The record-union., 1897-02-01
THE OLD VOMAN'S MONEY.
An Episode on the Frontier Many Years
Aso.
How a Shrewd Black Hills Man
Saved His Cash From
Robbers.

I
Pine Ridge Agency that stormy Decem-
Der night in 80. There were a number
| of us-all newspaper correspondents
and few interpreters, officers and res
| ervation employees. The days previous
had been full of excitement, for the
Brule and Ogallala Sioux were engaged
in the Ghost Dance or Messiah Craze.
About the agency General Miles had
grouped some 800 troops; beyond their
white tents clustered the dingy tepees Of
| the Indians, some 800 of them.
We greatly enjoyed those evenings in
the hotel. They brought back to men,
cry pictures of the old West-sta ging,
buffalo hunting, Indian fighting. And
what a fund of information the scouts,
Interpreters and 'iold timers poured
into our willing ears! Each one could
have talked all night and yet left the
narration of his experiences unfinished
then. We were especially interested in
the singular career of B. He had left
| home in Connecticut, and after varied
| experiences in Iowa and Nebraska
Joined company of miners and with
them entered the new mining camp of
Deadwood. He was then but II years
old. That same winter he carried the
first mail out of Deadwood to the Mis-
souri, River.
B. Joined our circle while scout was
relating some experiences with sta ge
robbers in the early seventies and i'm
mediately entered into the conversa-
tion.
SO far as know the smoothest trick,
prompted by a desire to save money,
ever played upon stage robbers oc-
CURED near Miles City in 10 A load of
passengers were almost within sight of
the town. They had been travelling ali
day and Were worn out, for the roads
We're awful bad in those days and all
coaches bounced and swayed very
much Having come near their jour
ney's end they were congratulating
themselves. Hold-ups had been fire.
quent. Two heavily armed messengers
accompanied each coach, with orders to
fire on any person acting suspiciously.
Dear met said an elderly man near
the door, I'm glad we are safe. l have
about 500 and if lost it / don't know
where l could get more
" 1 can get plenty of money said
travelling salesman, but the loss of
what have would put me to much trou-
BILE out here among Strangers
Two miners and a prospector. each
with large rolls, expressed their salts
faction at passing dangerous points
safely. The next speaker was a little
cid woman, kind and motherly in her
ways
My boy has started a restaurant in
town and is doing well. He wanted me
to come and help, SO here I am. good
ness far enough away from dear old
Ohio. l thought he would need his
mother for these mining towns are
wild, L hear, and full of temptations. l
have only got $500. It's all the cash 1
have in the world. Fearing robbers
l have put it in a place where no one
would think of looking. You cannot
guess where?' OF course the guesses
were all wrong
Well, 1 have four $50 bills against
the sole of my foot inside my left
Shoe
" 'Capftal,' said the elderly gentle
man. No one would ever think of
looking for money in your shoes In.
the far corner at the front sat a small,
slender black-haired man. He kept
between his feet a little black valise.
No one spoke to him during the jour
ney and he made no sound save occa-
sionally a cough in a peculiar manner
Some of the passengers thought him to
be a consumptive. Even when gem
eral od-felIowship prevailed he took
no part in the conversation. Making
bold, the old lady said:
And you; what would you do if you
were held up?'
"A hollow cough and a shrug Of the
shoulders was all his reply.
What a mean fellow thought the
old gentleman AT this instant the
coach lurched violently to one side and
bang. bang, bang, came the sudden re-
ports of guns One messenger was shot,
the other compelled to throw up his
hands before time for resistance. and
CONSERVATION and terror prevailed
within the coach.
Lord, Lord!' prayed the elderly
man.
oh, dear, oh, dear!' cried the wo-
man.
" Hustle up here, git OUT and one of
the robbers held the door open with his
left hand while he covered the passen-
gers with the revolver In his right. OF
course they all filed out and We're stood
up in a row. There was much tremb-
ling on the part of the men and the
poor old woman wept audibly. 1t only
took a few moments to go through the
pockets of the line and to investigate
the messengers small safe Probably
the road agents would have taken to
the hills at this moment had not one
OF them beheld the frail figure within
the coach.
" Hold on boys; here's one we forgot
and he started in with an oath TO drag
forth the consumptive AS he entered
a most plaindive cough--interrupte
voice greeted him, and, tough as he
was. he paused.
" Please don't make me get out. l
am very sick / will die, / know II
you will only let me be I will tell you
where you can get 5000 which you have
overlooked / have no money. but I
know where the $500 is The robbers
outside. having heard the shrill, pene-
trating voice. glanced at each other
The leader called out to his fellow
within the coach: All right. Bill: find
out where them two hundred Is and let
the poor devil alone. We got TO be
skipping out
THE piping voice took courage. Cen
tlemen, If you will ask that old lady to
remove her left shoe you will find the
money
The men began to mutter and scowl
The drummer even found courage
enough to say II was a shame to rob
poor old woman of her last dollar. and
no one but the most depraved sort of
a road agent would be guilty of such