Evening star., 1933-08-20
Fifty Years Ago
In the Star

The following description, printed in
The Star of August 13. 1888. of stage
coach robbery in
Montana Stage Montana, indicates
Coach Robbery. tnat f5s1s gars sf,s GElms v1Irs
ago were more petite than these c. to-
day:
The stage was moving along at
walk, about noon, when three masked
ruffians emerged from their hiding
place and, leveling their shotguns at
the driver and passengers. shouted
hands up The order was promptly
cbeyed without a murmur, and In
obedience to the next command every
man stepped from the stage with his
hands in the air and formed in line on
the roadside. Then one Of the posse
| stepped forward to take the contents Of
each pocket. while the other two kept
their guns !eveled 81 as to enfllaoe the
line. There were two ladies aboard,
cne on the box and one inside, who
cried bitterly. but the gallant ss-ur-
ences of the Claude Duvals that nobody
would be killed unless tley resisted
allayed their fears: for they knew too
we'll that the rror-stricken nine. with
their hands in the air, hadn't strength
| enough left to pull a trigger. Though
this is quite serious business. yet 1t
has its ludicrous side. which is worth
telling. One passenger. in leaving the
stage, put his pocketbook containing
$270, In the folds of the curtain and
did not search for 1t again until the
stage had progressed eight miles, so
great was his decentralization. and then,
| to his horror. it was gone; later, how
ever, it was found on the floor of the
| coach. A Chicago gentleman who wore
kid gloves was detected fumbling with
his finger. and upon being made to
take of his glove displayed what was
apparently plain gold ring. which he
desired to retain, it being the gift of
a dear friend The willy highwayman.
however, turned over the finger and
found to his delight super-brilliant.
Among the wreck the next day was
| found Government envelope addressed
to scme official in the territory, upon
which was inoorsed in pencil, Opened
by mistake by posse of three high
waymen.' The telegraph operator here
tells me that the entire gang has been
captured and taken to Helena. If this
be so, they will have short shrift."
Comparisons between English and
American methods of doing business in
Parcels Post tiles has iong E been
in England. eo'ntqv msntqse0 to IN 1hs dIss 5hls
paragement of the former. The fol-
, lowing in The Star Of August IS, 1888,
bears upon the matter of the postal
| services:
"The American traveller in England
! is always forcibly reminded of the
| slow-going methods of those people in
comparison with this country. He suf-
fers inconvenience because OF the Eng
! lish prejudice against everything not
entirely English. No innovations that
, are not English in conception and pro-
| duction are to be tolerated. Happily for
the travellers as well as for the English
themsel res, this prejudice, commonly
| styled over there national pride is
yielding to the force of common sense
and practical utility. There is per-
ceptible now a disposition to adopt
foreign ideas and apply them usefully;
but this must be done somewhat CO.
| verify It must not be admitted that
| England has learned anything from
abroad. This is illustrated in the new
feature Of the British mail service, re-
Gently put In practice, called the Par
GELS Post It is really nothing more
than our merchandise or fourth
class mail feature, somewhat enlarged,
though not sufficiently to bring it up
to a scale of express service in this
country Parcels not over seven pounds
in weight and not exceeding six feet in
combined length and circumference can
be sent through the mails at rates of
postage ranging from three pence to
one shilling And yet this service,
modelled upon schemes that have long
been in use in this country, Is treated
! by the British press as something new
and extraordinary. It is made to ap-
pear as . grand invention Of British
genius"