Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-11-10
SCAR FACED CHARLEY

raced Marley rODDeu US.
1t was 3 O'Clock in the afternoon. and
we were skirting foothills covered
with pine scrub, when Scar Faced
Charley stepped out of the bushes,
lifted a double barreled shotgun to
his shoulder and called upon the driver
to pull up. l think all four of us on
top of the coach made a motion for our
guns, but the driver yelled at US:
stop that, you cussed fools! Do you
want to be blown to kingdom conner
Scar Face was at that time a man Of
about thirty, rather picturesquely at
tired, and. as he was clean shaver, he
looked more like q faro man than a
highway robber. There was a smile
on his face as he looked up, but some
thing warned you t1at it was a smile
that could come off mighty sudden If
things did not so his way. He took
look into the coach and then stepped
back and said:
"Now, gentlemen, let's have no fuss
over this thing. You up there get
down, and you inside come out and
y
OF course, the lady is not included"
None of US saw chance to get in a
shot while we were lining up. and once
on the ground it was too late. He pass
ed to the rear of US and removed our
shooters and tossed them into the
bushes. The driver was permitted to
retain his seat He had no treasure
~ opd +l,c ,,,oiIc xt-ora not asked for
"Now, gentlemen" said Scar Face in
his breezy way, Il shall pass in front
of you with my hat, and you will drop
in watches and purses. | put you
on your honor. If l afterward discover
that any one has held anything back
it will be bad for him.
One of the insiders was Jew. He
had big roll, and skimming off about
$50 he handed the rest to the woman
70 take care Of After the contribution
the bandit stopped in front of Mr..
Isaacs and said:
"You are keeping something back"
80 help me gracious, I'm not"
Don't lie. Where is your rolf"
All this time Mrs. Bushrod had been
ing over with anger at the idea of our
letting single man rob the eight of us.
She had to say something or burst,
and, shaking the Jews roll out of the
window, she called out:
Eyes; here is his money, and I'd like
to see you get it! I've also got some of
my own, but you'll never get a dollar
of it into your dirty fingers
Up to this time Scar Face had never
robbed a woman. If the widow had
kept her tongue still she would have
been treated with chivalry, but once
started she let her temper run away
with her. She gave the bandit a great
tongue flashing, and part of her re.
marks included us. He gave her five
minutes, seeming to be amused and
yet resolved, and when she paused for
breath he advanced to the coach,
thrust the barrels of the gun through
the window and within a foot of her
nose and said:
"Hand me over every dollar you have
got about you or you won't live ten
SecOndSv'
She went deadly white and handed
over, and as near as l could make out
she was in a swoon for the next five
minutes. The bandit got a fine haul
and was we'll pleased. When he had
pocketed the plumber he said:
81 shall now bid you goodby, gentle
men. Let no one move for the next
FIVE minutes. Then you may resume
your journey"
He bowed and stepped aside into the
scrub, and we looked at each other in
a foolish way After three or four
minutes the driver told us to get in,
and it was then that the widow got out.
She had recovered from her swoon, and
her face was fiery red instead of death
ly pale.
LOOK here you pack Of poltroons,
are you going to let that scoundrel
get away with all our money!" she ex-
claimed as she looked from one to the
other.
But what can we do?" asked one.
do? Do? Why, you towards, you
can follow him up and capture himv
None of us saw it that way and took
our places. The driver called to the
woman to get in, but she turned on him
with:
go on with your towards! I'm GO
ing to follow that robber to the ends Of
the earth but what 1 get my money
backv'
With that she headed straight into
the scrub on the robbers trail, and aft
er waiting for her five minutes and
vainly calling to her to return the stage
proceeded and reached Deadwood four
hours late.
When the story was told the sheriff
took posse and started for the scene,
but before he reached it they met the
widow walking along the road. She
explained that she had followed the
robber for a mile through the scrub
and then came upon him in camp. She
at once started in to give him ''gowdy."
and no doubt her other effort was dis.