Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-06-28

robbers. He tells of the time when
Horace Greeley was making a tour
of the Pacific coast and was scheduled
to make speech at Placerville. He
went aboard the stage driven by quaint
Hank Monk, and as he stepped in he
shouted:
Got Greeley There on Time.
Mr.. Monk, must deliver a lecture
in Placerville tomorrow night. Can
you get me there on time?'
Monk assured him that he could,
and started OF the team along the old
corduroy" road, paved with small sap
lings, half buried In clay. Miles and
miles they went, with Monk whistling
merrily, and Horace Greeley, the only
passenger, being pumped about within
the rolling coach without being able
to help himself in the least. At last
the dignified passenger could stand 1t
no longer. When he had been thrown
for the fortieth time against the wood
en- frame of the coach door he cried
out: ''Mr. Monk, don't you think you
are going pretty fast?" Monk let go
mouthful of tobacco juice, and. CIV
ing sharp crack with the whip to
the leader, replied unsteady: Keep
your seat, Mr.. Greeley, I'll get you
there on time!" Greeley got there on
time. as he had demanded, and the
lecture was jolted clean out of him.
He arrived in Placerville seasick and
brain-fagged.
Hodges was associated with the IA
nous twin stage drivers, Curly Dan
and Curly Jerry. fearless and careful
men, whose innocent deception, owing
to their extreme likeness, of passen-
gers was the cause of great hilarity.
1t happened that Dan would start out
with the stage in the early morning
from Placeryille. and at midnight
would arrive at the changing station,
where he would give his seat on the
box to his brother, likewise curly-hair-
ed and featured. The passengers be-
Ing asleep they were not aware of the
exchange. and next morning, when
they spied whom they thought was
Curly Dan upon the seat, they sup
posed he had been driving without
sleep since the morning Of the day be-
fore. Jerry used to have great
time convincing the curious passen-
gers that he was not his brother, but
his brothers brother.
Drove President Grant.
When President Grant did little
staging in the west in 1879. there was
great rivalry among the stage drivers
as to who should handle the reins on
the coach that took him from Placer
vile to Virginia City. Billy Hodges
got the honor. which was also a
plum" because of the additional
money in the job, and when they start
ed out Grant looked at the frisky six
horse team and then at the driver,
who at the time was looking as sporty
and risky as his animals. That's a
risky team and frisky driver, but
he's got good eye and a white
nose!" exclaimed the president.
Grant marveled at the speed with
which they travelled, and the way they
dashed into Virginia City on that mem
orable day just suited the old war
rior. He complimented Hodges on his
work with the reins.
During the years from 1870 to 1884
Wells-Fargo lost. incidental to robber.
les. $927.726.55. There were during this
time .313 stage holdups, "a attempted
robberies and four train robberies.
More than is guards were killed or
wounded, while more than two dozen
bandits were killed, besides those sent
to state prison.
Some of these facts are here publish
ed for the first time, for Billy is not
much Of talker until he is poked up
bit and quizzed. He manipulates
that lever and calls out the floor"
not understanding or caring little for
the power that lifts and lowers this
strange modern coach.