Year: 1860

THE HUNT on THE HIGHWAY.


There was shrewd robber somewhere. The
farm-houses we're robbed, shops we're robbed:
the till of the bars at the wayside inns we're
robbed; and the people had their pockets pick.
ed. All this happened in the region of country
between Sidney aud Lowsstone-not feld Of
vast extent-and yet the robber or robber.
could not be found. Officers had searched IL
every direction, and several suspicious-lookina
fnd,viduals had been apprehended; but the
zeal calprit remained at large One day the
mail was robbed, and on the next a.man had
his pocket picked Of FIVE hundred pounds while
riding in the stage coach; for my narrative
dates back to the old coaching days. The
money had been carried in his breast pocket
and he knew it was stolen from him while he
was enjoying bit of doze on the road. ..


had been confined to my house by a severe
cold for several days, and was not at to 90 ou
now, but as the matter was becoming so seri-
Gus felt it my duty to be on the move, and &C.
cOrdingly fortified my throat and breast with
warm flannel, and set forth I had no settled
plan in my mind, for had not ret been
upon the road, and was moi. thoroughly ssposted
up" ride Of Eve miles brought me to Sid
ney, and thence meant to take coach to Low
stone, where Sam Stickney, one of the shrswd-
est OF men, lived stickney had already
been on the search, and wished to consult
him before making any decided movement. /
reached Sidney at half past FIVE in the morning,
and tie coach left at six. Lowstone was sixty
mUes distant. so had good ride before me.
Curing the carly part of the day I rode upon
the box with the driver, and from him I
gained considerable information touching the
various robberies that had been committed.
He was forced to admit that several people had
been robbed in his stage, though he declared
he couldn't see into it, for he had not the most
remote idea of even who the robber could be.


We reached Benniville at noon, where We
stopped to dine, and when we left this plaoe
was the only passenger. At the distance of
twelve miles, at little village called Caw-
thorn, We stepped to change horses and here
another passenger got up had been occupy
Ing the forward seat, as that happened to Be
wider than the other, and gave me better
opportunity for lying down and when the
new conner entered ne took the back seat. He
was a young man, judged, and not very tall
IN Stature, but 90 completely bundled up was
he IT shawls and muflers, that his size Of frame
was net 30 easily determined. He was very
pale, aud coughed badly; and at once made
gP my mind that he was far less fit to travel
saan was. After We had got fairly on our
way, remarked to him that had been suf.
fering from severe cold, and that this was
the hrst time l had ventured out for quite a
number Of days. He looked at me out of
pair of dark, bright eyes and when he seemed
to have determined what manner Of man was
he said =


4" have something worse than cold, sir. ~
He broke into fl Of coughing which lasted a
minute or so, aud then added q 1t won't be a
great while before shall take my last ride -


Again ne was seized with spasm of cough
ing, and wien he had recovered from it, he
contlnueT, The disease is eating me up and
shak-g me to pieces at the same time"


.ie further Informed me that he had started
on tsur for his health, but that he had given
it up, and was now on his way home, which
place he was anxious to reach as soon as posi-
BILE. Another paroxysm seized him at this
point, and he intimated that he was unable to
converse, as the effort brought on his cough /
had noticed this, and had made up my mind
TO trouble him no more, even before he had
given me the hint. r.s. -


After this he drew his outer shawl more
closely about bis neck and face, he closed his
eyes, and was not long in following bis ex-
ample. Toward the middle of the forenoon
the coach stopped at a small village, where We
changed horses again, and where four passen-
gers got up, This broke up the arrangements
of my friend and self for rest, as he had to take
one OF the strangers on his seat, while took
another upon mine, the other two occupying
the middle seat. The new comers soon broaehed
the subject of the robberies which had been
committed in that region, and listened to get





than any one else knew. They had heard all
about it, and were inflated with wonder


One-an old fsrmer-asked me if knew
anything Of the robber. told him i knew but
little of the affair in any way, having been sick
and unable to be out among folks. Then he
asked my consumptive friend If he knew any
thing about il. The latter raised his head from
Its reclining position, and was on the point of
answering, when We heard our driver, in quick
IN ~
the road. / instinctively put my head out of
the window to see what was the trouble and
my eye was just quick enough to detect q load
of faggets in time to dodge back and escape
them. The road was quite narrow at this point,
and as the fsggots were loaded very widely, Ii
was impossible for the driver wholly to avoid
them, and the side Of the coach was swept by
touched; but not SO my friend. heard an sx-
clamation-I thought rather profane ono
from his lips; and on looking towards him I
saw that one Of the faggots had struck him over
the left eye, making quite mark upon the
pale skin. This incident turned the conversa-
tion from the subject of the robberies, and it
was not again alluded to during the day.


We reached Lowstone shortly after dark, and
i went at once to the residence of Mr. Stick
ney, whom found at home. He had been out
all day, and bad made every effort to obtain
some clue TO the perpetrators of the robberies
that were being committed, but without effect.
He said he could hear nothing on which to
hang o suspicion. Two shops had been robbed
in his town, but he could gain no clue to the
perpetrators. We consulted together, and
finally agreed to 60 in tho morning and see an
other detective, named Gamblit, who resided
some twelve miles distant, in the townef 0rton
This met the views Of my host, and 90 We
left the matter for the evening On the fol-
lowing moyning We were up early, and AZ the
coach would take rs directly 10 Gamblit's s
House, We chose that mode Of conveyauce, ana
repaired at a reasonable hour to the tavern for
thst purpose. When We reached the inn. we
found the old farnner, who had been one Of my
fellow passengers on the night before, step
ping shout the door in . high state Of excite
issnt.s He had been robbed Of three hundred
Peusdss and be was sure il mnst have been
dohssin the stage, for he had slept nit A his
PICKET book ssn1sr bis pillow. He had not
shongh u to look into 1t vhen he retired, but he
found il empty that morning when he got up.
He ssid the Wsiiet had been taken from his
pockse and pus back Again+-he knew IT, AZ
soon, as ne saw me hey anxious Ishould be
searched. or course allowed the operation
TO bs performed, willingly. After the excite
meut was ailayed, 4 asked where the pale
poung man Was who came In the coach, and
vas told by the landlord that he went away
= L.. prsvo1