The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-07-06

| the road about twenty miles from Tue
son, and about eleven o'clock he saw
the coach coming. He was just over
the brow of the hill, and could not be
seen by the driver or passengers. He
| sat on his horse, leveled his rifle, and
as they came over the hill they saw
both rider and gun, and they knew at
once who 1t was and what 1t meant.
lie commanded them not to, move q
hand, and they obeyed Their revolt
Vers hung unused at their sides, and
their rifles lay idle in the bottom of the
coach. They knew 1t was death to
somebody the moment move was
made, and they sat transflxed with
Tear. He commanded them to get out
one by one, lay down their arms and
stand in row and divest themselves
OF all their money and valuables. This
they did, piling about twelve thousand
dollars worth of treasure up in a heap
before them. They were then told to
so back in the coach and drive on.
Bill Keller taking possession Of every
thing that had been left behind. This
story sounds incredible, but some Of
those who were in the coach at the
time still live IN this country, and they
verify it to the letter
| The queerest thing was that Keller
seemed to care less for money after he
became a cruel highway robber, and
llhad put price upon his life, than he
did While a cowboy. He cared nothing
for money for its own sake, and spent
but little, as he never drank nor gam
bled. 1t was no uncommon thing for
him to rob people and then return part
or all he had taken. He once rode foul
Of a newspaper man who had but ten
dollars When Keeler learned his bust
ness he gave him back five dollars,
with the remark that he would proba-
bly, need it.. He had great regard for
women, and would never rob a stage
coach where any of the. passengers
4 were women. He was never known to
have killed any one, although he init
Inundated dozens of men by shooting
Ipast their ears or putting bullets
through their hats
The general population in Arizona at
that time was crazy with money-mak-
ing in the Tombstone mines, and many
a man made thousands of dollars from
a few hundred in a month. That is
why Bill Keeler was not hunted day
and night, when the first of his robber-
les took place. But the sheriff of Tue
son resolved to kill or get Keeler at all
hazards. The robbing of stages had
become too numerous, and hundreds Of
men of capital would not settle in a
territory where such a man as Bill
Keller was operating. Travel also,
had fallen off. A reward of five thou
sand dollars was subscribed for Bill s
capture dead or alive
1t was a few months later that a
clue to the fellows hiding place was
had from the imprint in the dust of a
peculiar shoe that his horse wore at the
time Of a new stage robbery The
Yuma Indian trailers, the most famous
of their class in the world. We're called
upon They can follow for miles a
fairly good trail of a man, while riding
at breakneck speed through the brush,
and across the desert wastes. A Yuma
Indian went to work to trail Keller.
In two days he tracked the bandit right
into Benson and to Mexican sheep
herders adobe house. 1t was known
that Bill Keeler and the Mexican We're
formerly chummy.
Then the sheriff said that Bill had an
accomplice and that he made his head
quarters at the Mexicans but when it
came to dealing with such desperate
men as Keller and an accomplice 1t
was a ticklish business Suspicion fell
upon a Sonora Mexican named Vejar,
as the bandits associate. Vejar was
inveigled to a hamlet few miles away
and handsuffed and hung up in agony
for two hours until he agreed to help
get Keeler. He stipulated, however,
that the highwayman was to be shot
; dead, because Keeler would not rest
until he killed any one who betrayed
him. Vejar said that while he had fed
j. and watched for Keeler in secret, he
had never been allowed and never
cared to go on any stage-robbing expe-
ditions.
The sheriff and his posse were piloted
nine miles into heavy ohapparal in a
canyon. Vejar said that he had al
ways gone to a certain tree there,
!, when he had food or news for Keller,
and had waited there until the bandit
came riding up, pistol or rifle in hand,
so as to be prepared for any pursuers.
The sheriff and his men concealed
themselves behind brush and trees for
several hours, when Keller came riding
up, with revolver flashing in his hand
and a Winchester across the poumel Of
his saddle. "As KeelerAcamei through
the trees that morning, "Nsaid the sher-
iff long after, che was the finest look
; ing man I have ever seen a-horseback.
He seemed for all the world like one of
the ancient gods on horse" But the
sheriff did not let the picture that Kee-
Ter made get the best of him. In a sec
ond he called "Fire!" and seven rifles
sent lead through the highwaynan' s
chest. The latter never spoke, but
threw up his hands and pistol and
dropped back on his horse dead.
The body of Keeer was taken to
Benson, and was braced up against a
mud house, while a photograph was la
ken of the corpse. The pictures were
| in great demand all over the territory
for year or so. They are still to be
seen in many a. miners cabin or ranch
mans home, and more fierce, tiger
like expression has never been seen
than that of Bill Keeler's face in death.
ABOUT ASBESTOS.