Year: 1879




HOW THEY GO THROUGH NAIL COACH AND ITS


PASSENGERS.


Correspondence of the St Louis Globe Democrat


The coach, laden with mail sacks and sew
eral passengers, coming east, had approach
ed within one mile OF Peg Leg. 1t was nine
o'clock at night, and the vehicle rocked along
in the dense and somber shadows of the
timber. bottom, or swamp of the San
Saba. The driver was urging his horses up
a smart ascent. The passengers, dreamy
tired and half asleep, were suddenly startled
by the sharp whoa" of the Jehu on the
outside The stage stopped.


''Is this another stopping place; lazily in
quired one OF the passengers.


No, replied the driver coolly, but il S
Six-shoOter postotfice, reckon"


The travellers began to take the hint, and
were soon confirmed in their suspicious
when they next heard gruff voice order the
driver TO drive off TO one side of the road.
The vehicle moved, but soon came TO a stand
still again. In the meantime, there was a
Tremendous and exciting furry inside the
stage, though not word was spoken. Each
passenger strove to see how much he could
conceal on his person. All went to work
hiding jewelry and money. Some slowed 1t
away in their stockings, down their backs,
up their sleeves-anywhere. One stuck SO
in his shoe one secreted the contents of his
pocket-book, which, however, he kept ready,
containing one check as a make believe. The
occupants of the coach now perceived they
were IN the hands Of the Philistines nor
were they surprised when the same grutf
voice as before blurted out 'You fellers in
thar, step out, one by one, and if any man
show six-shooter, well blow the top of his
head of - The order was obeyed. The
first passenger to make his exit was Il military
operator, going to San Antonio. The boss
robber asked him who and what he was.


I'm an operator, SAID the telegraphlsi.


Then I'm id certain You must have
money. Come fork over. Pull of them
shoes"


The operator, whose overcoat one OF the
robbers thoroughly overhauled, was about
reluct,ntly to obey the highwayman, when
the latter seemingly becoming impatient.
said Wall, | reckon We needn't take of
yer shoes never mind en-" The operator
gave them -, and saved SO he had in his
shoes. After going through the man of cleo
tTicity and voltaic batteries the robbers or
dered him back into the stage.


The next man ordered out was q stage
agent named Rose who had formerly been
stationed on the Rio Pecos. The man got
out like one who is about to put his neck in
the halter He had placed his big six shoot
er in the waistband Of mis- breecnes, and
$500 in currency which he had in his porte
monnaie he stuffed around in his clothes TO
the best of his ability He threw n blanket
over his shoulders to conceal the pistol
which, he afterward said, he intended to use
on the Eighwaymen IN case of dire necessity
As a blind he had $50 in silver in tobacco
bag. Rose stepped out in the shadow of a
big tree, and with the air OF q man whose
last dime is leaving him, handed the bag to
the boss Tobher and said Let me have a
dollar aud half to get good square meal
in Peg Leg with won't you Z" The robber
maie no reply, but failed to search Roses
person. HIS $500 escaped.


One of the rayelers, Max Lindheim, was
the next unfortunate to step forth and con-
front the highwaymen.


"Who the devil are you ?" said the robber-
in-chief.


"My name is Max Lindhelm. Who are
YOU?


shut up git back thar and fork over
everything, was the stern reply from behind
the ominous and mysterious mask.


Heres all I've got take it. said Lind
helm, in a broken down kind of way at the
Same time thrusting his hand into his bosom
and pulling out Ss.


Turn them pockets inside ont, and that
Id quick =, exclaimed tho brigand,


Twelve dollars more resulted.


Now hold up your hands, and lemme see
them rings o yourn.'


Zone OF these is not mine the other is a
family relic pleaded the passenger as LIE
exhibited two beautiful rings, one evidently
memento Of n lady friend.


"Wall, don't keer, you may keep EN-.
Haul off that overcOat thar p aglia came
from behind the mask


The garment was searched. and Lindhelm
ordered to re-enter the coach.


The last passenger put through the ordeal
was man named Mueller, who had $50 hid
den at various places on his person. but
which he eventually had to surrender.


''Got any arms said the robbers.


''Yes inside the stage


go and bring en-"


Mueller did 50, and handed the brigand
large six shooter with which he might easily
have blown daylight through two others OF
the villains.


The robber took the shooting iron, view
ed it through the mask and said You may
keep it its old and worn out and not worth
Rd-n.'


Having got through with the passengers,
the brigands next ordered the driver to throw
down the mail-pouches from under the seat.
He did so. One of the villains ripped open
one of the sacks and Rbstracted therefrom
several registered packages. Asking the
driver if he had a six-shooter, and being an
swered IN the negative (he had Onel, they
ordered him to hunt up candle. He at first
pretended he had none, but piece Of one
was at length found. With this they began
the search of the interior of the stage, but
found little or nothing worth carrying off


The boss robber, little fellow scarce five
feet and wearing blue soldiers overcoat,
with trousers suited inside his boots, then
gave the following command "You feers
inside there get out and walk ahead of the
hosses. The fust one that looks back will
have the top of his head blown of 80


1hsy marched off in good time The ex-
erclses was kept up till the bandits had got
through searching the stage The brigands
then dlhaT peared suddenly as they had
emerged from the deep gloom of the trees in
the bottom of the San Saba.