The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1894-12-27

l tUIlTlHNtUutHls Cllitt NllC HlIhA-hA
you pulled out from Minden to this
moment. Mr.. Hart. we have been cut
of. Not word can we.get from the
cast
BY the time the express pushed on
! for the west again a couple of hand
cars had been dispatched eastward in
tho vain hope Of finding the break near
town. and these were ovcrhauled ten
miles out by the engine and caboosc
sent scouting down the valley. Not
until tdey ~,a. ,,l.4il a mile If Min
den did they find the gap. and along
there the wires had been clipped in
half "A dozen places. The superintcnd-
cnt gathered the particular while his
men were patching. Here at the sta
ton, surrounded by knot of excited
rrnchmcn and settlers were Mai.
Graves and his clerk, but all they had
to show was the telegram. 1t read
plainly enough:
"MISDES STATION. June 2. 3:O5 a. m. Mai
Graves. L. s. army on No ?, Pawncc s.a,ion.
bridge down at Alkali C1uuOt cross Mini Si.n
Come on 20 Minden: escort meet YOU There.
EDWARDS, Lieutenant Co.nmaadiSr."
Never suspccting anything wrong.
Maj. Graves sent his clerk TO notify the
conductor and show him the dispatch.
The porter made them coffee and
light breakfast at the buffet.
so as TO enable them 70 start IT
once for the longer ride that their po-
ing on To Mindcu would necessitate.
They were met as they jumped off the
car by n couple of troopers in over.
coats, thimblc belts aud the SLOUGH hat
then much affected ny the cavalry on
campaigns. This way, sir" said one;
1.-THE lieutenant sayS the escorts ready
TO start the moment the major is" lie
made move to take the valise. but in
stinctively the major held on. The
train pulled out a. they stepped arounI
to the rear of the depot. Graves could
see little knot of horsemcn close 10
the stream. The boys will be glad Il
see You. sir. and we've a lpnc ride
ahead of Us, said his conductor. and
in another moment Graves was t-ippcd.
thrown heavily To the ground, bound
and gagged. and there he lay helpless.
while his clerk was similarly handled.
and away went the valise with IL
precious thousands. he had no idea
whittier. lie saw only three or four
men in all. but they were all in cav
airy ovcrcoats, and the horses and
equipments, 50 far as he could Judge in
the light and distance, looked like those
of the rcgulars-not cowboys or road
agents. They vanished in the twink
ling of an eye, and not until they had
been gone fifteen minutes or more did
the station agent discover the plight
of the paymastcr and release him.
Meantime the wires had been cut. Pur-
suit was useless. No one knew wht
the robbers were, or which way tbev
had gone after crossing the bride.
But an early bird around the station
said he saw two soldiers galloping west
along the north bank of the stream.
and all Milden-what there was Of it
was ready to swear that soldiers were
ut the bottom of the whole affair.
II was ten o'clock before they could
send dispatch to Butte. II was bare
~ As when the robbcrY took place.
II was noon, as we have seen. when the
news reached the fort. and one o'clock
when the sheriff got there.
Cowboys! Road-agents." said he.
Indignantly. mo, sir. We hung the
last of them two months ago. There
isn't a road-agcnt left in Latimcr
county. Those robbers were soldiers
cavalrymcn, dcserters from Col. Win
throps command. Fisk, the operator
ut Mindcn, will swear to their identity.
ut least of the two who came in with
the dispatch. OF course he sent ii when
he saw Lieut.. Edwards name signed
and they told him SO straight n story. |
You send couricrs after Col. Winthrop. !
find out who arc absent from the bat
talon, and you'll know who your rob |
bcrs are. Then ! can do something"
Did you pass any of our men on
your way out of town. asked Rhett, |
after moments pause,
"lour men? Soldiers" Nothing but |
the ordnance sergeant and some |
wagons. Who were they, aud whcrc'd |
they go?'
don't know that they did go-that |,
way, ut least Two couriers came with |
dispatches this morning from Col Win |
throp and left at 1880 to rcioin him. |
Some one said they didn't GO east, how |
ever, hut struck out for town"
what were their names? What |
were they like" asked the sheriff, |
eagerly.
They are two of cur best men"
answered the major. MIR. Morgan,
here, knows them well. They arc
Icrmars-about the last men likely TO
become highway robbers"
"llumph! I'd stake my commission
Dn their innocence" said Morgan,
briefly.
''Oh, of course all men are innocent
until proved guilty" said the sheriff,
'ruShingly. "All the same it's my