Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-12-26
SCAR FACED CHARLEY

inside the DeadwOod coach. including
a woman. Mrs. Bushrod. when Scar
Faced Charley robbed US.
It 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 tie coach made motion for our
guns, but the driver yelled at US:
stop that. YOU on ssed fools. Do you
want to be blown to kingdom Gomez"
Scar Face was at that time a man of
about thirty, rather picturesquely at
tired, aud, as he was clean shaven, he
looked more like a faro man than a
highway robber. There was a smile
on his face as he looked up, but some
thing warned you lat it was smile
that could come Off mighty sudden if
things did not go bis way. He took a
look into the coach and then stepped
back and said:
"NOw, gentlemen. let's have no fuss
over this thing You MP there get
down. and you inside come out and
form in line and put your hands up.
Of course, the lady is not included"
None of us saw chance to get in q
shot while we were lining up, and once
on the ground it was too late. He pass
Ell 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
box, and the mails were not asked for.
Now, gentlemen" said Scar Face in
his breezy way, 4 shall pass in front
o. you with my hat, and YOU will drop
IN watches and purses. | put YOU
Oh your honor. If / afterward discover
that any one has held anything back
it viii be bad for him"
One OF the insiders was Jew. He
had a big roll, and skimming off about
500 he handed the rest to the woman
to take care of. After the contribution
the bandit stopped in front of Mr..
Isaacs and said:
You are keeping something back"
$50 help me gracious, I'm not"
"Don't lie Where is your rollT''
All this time Mrs. Bushrod had been
a quiet spectator, though she was boil
ing over with anger at the idea of our
letting a 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:
'Yes; 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 dollar
Of IL 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 great
tongue lashing. and a 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
seconds
She went deadly white and handed
over and as near as could make out
she was in swoon for the next five
minutes. The bandit got fine haul
and was well pleased. When he had
poclzeted the plumber he said:
ST 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
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
~ 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 ANA capture him..
None Of LIZ saw it that way and took
our places. Tie driver called to the
woman 10 get in. but she turned Oh him
with:
go ON with your towards! I'm %
ing to f3,lov that rObber to the ends of
the earth but what I get my money
bacllr
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 q mile through the scrub