The herald., 1896-03-29
THE OBJECT OF MANY HoLD.Ups

sent further back into undeveloped
sections Of the country as though they
were things not to be tolerated in the
new order of civilization.
The most daring hold-ups we're made
from 1876 to 1858. Not only we're all
commercial balances settled in gold
coin, but the Old Vulture and other
mines shipped their bullion out of
PhDnix by the stage lines. A Wells,
Fargo & Co.'s treasure box, with a few
bars of bullion in it, was plum
worth picking, and in the plucking
men we're willing to take desperate
chances. In this connection is an
illustration Of one of the old stages
which did active service between Old
Maricopa and Phoenix and north to
Prescott. 1t was first put on the route
in 1876. and was not mustered out
until 1887. It had the reputation of
being one of the best built coaches on
the line, and on this account most fire.
quently carried the box when there
was to be heavy shipment of bullion
to be made This fact soon became
known among those disposed to hold
up anything that gave promise of
heavy plunder. For the came reason
the company later used it as q decoy,
and therefore in any event this coach
was in for hold-up. The illustration
is from a photograph by Hartwell,
taken during the latter days OF it's
career on the stage line and just before
it was bought by Charlie Meadows for
mis- Wild West show.
The story of this stage as told by
"Billy" Blankenship is as follows: II
could not begin to tell how many times
that stage has been held up, but can
recall at least ten such instances, and
probably that is not one half of them.
There was not a piece of its woodwork
that had not at come time or another
been splintered or Rrazed by bullets
and buckshot. The first time it was
held up was in July, 1876, at Woolsey
hills, Yavapai county. Jesus Lujan
was the driver in those days, and a
brave man was he. In September of
the same year he was held up again.
He was driving at smart pace, when
zip came rife shot from q bush by
the road side. The shot struck one Of
the leaders just back of the shoulder.
He gave jump, but as he did not stag
ger nor sfall Lujan thought that the
horse was only frightened and put the
string to them. They had gone about
2O0 yards when the leader fell dead and
the wheelers piled up on top of him.
Lujan saw at a glance that he had no
show to get the horses untangled be-
fore the robbers would be alongside
him, 30 he pulled his bowieknife
and slid out of the box to the
ground on the opposite side of the
coach from which the shot had come.
It WAS only the work of a second or
l q n 20 ont ho nh L.
mount him and away. He made Kel-
sey's ranch, three miles away, in quick
time, gave the alarm and returned with
reinforcements. The robbers, however.
had done their work and had gone. A
posse hunted for them several days,
but they were never captured. That
hold-up was between Dixon and Kirk
land. The next was on Antelope hill,
between Stanton station and Peoples
valley. That was in April of ", and
in June it was held up again between
Stanton station and Wickenburg and
in September of rs it was stopped inst
beyond Wickenburg.
During the summer of 1879 there
was exciting times in Phoenix, and the
stage drivers and messengers got their
share of it. The mining interest at
tracted good many newcomers, and
others had drifted in from the rail.
road. A great many of the most des.
perate MeXicans got in here from So.
nora and they helped to make things
lively. Phoenix was q wide-open town
In those days, and shooting scrape
was only pastime. Hold-ups on the
etage line got to be of such frequent
occurrence that whenever Wells, Fargo
& Go. had.any sum of money or bullion
to send out they sent q decoy stage
out first and let the road agents get in
their work on that one. This particu-
lar stage was held up three times
during June between here and Old
Maricopa. It was held up again July
l1th, and have every reason to re.
member it. have FIVE scars on my
hands and head as silent but quite
effective reminders of that psrtic ulsr
hold-up. Wells, Fargo & Co. had about
$4,000 worth Of bullion which they
wanted to ship out. It had beer
In the Office for several days
waiting for q favorable opportunity
for shipment. The hold-ups used