The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-17
TERROR TO STAGE ROBBERS
EXPLOITS OF "MOsE" COPP, EAST
ERy MAINE'S FAMOUS JEHU.


cred n Treasure Chest Containing
a35,0o0-He Made n Record, too, in tho
Civil War Days of bounty Jumping.
PROSPECT Me, Dec 14--Tho best liked
and tho most feared man in eastern Maine thirty
years ago was Moses Copp the stage driver who
carried the mails between Bucksport and Bangor.
In tho summer the stage driver made picnic
excursion Of his task because two lines Of steam
boats ran up the river carrying oil tho heavy
baggage and most Of the passengers but after
Dec. TO- when the ice reached down as far as
Wintcrport and most Of the steamboats, Went into
winter quarters, Nose" Copp became the most
important man in two counties and could deal
out comfort sorrow 10 the people who visited
or went out from northern Maine. As soon as
travel became good IL was Cops practice TO set
out from Bucksport at o'clock in the morning
behind six stout Canadian horses and to guido
his great stage up and down hill over some Of tho
worst roads in Maine until he reached Bangor
eighteen miles away. After taking dinner and
collecting load for the return trip. he put in new
horses and went back TO Bucksportswhere he
arrived az o'clock In the evening. II the roads
wcrc good. II the travelling was bad. as was
usually the case he was frequently out all night
shovelling snow. mcnding harness or making
wide dciours through rough fields in order TO
avoid the drifts.
II there was one thing more deeply impressed
upon Cops mind than any other II was tho
fact tina, he carried the United States mails. and
was therefore exempt from any process or arrest
while he sat on the box with the mail bags under
his feet His first taste Of fame came when he
defended the mailbaGs against big odds one
night In December 1855. One Of the Bangor
banks was known to have a large amount II
money which was about TO I've sent 70 Boston.
\ party OF tough characters from Bangor and
Old Town. hearing that Copp was going TO take
the money TO Bucksport for shipment by post
lay in wait for the stage near Nih Creek. They
caught the leaders by the bits as Sopp was
Hold ur your handa, M"Sc tOpp, said one q
the men. ,pfc%nttnr loaded pis:ol, or you'll
can't do il. you see" replied Corp both IF my
bands arc full u rens, nndn shorld let go they'd
iinc me t1r n"elccting the mal Come down this
Two men advanced 10 the stage with draw, re-
yolvers Mnsc waited until they had put their
fee, On tho stage runners and were about to climb
20 the seat when he grabbed 'ic revolyc. from tho
hand Of the leader, kicking him in tile FACE At the
voiyrr upon the other man. Both fred a, tie 50 ne
time the ruher falling dead in ihc snow and Comp
5snf TSq lrg ~ s ig c .nd sns
one Of the men vhr held the horses A. lie WAS
cooking The weapon to fire again two Of The party
climbed M from behind aud ovcrpowered him. 900.
They h'ied the mail Scks, securing alou, 5000
from the registered letters, hut the sS5,Oo1 in bills
winch tIleV fNVTCtCSl u P'l f'Nllu npt NC Ibu'll,
The men accused Corp ot crnccalinc, ono Y the
bags. ani hrSan 20 r"rtrre him in order 10 make
him G nf"ss. While two rleT held him and another
broke his fingers between twU stones tOpn uttrrr,i
on- Of his urgent chirr'ips 10 ME horses, which
started ~ run, ovcr'urning the man who IVES
s"Fe ia. ,T rs Sa RmsRspS sport & armed force
was at ONCE sent hac!: 10 thc rescue. Trey met
"np asob, two mi miles ss or q , =" b ns
md ridden in haste to give the alarm.
I'll make the money god If they want me 10,
route. but I'm awfully snrr- for you. Nose for
money won't heal your hurts"
You amt got TO make any money good cried
Why asked the deacon. Didn't they go
through the maiis'"
-Sartin." sad Copp: but the money went by
express and you'll find it in the wooden box strap
ped on behind"
The Eastern Express Company paid Copps
lie had made a half a dozen trips after his re
covery when he met with an adventure that is
Iuary he was coming down from Bangor in
binding sn1W storm that blocked ,hc roads and
m%ds t tIaSslnS next to 'mS .PSSd BILE He Ind
only Sw nsIss large ws Woman
| about HIty years old who complained OF tooth
ache and who took frequent doses Of brandy to
| relieve her pain. As Copp was no, avcrse TO
little good liquor on cold night he helped
lower the Sons Of the DO seveTsl ,psr
| Creek on the ten mile run for Bucksport. Tho
! road led through open fields that gave the wind
The robes over his face to shield his eyes trusting
his horses to follow the road. After he had gone
a mile or two he looked out and found thai tho
| stage was moving through n rough pasture and
| near a growth Of wood which he did not reco1.
niae. lie lighted a lantern and trailed tho stage
! tracks back for half a mile without finding tho
highway. After this he shaped his course by
the wind and drove on for haitian hour in silence.
by this time the horses were usscd up from wading
| in the deep SNOW, - topp come TO stand still
| in the lee II some thick eVergrecns The woman
| who was inside was not afraid She told
Copp that she would take the lantern and go on
ahead to pick, out an easy road while he could
| follow behind with the stage. Copp said she
could wade in deep snow bitter than any man.
| lie followed her for an hour MI at once sho
lifted her lantern and shouted back 60 him
| Zone on. We arc almost out can hear o
Copp whipped his weary horses into gnllop
The stage rocked and swaycd among the uees,
| and in very dark place among the woods pitched
| of into space. Copp ia the lantern dropping into
| an abyss, grabbed the mail bags and lcnp-d among
the trees Just as the horses and stage went over
light by which time the storm had abatcd so tha,
h. could gee houss In the distance. lie was at
S,s ,bs inc mn T'I on from IN
special delivery he ard the neighbors made a long
search for the missing woman who had led the
| stage astray. The tracks were followed to a tall
blut that overlooked the river, which WAS open
| at that place. On the edges below were some
robes and a few fragments Of wood from the stage,
| or the horses were ever discovered after the first
day. From the time Of the accident until Copp =
! death the ncighbors said they saw woman with
lantern walking about on the bluff. This
| was supposed to be the ghost Of the vigorous
female who was with CopP on the night Of the big
| storm, although none OF the people ever mus
| tered courage enough TO go and ask her why she
| vcnturcd out in such bad weather. She has not
| been sen since Cops death.
Contrary TO the expectations Of the good people
| who anticipated a radical reform Copp did not
give up drinking after his bitter experience with
| the mysterious woman and the bottle Of brandy,
| ON the contrary, he abandoned whiskey, rum
and gin nd devoted himself exclusively Ia brandy,
taking II frequently and in large doses, Onn
| winter night soon after the Civil War bcghn he
met team loaded with logs IN the middle Of a
narrow and driitcd road:
Make way for the United States mail" cried
Make way for nothing" replied this tcamster
| Half the road belongs TO me, and I'm going u
| take II.
"Ish That so?" asked Copp with tipsy gravity
| "Ef you mush hev II, you mush. josh take one
| half on the nigh side an tOthcr half on the oil
| shldo an III sit here an see ye go by"
| As soon as the State failed 10 All its quota OF
! men on time and draft was ordered the stage
line did a rushing business, carrying tmid men
! north on their Way 10 Canada and New Bruns
wick. by this time liquor and exposure had made
! an old man NJ COpp, 40 he was taken OIL from the
mail stage and put IN charge Of fanck new turn
out which. on account Of the uses 10 which IL was
| ,,ut waa called the CDDDsFhpal coach Ila SOLD