The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-07

4 Bat ntAse Driver viva HAd Pluck
Hseugh to Fight : HishwAymsn.
In 1873 Milo HoAdley Was 4 passenger on
Me Milton staRs whom II Was held up b. :
lone italian highwayman. There ware four
d Ave- passengers besides HoAdlsy. III
young, strong uasn, who would aot like 10
~ thsis names In print In connection with
this incident, says No San Franchise Ex-
aninsr.
The Italian. : tall, athletic fellow, atsppsd
out from behind : rock aA the foot 81 u
stssp hill, and dwelling Z shotgun q the
driver ordered him 70 stop and throw out
tho box. The driver obsysd and handed
The box, which contained several thousand
dollars. 70 the sobbss. who took y "a his
Hoadlsy looked u w robbsT and raid:
'DoH't Ye1 think yoa hays got : lot of
chssk y hold NJ ! stage With Ave men IN it?''
you've eot 1 d. sieht more cheek to make
any impronptu rsmarks on the subject
whom nobody has bothered you. Have you
got any money shout you3"
800; but what Of itY"
Nothing particular, except want i,
hand II ont lively" And 30 saying the
robbsr sigAted along. his gun barrel q MI.
Hoadley's head. Hs looked On II he
meant business. and Hoadley leisurely
dshsd out his purse and held II out TO the
Sobbsr. Hoadley sat on the front seat, be-
tween the driver and anoshsr man. and In
handing the purse TO the robber hs had TO
lean forward across the other passenger.
while the robbsr had TO lower his gun, step
close to the stage and reach mp for the
purse with his left hsad.
Hoadley pitched forward and hurled him
self upon the fellow, landing astrids Of him
and bearing him TO ths ground with Z
crash. Hoadley weighed over 200 pounds,
and the italian mad = hard Job e shake
him Oh, but Hoadlsy. was much ths elder
struggle on the ground lasted for : minute
more. and had the other passengers gone 10
Hoadley's assistance thoy could have over
powered and bound the robbsr without any
difficulty. But not a man Of them stirred
him or foot to heir. the old gentleman. and
under him and regained possession Of his
gun, which he had dropped when Hoadlsy
"You are the chsekiest old man I ever
saw" said the Italian, - Hoadley. almost
breathless and wholly disRustsd. sorambled
to biz isst and began brushing The dust
"That's iii right" painted the old gentle
man, "but II any Of those d towards
on the stage had stood in we'd have tied
you Up and the joke would have been on
YOU"
Now, Il would have been . fine ending of
this incident to relate how tho road agent.
admiring the spirit and courage Of the old
gentleman, returned TO him his purse and
punished The cowardics Of the other
passengers BY cempelling thsm to give mp
all their money and watches. but highway-
nlsn Of that type went out of fashion long
ago, and the cold, unronantic truth of the
matter 10 that the Italian kept Hosdley's
$10O. 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 at q wayside saloon, but
forgot 10 search him, and when the robber
was taken TO jail he gave Hoadley's 800 TO
q lawyer to defend him. The Italian was
prosecuted. convicted and sent to prison 40
John Doe. and he never was identified
otherwise. and the express box that he stole
never was found.