citizen of Redd-
ing driving for doctor, fell into the trap
ano Joined the barley sack brigade, and
Snen came the schoolmarm of the district,
VINO was told to stop aud sit still in her
ouggy, which she did. The lone robber ex-
pIoreo The pockets Of the crowd, broke open
sue express boxes and quietly slipped away
t ~ ene woods, aud the bagged victims
AfuhG dare TO no0va until kha RIM