San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-29
A FAMOUS STAGE DRIVER.
His Skill Saved a Coach Load From
Tribe Of Indians.

IrtDe or lnulans
From the Omaha Bee.
The heroism and bravery of Rob-
ert Emery Is an example to every
school boy in Nebraska today. Gage
county has the honor of being his
home, and Beatrice the abiding place
of his posterity.
In 1854 Robert Emery was a stage
driver along the St 10 and Denver
route. In August of that year &C.
Cured the great Indian raid, when so
many settlers lost their lives.
There were nine passengers in
his coach-seven men and two
ladies. Although exceedingly dam
gerous, he offered to drive to
Liberty Farm, where his brother
Charles lived. The morning of Au-
gust 8, 1864, was beautiful. The sky
was clear and cool and refreshing
breeze came up from the northwest.
The coach left the station of Big
Sandy with its freight of human life
drawn by four large and mettled
steeds in which the driver had I'M
bounded confidence aud over them
perfect con trol. The journey was
dCCluCDb
until about IL 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 we're on
q spur that led into the bot
tom land, or valley-this was narrow
and bordere1 on either side by deep
ravines, worn by the water-and be
fore the coach had commenced the
descent the driver discovered band
of Indians about thirty rods in ad.
vance. He wheeled the. horses in an
instant-two rods further on he could
not have accomplished the turn-and
laying whip to their backs, COM
menced an impetnOus retreat. The
passengers were terrified, and were at
once Oh their feet Emery said: 'If
you value your lives, for Gods sake
keep your seats, or we are lost"
The Indians, about fifty in number,
gave chase with their terrifying yell,
and for about three miles, which
were accomplished in about twelve
minutes, pursued and pursuers made
the most desperate efforts at speed.
The savage yells of those blood-thirs-
ty 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 Of the driver be it
said that he was the only steady
nerved and uuexcited person in this
memorable chase. The coach bristled
with arrows, "like quilts upon the
fretful porcupine." 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 been lost but for the drivers
wonderful presence of mind. There
were two abrupt turns in the road
thrown over had he not brought the
team to halt and turned with care
This he did to the dismay of some of
the passengers 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 con.
Quoting an OK train over the
route, saw the coach about mile
ahead and at once corraled his
twenty-five wagons. The brave driv-
or drove his nine passengers into this
shelter and safety. Words could not
express the gratitude felt for their
hero and deliverer. In this delirium
of delight they embraced and kissed
him, and thanked God that he had
held the lines, and that they were. In
a position where they cou Id not inter
fere. The noble steeds were not for
gotten. The passengers petted them
and cast their arms about their necks
with feelings of grateful emotions.
This memorable drive would never
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