Bisbee daily review., 1911-09-20

-~~~~--~-~~~~---~~ this was the first romance of his life. This thing of helping girls to marry other fellows seemed to give him a bad taste in his mouth.
 Hodges came to California in 1858, continuing his profession as 6 stage driver. and in time was given the fa- nous Placerville road, running from Sacramento through Placerviile to Vir- ginia City, New On this road be drove the mail and express coaches. and on many of the trips carried treas ure amounting 10 s100.000 As a re- suit he was made the victim of half dozen of the greatest holdups in the history of the Pacific coast
 The plan of the robbers invariably was to kill the nigh horse and then prevent an escape. If they failed to do this Hodges would sweep his long lash across the backs of his beasts and be of7 in a cloud of dust, leaving the dumfounded robbers gazing blank ly at each other. For this reason be was valuable as a driver. When they have you" he explained, pull up and take it easy; but if they leave you an opening, then make for it."
 One day on the Bodie road in Ne vada, between Bodie and Carson, the treasure box was laden and the coach well filled with passengers. There were guards outside and in, and a daring gun messenger was perched on the box beside the driver. The strong de- fense gave the passengers a sense of security. and one of them, woman, started to while away the hours by singing Romance was in the air The enrolling of the girl swoke response In the nerves of the guards and their guns lay negligently upon their knees. Suddenly the concert was brought to an abrupt halt by the resounding re- port of a slug-loaded shotgun. Down went the nigh leader. The other horses plunged and the shock nearly unseated driver and messenger. Even the high waymen were astonished at the in- stant result of the shot, and hesitated for a fraction of minute, and in that time the messenger fired. One Of the robbers prying at the lock of the treas ure box dropped, while the other took to the brush.
 Many Times Held Up.
 On the famous Geiger grade, about four miles from Virginia City, Billy laced the rifles of six bandits, and the treasure box was dynamited, the robbers carrying away more than ss.000 Again he was stopped near Virginia City. This was in 1865, and in six-Mile canyon below the Gould and Curry mill The team was forced to stop, owing to a barricade of old sluice boxes which the bandits had placed across the road. The five des- peradoes robbed ali the passengers save one. a pretty schoolms'am.
 By the beginning of 1884 he had saved up considerable money and de- cided to quit the highway. He had made money on the side by taking or ders from ranchers, as did his associ- ate drivers Frequently. he said, his hat was filled with memoranda. en- bracing orders from a case of rum to a piece of blue ribbon.
 Simultaneously with his quitting the road he bought the Mount Hamilton stage line. running from San Jose to the mountain. Not long after this he was commissioned to haul the great s6-inch lens to the observatory. The wagon was especially built for ths trip and the delicate glass was placed in an oaken casket, the whole thing weigh ing 800 pounds. Later. upon the re- moyal of the body of James Lick from the vault in San Francisco. he hauled the coffin up to Mount Hamilton, and was present when tbe body was sealed la the sarcophagus beneath the i'm mense telescope.
 He tells many anecdotes of the men he has known and associated with. both famous and notorious drivers and