Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-07-21
A PLUCKY FAT MAN.
He Tackled the Stage Robher, but Got n
Help, and Was Worsted.

Help, and Was Worsted.
In 1878 Milo iIoadley was passenger
on the Milton stage when 1t WIS held
up by lone italian highwayman.
There were four or five passengers be.
sides lIoadley, all young, strong men,
who would not like to sec their names
ID print iii connection with this Incl.
dent.
The Italian, a tall, athletic fellow,
stepped out from behind rock at the
foot of steep hill, and lcvcling shot
gun at the driver ordered him to stop
and throw out the box The driver
obeyed and handed the box, which con-
tanned several thousand dollars, to the
robber, who took it In his left hand
and remarked that that was all he
wanted
Hoadley looked at the robber and
said:
Don't you think you've got lot Of
cheek to hold up a stage with five men
i'll it?'
at strikes me" replied the robber,
that you've got more cheek to make
any impromtu remarks on the subject
when nobody has bothered you. Have
you got any money about you9"
eyes, have" said Hoadley I've
got hundred dollarsi but what of it?''
"Nothing particular, except | want
it, and will blow your head off if you
don't hand it out lively" And so say
ing the robber sighted along his gun
barrel at Mr. Hoadley's head. He
looked as if he meant business, and
and Hoadley leisurely fished out his
purse and held it out to the robber.
Hoadly sat on the front seat, between
the driver and another man, and in
handing the purse to the robber he had
to lean forward and across the other
passenger, while the robber had to
lower his gun, step close to the stage
and reach up for the purse with his left
hand,
Just as the robber grasped the purse
Hoadley pitched forward and hurled
himself upon the fellow, landing astride
Of h i'm and bearing him to the ground
with a crash. Hoadley weighed over
two hundred pounds, and the Italian
had hard job to shake him off, but
Hoadlcy was much the older man, and
his wind did not last long, The strug-
gle on the ground lasted for minute
or more and had the other passengers
gone to Hoadley's assistance they could
have overpowered and bound the robber
without any difficulty. But not man
Of them stirred hand or foot to help the
old gentleman, and in few moments
fegained possession of his gun, which
he had dropped when Hoadley fell upon
him.
"You are the checklist old man ever
saw" said the Italian, as Hoadley, al
most breathless and wholly Disguised,
scrambled to his feet and began brush
ing the dust from his clothes.
That's all right" painted the old gen.
tleman, "but if any of those blamed
towards on the stage had stood in we'd
have had you tied up and the joke would
have been on YOU"
Now, it would be a fine ending of
this incident to relate how the road
agent, admiring the spirit and courage
of the old gentleman, returned to him
his purse and punished the cowardice
of the other passengers by compelling
them to give up all their money and
watches but highwaymen of that type
went out of fashion long ago, and the
cold, unromantic truth of the matter is
that the Italian kept Hoadley's one
hundred dollars, didn't rob the others,
and went away into the brush with his
gun and the express box.
The sheriff took his trail that same
day and arrested him in wayside
saloon, but forgot to search him, and
when the robber was taken to Jail he
gave Hoadley's one hundred dollars to
a lawyer to defend him. The Italian
was prosecuted, convicted and sent to
prison as John Doe, and he never was
identified otherwise, and the express
box that he stole never was found
San Francisco Examiner.