Amador ledger., 1907-05-03
BUTLER TELLS OF THE HOLD-UP.
The Plymouth Driver Tells of His
Adventure with the RObber.
Sacramento Bee, April %. }

The news of the hold-up of the
Plymouth stage yesterday morning,
drew a small-sized crowd to the Old
Pavilion stables last evening TO await
the arrival of the vehicle, and a per-
sonal relation of his experience by
the driver, William Butler. In the
crowd we're several old mountain men
who had been passengers on the stage
a day or two previous on It's way to
this city, and who we're as anxious as
anyone else to hear Bill relate his
adventure with the highwsyman.
Mountain Men on Hand.
They were quiet, self-retained old
fellows, these men of the hills, and
every word they uttered bore weight.
"rhere are fellows up in those hills
who would stick man up for so
cents if they thought he had it," said
one of the Plymouth men. Eyes,
and they would shoot to get the
money if they were dry" he added,
''but l bet they did not get much the
best Of Bill Butler Just the same.
just wait and bear what he has to
say" 1t was few minutes after 5
O'Clock when the dusty, weather.
worn vehicle dashed into the
stable. and the team brought to
stop with jerk. There was a broad
grin on tie face of the driver as he
saw so many of his fellow mountain
men awaiting his arrival.
Butler is young man, perhaps %
years of age, quick and alert in all
his movements, bIonZed by the winds
and storms of his native hills, and
possessing a quiet, fposesssion
that belied his exaggerated assertion
of the fear he felt when facing the
muzzIe of the robbers pistol. The
quiet twinkle in the eyes of the
mountain men who had known the
young fellow from his infancy, as be
told of the fear, plainly demonstrst
ed how little they believed him
capable OF losing his presence OF
mind under any and all ciIcum-
stances.
Gun Looked Big.
"Did ! get held upP" said Butler,
in answer to query by one of the
crowd, as hostIers and all gathered
al ound the stage; "well rather, and
you bet the gun that followed my
every move for about ten minutes was
about the greatest little old cannon
ever saw in all my life,''
"Yes, | got held up all tight, and
| got quite confidential with the cuss
before the thing was over. L have
wondered at myself ever since that
l dared to talk so saqcy to him when
he had the gun on me all the time,
and all cooked and ready for bust
ness.
81 lett Plymouth about O'Clock,
and swung down the canyon at a
pretty lively clip. Just as 1 reached
the foot of the grade and had crossed
the bridge, | beard voice sing out,
Hey, tnere, you stop!'
81 looked around, and there was
the cuss squatting by the side of the
road near a pile of big rocks, and
just inside the wire fence.
HE was partially behind post,
and so close to the ground that he
was resting the barrel of his big
revolver on the lower wire that vas
about two feet from the ground. He
was squintirg along that barrel at
me. He did not look good, l can
tell you that.
Thought 1t a Joke.
sat first, to tell the truth,
thought it was a joke that some of
the fellows around Plymouth were
attempting to play on me, but there
was a business air about the fellow,
and, just the same, took no chances
but jammed the brake on and brought
the stage to stop.
'Then the fellow said: loss out
that box
"What box?' said |
The WeIIsF'argo box, said he.
| amt got no box, said l, but |
got the mail, if you want that
don't want no mail, said he.
Don't you carry the expressF'
You bet l DON'T said ].
No Funny Breaks.
'"Then be looked at me minute,
and said: Well, you get out on this
side of that rig, and don't you maze
any funny break either, If you know
what is good for you
Look here, pardner, l can't get off
on your side, for if l do, this team
Will run away
"Well, you sit still and don t
make any break, and I'll come to
you,' he said, and then keeping the
gun pointed at me all the time, be
rolled under the wire, jumped to his
feet, came around the heads of the
team. with his gun pointed at me
all the time, and stopping few feet
from me on the side l was sitting
said:
Amt you got no money at alI?'
L said, yes, few dollars and he
said, 'Fork it out
so pulls off my gloves just as
careless as though l was alone, aud
reached down into my left trousers