The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-06-17
TOLD BY the OLD.
STAGE DRIVER

OF the early days He is a native Of
Missouri. and for several years drove
a mail hack between Columbia and
Jefferson City In relating his expert
ences recently Mr.. Thorp said:
The first regular four and six-horse
stage that drove ran from Columbia
TO Providence. on the Missouri river.
This was in 1858 and 1853 ] next
drove in Arkansas. from Ire Blun to
Napoleon From there | returned TO
Missouri and drove next from Column
bIa TO Centralia. Huntsville and Glas
gov This was during the civil war
and in the time of u, Jayhawhers.
"On one occasion lost as ! reached
the place the James and Anderson
crowd captured a train, killing IA OF
the soldiers having charge of 1t. They
ran the train off some distance and
robbed the passengers. There were
so of the gang. They went into camp
near the place to which they took the
train One hundred and fifty militia.
men we're sent to capture them. The
militia did not effect their capture. On
the contrary. SO Of the militia were
buried in single grave.
Next drove for Barton and San,
derson from 1868 to 1870. from Fort
Scott to Kansas City also drove
ahead of the NJ souri,, Kansas &
Texas railway when it was being con.
structed in the '70s. driving ahead Of
its terminus until it reached Sherman,
Tex.
WAS I ever held up? Yes, more
.han a dozen times. was more FIRE
uuently held up by the James and An
derson gangs than by any others.
was never molested personally. The
robbers always took the valuables Of
the passengers and the registered let
ter mail and rifled the express. Some
times the Jayhawkers would also rob
me Of my horses, leaving the stage
standing lonesome in tho middle OF the
road.
"Once when the Jayhawkers held me
up their leader. who was named Ander.
son. went through the express bundles
One Of them contained pair of very
fine bots and box Of good cigars for
q colonel of a regiment. When Andei,
son opened the package and saw It's
contents he sat down. pulled off his
own boots and tried the new ones be
longing to the colonel He emptied tie
cigars out of the box and hanoed the
cigars around. giving me several OF
them. He then told me after the rob
berry had been completed to give his
compliments TO the colonel.
Anderson was a picturesque char
Rcter. | remember one incident that
occurred that impressed me with his
admiration of grit and bravery On this
occasion tall. lanky. raw-boned char
was among the passengers, Anderson
asked him for his valuables. He re-
Piled: ...--.r. ....
Il hain't got none
Anderson then asked him where he
was going. He said he was going to
took for the leader of the Jayhawkers,
man by the name Of Andersen. An
derson asked him what he was going
to do with him after he had found him.
The lanky chap said.
'Jine him and his gang.
"Could you swim the Missouri
river?'
~ guess so, If had to-
Anderson next asked:
could you kill a man?' The would.
b. recruit replied.
Guess SO. If / had to-
Anderson then spat in the lanky
chaps face. He had hardly done so
before the lanlSy one had knocked An.
derson down and was on top of him.
Anderson's gang, who had been snlck-
ering at the stranger, prepptly pulled
MIN OF and Anderson got ur. shook
the dirt off him and said:
'You'll do; I'll take YOU
"The lanky one asked then:
"'Who are YOU?
"'Oh, I'm only Anderson, the leader
If those Jayhawkers you have just
Joined
THE stage went on without the
,anky passenger. heard afterward he
became one OF the most daring and
prominent members OF the gang.
"On another occasion. just as got
into Huntsville. the Jayhawker gang
was there. They had gone into a num-
ber OF stores, took what they wanted
and had either made the merchants
open their safes, which they rifled, OF
had broken the safes open with a
sIedge hammer.
George Damon was a liquor drVm-
ner. He was In town when the jay.
hawkers were robbing the place. and
MAS about TO so into the hotel They
ordered him to halt and throw up his
hands. Instead he ran into the hotel.
lust as he entered the hotel door he
was killed
During the many times / was
robbed there were frequently women
on the stage None OF them was ever
robbed or molested by tho robbers
The women usually appeared at first
10 be badly frightened, but finally
wound up by laughing and flirting
with the robbers or chatting with
them. ! frequently noticed the women
putting powder on their faces or fixing
up their hair, primping and straighten.
ing their attire while the men we're
being relieved Of their yaluables"