Year: 1876

A correspondent of the st. Louis


Globe Democrat writes from Austin,


Tex, March %: Yesterday morning |
left San Antonio on my return, and


finding the roads much better than


when | went over, we should have made
the trip in four or five hours less time
if a couple of inquisitive fellows had


not interviewed US on the way. We


had passed through San Marcos and


the bottom beyond, and were within


about mile of Blanco station, when
suddenly two robbers sprang from the
chaparral at the roadside, and ordered
the driver to halt. One of the passen-
gers looked out, and instantly turned
an alarmed countenance to the rest, as
he exclaimed: "We are robbed!' As
we were not armed there could be no
question about submission, and so,


while obeying the order to get out, en-
forced with two large-sized, wicked
looking revolvers, each one endeavored
to hide what he could. | hurriedly took
off my watch and chain and thrust it
down my bootleg, and that was all L
had time for. Another dropped his
watch and wallet among the straw in
the coach, but they did not escape the
robbers search. Another hastily
thrust about 500 inside his waistband
and hoped it would not drop out below
as he descended, and it did not, nor did
the robbers in their subsequent search
of his person discover it. A gentleman
sitting by the driver managed to slip all
but few dollars of his money into his
shirt-front, and, working it up under his
neck-tie, it escaped. When we seven
passengers and the driver left the coach,
they directed US to pass into the chap
arral brush through convenient open
ing, one robber following us and direct
ing us to the right or left, and the other
commanding the driver to follow with
the coach. In this manner we proceed
ed perhaps a quarter of a mile, when
they halted us, made us all sit down,
and while one guarded us with his
cooked revolver the other threw off the
mails. At the beginning they gave us
assurance that they were after the eX-
press and mail, and did not intend to
hurt us or take any thing from US, but |
am sorry to say that even highwaymen
are given to lying, for they did clean us
out at last of all they could find. When
they had cut open the bags, one began
to examine the letters and presently
called passenger to assist, and then
claimed my services, also. We found
many poSt-office orders, which, oi
course, they rejected; several drafts,
which was surprised to see them take
several small sums of money, and the
robber searcher got large package OF
bills, which we judged to be about
$1,000 or 81, 800. When all was done,
they allowed US to gather up the disor-
dered correspondence and return it tC
the bags. Then they searched us all


taking all the money they could find
about $500; five fine gold watches, one
of which they returned, on the plea OF
its owner that it was keepsake given
him by his father, the robber saying, as
he handed it back: - was in that fly
once myself" but whether he meant
that he once had father, or was once
near being robbed of fathers gift, we
did not inquire. In searching me, they
did not think of my boots, and so NY
watch escaped. Then they exam


ined cur traveling-bags, and, finding {
couple of TASKS, politely asked if they