The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-16
A California Express Messenger
Shot on His Stage.
HIcHwAvnaAN LAY. ~ AMsusn.
The Drivers Nerve Saves the Stage
From Being Piandered.
Jeha AeCaaAiess. Me1bss ~ Hawaiiaa
Frsvissosal GevsSanent. Explains
status ef Affairs - the Islsnds-
Eesseny % Beplsss Ries.

Jackson, Cal, June l5-An attempt v ~
made to rob the mail stage on its way
from lone 20 Jackson about O'Clock this
evening. by lone hishwayman, at the
foot OF Morrow grade. shout four miles
from here. The stage had four passengers
inside. including two ladies. and one on
the outside. besides the driver. Gin. Rad
eliffe. and Wcsls-Fargo's guard, Mi
chaei Tov-y, who sat on the box
by the driver. The point selected
for the crime was the identical
spot where some Eve months ago the same
guard. then walking ahead Of the stage,
found the way barsicaded by . strand Of
barbed wire. cut from alongside the road
and stretched across the roadway. On the
present occasion the robber vas concealed
behind rocks on the right hand side Of the
road. He wore no mask, except that his
face was blackened. Ths driver says that
no word to halt was given. but some OF
the passengers say they heard call.
When opposite the piace Of conceaiment,
without the least intimation Of the bloody
work about to be conxpmmaced, the dis
charge Of weapon was heard and Tovey
instantly fell forward of his seat dead.
Radcliffe grasped him by one hand as he
was falling and raised him to the box,
thereby saving him from falling into the
roadway. Six horses were attached 70 the
stage and the crack Of the rifle frightened
them into a galiop The robber seeing
that he was likely to be foiled in his design
to capture the booty, fired again. this time
the ball grazing Radclifle's back and pro-
ducing a slight flesh wound. The horses
still continued to run and the highway
man. now standing in full view in the
road. fired twice again at tho horses.
wcunding one each tina
But the stage was swept along By the
impetus Of the uninjured horses for 200 or
800 yards. when the driyer halted. turned
tho two injured animala into q field and
came on. bringing the body Of the MUIR
dered messenger to Jacu BON. reaching here
At about O'Clock. Thu robber made no
effort to follow the stGge to its halting
place. The double barie!ed shotgun be-
longing to the messenger was kept on
board. and this fact probably deferred the
assassin from following up Aiascheme.
Besides this the firing MS heard BY sew
eral farmers working in hay fields near by,
and they came runnine to ascertain the
cause. The robbcr e4esodl into the thick
brusA % the south thsroad. msh-
ing toward Sunny creek. He is described
as . short man, about five and one-half
feet tall.
There was treasure on board the stage
both for Amador City and Jackson. 1t is
remembered that when the wire was
strung across the road on the previous oc-
casion there was considerable coin on
board bound for Amador City to pay off
the employees Of mine there Tovey, the
victim Of the tragedy, was a single man
between 40 and so years of age. In dress
ing the body it was found that he was
shot twice. the first shot going clean
through his body and passing
through his heart. Another ball en-
tered his right side below the armpit
and lodged in the back Of the left shoul.
der, whence the bali. 4i-ca!iber Winches-
ter. fell ous while dressing the body. He
had been messenger for the Wells Fargo
express for two years and has been
wounded three times before by road
agents. He had been messenger on the
lone road for six years. There is much
excitement over the affair. and Sheriff
Gregory and q posse started at once in
pursuit on hearing Of the tragedy.