Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-06-28
A CUTE LITTLE MAN.
HAPPY CHANCE ENABLED HIM TO
FOIL THE ROAD AGENTS.

uey Ended ana Then saved his NECK py
Explaining-The Old Lady with Money
In Her Shoe Had to Give Up.
Zone day in 1879, said an old stage
driver to newspaper man, 1.-THE Black
Hills coach left Cheyenne for Deadwood
with eight passengers-seven were men,
one was woman. As they journeyed
toward Deadwood they conversed among
themselves. Each expressed different
opinions as to the probability of hold
up. Some said they would hide money
under the cushions, others would sur
render what bills or gold they might
possess, while two or three men exhib-
tied revolvers and vowed that they
would make resistance. The woman
said she had only 800 in the world.
She had come out west to make a living
by keeping restaurant in the mining
camps and had done very we'll until a
fire destroyed her property and her in
vestment. She was going back to her
son in New England to spend the re-
mainder of her days upon the farm.
The safest place imaginable, in her
opinion, was the sole of her lett foot,
and she had accordingly placed two $50
bills inside her shoe.
There was a small man seated in
the corner next to the driver. His hat
was pulled we'll over his eyes, and he
kept constantly in his lap small black
valise. He took no part in the CONVEX
sation, and it was not long until the
passengers, who received rather curt
responses to such questions as they ad-
dressed to him, began to regard his &C
tions with suspicion.
well, the coach rolled on toward
Deadwood. Next morning toward 9
o'clock the expected robbers appeared.
The messenger was shot and slightly
wounded, the horses were held and both
driver and messenger compelled to dis
mount and put up their hands. The
passengers were ordered out of the
coach, and it is needless to say that they
obeyed with alacrity. The three men
who were to resist the robbers were so
awed by the presence of several large
revolvers thrust in their faces that they
gave up their treasures with little re-
monstrance. Said one of the robbers,
It's agin our rules to bother women,
so, old girl, we won't search you
While two of the desperadoes went
through the pockets of the men another
happened to see the small man in the
corner. Hello, said he, here's one in
the coach. Come out of there. The
man appeared, but without his little
black valise. He was very poorly
dressed, thin, pale and affected by a
hacking cough. Said he: Boys, hahn t
got much-only few dollars. | am
going back east to die. II you take
what little got, won t have no money
to get meals. My railroad ticket ain t
any use to you. If you will let me
alone, will tell you where you can get
$780,
AT this the poor old woman turned
pale and some of the passengers began
to mutter.
+" All right, said the spokesman of
the bandits, we'll search you, and If
you amt lying We'll let you go if you II
tell us where we can get that 500.
so they searched him and found 81
or So in silver in his pockets, which
they let him keep.
I" Now, said the consumptive look
ing man, if you'll make this old wom-
an take off her left shoe, you will find
next to the sole two $50 bills.
1.-THE robbers compelled the old wom-
an to loosen her shoe and found the
money. Upon this they took their de-
parture, the passengers mounted the
coach, and the journey toward Dead
wood was resumed.
Scarcely had they entered when a
torrent of abuse was poured upon the
small man. You villain, said one,
you ought to be hung One of the men
called to the driver to stop. The mean
man in the corner was dragged out of
the coach, and the excited passengers
were about to string him up to the near
est tree.
One minute-just one minuter
pleaded he. 1t is only 10 or IL miles
to the next station, and it is customary
in this country to give man little
show for his life. l beg of you just go
that far, and if can't properly explain
you can hang me.
1.-THE driver told the passengers that
the men at the station would not inter-
fere if the suspect could not make a
proper defense, so they all re-entered
the coach and proceeded upon their
journey. There was little said during
the next hour and half. The mean
man was closely watched by the male
passengers, and escape for HIM was i'm
possible.
LAS the buildings of the station came
into view upon the coach suddenly
swinging around bend in the road the
small man frightened up considerably.
Now, said he, 4 will tell you. We
are perfectly safe here, as this end of
the line is free from robbers. have
$25, 900 in my grip, and the only way
that could save it was by djverting
the attention of the robbers to some one
in the party. Unfortunately that one
had to be the lady. That is why have
kept my own counsel during the jour
ney.
"As the coach rolled up in front of
the postoffice he opened his valise, pre-
scented the old lady with six $40 bills
and in addition gave each of the other
passengers sufficient money to cover his