The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-04
ROBBER LONG TOM"
AND HIS GANG.
A Sketch Of an Early California Bandits
Methods.
Stealing Twenty Thousand Dollars-Drunken
Carousal and Several Fights to the
Death-Ine Money Saved.
written for THE SUNDAY CALI

| wayslde hotel
"Who and where?" l exclaimed.
1.-TWO miners on Brush Creek" was the
answer.
"fell US about it." said Morley. WAS
| it Long Tom again?'
Yes" was his reply. Just as the two
| got to the top of Millsap Hill Long Tom
and two of his band sprang into the road
| from behind a tree
"What was said?" asked Morley.
Hand over that dust or We'll blow your
| heads off. F." replied MCGEE.
And they gave up. OF cnurse?" l cried.
oval. one of EN- did and the other poor
| fellow trie 10 draw his pistol"
And the robbers?' L asked, interested
in the result.
plugged him full Of lead and came
pretty near serving the other in the same
| way. He begged like a child for them not
to kill him, SO after taking his gold they let
him CO."
| l TUNED to my companion and said.
"Morley, we are in for il this trip"
Have you got much this time?" asked
Bill.
Twenty thousand dollars" was my
answer.
He gave prolonged whistle, and taking
our heavy holsters locked them up iii a little
! cupboard behind the bar. 1t was the only
| place in the house that had a lock and key.
| We were glad to be rid OF the gold, for
time at least, for we had been carrying it
UPON OUR BACKS ALL DAY.
A few words will explain my situation. 1
had built up a lucrative express business
between Marysville, the largest town in
| Northern California, and the various min
| ing camps on the headwaters of the North
! Feather River. The region l had to tray
erse was q wild and lonely one, the road
| being q pack trail along the narrow ridge
| upon which this small hotel was built. /
| always went fully armed, and on this trip
| had a companion upon whom l could rely !;
yet the robbers had every advantage Of US,
for the trail ran through a dense!y wooded
| region where it was impossible to see half
| dozen rods away. Within the past month
this route had been infested by a band OF
( highwaymen under the command oil very
| tall man called Long Tom" A number of
persons had been stopped and felt that the
| next day would be peril0us to Morley, my
| companion, and l.
oval. you are safe here" said Bill conf
ing from behind the bar, ''and now 1 will
tell Bob to hurry up supper"
He went off to the kitchen where a COL
Ored man otficiated as cook, leaving Morley
! and | to discuss the situation. We had to
|
| ing-roOm, and were thus some distance from
where the gold had been secured, SO Bill re-
| manned TO watch that while we eat our
meal. AS we arose from the table went 10
| the kitchen moment to see about an early
| breakfast. Onmy return thought | heard the
murmur of voices, but supposed that new
| arrival had come, and threw open the bar
| room door without the slightest suspicion
! of danger. In an instant pistol was showed
| into my face, and the harsh voice OF Long
| Tom," the robber chief, cried:
THROW UP YOUR Hands,"
Instead of Instantly obeying, l moved my
hands toward my side, where hung my
| trusty revolver Ere | could grasp it the
| stern voice of the robber cried, up with
your hands, or will blow your brains OUT"
A single glance showed me the folly of re-
| sSIance. Both of my companions had been
| captured and their arms removed, while the
| room was filed with half dozen highway
| men, prepared to shoot me down IN sec
| ond. / threw up my hands, my weapons
| were removed and with those of Bl and
| Morley placed on box in one corner OF the
room, aud then the leader said: Take a
seat there with the other fellows, and don't
try any tricks on US or you'll get dose OF
| cold lead"
To say that felt crestfallen and humil-
lated would but family express my thoughts.
| Taking a seat by McGee | said in a whisper,
| How did it happen?" He replied in the
same tone. Two oil EN- came in pretending
to be miners, anu called for drink. AS
| turned TO get the liquor they covered me
with their pistols and made me sit here"
And the others?" | asked.
| 'Oue of the two ran to tine door and gave
| signal and IN moment the four others
came in. Two of 'em stood by the door and
| caught Morley just as they got you. Then
the captain and that oldish fellow, with the
| gray beard, broke open the little cupboard
| and got the gold.
Robbed of twenty thousand dollars"
| said /, with a grOan. L thought of the min
| ers to whom it belonged, and how | would be
| RECEIVED BY THEM ON MY RETURN.
| At this moment the tall captain turned to
| Bill and said, Call in that black cook of
| yours" McGee gave loud call and a mo-
ment later the round black good-natured
face of Bob appeared at the DOOR The out
law caught him by the head and shaking
| him roughly, said, Now, You black whelp,
l will give you just twenty inmates to cook
| supper for six of u.s."
The black looked at MCGEE and said in
| an appealing way, Massa Bill dis amt no
way for desc yer miners to treat dis chile"
| " Miners be hanged" roared the captain.
| shaking Bob till his teeth chartered. 1--WE
| are no miners. | am Long Tom Did you
ever hear of hlm?" The poor fellow rolled
I his eyes up and cried IN a tremul0us voice:
For de love OF God. massa, don't hurt
| laughed at the dismay of the darky. but
| the captain gave him a shove inside the
| door and cried harshly: "Get that supper
! at once, or we will have your black hide"
| Turning to US he said with an OATH " You
| keep where you are and don't move or you
| will hear the bark of this" tapping his
| revolver in a significant manner. la short
| time bob called them to their meal, and the
| captain, two MeXicans and one whom l
| took to be foreigner went to the dining
| room, leaving us under the guard of the
| oldish man and companion whom think
was also a foreigner. When the door was
closed the old man said; Boys. you are
in danger; the captain is half drunk to-
| day and is as ugly as old Nick"
| what shall we do2" / asked. "W1l
| you help us TO escape?"
He shook his head and replied: mo. no;
| but you keep quiet and dom make move
| for Tom is
| READY TO KILL YOU IN A MOMENT"
This hint probably saved our lives, for
| several times during the evening the tall
| captain turned toward us and glared in the
| most fiendiSh manner as though the slight
| est pretext would answer his purpose. Al
ter supper the outlaws gathered around a
table and upon this piled the gold they had
| stolen and then sat down TO gamble for it.
| Several bottles of liquor soon infiamed their
| passions, and at the end OF two or three
| hours they were exceedingly quarreisome.
| Twice the captain interfered to settle dis
| puts, but at length one accused another of
| cheating him. La moment the lie was
| passed and both men sprang to their feet
| and attacked each other with murdereus-
| looking knives. We saw these knives bright
| and cleaning one second and the next they
| were dripping with each others blood. The
| OIL er robbers jumped up and tried to inter-
| fere, but both men were so maddened with
| drink and rage that neither would listen to
reason aud swore they would kill any one
| who touched them. A moment later one
| fell, stabbed through the heart This so
| enraged his countryman that hs drew pis-
| VOundnt
| fatal blow. ''Holdp cried the captain,
springing between them, There has been
enough of this" at the same time
catching the shooter with the grip Of
| giant. The eyes of the former glared like
| those of q wild beast and instead of CON-
i Ial..inn no raisad his ristnl nd shnt the