The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-07-03

One adventure in particu
lar made me proud of my service TO
our company. although 1t was largel,
= matter OF luck that brought abou
my success in that instance. am /;
nrm believer in luck, for 1t plays al
important part in every mans life, and
1t has figured to large extent in my
own affairs, am free to confess.
"A daring express robbery had beer
committed In the western part OF The
state, near the Utah line. by three
men, The messenger had been muir
dered and the passengers throughout
the train robbed of all their money
The hold-up men secured something
more than $4,000 from the express
company's safe and fully $4,000 from
the passengers. They took nothing
but money. however, leaving valuable
1ewelry, diamonds and watches with
| their owners. and ignoring the parcels
In the express car. This circumstance
showed that the gang was composed
OF experienced thieves, for money is
the hardest thing in the world to
trace.
Il was notified Of the robbery on the
afternoon of the second day after it oc-
CURED. and although fastened to the
spot with all dispatch and made my
arrangement by wire. it was room of
the third day before / alighted at the
nearest station. Here / had arranged
for two horses and prospector's out
at. deeming 1t best to follow the BAN
dts in the disguise of miner, as the
robbery had been made at a point
near the mining region Of southwest
ern Colorado, and 1 expected to find
the criminals at some Of the numer-
Gus mining camps.
i have never been q believer In
DISCUSSES except as to clothing. All
EFFORTS to change the face with grease
paints and wigs and the like only tend
to attract attention and direct suspi-
sion to the man thus logged out. The
casual observer might not notice the
deception, but the criminal, and espe-
cially the hunted criminal. is no cas-
ual observer. He has formed the
habit OF noticing everything, and he
will detect the least false point in
mans appearance and shun him as II
he were afflicted with the plague.
"A change of dress will work won
ders IN mans appearance. II a.
man can wear other clothes than those
ne is accustomed to, and wear them
easily and naturally, he can more eff.
fectually disguise himself by this
means than he can with all the wigs
and paints and whiskers in exist
ence.
Coming across the continental di. |
vide, had suffered a slight attack of |
indigestion. | sent the porter after a |
mask OF whisky. asking for a certain |
brand. He returned in a few minutes |
with one Of the diminutive little bot
ties customarily sold on sleeping cars
at a quarter a bottle. 1t was not the |
kind had ordered, but the porter ex-
planned that this was the only brand
OF liquor the company sold, and had
to be content with it. The label of
the bottle stated that 1t was put nm
expressly for the company.
"On reaching my destination. / i'm.
mediately assumed the character of a
miner and set about my inquiry. There
was little information to be gathered
beyond what was contained in the
express company's report of the rob-
berry, Of which I had a carbon-copy.
satisfied that time spent here would
be wasted, set out for the scene of
he robbery, riding wiry little pony
md leading another on which was
backed my outfit of grub and cooking
Implements and miners tools.
The place was deso1ate spot. The
Dad ran through broad alkali val.
ey which had not, at that time, been
brought under cultivation by irrica-
Ion. 1t was easy to pick up the trail
4 bandits and follow it across the val
ey In southwesteriy direction to the :,
oot-hills OF the Rockies, where the ,
rail disappeared, the rocky ground ,
eaving no trace of footprints.
From this point on it was to be I
natter OF luck and guesswork. I be- =
leved my men had made for Telluride. ,
'uray, Silverton or some other mining I
amp, but l was not rash enough to I
enture guess as to which it might II
. at that stage of the game. These i
amps. with their rough. shifting pop :
iation, offered capital retreats for I
riminals, and from past experiences G
knew that my three rogues would.
all probability, remain IN one of '
lese camps until the excitement from 3
ne robbery had subsidized, and then I
lake for civilization to spend their a
honey.
For three days drifted at random o
trough the mountains. following trails Y
40 paths, for there were no roads. c
noeavoring to pick up some clew or n
nd the place where my party had Il
,ent the first night after the robbery.
ne nold-up had occurred about noon. v
=