The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-06
L. A. Potter, Old Time Stage
Robber, May Be Released.
Has Been in LeavenwOrth Prison
for "a Years.
HAS ROMANTICCAREER
Treated the Women Victims
With Great Courtesy.
Companion Was Killed After
Escape From Prison.

Washington, D. c., May 6.-The
old settlers of Mason county. Texas,
are much interested in the pending
application for pardon from the
federal prison at Leavenworth made
by L. A Potter, who is serving a life
| sentence for stage robbery.
| The particular crime for which
| Potter was tried and convicted in the
federal court at San Antonio was
committed in the evening of February
! 4, 1884, a few miles from Mason,
Mason county, on the old wagon road
| that runs between San Antonio and
San Angelo.
Potter had a partner in his stage
Der went under the name. of James
Mcdaniel. The two outlaws were of
the early border type They possessed
some good qualities along with the
the stage roads leading out of San
Antonio. and large sums of money
and valuables were secured by them
| from passengers and the strong boxes
of the Wells Fargo express. Both
men were chivalrous in their. treat
happened to be in the stages which
they held up.
Gave Sick Woman Money.
There was one occasion when they
exhibited a spirit Of charity in a
practical way. 1t Is said. They held
up stage between Hedig's Hill and
Fredericksburg and found among
the passengers a young woman who
was sick and in destitute circum-
stances. She was on her way to a
neighboring ranch In the hope that
her health might be benefited. The
two robbers, after relieving the male
passengers Of all their money and
valuables. made inquiry of the sick
woman as to where she was going
She told them that she was in search
of health and that she had no money
to give them.
What you need is a DOCTOR" one
OF the robbers is reported to have
said. Here is the money to pay your
way back to San Antonio and enough
for hospital expense besides
The man showed q roll of bills
| amounting to several hundred dollars
into her hands.
'That money don't belong to any of
these passengers" the robber told her.
i've got that in my other pocket"
The woman took the next stage
back to San Antonio, and is said to
have been restored to health
through the use of the money given
her by the robber.
When They Were Caught
Potter and Mcdaniel did not get
much money and yaluables in the
which resulted in their capture. 1t
was a Unbound stage which con-
tanned a number of passengers, The
stage was rumbling along the road
and had almost reached the crossing
of the Slano river when the two out
laws stepped from behind a clump of
| bushes and aimed their rifles at the
driver, commanding him to stop and
throw up his hands. The order was
promptly obeyed While Mcdaniel
rd Potter made the
gers get out of the coach and lined
them up in the road, making each
man hand over his store of wealth.
A detachment of state rangers ar
next morning and took up the trail
of the fugitives. They came upon the
two men near Llano, twenty miles
from the place of the robbery, and
effected their capture without a fight
on February 6. The outlaws claimed
to be brothers and gave the name of
Smith. They afterwards gave the
names they went by when tried and
convicted. Each refused to tell any
thing of his past life. They were
time of his capture. was about 25
years old Mcdaniel his partner,
was a year or two younger.
1t was not until May, 1885. that the
two men were placed on trial They
were convicted and each given a life
sentence in the penitentiary. While in
Jail at San Antonio awaiting transfer
to prison they made their escape one
day by picking out the mortar from
around a big stone in the "runaround'
and then showing the stone out of the
wall
Both men made for the hills situated
north of San Antonio as soon as they
had gained their freedom. They sep
arated when they reached the outskirts
of town. Posses of rangers and deputy
sheriffs went in hot pursuit of the
fugitives. Potter was recaptured a
short distance from San Antonio. Nc
Daniel continued his flight into the
hills.
Fought Till He Fell.
1t was known to the officers that
Mcdaniel was in love with a daughter
of a ranchman who lived about 80
miles north of San Antonio. This fact
had developed during his imprisonment
by letters which had passed between
the couple. 1t was the belief, there
fore. that the fugitive had gone to his
sweetheart's home to take refuge. This
theory proved correct. A posse, head
ed by James NJ. Van Ripper. one of the
most fearless and noted peace officers
of the southwest. made their way quiz
city to the vicinity of the home of the
young woman and lay in wait for Nc
Daniel. The posse secreted their horses
some distance from the house and took
up their positions on foot in the thick
brush at a spot which commanded a
good view of the. house and its i'm
mediate surropndings-
Love Affair His Undoing
The second morning after their ar
rival on the scene they saw Mcdaniel
emerge from the house with his rifle in
his hand 1t was the desire of the
posse to capture the outlaw alive and
without a fight, and with this end in
view they slowly followed the man as
he wendell his way down a canyon. 1t
was evident that he was bound for his
hiding place in the hills The mem
bers of the posse clambered along the
side of the hills that bordered the
CANYON, shielding themselves from view
behind the bushes. and ever keeping
the fugitive in sight Suddenly one of