Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1909-07-16
FOOLED THE ROBBERS
An incident Of the Days Of Stage.
coach HoldupS.
QUICK WIT OF PAT CLoHESY.

when the passengers in the ok
coaching days found themselves In TIL
clutches Of the road agents they In
stinctively hurried, during the shor
time that driver and guard were be
ing put in a proper state Of helpless
ness, to secret money and valunbles II
the FIRST safe place that suggested it
SELF" said a veteran Colorado mining
man. But such precautions were use
less, for there was small time and
smaller opportunity Of place to hide
anything IN a mere shell Of coach
II man was found without money,
they stripped him and searched the
stage as well.
1.-THE experience Of Pat Clohesy, an
old time mining man Of Colorado. Is
historic. One afternoon he took the
stage from Silver Cliff camp. bound
for the railroad, sixty miles away. In
the coach were dozen other passen.
gers, none Of whom knew him As
they reached the narrowest part Of the
gorge that leads out Of Wet Mountain
valley a loud command Of Hold up
your hands! brought the stage TO a
sudden standstill and every passenger
in it to a swift realization that unless
quick action was taken he would 90
broke. One crammed his wad Of bills
down his boot leg; another thrust his
roll down the back Of his neck: third
took OF his hat. put his wallet inside
and set it back on his head. Every
man Jack Of them attempted to Sc
crete his money except Pat Clohesy
and Pat sat perfectly quiet
"In few moments q rife barrel APP
peared at the window, and there came
the order, Hands up and all out" Out
the passengers tumbled and stood in
line with lifted hands. Pat at the far
end. When the searching highway.
man went through the first man he
found nothing. Irritated at this. he
started through the second. with the
same lack Of success. Angry at this.
the bandit turned to his fellow robber.
who stood covering the line with his
Winchester.
"'They have been tryin' to hide
their stun, d-n emf he exclaimed
Wen Just make 'em strip. and then
wen go through the stage. They'll
pay for putin us to all this troubleg
Then up spoke Pat Clohesy from
the far end of the line. Gentlemen
he said, addressing the highwaymen
I know you're in hurry. and know
I'm q poor miner with all my property
In the world-just the SIS I've got-in
my pocket. II you'll leave me that lit.
tie roll. I'll tell you where these other
fellows have hidden their swag. SOS
you can collect It quick and skip out
Is It bargainr
Sure said the man with the
guarding rife. Fifteen dollars meant
nothing to the band compared to the
risk. Well said Pat. pointing to the
first in line, that fellows money Is
stuffed down his right boot leg,
"rhe holdup investigated and drew
forth a plump roll Of bills from the
boot leg. That next man, went oil
Pat, has got his money hid under the
hind seat in the stage The bandit
found a fat wallet stuffed under the
cushion. The next has got his money
In his hat and the next crammed his
stun down the back of his neck, and
the next Pat went down the line OF |
them. while the highwayman drew
forth money from all manner of places
Swiftly collecting their booty. they
bundled the passengers back IN the
coach, set driver and guard back Oh
their seats and told them to go ahead. |
not, however, before they had given
Pat twenty dollar bill and a hearty
slap Of thanks on his Irish back.
THE storm that broke over his head |
inside that coach after il had rolled Il
safe distance from the bandits threat
ened his very life before he could gel
hearing. Had it not been that the
robbers had disarmed them all and
Pat was huge man he never would |
have got away alive
Each of you figure up just how
much you've lost he said to his fel |
low passengers when nj last they
would listen. and TN pay you buck !
not only what that is. but an equal |
amount in addition, for the bother I've
given you and be pulled from nm IN
ner vest pocket Il huge roll Of bills |
In bewildernent the travellers counted /
up their losses. Collectively it WAS
about $1,000 Pat peeled off two Sl.W1I
bills from the bulky masS of none.
and. handing them to "a responsible pms
senger asked him to make correct di
vision when they reached the railroad
I'm sorry for the unpleasant quar-.
ter hour caused you. be continued.
sbut II was the only thing | could 10 m