The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-11-05
The Pysmy Bandit.
ST SEE o are growing somewhat
BY Paul Pestnor.

at SEE YOU are growing somewhat
curious about my stuffed eagle""
remarked S~andhurst, the detective,
with i smile, as he caught my eye wan
dering for the fifth time to the big
bird rerched with outspread wings on
the top of his bookcase. Have an
ether cigar, and l will tell you how
| came by him. The tale is odd and
will interest you, l think.
1T Happened in 1915. The great and
populous state of Missouri was then
little more than a thinly-settled will
Gerness. Travelling was done mainly
by stage and saddle. There were a few
main roads, leading for long distances
through woods and prairie; but for
the most part the country was wild
and uninhabited.
Father at that time lived about 40
miles from the present site of st. Louis
in a little frontier community called
St. Regis. ! believe the name has been
changed since. l haven't been back
there for half a century. Father was
storekeeper and postmaster. 1 was
lis only child, and at the time l am
telling you about was a kid of IA.
"One day the mail carrier rode up
20 the store in a state of great excite
ment. He tumbled off his horse and
came into the store, pale and hardly
able tc speak.
WHAT'S the matter, C~orrigan?'
asked my father.
Matter, sor? The divil himself's
to pay! An imp of Sathan dropped
rpon me out av the clear sky, sor, an
wild Il pistol to each wan av me ears
towld me to drop the mail bag in the
road an ride for me loife, widout
vance lookin' behind
"..And you obeyed"
"sAv coorse Oh did. Whin the evil
wan himself has the drop on a man
!oike thot do yez think it would be
healthy for him to stop an palaver?
No. sor. Oh cut loose the mail, an the
divil dropped off mt horses flank. an,
hiven be praised! Dim alive to tell yez
the tale
Ibid you not get a glimpse of the
MANI
The man? No, sor! Dim tellin'
veZ it wasn't n man at all! 1t was a
civil, or Oil ate me head. How could
man light upon me horses back from
behind widout a sound av warning?
The first ting Oh knew the imp had his
Shootin' irons in me ears; IN whin
he sphoke. begorra, the schmell av his
voice was like sulphur. U-r-r-r! Wor-
ra. worra! Tim Corrigan's no coward,
PLACE God. whin it comes to d'alin' wild
mar or haste. But the divil himself's
another thing
THE news spread like wildfire
through the little community that
burly Tim Corrigan had been robbed
OF the mail. Twelve or fifteen men and
boys soon gathered at the store and a
PARTY was made up, headed by my IA
Their. to ride back to the scene of the
robbery and see if any trace of Tins
'Givir' could be discovered. Tim him
self at first refused to go. He was en-
tirely demoralized by superstitious
fear. But upon promise of a body
guard and d safe place at the rear he
finally consented to be one of the
party.
THE mail bag was found at the ex-
act spot indicated by Corrigan, ripped
open and riied of all its valuable con-
tents. consisting of several packages
CT value and Enclosures of money. But
rot the slightest tract of the thief
could be discovered. There were no
prints of a horses hoof save those of
the animal ridden by Corrigan him
self. Neither could a mans footprints
he found nor a trail in the bushes be-
side the road. An old Indian fighter
in the party searched long and care
fully. but even his trained eye failed
to discover a sign. The affair was a
mystery, and Tins theory of the agen-
cy of the evil n began, covertly, to
gain some ground.
This strange highway robbery.
however. WIS only the fifst Of many
Ct a similar character which from that
time en- amazed and terrified the pio-
neers throughout that section. The
1aymaster of a numbering gang was
.mysteriously pounced upon and re-
Eeved of $500 in small bills. A farmer