Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-03-12
When the coach had rumbled out OF


sight on the way down the mountain
side Black Bart turned his attention
to splitting open the wooden box con-
tanning the Wells Fargo Express Com
pany's treasure. Something must have
disturbed the highwayman while he
was gathering up the money FROM the
treasure box, for when the stage coach
passengers had armed themselves at
the next station and hurried back to
the scene, later In the day, they found
among the debris of papers, empty
purses and wrappings of parcels n
linen cuff. The robber evidently had
dropped it in hurried fight to his
refuge.
The cuff was turned over to the ex-
press company detectives. They found.
nfter weeks of inquiry, that the indell-
BILE laundry marks We're those Of n
Chinese laundry on Bush street. In
San Francisco. When the detective
had learned from the Chinese laundry
man that the marks on the cuff indl-
Gated that it belonged to one Charles
E. Bolton, regular patron OF the
laundry, they set about to hunt up
Mr.. Bolton. 1t came out that Charles
T.. Bolton. who owned the cuff, was n
quiet, unobtrusive. spare man of about
so years. He lived in a modest and
quiet boarding house, where sedate,
oldfashioned business men had rooms,
and every one there was his friend.
When detective went to live in the
same boarding house he found that
Mr.. Bolton was studious man, lived
a correct life, was reader Of new
books, dabbied In poetry, and every
the several little mines about Califor-
mia in which he had investments. Boil
ton was an expert whist player, and
evidently he had Travelled far and wide
in his early life. His hobby was water
colors, and he spent whole days in
painting bucolic scenes alone In his
rooms. Then when he had dlned in
style along with the other bachelors in
the boarding house lie went alone to
the theater, where he took the least
conspicuous seat. He never got mail
and never sent letters, but he devoured
the daily newspapers at times. Never
theless 1t did not take the detective
long to connect this quiet, polished gen.
tleman with the most dreaded outlaw
in California.
For II years he had kept half the
sheriffs and constables, a lot of detec-
tives. and all the United States mar
shals In California ceaselessly watch
full for fresh deed by Black Bart.
He had many time walked down to
local bank carrying snug fortune
in his gripsack-the proceeds of re-
cent affair out on 1.-THE road"-past
hundreds of San Francisco people,
while they were excitedly discussing
Black Bart's latest hold-up.
The outlaw was convicted and be-
cause of his confession and apparent
determination to lead new life he was
sentenced to San Quentin prison for
only eight years. He was model pris-
oner. and he earned all the commute.
lions of his sentence for good conduct.
He was liberated In July. 1890. For a
few days he lived in Sacramento, wait
ing, he said, until he got some money
from Eastern relatives, when he meant
to so to Seattle and earn an honest liv-
ing. Then the man disappeared.
There is no doubt in the minds of
the officials who participated In Black
Bart's capture before, but that the ac-
complished stage robber Is again at
work and will once more lead the Of
fcers Of the law merry chase before
he is apprehended.