The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-12
FOOLED THE ROBBERS
An Incident of the Days of Stage.
coach Holdups.
QUICK WIT OF PAT cLoHEsY.
The Trick by Which the Old Time
Mining Man Of Colorado Saved Him
self and Sacrificed His Fellow Trav-
eiers and the Story Sequel.

NV SVISN " "HiSU SVO VIZ INV
Mining Man Of Colorado Saved Him
self and Sacrificed His Fellow Trav-
eiers 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 proper state of helpless
ness. to secret money and valuables in
the first safe place that suggested it.
SELF" said 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 a coach.
If a 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 a 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
sudden standstill and every passenger
In 1t to swift realization that unless
quick action was taken he would go
broke. One crammed his wad Of bills
down his boot leg; another thrust his
roll down the back Of his neck: third
took or 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 q few moments a rifle barrel ap-
peared Mt the window, and there came
the order, Hands up and all outv Out
the passengers tumbled and stood In
lire 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 'emr he exclaimed.
Wen just make 'em strip, and then
We'll go through the stage. They'll
pay for putin us to all this troubleT
Then up spoke Pat Clohesy from
the far end Of the line. Gentlemen
he said, addressing the highwaymen.
7 know you're In q hurry, and I 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 1t q bargain?
% 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
The holdup Investigated and drew
forth . plump roll Of bills from the
boot leg That next man. went on
Pat. has got his 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. ana the next crammed his
stuif down the back Of his neck, and
the next Pat went down the line Of
them. while the hixhwayman drew
forth money from al manner OF places.
Swiftly collecting their booty. they
bundled the passengers back in the
coach. sst driver and guard back on
their seats and told them to 60 ahead,
not, however. before they had given
Pat q twsaty dollar bill and q hearty
slap Of thanks on his Irish back.
The STORM that broke over his head
inside that coach after It had rolled .
safe distance from the bandits threat
ened his very life before he could get
hearing. Had 1t not been that the
robbers had disarned them al and
Pat was huge man he never would
have got away alive.
Each OF you 1gure up just how
much you've lost he said to his fell
low passengers when at last they
would listen, and I'll pay ron back
NOT only what that Il, hut m equal
amount In addition, for the bother I've
given you.' and he pulled from an In
ner vest pocket I huge roll OF bills.
In bewilderment the travellers counted
up their losses Collectively Il was
about $1,000 Pat peeled on two s.. Loo
hills fsDu the bulky. mAss Of money