The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-03-05
NE WAS 4 FAMOUS AeE.DalvfR.

nc WAS \ fAWUV1 SIAoe.UnIvchs
His Skill Saved q Coach Load from
q Tribe of Indians.
The heroism and bravery of Rob-
ert Emery is an example to every
school boy in Nebraska to-day.
Gage county has the honor of being
his home and Beatrice the abiding
place of his posterity.
In 1864 Robert Emery was a stage
driver along the St. Joe and Denver
route. In August Of that year oc-
CURED the great Indian raid, when
80 many settlers lost their lives.
There were nine passengers in his
coach-seven men and two ladies.
Although exceedingly dangerous he
offered to drive to Liberty Farm,
where his brother Charles lived.
The morning of August 8, 1854, was
beautiful. The sky was clear and
cool and a refreshing breeze came
up from the northwest. The coach
left the station of Big Sandy with
its freight of human lite drawn by
four large and mettled steeds in
which the driver had unbounded
confidence and over them perfect
control. The journey was without
accident or unusual incident until
about II o'clock, up to which time
no signs of Indians had been seen.
But, just as the lead horses had
passed over the hill and were on a
spur that led into the bottom land,
or valley-this was narrow and bor-
dered on either side by deep ravines,
worn by the water-and before the
coach had commenced the descent
the driver discovered band of In
dians about thirty rods in advance.
He wheeled the horses in an instant
two rods further on he could not
have accomplished the turn-and,
laying the whips to their backs,
commenced an impetuous retreat.
The passengers were terrified and
were at once on their feet. Emery
said: If you value your lives, for
Gods sake keep your seats, or we
are lost"
The Indians, about fifty in num-
ber, gave chase, with their terrifying
yell, and for about three miles,
which were accomplished in about
twelve minutes, pursued and pursu-
ers made the most desperate efforts
at speed. The savage yells of those
bloodthirsty villains and the walls
of despair of the men and women
in the coach are past the power OF
pen to describe. But to the glory o1
the driver be it said that he was the
only steady-nerved and unexcited
person in this memorable chase.
The coach bristled with arrows,
like quilts upon the fretful porcu-
pine" They grazed young Emery
on every side and cut the tarett off
the head of the wheel horse, but
the young man needed nothing but
his driving.
There were two points at which
all would have been lost but for
the drivers wonderful presence of
mind. There were two abrupt turns
in the road where the coach would
have been thrown over had he not
brought the team to a halt and
turned with care. This he did to
the dismay of some Of the passen-
gers, who saw escape only in speed,
but their subsequent praise of his
conduct was as great as his courage
was cool and calculating. George
Constable, who was conducting an
OK train over the route, saw the
coach about q mile ahead and at
once corraled his twenty-five wag-
ons. The brave driver drove his
nine passengers into this shelter in
safety. Words could not express
the gratitude fell. for their hero and
deliverer. In the delirium of de-
light they embraced and kissed
him, and thanked God that he had
held the lines, and that they were
in q position that they could not
infarfaro Omaha Bee.