The morning call., 1894-05-21
MISSED A HAUL.
Milton Stage Treasure
Underestimated.
Messenger Overfield Hints of Mas
SiVe Gold Bars-Thacker Leaves
for the Scene.

Shotgun Messenger Hendricks. who killed a
highwayman from the stagecoach near Milton
Saturday, jumped into fame and The prospect
OF a steady job IN a hurry. Billy Hendricks
was an extraman with a shotgun, acting in The
capacity OF guard, not messenger. There have
been heavy shipments of gold bullion from
Sonora and Angels Camp oflate, and each ship
ment has been accompanied by man Of nerve
with a shotgun full OF powder and lead. Billy
Hendricks happened TO be the fortunate gun
man Saturday.
He earned his salary and knghtly spurs well
ana truly. lie saved a treasure That was much
greater than at first reported.
Tie exact value of the treasure In the box
has not been made known by Wells, Fargo &
Co., but enough has been gathered from the
inadyerIent remarks OF trusted messengers TO
warrant the assertion that The box contained
not less IMAM $4,000 in gold bullion.
II don't see what the robbers would have
done with those gold bars even II they had got
away with them" said H. d. Overfield, a mes
senger who runs between this city and Sacra-
mento, and who connects with the messengers
from Sonora, Angels Camp and Milton.
"Wby, they wouldn't weigh very much"
suggested a CALL reporter who was plying MIR.
Oyerteld with questions concerning the at
tempted robbery.
"ihey wouldn't, eh?" the messenger re-
turned. "HOw far do you suppose you could
carry an $4,000 gold brick-or say two Of
HEMP
Then Mr.. Overfeld was sorry he had spoken
so freely. 1t is against the rules OF Wells
Fargo & Co. for employees TO tell of these little
matters. Other employees let drop inadvertent
remarks about the attempted robbery and Kill
ing which indicated that the treasure was an
unusually large Que, and that Billy Hendricks
had pulled he trigger and made his record as
guard al the same time. They all envy him.
Messenger OVerfeld came In from Sacra-
MEMO yesterday afternoon. He stated that
the last attempted robbery had created quite
ripple of excitement among the officers aud en-
DiOVes OF the express COMPANY.
This is the third lime within ten days that
attempts have been made on that stage" he
said. at Is very clear that the robbers have
b. en- posted as io shipments Of tire sure during
that time. Besides the robbers know very well
that when there Is a shotgun messenger aboard
there is an unusually large amount of treasure
in the box. 1t is plain. TO my mind. that some
OF the express employees in Sonora and Angels
Camp have talked too much. / don't believe in
telling tn newspapers anything about The com
pany's business. 1t puts the robbers right on
TO everything. Now, for instance. there was
the new iron boxes ana The new system OF
boiling them down inside the stage. These
boxes we're carried that way two or three years
before the robbers got onto it. AS soon as they
did, of course they prepared for IL, and blew
'em up With dynamite. But The newspapers
told all about II, and all the robbers from Sis
ktyou to San Diego were put ia possession OF
the scheme Then they began 10 come with
dynamite"
And Mr.. Overield gave Joint scowi at high
way robbers and newspaper men.
Yesterday, the Wells-Fargo T. easure-b box and
messenger dld not come over the trail OF rob-
ber's blood and Hendricks field OF glory, doubt
less fearing thai there were more robbers Turk
Ing for gold bricks in the OTusn and raVnes
east OF Milton. Instead of the regular road,
the messenger and treasure and stag went by
way of Valley Spring and san AndTeas THIS
Is doubtless timely precaution, because il is
known thai a number OF unknown desperate
characl ers infeSt the mountain passes between
Angels Camp and Milton, along the old stage
road. But Billy HeDdi icks can't be on both
roads At one and the same time.
Detective Thacker left yesterday morning
for The scene of the attempted robbery and XIII
ing, and be Will remain 10 those parts until he
either learns more about the desperate gang
and arrests some of them or kills a TObber or
two on his own hook.
Miss BOnney. the young lady who was shot
by the robber that got away, is reported TO
have been injured so srIioursy that she Is not
expected 10 recover. She Is at present an in
mate IN the ranch house OF lower & Blxbee.
seven niles east OF Milton. Physicians were
sent for at Milton and Stockton. and the
wounded lady has been given every attention
that could be rendered by The hands OF sym
pathy and medical skill.