The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-08

all of whom were armed. For weeks the
exploit was the talk of the men in and
about Tombs tone. For some reason Will
bur was not along with Eflins on a raid
one day. when the stage was rumb bling
along through San Miguel pass, and it
seemed a fit opportunity for Elkin to
make another raise of money. Judge Ben
nett, now of San Gabriel, Call was one
of the passengers, and he tells how the
robber worked his desperate game.
1--WE on the inside of the coach had just
been talking says the judge, of the
robberies that ElSins and his partner
Wilbur had committed in the territory,
and the same 1t was that an organized
effort was not made to go and keep af-
ter the villains until they were killed
even if it took a year. when we heard a
rifle crack, and a man shout to the dri-
yer:
"'Come, now. stop those horses or
you'll drop dead
1--WE were travelling through a rocky
region along the foothills, and each of
us knew instantly that all were in for a
hold-up then and there. Everyone won
dered what his neighbor would do with
his pistol.
-" Til be damned said a big man from
Texas, If I'll stand this internal nom
sense and he snatched his big shooting
iron up from the seat at his side.
stage was stopped at once, when he heard
a voice outside saying:
d" Now you fellers on the inside get out
on this side. The first man who gets out
on the other side will drop dead as a
smelt. Don't be lazy. All of you throw
down your shooters as you file out of the
coach, for there's a lot of sure rifle shots
that's got their eyes on you and are hid
ing in these here rocks to lay you out
cold dead If you don't mind what I'm
telling you
"WeH, l believe that some of our party
would never listen to such talk but 1
was not going to risk myself by being too
Independent of a stage robber with RI
fie aimed straight at my body and, what
more, l didn't know how many more there
were aimed the same way among those
powders all around us. When l got out
of the stage / noticed that the highway
man wore a wire mask contrivance over
his face, and had big black beard and a
whole arsenal of weapons in a belt about
his waist. He stood on a commanding
bowder and kept his Winchester re-
peater moving slowly over us. 1 took
particular pains that he saw that / threw
down my two pistols on the ground, and
| noticed that every one of us, including
the Texan, did the same thing.
Throw up your hands, gents said the
masked robber, when we were all on the
ground and our pistols lay there in a pile
by the side Of the coach wheels. Now get
in line. there. quick and face this way.
Keep your hands above your heads, don't
move; keep your mouths shut or you'll
know how quick man can go plumb to
hell
I'VE got in line facing our commander
in a moment and none of us could extend
his hands quite high enough.
Now you young fellow with the monk
ey whiskers.' said the highwayman. you
just shell out there where you stand. Turn
your pockets inside out, so me and my
pards can see that you're dealing fair.
rnat's right. NOW, while me ana my pards
keep you in gun range you search that
next man, turn his pockets out. Keep
your hands up high, gents, and save trou-
BILE. Don't speak
I'm a few minutes that seemed like ages
Of an awful silence. each man was search
ed. and we all stood there i'm a row with
our pockets turned out and tapping in the
morning breeze, our hands a fun foot