The herald., 1893-11-27
THE OBJECT OF STAGE ROBBERS.
A Coach. That Was Held Up
Eighty-three Times.
Eight Drivers and as Many Express
Messengers Killed on 1t.
The Great Fight in which 1t Played n
Part Between Tombstone
and Tucson,
Ariz.

There is today in Phoenix, Ariz., O
stage coach that has been held up and
robbed oftener than any other in exist
ence. 1t has seen its best days and
now stands dismantled and dilspidated
in the back yard of a livery stable. but
could it but talk many are the tales it
could tell of brigandsge that would lay
the exploits OF Claude Duval in their
shadow.
It began running in the seventies
between Prescott and Tombstone, and
has actually been robbed S3 times.
Eight drivers and as any express
messengers have been killed from it's
box, and as passengers in those days
went around to defend themselves and
property, not u few fatalities have oc-
Cured among them and the brigands.
1t was originally handsome Concord
coach. pulled by eight mules, and cost
$500 at Tucson, but it's sides are now
split by rifle and pistol bullets, and in
more than one place the leather lining
shows the wild stroke OF a bowie knife.
One OF the fights in which it played
part, and which resulted most disas-
trously to the robbers, occurred between
Tucson and Tombstone in 1884. The
present United States marshal OF the
district of Arizona, r. II. Paul, man
OF acknowledged bravery, was the mes
senger OF Wells-Fargo company aboard
at the time. Stage coaches at that time,
as now, carried pretty good arsenal.
Shotguns, rides and pistols hung in
holsters everywhere it was possible to
put them, 30 that in tho event the pas
sengers were unarmed they would still
be able to defend themselves against
either robbers or Indians.
1t was often the case that when there
was full load of passengers, or the ex-
press messenger WAS known to be a man
of courage, the bandits would make
themselves known by killing the mes
senger and firing volley into the coach.
Paul hsd been engaged in several of
these frontier episodes. in all of which
the robbers had come out second best,
and on this occasion they planned will
full murder.
When the stage arrived at Fairbanks,
one of the passengers insisted on every
body taking a drink at his expense. 1t
was time when the average Arizonian
never refused drink; consequently,
while the change of horses was being
made they all filed in and partook of the
strangers hospitality.
The bartender was confederate, and
every glass was drugged, but Paul made
it point never to drink while on his
run, and to prevent being churlish
threw his glass upon the floor without
being noticed. When the stage started
the hospitable stranger remained be-
hind. While passing the mouth of a
dresry csflon about three miles farther
on, the usual command of halt" was
given from cover, and upon Its being
disregarded bullet was fred at the
head OF the driver, butt missed its aim.
Frightened at the report, the mules
broke into dead run.
With its swaying and rocking the
stage struck a boulder and came near
upsetting. The jolt threw Paul several
inches upward in the seat and saved his
life, for at that instant a robber on his
side fred shot at short range. The
bullet passed under Paul and instantly
killed the driver who was sitting beside
him. a
The express matter contained SIC, 900
in bullion that was being sent from the
and four soldiers had been dispatched to
occupy places on the outside of the
coach. The messenger expected every
instant to hear them open fire, out they
had drunk of the poisoned potion along
with the other passengers and were
lying inside in deathlike stupor. Not
liking the idea of giving up the wealth,
Paul began shooting at all the robbers
in sight.
His first shot killed the fellow who
killed the driver, and with his next he
put bullet through another'e body.
The reins had fallen out of the hands of
the dead driver, and all this time the
team wes running at full speed, go that
in short time they were away from the
scene of the fighting, and the messen-
ger, climbing out on the tongue, sue
ceeded in stopping the runaway. A |
few miles further they came to |
rancheria. The soldiers and passengers |
having recovered, Paul secured other
assistance, and. putting tbs stage in
charge of another messenger, returned |
to the scene OF the conflict to bury the
dead driver and if possible capture the |
robbers.
1t was found that when Paul's shot
gun and Winchester began doing such
execution the highwaymen had fed,
leaving both their dead and wounded
on the ground.
The wounded man had succeeded in
reaching his horse and climbing on, had
ridden away up the cafion. Every step
was marked with blood, and the pur-
suers expected to find his dead body at
every turn; but after travelling nearly