The Dillon herald. (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, August 31, 1911, Page PAGE THREE, Image 3
MANY ADVENTURES
I<ast of (Kerland Sta^t' Drivers
Tells of Sgiue Rides
Billy Hodges, the lost of the
band of 100 men who undertook to
blaze the trail for mall and express
coaches from the western
terminus of the railways at Fort
Smith, Ark., into the unconquered
west, is now running an elevator.
In the records of the express
company will be found the report
of this trip of the 100. Organized
in 1855, it was their duty to covcover
so much ground daily, to
record the distance traveled and to
establish stations, stocking them
and thus nav i nc the w?v for the
civilization which followed at their
heels.
Few forte then were on the
plains and while they stopped at j
each one for supplies and friendly
chat between these widely separated
Federal depots, they drove
and fought and builded. They
prodded on their half famished
beasts while showers of Cherokee
arrows whizzed above their heads
and sometimes into them. They
cut their way through the various
"nations" of redskins, filed slowly
through the dreaded Apache Pass
and forded turbulent streams in
the midst of the frenzied enemies.
The route laid out led them in
almost a direct line for El Paso
through the rough Osage country
and crossed the Arkansas river
where it divides the old Pawnee
nation from the land of the Osage.
Skirting the territory of the Commanches,
they were forced to throw
up fortifications hastily to withstand
the fierce attacks of the barbarous
hordes. They pulled out
of that country safelv to encounter
worse ? the land of little water, j
alkali and dusty sagebrush. Yet
with the cry of the coyote ringing
in their ears they sang as they
went, ending with the accomplish-;
ment of their purpose.
In 1857 the completed route,
well stationed and equipped, stool I
a monument to work of the band, j
For two years they had struggled,
and while their achievement was
ol wonderful value to east and
west, few came out of the scathing
well and sound. However, Billy
Hodges was young and fortunate.
He had made a record as a driver;
he had the opportunity thrust upon
him and he grasped it. He undo'took
to drive the mall and express
route from Tucson to Pima
village.
The run was about 100 miles,
but was extremely hazardous. Bandits
were born of the rapid development
of civilization and hostile
Indians were everywhere. Danger
was plentifully distributed and six
shooters barked at silent arrows.
On arriving at Pima village he released
the reins to another driver,
who drove to Fort Yuma and
thence to Dos Angles. At Pima
village Hodges received the coast
maii and took it back to Tucson,
wheie he was met by another driver,
who carried it further east to
the station near the Apache Pass.
On a day early in 1885 Billy arrived
at Pima village to discover
that the delay driver was long overdue.
Fearing trouble, he followed
the custom of driving into the other
man's territory until the shadows
ol Apache Pass loomed before
him. With him on the box was a
gun messenger, and in the coach
sitting with the other passengers
were other guards. From the pass
there came the yell of the Apaches,
and in and instant a horde of
i them were riding circles are und
the coach.
It was the duty of the gun
incaBcugcnt iu snooi, ana uiey
shot. It was the duty
of Hodges to drive and he drove.
I-ashing out with his whip he
sont the leaders down the incline
and successfully brought them to a
stand close under the shelter of
a government fort.
Even there it was precarious.
The handful of soldiers wore unable
to cope with the swarms of
redskins hovering around. The
relay coach had taken shelter there,
not daring to move through a host'le
country. The Indians surrounded
the pass, blocking all outlets,
and for eight days the small
TJand held out and fought.
On the eighth day Hodges realizing
that if no help came soon it
would -mean their death said, "1*11
go to Tucson."
There was a protest from bis asassociates,
but before his insistence
the others gave way. To get
to Tucson for aid meant his passing
through the zone of fire.
There was scarcely any hope of
getting away wtthout being seen
and the moon was bright and clear.
The only chance lay in a dash.
Then there came one to him in
the dead of night and the young
driver heard a soft voice murmur,
"Will you take me along?"
It was during a lull In the intermittent
firing and Hodges had almost
proclaimed himself ready.
The horses were harnessed to the
coach, but his hand haulted in the
act of taking the rein. H e looked
down at the pleading face of a
young woman, the sole passenger
of the relay coach which had been
delayed, a nd was even now detained
at this fort, the driver not
being daring enough to venture.
"Why, Mary," exclaimed . Billy,
"it is impossible. I might take
the responsibility of the mails and
treasure, but you?no."
"I must go," said the girl, her |
voice vibrating. "I cannot standi
this any longer, l^et me go, I beg
of you."
Time was running short and |
' young Hodges was not proof ]
against the girl's insistence. The
result was tnat Mary Anaroes, setting
west to join her future husband
at Los Angles, was taken on
that memorable ride. That she is
living to-day is due to the skilled
? driving and nerve of Billy Hodges.
The long whip cought the nigh
leader under the flank and the
coach rattled out into the open.
