Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-07-03
FOOLED THE ROBBERS
An Incident of the Days Of Stage.
coach Holdups.
QUICK WIT OF PAT CL0HESY.
The Trick by Which the Old Time
Mining Man of Colorado Saved Him
self and Sacrificed His Fellow Trav-
elers and the Story Sequel.

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
stinctively hurried, during the short
time that driver and guard were be-
ing put in n proper state Of helpless
ness. to secret money and yaluables In
the first safe place that suggested IT.
self" said a veteran Colorado mining
man. but such precautions were USE
J less. for there was small time and
smaller opportunity Of place to hide
anything In n mere shell Of coach.
If a man was found without money,
they stripped him and searched the
stage as we'll.
"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 loud command Of Hold up
your handsr brought the stage to
sudden standstill and every passenger
In It to n swift realization that unless
quick action was taken he would go
I broke. One crammed his wad Of bills
down his boot leg; another thrust his
roll down the back Of his neck; third
took off 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 d few moments rifle barrel ap-
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 stuff, d-n 'em! he exclaimed.
Wen just make 'em strip, and then
We'll go through the stage. They'll
pay for putin us to all this trouble!
"Then up spoke Pat Clohesy from
the far end Of the line. Gentlemen,
he said, addressing the highwaymen,
4 know you're in hurry, and | know
I'm poor miner with all my property
| in the world-just the SIS I've got-inI
nv pocket. If you'll leave me that lit
tie roll, III tell you where these other
fellows have hidden their swag, SOS
you can collect it quick and skip out.
Is 1t bargain?
"'Sure' said the man with the
guarding rifle. Fifteen dollars meant
nothing to the band compared to the
risk. WE'LL said Pat, pointing to the
first in line, that fellows money Is
stuffed down his right boot leg
1.-THE holdup investigated and drew
forth plump roll Of bills from the
boot leg. That next man. went OF
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
stuff down the back OF his neck, ana
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 on
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.
1.-THE storm that broke over his head
inside that coach after it had rolled q
safe distance from the bandits threat
ened his very life before he could gel
q 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, he said to his fel'
low passengers when at last they
would listen, and I'll 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 IN
ner vest pocket huge roll Of bills
In bcwilderment the travellers counted
ND their losses. Collectively 1t was
about $1,000. Pat peeled off two $1,000
bills from the bulky mass Of money
and, handing them to responsible pas
sencer asked him to make correct oil
vision when they reached the railroad
"'Pm sorry for the unpleasant quar-
ter hour l caused YOU he continued
but it was the only thing l could do to
save. myself | have just sold n mine
back in Silver Cliff for $4,000 cash
and had no other way to bring the
money out except in my pocket. Here
is the bundle Of It, and he held up the
fat roll. When | heard the hOldups
outside thought 1t was all up, for you
can't hide money from those hounds.
But when you fellows pulled out your
money to hide it and | saw that none
of YOU had any large amount thought
l would work game on the road
agents and give you away to the vii
loins I'm order TO save myself. | surely