The record-union., 1899-09-15
Held Up by Solitary HlghWayman on
Mount st. Helena.
Not Only Got Away With the Ex-
press Box, but Also All Of the
Watches and Jewelry of Eight
Passengers and About Seventy
five Dollars in Cash Which They
Contributed.

CAI1STOGA, Sept. 1.-THE north
bound stage of the Calistoga and Clear
Lake line was held up this afternoon
by a solitary highwayman, who made
off with the express box, all the
watches and jewelry of the eight
passengers, and about $75 in cash, also
contributed by the passengers.
The scene of the robbery known as
Desperate Bend" about a mile from
the toll house on Mount ST. Helena, is
an admirable spot for the successful
carrying out of the highwayman's
plans. The road there is skirted with
heavy undergrowth and coming sud
denly around a curve, the stagedriver
was confronted by a masked robber,
who covered him with a double bar
relied shotgun and ordered him to halt.
Tuck Quigley, the driver, promptly
pulled up and complied with the COM
mand of the highwayman to throw out
the express box. The eight passengers
were then ordered to dsmount from
the coach, were drawn up in line and
We're told to ''shell OUT the contents of
their pockets, and step back so the rob-
fort and safety. The passengers ner-
to the most minute details.
Rev c. F. Coy pastor of the Metho-
dist Church at Middletown, one of the
passengers, was returning home from
the annual conference at Pacific Grove,
He handed the bandit So remarking:
Il am only a poor preacher, and that
is all I have
Upon hearing the statement the high
wayman, true to the traditions of his
profession, handed the minister back
81 in change. "All right, pard,'' he
said to the clergyman, heres one
simoleon for luck"
Newton Stiff, an old resident of Mid
dletown, also a passenger, had a con-
siderable sum in his valise, but slipped
the wallet inside his long boot, giving
the robber only the loose silver in his
pocket, and thus saving his gold.
William Abbey, an invalid on his
way TO Adams Springs for his health,
made an appeal to the highwayman's
generosity, and was given back 80 cents
Of his enforced contribution.
The driver was then ordered to move
on, complying without unnecessary de-
lay. The highwayman gathered up the
money, watches and jewelry of the pas
sengers and the treasure box of Wells,
Fargo & Co., and plunged into the
thicket A few minutes later three
shots were heard the supposition be-
ing that the bandit was shooting the
lock off the express box.
The agent of the express company
stated that the box contained little
treasure, although the day before a
large sum of money had been sent over
the same trip.
After the disappearance of the high
wayman, Driver Quigley whipped up
his horses, and as soon as he reached
the toll house he telephoned the an
nouncement of the hold-up to Calls
toga.
formed a posse and at once set out to
search for the fugitive. Word was also
sent to Napa, and Sheriff Dunlap, with
a party, started out on a similar err
rand
Grauss and Nash returned this even
ing. with Joe Weir, a we'll known char
acter locally, whom they arrested as
the supposed robber Quigley, the
driver, was able to give a good de-
scription of the highwayman, and at
the toll house expressed his belief that
Weir was the man. With this suspicion
to work on, the officers soon found what
they deemed strong evidence against
the accused, who lives alone about a
mile from the scene of the hold-uD.