The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1903-12-25
HIGHWAYMAN WAS HONEST.
Pressing Need of Money Compelled
Good Citizen to Negotiate
Forced Loan.

Tknew a man once who did the high
wayman act by robbing citizen OF his
money at the point of big six-shooter,
and yet the robber was an honest man,
and is SO considered to-day" said Col.
Charles A. Edwards, of Texas, st. Louis
and Washington, to crowd OF friends,
who listened to his entertaining stories
of experiences in the Lone Star state.
relates the Washington Post.
you needn't laugh at my calling him
honest after having performed such a
Dick Turpin stunt. Attend to my story,
and you'll see how peculiar conditions
will now and then make a man play
a role foreign TO his real character. He
was a young ranchman, and had fallen
in love with winsome girl-a belle In
one of the counties adjacent to San An
tonic. The girl was going to school
in that ancient town, and right after the
spring roundup her lover, with couple
of hundred dollars in his pockets, pro-
ceeded to 'Santone' to meet the idol OF
his soul, whom he had not seen in many
moons He needed the cash to buy
the finest suit of store clothes to be had,
as he wanted to look his best, and still
there would be money enough left TO
buy all the candy and ice cream one
maiden would want.
"He arrived too late In the day to
make his purchases, and that night
some sleek hotel thief got into his room
and distracted his entire roll Here
was a situation at once desperate and
pathetic-a raw, unsophisticated youth
from the ranch, still dressed in cow
bow costume, despoiled of his last cent,
crazy to see his sweetheart and without
a friend nearer than 100 miles The
people who could help him couldn't be
reached by wire; there was no time for
a letter, and he was too shy to ask aid
of strangers. Then it was that he med
! itated plan which would only have en-
| tered his head under such direful con-
ditions.
"The sneak thief had considerably left
the pair of big Colts revolvers that
every cowman used to carry in the
southwest. With their aid 1t was pos
sble to get funds, and the victim of rob-
berry would himself become robber. So
when night came on he waited In a
comparatively dark street the coming
of a prosperous looking man. Finally
one did come along who looked like
ready money and this citizen, ere he
knew it, was looking into the muzzle of
one of the ass. 4 don't mean to steal
YOUR money, but you've got to let me
have $50, or I'll take it if have to Fill
YOU was the stern order ard with saga
,ious promptitude Mr.. Man forked over
all his wealth, which was considerably
more than the sum specified
taking just $50, the cowboy gave
back the surplus, and asked the name
and address of the other in the politest
sort of way, telling him he would re-
turn his money in less than week. The
man was glad to get off with his life,
and ambled off to hunt the police, who
gave vain chase.
Just four days later there was one
cry much surprised man in San An
ohio, when an express package con-
aiming $50 was handed him. Being a
rood-natured sort of citizen he took a
nient view of the affair, and didn't try
0 put detectives on the track of the
,arty who had made the forced loan.
That's all of it, except that not very
ong afterward there was wedding In
san Patricio county, and the youngster
Who engineered the holdup, and the
1retty girl on whose account he did it,
we're the principals"