The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-05-21
sRAvLRY OF A sTAeg.nRlvER.
Boset by Indians His Goodness Saved the
Lives of His Passengers.

5RAVERY OF a STAGE-DRlVER. X.
Ioset by Indians His Goodness Saved the
Lives of His Passengers.
The heroism and bravery Of Robert
Emery is an example to every schoolboy
in Nebraska to-day. Gage county has
the honor of being his home, and Bea-
trice his abiding place.
In 1854 Robert Emery was q stage.
driver along the st. Joe and Denver
route In August of that year occurred
the great Indian raid, when so many
settlers lost their lives. There were
nine passengers in his coach-seven
men and two ladies. Although exceed
ingly dangerous, he offered to drive to
Liberty farm, where his brother,
Charles, lived. The morning of August
o, 1854, was beautiful. The sky was
clear, and a cool, refreshing breeze
came up from the northwest. The coach
left the station of Big Sandy with its
freight of human lives, drawn by four
large and mettled steeds, in which the
driver had unbounded confidence and
over them perfect control. The jour
ney 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 bordered
on either side by deep ravines, worn by
the water--and before the coach had
commenced the descent, the driver dis
covered band of Indians 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 whip 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 on 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 c.forts 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 OF
the driver be it said that he was the
only steady-nerved and unexcited per
son 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 We're two points at which al
would have been lost but for the drivers
wonderful presence of mind. There
were two abrupt turns in the roaG
where the coach would have beer
thrown over had he not brought the
team to halt and turned with care
This he did to the dismay of some O
the passengers, who saw escape
only in speed, but their subsequent
praise of his conduct was as great a.
his courage was cool and calculating
George Constable, who was conducting
an OK train ever the route, saw the
coach about a mile ahead, and at once
| corraled his twenty five wagons. The
brave driver drove his nine passenger
into this shelter and safety. Words
could not express the gratitude felt fol
their hero and deliverer. In the de
lirium of delight they embraced ant
| kissed him, and thanked God that h,
had held the lines, and that they wer'
in position where they could not inter
fere: The noble steeds were not forgot
ten. The passengers petted them ant
| cast their arms a bout their necks will
foal,,rrc &c +af,,1 a,,,Dti1r,
This memorable drive would never b,
| forgotten though not recorded here, TO
| the story would be handed down t,
| posterity by the successive generation
of the saved. The hero of that day
chase won not his best laurels in tina
hour for wherever he was known hi
| gentle manner and kind deeds won TO
him welcome in every heart. Devoi'
Of boastful pretense, he wore meelSl,
his well-deserved honors and silentl,
carried hero's heart. His health wa
frail, and in about year he was pros
trated with fever and, while upon hi
death bed, yet still conscious, Mrs. Ran
dolph, one of the number he saved from
horrible death, placed upon his fnge
beautiful gold ring, in which was en-
graved the following: "E. Umphrey
G.. c. Randolph and Hattie P. Randolp
to Robert Emery, in acknowledgment
of what we owe to his cool conduct an
good driving Tuesday, August o, 1864.
Soon after this he passed away fror
these scenes of warfare to the silen
and peaceful realm of the dead. Th
doctor who attended him in his las
hours eulogized him as silent hero an
one of the noblest of mankind.