The morning call., 1893-06-17
Seeking a Motive for the
Crime.
ROBBERY OR REVENGE
A Fatal ARRAY in Nevada in Which
the Dead Messenger Was Con-
cerned Recalled.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

berry of the stage from lone 10 jackson
last evening occurred near the top of
Morrow grade, not mora than half a mile
east Of Mountain Spring House, and three
quarters of mile west of the point where
the barhed-wire strand was placed across
the road several months ago.
The spot was about the least favorable
along the route for the bandits purpose.
For all this its selection shows great de-
termination on the part OF the robber, and
possibly, in view of all the circumstances,
much shrewdness and delberation.
There is a gateway where the robber
stood, on either side of which is a stone
fence. Just inside the fence is buckeye
bush, which. together with the trail.
served as cover for the murderer. He had
evidently been waiting some little time,
and had taken the precaution to burn the
grass around where he stood. perhaps to
prevent his footprints being dscernible.
The field in which the road agent stood
belongs TO Fred Werner. a butcher, of
Sutter Creek. Less than half a mile south
is a dwelling house, where a man named
Stevens, who attends to WerDer's ranch,
lives. Half a mile or so southwest Glib
bert's farm house is in full view. On the
opposite side OF the road, in MOrrow's
field, Griesback, Morrow and one or two
others were working, harvesting hay.
They were not only within hearing, but it
IS said within view of the scene of the
bandits operations.
For nearly half mile in every direction
the country is an open stubble-feld, which
the rObber had TO cross before reaching
the cover of heavy cnmp Of brushwood.
The stub ble-feld yielded no impression of
foot tracks, so that the officers were COM
pletely baffled as to traces.
1t is strange that a shrewd, cool road
agent, as this villain doubtless was, should
pick out such an exposed place for the
commission OF a robbery or murder. One
fact may throw light on this: Tovey, the
murdered guard. was in the habit Of carry
ing his gun unloaded over those portions
of the route which were considered as the
least likely for a highwayman's work.
After passing the brushy and uninhabited
stretches he would take the shells from
his gun and put them in his pocket. 1t is
said that he adopted this plan, partly to
guard against mishaps TO passengers by
the accidental discharge Of the gun, and
also that on sighting suspicious persons he
might descend from the stage. get on the
coach. At any rate, the point where he
fell was regarded as one Of the least dan
gerous on the line. and his gun was empty
when he met his death.
The passengers in the stage were as fol-
lows:
InsIde-Johu Frey of West Berkeley. on
his way to volcano; Mrs. Qulici and son
of San Francisco. bound for jackson
NJ Tovey. guard. sitting on the left of the
driver; on the same seat w. NJ. Shallen-
berger Of Sacramento, on his way to
Jackson.
Driver Radcliffe was the only one on the
coach to notice the robber before a shot
was fired. He caught sight of him with
his weapon pointed, but before he had
time to speak the crack of a rifle told of
murder on the wing. Tovey pitched for.
ward, dead. The ball. as was afterward
shown by the autopsy held by DR.. B. FL.
Schacht. entered the right side between
the eighth and ninth ribs, fracturlng the
upper border of the ninth rib, ranging up
ward, rupturng the aorta and passing out
to the left of the left nipple. Not sound
escaped him; not a movement was made
Life was eXtinguished as quickly as the
bullet plowed its way through his body.
Radcliffe and Shallen berger both grasped
him as he was falling aud gently guided
his body to the boot. The second shot was
probably aimed at the driver. 1t struck
the seat and passed through the
cushion on which sat Shellenberger and
then struck Tovey, as he was falling, un-
der the left shoulder blade in tho back.
fracturing the scapula and ranging down.
ward into the thoracic cavity. Either
shot would have caused instant death.
The second ball passed through Radcliffe's
coat and graZed the back of his shoulder,
Two more shots. each Gripping a horse
in the leg. finished the robbers daring
work. Not shot was fired by those in
the stage. After stopping the stage some
300 yards from the scene, the robber was
observed still standing behind the bush
He stopped down as if to pick up some
thing in the grass. and which is supposed
to have been the discharged shells. lie
waited until the men from Morrow's field
reached the stage and assisted in lifting
the body of Tovey inside. and then ran
along the division fence in a southerly
direction. The passengers inside were
terribly frightened One of the ladies
as tu0 UUug was UClue iiteu iuSlue.
The victim was brought to jackson by
stage.
There was fully two hours of daylight.
but o telegraph Office nearer than Jack
son, so that it was at least an hour before
the officers could be notified. Constable
Kelly and w. Love, both OF Jackson. were
the first on the spot. but not a trace of the
highwayman could be found. Nothing
was left by him. Tovey's hat was picked
up near by and that was all. A Chinese
peddler was passing the spot when the
shooting was going on. and. having to wait
until it was over he had the best means of
observing the rObber
Sheriff Gregory proceeded to the scene
to see if it was possible to get full de-
scription of the assassin. He is thus de-
scribed: 8 feet inches high, dark hair,
weight abour 160 pounds. wsaring blue
jumper.
G. W. Swain of lone happened along. 60
ing to lone, as the stage came to halt.
He took 1ovey's gun. IN which had been
placed charges of buckshot. As he passed
round the stage carrying the gun the road
agent was seen to stoop down behind
rock and raise his gun as il preparing 10
take a shot in case Swain should make
any effort TO shoot. Finding there was no
such intention he walked away.
A strong force is out guarding every