The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-06-30
FOOLED THE ROBBERS
An Incident of the Days of Stage
coach HoIdups.
QUICK WIT OF PAT CL0HESY.

The Trick BY Which tho Old Time
Mining Man Of Colorado Saved Him
self and Sacrificed His Fellow Trav-
elers and the Story Sequel.
When the passengers in the old
coaching days found themselves IN the
clutches OF the road agents they in
scinctsvely hurried. during the short
time that driver and guard We're be-
Ing put IN Z proper state Of helpless
ness. to secret money and raluables In
the first safe place that suggested it
SELF" saiG veteran Colorado mining
man. But such precautions were use
less. for there was small time and
smaller opportunity OF place to hide
anything In 4 mere shell Of coach
Il = man was found without money.
they stripped him and searched the
stage as well
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
tie coach we're q 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 q loud command Of Hold up
your hands, brought the stage to 3
sudden standStN and every passenger
IN It to q swift realization that unless
Quick action was taken be would so
broke. One crcnned his wad OF bsus
down his boot Les: another thrust his
roll down the back OF his neck: third
took OF his hat. put his wallet inside
and set It hack on his head Every
man Jack OF them attempted to Sc
crete his money except Pat Clohcsy.
and Pat sat perfectly quiet.
In q few moments rife barrel ap-
oeared &c the window, and there came
the order, .Hands up and al cut" Out
the passengers tumbled and stood In
line with lifted hands. Pat at the iar
end. When .he searching highway
man went through the first man ne
found nothing. Irritated at this. be
started through the second. with the
sane lack Of success. Angry 1T this,
the bandit turned to his feIr rcboer,
who stood covering the line with his
Winchester.
"'They have been uyin' to hide
their stuff, d-n 'em" he exclaimed.
Wen Just make EN- strip. and then
wen 90 through the stage They'll
pay for putin Us to ali this troubler
Then up spoke Pat Clohesy from
the far end OF the line. Gentlemen
be said. addressing the hishwaymen.
7 know you're In . hurry, and know
Tn roor miner with al my property
IN the world-juse the SIS I've Sot-in
my pocket II you'll leave me that iis-
tic roll. I'll tell You where these other
fellows have hidden their swaG. SOS
you can collect it quick and skip out.
Is It bargain?
".Sure,' said the man with the
guarding rife. Fifteen dollars meant
nothing to the band compared 70 the
risk. Well said Pat, pointing to the
first in line, that fellows moaes IS
stuffed down his right boot leg.
The hol6up investigated and drew
forth plump roll Of bills from the
boot Ieg. That next man. went On
Pat, has got bis money hid under the
hind seat in the stage The bandit
found fat wallet stuffed under the
cushion. The next has got his money
In his hat. and the next cramned his
stuff down the back OF his 2ecS. anc
the next Pat went down the line OF
them. while the hishwayman drew
forth money from all manner Of places.
Swiftly collecting their booty. they
buSued the passengers back IN the
coach, SCI driver and guard back on
their seats and told them to so ahead,
not. however. before they had~Siven
Pat q twenty dollar bill and a hearty
slap OF thanks OF his Irish back
THE storm that broke over his head
inside that coach after 1t had rolled q
safe distance from the bandits threat
ened bis very lie before he could get
hearing had it not been that the
robbers had disarmed them all and
Pat was q huge man he never would
have got away alive.
Each Of you figure up just how
much you've LOST be said to bis Eel
low passengers when at last they
would listen, and III pay you back
NOT only what that IS, but an equal
amount IN addition. for the bother I've
given you,' and he pulled from an ~
ne1 vest pocket hcse coll OF bills
II bewiiderment the travellers counted
up their losses. Collectively it was
about $1,000. Pat peeled of two S1,o0(
bills from the bulky mass OF money
and. handing them to responsible pas
seneer, asked him to Unke correct di
vision when they reached the railroad
Tn sorry for the unpleasant Qua1
ter hour caused you,' he continued
but It was the only thing could do te
save myself have just sold g mine
back in Silver Cliff fo- $4,000 cash
and had no oLher way to bring the
money out except IN my pocket Here
IS the bundle Of It. and he held up ths
Fat roll ) When heard cle holdups
outside thought it was all up. for you
cap's hide money from those bounds
sut when you fellows pulled out you'
money 20 hide It and saw that none
Of you bad any large amount thought
would work Z ssme oo the road
agents and give you away 20 the VII
lains in order 20 save myself. surely
did, THEY'VE cot 81 600. but I've saved