Year: 1878


The Victim OF a Texas stage Rob


berry Tells His Experience.


Private Letter in tho Galveston NeWs.l


BENFIoKLIN, TEX, December
16.-0n Saturday morning at /
o'clock, near Pegleg, l was startled
from an Indifferent slumber in the
stage coach by the clicking of a
Winchester and by voices from
without hallooing to the driver:
"Turn into the brush, Cd d-n
you, or l will shoot the side of your
face off; will not tell you again. :"
At the same time / saw two men
with guns, one bearing on the
driver and the other pointed at the
opening in the coach. There were
two passengers beside myself in the
coach-Lieutenant Kirby, of the
Tenth infantry and a graduate of
West Point, assigned to duty at
Fort McKavett; the other, Mr..
Barouch, a drummer from New
Orleans. Ny pistol was rolled up
in my blankets, the drummer had
no arms, but Lieutenant Kirby was
well hseled. We had from the
time we left the road until we were
stopped in the brush to consider
what we should do. The drummer
and myself concluded that we were
not in a condition to risk the fight,
not on account of the money he
might lose, but on account Of the
profession. We overruled him and
were ready to submit to the robbery
when the coach stopped in the brush
two or three hundred yardsfrom the
road. One at a time was called
and stepped forward, was robbed,
and sent to the front of the horses.
The coach was then plundered for
money, jewelry and arms. Each
one had hidden a portion of his
money and valuables while in the
stage. / threw mine in the hay in
the bottom of the coach, the drum
mer tucked his away in the top of
the coach, and the lieutenant put
his in his boot. Mine was found,
the balance they did not get. The
drummer delivered them $50, the
lieutenant $5, and 1926. They also
got the lieutenants and drummer's
watches, which were left in the
coach. While the coach was being
robbed we were all guarded, a Win
chester bearing on us. The rob-
bers-the two we saw-were men
Of good address and executed the
robbery skillfully. They attempted
no disguise, except the boss, who
evidently thought | knew him; to
the others he was unreserved.
They talked among themselves, from
which we learned that another
party were to rob the down coach
and that they were within support.
ing distance. When they com,
menced cutting the mail-bags open
l made an appeal to them, stating
that they hardly would find any
money in registered letters going
ap the country. They cut two
however, and stopped, putting al
the mail back. They asked about
the paymaster. A short time
after they had got there the lights
of the down coach came in view
They then told us we could get
in the coach, and not to make any
noise or strike light, and if VIZ
did they would fire on us. The
down coach tumbled along in a few
minutes and we got back on the
road and came along. Before we
left the boss said, "YOu may tell
the Maynard people Dick Dublin
has come back to stay awhile.
The robbery will not net them
more than $500 in money, arms
and jewelry. Ny sensation was
that Of a bad dream, which soon
vanished before a humiliating and
outrageous reality. | was struck
with their coolnesS and audacity.
One thing seemed singular, they
declined to touch us personally,
that is, to put hands on us in any
way. They frequently threatened
to kill us If they caught us in a lie,
but never made any personal search,
A little less than a year ago the
stage was robbed on the very spot
where we were robbed. Then and
in this last the intention was to rob
the United States paymaster. Twas
impressed with the terrible earnest
ness with which they acted, some-
thing like that displayed by an ex-
ecutioner when he executes the
penalty of death. l understand
they did not rob the down stage.
This is strange. | can only account
for it on the theory that they found
they would not get anything but
arms, with probably some jewelry
and little money.


A BLAoKER.