Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-10-01
A LONE STAGE RoBBER WHO TAKES
OFFERINGS ON TUESDAYS.

OFFERINGS ON TUESDAYS.
Seems to BE Doing a Thriving Business.
He Does Not "Want the Earth" but
Collects the Passengers Small Change.
Reluctant Obedience.
AS the Coos Bay stage was coming up
Camas mountain, en- route from Myrtle
Point to Roseburg between and 2:3O
o'clock the other afternoon, Dan CardWell
and Barney Matthews of Roscburg were
riding OH the box seat with Driver George
Lalnger. The driver remarked:
"Here is the place we were held up last
Tuesday"
He pointed to log by the roadside and
said:
"There he stood, one foot resting on the
log, with pistol in each hand. In the
right he held an old fashioned iong bar
relied Colts pistol and in the left a bull
dog"
After having driven on nearly quarter
of mile, where the grade was heavier
and where many small scrub oaks grew,
with large fir standing on either side Of
the road short distance apart, an ideal
spot for stage holdup, Mr.. Cardwell re-
marked:
"Would it not be n joke if robber
should appear from behind that tree on
this side of the road?"
Almost before he had finished speaking
a slight sound, as of twigs being broken,
was heard from the upper side of the road
Lainger said
"My God, hero he comes"
At the same instant man sprang from
behind the tree with pistol in each hand.
He was quickly recognized as the one pro
viously described by the driver and carried
himself in the same manner as at the last
holdup. He wore mask made from the
leg of an old pair of knit drawers. Holes
were cut for his eyes, which appeared to
be of light blue or gray color. The cloth
was tied with string to form tassel on
the top of his head and hung well over his
breast. He had on q yellow gum coat,
reaching to his ankles and gray socks
drawn over the tops Of shoes His hands
were blackdned as if with burned wood.
He cried out:
"Hold up! Hold upW
The driver put on the brake and stopped.
The robber next commanded all hands up
and said:
"Put 'am up high and stand up" and
repeated "Stand up several times. No
one made move, and Mr.. Cardwell asked
"To whom arc you spcaking"
Ho replied, "Go you, and throw out
your money"
Mr.. Cardwell stood up and throw SO to
the ground, but was told to dig up the rest
and not give all small "stuff. -
He gave up So more. He had, on the
first alarm, thrown another purse, contain
ing SOS, on n seat behind him, which he
saved Mr.. Matthews was next command
ed to stand up and deliver. He stood up
and threw on the spot designated So. 80,
saying:
II can't help you much, partner. Times
arc too hard"
Eyes, 1 know" replied the robber.
"That's why I'm in this business"
Matthews carried several hundred dol
lars in gold and greenbacks, which he
threw on a back seat and into the boot of
the stage. Major Pond, lighthouse in
spector, and Miss Myrtle Ban were inside.
The robber addressed the major saying:
"Dig up, old man."
He was told tho major could not give
muCn, ana JnG MItcr TOOK Sl.OO from Ills
vest pocket. Miss Ban carried about S134,
but was not disturbed. The driver was
then told to stand up, but said that he
could not. The road was so steep that it
was difficult matter to stand erect, and
he was allowed to remain seated. Had lac
arisen, the money thrown on the seat by
the passengers would have been in plain
view of the robber He was asked if he
had any mail and said
GIVE only way sack, and anybody who
would take that would rob his grand
mother"
The robber didn't want that. Mr.
Lainger then asked, "Why don't you hold
up some one else and not always mc?" To
which he received no reply, but was told
to drive on and for no one to look back.
The driver bid the robber goodby, and he
replied:
"Goodby, but you will see me again in
a day or two"
The passengers looked back and saw
him disappear behind the tree from which
he had come.
Mr.. Lainger is confident it is the same
fellow who held up the stage last week.
Oregonian.