Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-23
NERVE ON THE pRrvER.s SEAT

An Old stsrer Whose Coolne.. Saved d.
L,es ef HIS Pas.cngcr..
Pr N tho Omaha Bee.
The heroasm ana bravery OF Robert Emery
h an example 70 every school boy in Nebraska
today. Gage county has the honor Of being
his home and Beatrice his abiding place.
In 1894 Robert Emery vas a stRge driver
along the St Joe and Denver route In An
gust OF that yoSr occurred the great ludsan
raid, When 20 many settlers lost their lives
There we're nine pos-ensers In his coach.
seven mcn and two ladies. Although
exceedingly dangerous. he offered TO
drive to Liberty fAIIa. whore has brother
Charles lived Tho morning Of August
9. 1854 was bcaatfaL The ssy WAS cIsAr.
and n cool. refre-hing breeze came up
from the northwest The coach len the sta
ton of Big sandy with is freight OF human
lives drawn by four large and mcttled siooAs.
in which the driver had unhoaudod confidence
and over them perfect control. The journey
was without accident OF unusual incident I'M
III about IL O'Clock. up 90 which time no signs
OF Indians had been seen. But just as the
lead horses had passed over the hall and were
on n spur that led into the bottom land or
yailey-this was narrow and bofdcred on either
side by deep rayincs, worn by she ~sser-and
the driver discovered a hand OF Indians about
thirty rods in advance He wheeled the horses
In an instsnt-tWo rods further on he could
not have accomplished the turn-and. laying
the whip 20 thoir backs, commenced an i'm
petuous retreat The passengers were terri
lied and were at once ON their feet Emery
SAID: III you value your lives for Gods sRke
keep your seats or we are lost"
The Indians. about fifty in number. gave
chase with their terrifying yell and Tor about
raal
twelve minutes. pursued and pursuers made
the most desperate efforts at speed. The saw
ace yells OF those bloodthirsty villains and the
walls OF despair OF the men and women in the
eosch are past the power OF pen 10 describe.
But to the glory OF the driver be it said that he
WIS the only steady -nerved and unex citcd per-
son in this memorable chase. The coach bris-
tied with arrows, like quills upon the frettul
porcupine. They graked young Emery on
every side and cut the tarett of the head OF the
wheel horse. ba; the Young man needed moth
ing but his driving
There were two points at which all would
have been lost but for the drivers wonderi--
presence OF mind. There were two abrupt
turns in the road where the coach would have
been thrown over bad be not brought the team
10 a halt aud turned with care This he did 20
the disnay OF some OF the passengers who saw
escape only IN speed. but their subseouent
praise OF his conduct was great M al. cour-
age Was cool and calculating. George Consta-
~. "--p VIZ NoAaNSAlitN bA lraAu over the
route. saw the coach about mile ahead and at
once corraliod his twenty-five wagons. Tho
Brave driver drove hIs nine passengers into
THIS shelter and safety. Words could not sx-
press the gratitude seit for their hero and de-
hvcrer. In the dclIrum OF delight they en-
braecd and kissed him and thanked God that
lac had held the lines and that they were in a
position where they could not interfere Tho
noble sieeds were not forgotten. The passcn-
gers petted them aud cast their arms about
their uecks with feelings OF grateful emotion.
This memorable drive would never be for
gotten. though not recorded here for the story
would be handed down 60 posterity by the sue
cessiye generations OF the saved The hero of
that days chase won not his best laurels in
that hour, for wherever he was known his gen.
tie manner and kind deeds won for him a well
come i'm every heart Devoid of boastful pre-
tense. he wore meekly his well-deserved honors
and silently carried n hero's heart His health
was fraI and in about a wear he was
prostratei with fever and while upon his
deathbed yet still conscious Mrs. Randolph,
one OF the number he sayed from q
horrible death. placed upon his finger q beau
lfui gold ring ia which was engraved the fol-
lowing; e. Umphrey. q. {. Randolph and
Hattie p. Randolph 10 Robert Emery in ac-
acknowledgement of what we owe 30 his cool con-
duct aud good driving Tuesday. August ..
1864. Soon after this he passed away from
these sceaes of warfare to the silent aud peace
full realm OF the dead. The doctor who at
tended him in his last hours eulogized him as
silent hero and one Of the noblest Of man.
kiRd