Arizona republican., 1899-05-01

| 10 uldThGI.
 The bravery of the drivers of the
 Tombstone stage coaches is still a theme that all the old-timers in this
 region dwell upon with particular fer
 vor A half dozen drivers were killed 1 by outlaws on the route to Fl Paso, and as many more Were wounded by men in ambush But the stage com
 pany never knew time when it could
 not find some one to risk his life in
 driving a coach over any part of the
 route. The pay of a driver was $50 a
 month. Aftsr the first six months of
 the company's existence two relay sta
 tions were established, and thereafter
 the drivers had to drive only fourteen
 hours at a ser5tch, and they made bet
 ter time.
 There were four ard six horse teams
 to each coach, and it not only required
 a vast deal of nerve to sit outside the
 stage as a target day and night for
 outlaws, but. further, the work de-
 manded the very best Of driving skill
 and lot of physical endurance. With
 tho express comp3ny's iron-bound
 blue-painted treasure box, holding
 about a bushel, under the drivers seat
 with a sawe'5-off shotgun and several
 pistols close at hand, the coach driver
 would gather a bunch Of leather reins
 in each hand, and yelling sharply at
 his horses to start up, would go out of
 Tombstone in a whirl. If any stage driver ev5r felt a twings of fear when he looked into the muzzle of a loaded and cooked rife in the hands of masked outlaw he never betrayed his feelings to his nearest companion. A veteran stage driver was very proud cf his record in a hold-up if he had saved the treasure box from a high wayman. The day the news came into Fl Paso that the wlstbound Tomb stone stage had been held up, the guard and driver both shot and the treasure box carried away, the driver on the next following stage laughed and said ne guessed he'd have to keep his own eyes peeled fer the same gang.
 As a class the TombsIo lone stage coach drivers were ruggedly honest men. They knew nona of the Ten Commandments. perhaps, but they were proud if a man put confidence in their honesty, and they risked their lives in the performance of their duty. Some Of the drivers, poor in pocket anu AO111CICSo lAOuSA WClC uoCo to be intrusted by Tombstone business men with hundrSds of dollars in mon ey, to be deposited in a bank in Fl Paso. Bill Soggs, who was killed later in an Apache campaign in New Mex ico, was never worth a dollar and was a notorious gambler and drinker when off duty. Yet he used to carry S1,5O0 and even s3,000 in cash for Tombstone and saloon keepers to de- posit in an Fl Paso bank. He was un- able to read or write, and net a scratch of the pen existed aagainst him, and there was no third party to prove that he had received any money. He was intensely proud Of the trust in him, and he would not rest when he had reached his destination till he had put the money in the bank. Then he might get intoxicated and go tJ gambling
 Valuables used to be put into all sorts Of strange places on the Tomb stone stages which the highwaymen would not suspect. The treasure box las sometimes been filled with blocks )f stone of the size of silver and gold bricks, while the treasure itself would De wrapped among the horse blankets md put on the drivers sat Feeble used to carry their coin and green packs in several small buckskin sacks jed across their chests and backs The cushions of the stage coach have car jed many a fortune in greenbacks to md from Tcmbstone, the money hav- ng been secretly and carefully sewed n them before the coach started on it's ourney.
 The outlaw gang most dreaded by he drivers and guards on the Tomb i tons stage coaches was that of which | lose Aguilar was the head. Aguilar vas caught along the Rio Grande in . he winter Of 18S5-86, and was lynched . y cattlemen among whom he and his olloWers had committed many out ages. There were seven or eight men n the gang known as the Sonora band, rom the fact that they came from the tate Of Sonora, Mexico Aguilar was
 dapper little fellow, about five fest, we inches tall and about 115 pounds yeight. He had an Uncommonly good ducation. and his mother and rich unts had projected a priestly career or him From his youth he led his into adventurous and dyS. Tt POSSSSSBu d zeal CO 0 big things in the txay of thrilling eople with deeds of boldness and erve. He was a murderer and high vayman at 21. and, but for his flight nto the San Rita mountains acrcss the into Arizona, he would have 'een hanged in Mexico for his crime.
 Aguilar attacked the Tombstone tage several times in 1880, and once r twice in January and February, SSl. Once he and his men got S4 300 silver bullion, an assortment of watches, and half dozen purses and Valiets of money. Another time, vhen the guard had been picked off y a sharpahooter who lay concealed, mong some mesquite chaparral. the river refused to throw eff the treas Ire box, and while the bandit was 'a"leying with the driver a man on he inside Of the coach thrust a sawed