The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-02-09
A TREASURE SAVED.

what fund of information the scouts,
| Interpreters and ''old timers poured
into our willing earsl 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 q
home in Connecticut, and after varied
EXPERIENCES iii Iowa and Nebraska Joined
a company Of miners, and with them en-
tered the new mining camp of Dead
wood. He was then but II years old.
mail out of Deadwood to the Missouri
river.
B. joined our circle while scout was
relating some experiences with stage
robbers in the early seventies and i'm
mediately entered into the conversation.
$50 far as know, the smoothest trick,
prompted by a desire to save money,
ever played upon stage robbers occurred
near Miles City in 1879. A load of pas
sengers was almost within sight of the
| town. They had been travelling all day
and were worn out, for the roads were
awful bad in those days, and all coaches
bounced and swayed very much. Hav-
ing come near their journeys end, they
were oongratulating themselves. Hold
ups had been frequent. Two heavily
armed messengers accompanied each
coach, with orders to fire on any person
acting suspioiously.
Dear me, said an elderly man near
the door, I'm glad we are safe. have
about $500, and if lost it don t know
where could get more
can get plenty Of money, said a
travelling salesman, but the loss of
what l have would put me to much
trouble out here among strangers.
1.-TWO miners and a prospeotor, each
with large rolls, expressed their salts
faction at passing dangerous points
safely. The next speaker was little old
woman, kind and motherly in her ways.
"'My boy has started restaurant in
town and is doing we'll He wanted me
to come and help, SO here am, good
ness knows far enough away from dear
old Ohio. l thought he would need his
mother, for these mining towns are
wild, hear, and full of temptations !
have only got 5000. It's all the cash
have in the world. Fearing robbers,
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, have four $50 bills against
the sole of my foot inside my left shoe.
'Capitall said the elderly gentle
man. No one would ever think of look
ing for money in your shoes. In far
corner at the front sat a small, slender,
black haired man. He kept between his
feet little black valise. No one spoke
to him during the journey, and he made
no sound save occasionally to cough in
peculiar manner. Some of the passen-
gers thought him to be consumptive
Even when general good fellowship pre-
vailed he took no part in the conversa-
tion. Making bold, the old lady said
"'And you-what would you do if
you were held up9'
81 hollow cough and a shrug of the
shoulders was all his reply.
"'What mean fellow thought the
old gentleman. At this instant the coach
lurched violently to one side, and bang,
bang, bangi came the sudden reports 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, LordP prayed the elderly
man.
"'Oh. dear, oh, dear' cried the
woman.
Hustle up here; git outi' and one
of the robbers held the door open with
his left hand, while he covered the pas
sengers with the revolver in his right
Of course they all filed out and were
stood up in a row. There was much
trembling on the part Of the men, and
the poor old woman wept audibly. It
only took 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, boysl Here's one we for
got, and he started in with an oath to
drag forth the consumptive. AS he en-
tered most plaintive, cough interrupt
ed voice greeted him, and, tough as he
was, he paused.
Please don't make me get out. /
am very sick. l will die, I know. If
you will only let me be, 1 will tell you
where you can get $500 which you have
overlooked. l have no money, but l
know where the 5000 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 5000 is and let the pore
devil alone. We got to be skipping out.
''The piping voice took courage.
Gentlemen, if you will ask that old
lady to remove her left shoe, you will
find the money
1.-THE men began to mutter and scowl.
The drummer found courage enough to
say it was a shame to rob an old woman
of her last dollar, and no one but the
most depraved sort of a road agent
would be guilty of such an act The
leader walked up to the drummer, slap
ped his face and tickled the end Of his
nose with the muzzle of his six shooter.
The drummer disoreetly held his tongue
until the thieves were gone.
1t was with signs and sobs that the
old lady seated herself on the ground,
took the shoe from that fat foot and
handed up her last dollar. In twin
king it was pocketed, and the outlaws
jumped for their horses and were gone.
What a hubbub broke out when the
people found themselves alone once
morel With one accord they assailed the
man within the coach.
'Oh, you villain, you wretch, to
tell them of my money! cried the wom-
an as she shook him by the shoulders.
The drummer entered at this moment.
He had been talking to the other men
of the party in low tones.
just step out, madam. We want
to talk with him, he said She obeyed,
and several entered. 1t was noticed that
the driver had his reins in his hands.
and one end of them looked suspiciously
like moose.
"'You id rascal, said the driver,
ito have deliberately given this woman's
money over to those outlawsl Well
make short shift of you, and he threw
the moose over the mans head. There
was desperate struggle for a moment,
and then the moose fell down, clean cut
through. 1t was seen that the little man
had bowie in his hand. He spoke in
different voice this time.
For Gods sake don't bother me
here. You can hang me at Miles City as
we'll as here It's only little way. 1
shall not escape. When we get there, l
x-;Il have eov,,o%bi,r, ~ +o11 No., .,bfoh