The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-10-30
HIGHWAYMEN AT
LEWISTON.
The Nail Coach Held Up and all
Yaluabl0S Taken.
one MAN, 4 SIX-SHOOTER AND NERVE
Idaho Potatoes for Omaha Meridian
Man Shows What Thrift Win Do
Sad Case From Fremont County
Insane From PriVatiOn.

The Uniontown stage, enroute for
Lewistown was held up on the hill,
Tuesday night and the mail and ex !.
press rifled while the passengers looked
down the muzzles Of ''big guns" There
was a genuine sensation in Lewiston
Wednesday morning when the news
circulated that the stage had been held
up by masked men and the registered
mail and express box stolen. The
officers agents learned of the matter
about a. M. but the rumor had no
general circulation till business opened
Wednesday morning.
The main details of the story were
obtained from Geo. F. Cooper, of White
Bird, a passenger on the stage and
compulsory factor in the events of the
robbery. The stage had reached the
top of the divide between Uniontown
and Lewiston, just at point opposite
the big gate when the leaders SHE'D at
some object in the:road. The driver
brought them around and discovered
man advancing from the roadside. He
called halt, stepped in front of the
horses and emphasized his abruptcom.
mands by covering the driver with an
ugly looking revolver. He was cool
and deliberte, and the voice that rang
out in the darkness had "A tone that
meant business. "Stop right here, he.
said, l DONE want to harm the passen.
gers. All want is the box" Here,
these horses are restless, one of you
fellows get out and hold them. Young
Cooper jumped out and came to the
horses heads. His curiosity had got
ten the better of his fear by this time
and he began to size up the robber.
This, however, did n suit the high
wayman who ordered him to face
about and keep his eyes to the front.
Meanwhile, the driver had pulled the
mail bags aud express box from under
the boot and had dumped them on the
ground. After surveying the strong
box the highwayman ordered Cooper
to bring an ax directing him where to
find it at the roadside and when it
came he made Cooper break open the
express box. That being done, he
ordered the young man to mount his
seat and told the driver to line out
down the road. The driver did not
hesitate and the passengers were not
hunting stage robbers aud were glad
to escape scot free The stage rolled
on into Lewiston without further de.
lay.
Cooper, who probably was in con.
dition to see more than the others
days that there were three men in the
attacking party, the leader, a man
directly behind the stage and another
at the left resting his gun upon the
fence. He says that the latter covered
him with his gun while he made his
trip through the gate for an ak. He
describes the leader as man of med.
ium height, about feet Z inches of
slight build. The conspicuous part of
his make up was the dress upon
his feet. These he had wrapped in bur-
lap from gunny sacks till they we're
huge in comparison to his statute
His clothes were Of:some dark material
and be wore soft black hat and had
his face covered with handkerchief.
Col John Lane and c. w. Morton
were among the passengers. They
describe the robber and the details
much the same as young Cooper but
will only certify as to one man. They
con fess that their attention was too
much rivited to him and his big gun
to allow other observations.
On the arrival of the stage q. G.
Kress, postmaster, and C. F. Leland,
express agent, FASTENED to take action
regarding the apprehension of the
robbers. They reused the telephone
operator and tried to get the towns on
the hill. Cotton was the only one to