Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-04-09

htand and deliver" held nm STAGE
coaches, plundered passengers and
reviewed the guards OF the bullion IN
their care. The products of the gold
mines, and set at defiance all attemnts
on the part OF the authoriti 10
catch him. AZ the time speal, of
the country around where Black Part
played his audacious FRANKS was
tnlnIy settled, and his chances OF es-
cape rom the posses that. took the
uaii after him were. as a matter OF
course much greater than they would
DC at tho present day.
During the latter part OF his. a.
reer, while playing the game single.
handed, he robbed only the exnress
messengers and took no chances with
the passengers. His first big venture
IN conjunction with his three Allies
was executed in 1856. and had for its
object the holding up OF the STAG
running between Angels camn C,i,-
'eTas county California. and Milton.
Ihere were FIVE passengers in the
stage coach. a huge. solid affair. resem.
ping an immense box. Ii rested ON
enormous leather straps that allowed
u TO swing with a diagonal motion
All hVe passengers were riding inside
Tor II was day in November and
rather chilly. Military titles are fairly
plentiful In the west. and two OF the
inmates OF the coach addressed each
other as Colonel" and Major" or
the remaining three. one was a mine
owner known 10 fame as Cactus" min
Crosby New England surgeon and
mlddle-aged Chicagoan, the latter
Seeh-laced business man who took an
immense amount OF interest in the
glowing descriptions given by the
euriy Crosby Of the unlimited possibiI.
iues OF hidden wealth in the surround
Ing country.
On the coach was an express box.
said TO contain $50. 600 in bullion the
product OF the Utica gold mine. the
largest In the state. In rack near
the drivers feet hung two Colts re-
Voivers and Winchester rife. The
road was considered safe enough 70,
no robbery had occurred there since
the camp had been in existence. stiu
ms stage company preferred to be on
me alert. and hence the weapons.
While fresh horses were being nut
to the coach the passengers alighted
and stepped into the room that served
IS bar, office and Iounging apartment
Tor Sullivan's place was a hotel as we'll
as relay station. There was but one
beverage sold at SuIlivan's-whislrv-
though there hung upon the wall bacl,
OF. the rough bar an Illuminated card
setting forth in fiy-specked characters
me superior merits of Bund's Jamaica
ginger. But as for the ginger, there
was none TO be had. Nor were there
any Indications. beyond dusty litho-
graphs nailed askew 70 the wooden
partitions. that soda water. settler or
extra dry champagne were procurable
On demand. Therefore it was FORUM
ate that the systems of those passen-
gers who needed stimulation crayed
whisky only, for that was positively all
there was. On the sticky bar stood a
half-dozen thick. dirty glasses, side by
side with the long necked bottle. half
niled with an amber fluid, and behind
It stood Proprietor Sullivan himself.
smiling blandly under his thick red
mustache at the assembled guests.
The passengers had not noticed at
hrst, In the dim light OF the room, the
figure OF a woman. clad in deep black
and wearing a heavy veil drawn over
her face. She sat in a dark corner
and seemed to shrink from observa-
ton. Bst when Frank Slammons, the
driver, entered. after looking to his
cattle, and had fortified his nerves
with four fingers OF the favorite cor
dial. Sullivan took him aside and en-
gagged him in conversation, and mine
hosts gestures then for the first time
directed the attention of all to the
woman.
The halt was necessarily short, and
the passengers were soon back in the
coach, the horses had been changed.
and all was ready for the start. But
Siammons fingered, and when ne at
length appeared at the door seemed
to be In no hurry. He stood there sur
veying the scene with a severely criti-
al aye IN HIS mouth a cigar fsnnaa