The sun., 1898-02-20
so THEY SAVED THE GOLD.
4 TREASURE COACH THAT RAN 4
GAUNTL Ell OF BANDITS.

| Gel. James stephensona Encounter with Three
FINGERED Jacks Band-A HeadIops Flight
Down n steep Hiii-Four the Flyc pns-
senEers Killed. but tho Money Saved
OMAHA. Feb. 15.-The efforts Of a number OF
| Klondike mining companies to enlist she SER
vices OF Col. James Stephenson of Omaha in
Alaska exploration have revived memories of
| episodes in which he figured in the pioneer days
| OF the West. Though he has military title and
10 dignified business man now there nre many
residents Of the great West who well remember
when he was known as plain Jim" Col Ste
phenson prefers that name even now, though he
won tho military title In many an encounter
with Indians and road agents.
Col. Jim Stephenson was pony express rider
and stage driver on the overland trail until the
railroad drove him out OF business. He spent
more than dozen years in the business, most
of the time driving and managing tho Overland
Stage Company s line between Omaha and Den
yer. That tho day when Kit Carson and
Jack Slade were known throughout the West
and Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok
were still in their glory as plainsmen. At
that time there was q great demand for
pony express riders-ight young men OF
great courage. who could ride from one to two
hundred miles ut n stretch through mountains
and plains beset by wild Indians and wilder
road agents; who cared nothing for danger and
were ready to fight to ride. with but one
controlling idea-to deliver their express
pouches at the other end Of the line with the
smallest possible loss of time That was Jim
Stcphenson's business. When he became too
heavy to ride fleet horse 100 miles in day
without killing the animal his extraordinary
courage and resources naturally placed him
in charge of the company's treasure coaches.
where even moro courage and discre-
tion required than in the pony
express riding. But he was equal to the
promotion. So faithfully did he perform
his duties that he later became partner in the
company. When the old Overland line was
pushed to the wall as transcontnental factor
| IN TRANSFORMATION Col. Stephenson took num-
Der OF the big Concord coaches as his share of
the stock and operated branch lines through the
West to connect with the railroads. Later the
locomotives forced him to abandon even this
branch OF the great enterprise in which he had
once figured. and in disgust Col. Stephenson re-
tired TO Omaha. where he opened great build
ing and rented his big Concord coaches 10 pic
Probably one of the most remarkable affairs
one coach by the bandit gang of Three Fingered
Jack. This roaa agent was assisted Al that
leadership of. Roman Nose. The story Us is we'll
known in Nebraska though Col. Stephenson
does does ,hS not fancy rela ing it, In net he admits
he has been engaged that reminds him OF prim-
stone. even after !. larse OF thirty years.
pany had TO send at least one treasure coach
over the Denver line. This was made necessary
coach carried Sl0O0 900 in gold. and then again
1t carried double that sum. Those were the
pile OF money to send gold by express. II was
| most difficult 70 keep the bandits from learning
Il they we're in doubt they Just held up every.
thing that went over the trail until they struck
what they were after. Why, our company fire.
transporting money between Denver and
Omaha. OF course that was only when the road
were forced to fight and run, too. Then our
revenue was heavy from passenger traffic. for it
Rocky Mountains. and there was lots OF busi.
ness. We would leave Omaha on Monday morn.
making 900 miles in the trip. All our big Con.
cords bad six horses in those Gays, and you bet
an IN had 70 pay attention to business when he
We'll on this particular trip we did have
rather warm time. You see we carried 5000.
600 in gold Tor the company at Denver, and the
plains were alive with Indians and outlaws
The sioux were In force everywhere and cx.
every day on the lines in Nebraska. For that
reason took personal charge of the treasure
considered ourselves safe we carried. in add.
tion to the money. FIVE, passengers on this trip
aud ono guard. Ben Adams.
We were making good time out on the trail
200 miles from Omaha before saw signs OF
trouble: Then we noticed Indian videttcs. who
were evidently keeping us located. 1t was the
middle OF The afternoon and slight rain was
railing, when we were attacked. 1t was near
wherc Lexington. Neb.. now stands, at the top
OF the high hill overlooking the Platte. 1t was
the plan to make tho attack in those days as tho
narily impossible to run. The band OF the no.
!Sriols outlaw Three-Fingered jack blocked
allies We're not in sight. AH There rs' was fasa
station six miles away. and Instantly j de-
through the line OF road agents. My six tough .se
horses were quite fresh. as ! had not pushed
them very hard since noon. The outlaws were
Thap
with drawn rifles as we approached. When the
leader yelled out for me 10 pull up. reached
whip with a crack over the shoulders OF rhc'leai
horses Say. that was the greatest surprise
their number were knocked down and run over
before they could spring, aside; A the same
heavily loaded shotgun into Into the nsfets ontiaw III
tsI band as T,y they were huddled together at one
those two shots. The passengers had been
warned OF what was about TO happen and one
Golden-tooE charge of things inside. Tic
sides Of our treasure coach the passengers fired
cution. but tho bandits evidently thought they
had surprised an army from the way they scat.
the brow OF the hill before tho road agents were
scarcely ready TO act with concert.
Then they made up for lost time. They poured
yolley Into the rear OF our coach. which killed
two passengers outright and wounded Golden.
up TO the rear window OF the coach. and as the
great vehicle swayod and rolled as we dashed
wildly down the hill poured shot after shot from
his pistols into the outlaw cavalry us they dashed
atterns. This probably saved the treasure and
distance and they We're afraid to sppro,ca
until their Indian allies game up. But
thhay kept s%s ms. R ropd re The great
about rhrce minutes in making that distance,
II was the widest ride ever had, The horses
had tn run 10 keep from being dragged along by
the heavy coach The wherlhorses were in I'M.
Ih minent danger every minute Of being caught by
sure il we slowed up so kept my hand on the
brake and let the wheels turn as fast as they
could. Several times IL looked as II we must 20
into the guch TO the ler, but we didn't.
As We reached ne foot Of The hill the Indian
horsemep. with their naked bodies well shialdod
behind their horses neeks, hove in sight. Then
the whole party dashed forward with renewed
speed. did not slacken the coach but Instead
began to ply my whip on the leaders. The In
olAnS were not % well mounted a. the bandits,