Instantly he was under the shower
of lead and arrows and he replied
by lashing wheelers and leaders,
sending the coach careening down
a rocky ravine. They plunged and
the coach tipped throwing the girl
from side to side like a ball of
she. On one occasion the door
and she tore her finger nails trying
to close it. With one delicate
hand grasping the leather
hanger she sought to catch the
swinging door with the other and
bring it to position. Just at this
juncture the coach was tilted up
hill, throwing the heavy door back
securely, so the frightenen girl
could not budge it. To increase her
terror an arrow flashed into the
window and stuck quivering into
the cushion opposite her. At last
she fell in a heap on the floor.
! rage. But he held on and so did
j "1 got through," said Hodges,'
with a gleam In his eyes as he told
tll*? "hn? "
" The girl?"'
"Oh, she was landed in Los Angeles
all right, and married?unfortunately!"
said the old man in
whom this was the first romance. |
Hodges came to California in.
1858, continuing as a stage driver,
and in time was given the famous
Placerville road, running from,
Sacramento through Placerville to(
Virginia City, Nev. On this road
he drove mail and express coaches
and on many of the trips carried ;
| treasure amounting to $100,000.
! As a result he was the victim of
j half a dozen of the most celebrated
holdups in the history of the
J Pacific Coast.
j One day on the Bodie road in
j Nevada, between Bodie and Carson
j the treasure box was laden and the
| coach well filled with passengers.
[There were guards outside and in, j
and a daring gun messenger was j
perched on the box beside the
I driver. The strong defence gave
j the passengers a sense of security,
land one of them, a woman started
| to while away the hours by singing.
Romance was in the air. The
caroling of the girl awoke response
in the nerve of the guards and
their guns lay negligently upon
their knees. Suddenly the concert j
was brought to an abrupt halt by
the resounding report of a slug
loaded shotgun. Down went the
nigh leader. The other horses
plunged and kicked and the shock i
nearly unseated the driver and
messenger. Even the highwaymen
were astonished at the instant result
of the shot and hesitated for
a fraction of a minute and in that
time the messenger fired. One of
the robbers prying at the lock of
the treasure box dropped, while the
other took to the brush.
Fourteen times Billy Hodges was
called to "stand." He was the
first victim of the notorious Black
Bart, who began his operation at
a point near Reno. Hodees was
clattering along at a good pace
when the robber stepped out friu
behind a rock, pointing a double
barreled shotgun at messenger and
driver.
"If they shoot," cried Bart,
"give theiu a solid volley, boys!"
The guards, gazing round and
about them, saw a dozen rifle barrels
peeping out from the bushes
and cheerfully help up their hands.
I Later a ripple of laughter swept
ithe State when it was learned that
i Black Bart had worked the neatest
of bluffs, the supposed "boys" in
the underbrush being suggested by
the protruding ends of wooden
sticks fastened to have the appearance
of genuine fire arms.
Again in 1883 Billy Hodges was
held uo by Black Bart ar.d his
coach robbed.
Another famed bandit who exchanged
the courtesies of the
road with him was Tirburcio Vasquez,
a heartless wretch, who after
a long criminal career was captured
and hanged at San Jose in
1S75. Before the interesting event,
however, Vasquez introduced himself
to Hodges by shooting a hole
through his hat.
On the famous Geiger Grade,
about four miles from Virginia
City, B'lly faced the rifles of six
bandits and the treasure box was
ayaamited the robbers carrying
away more than $8,000. Again he
was stopped near Virginia City.
mis was In 1865, and in Six Mile 1
|Canyon, below the Gould & Curry,
mill. The team was forfced to stop |
by p. barricade of old sluice boxes, j
whien the bandits had placed across
the road. The five desperadoes
robbed all the passengers save one,
a pretty schoolma'am.
The notorious John Wheeler and
party undertook to stop Hodges at \
Robber's Bend, near the Nevada
line. Whether the Infamous Dr.
La Barr and his wife were with j
the gang at the time he does not j
know. At any rate, he says, the
two were under the command of
John Wheeler, the woman often
dressing in men's clothes. Hodges
Was held up five times in one year
(1882) each time on the SenoraMilton
road in California.
By the beginning of 1884 he had
saved up considerable money and
decided to quit the highway. He
had made money on the side by
taking orders from ranchers, as
did his associate drivers. Frequently,
he said, his hat was filled with
memoranda, embracing orders from'
a case of rum to a piece of blue j
ribbon.
Hodges tells many anecdotes of
the men he has known and asso-1
ciated with, both famous and no-1
lorious, drivers and robbers. He!
tells of the time when Horace i
Oreely was making a tour of the \
Pacific coast and was scheduled to
make a speech at Placervllle. He j
went aboard the state driven 1
quaint Hank Monk and as he stepped
in he shouted:
"Mr. Monk, 1 must deliver a
lecture in Placerville to-morrow1
night. Can you get me there on
time?"
Monk assured him that he could
and started off the team along
the old "oorduroy" road, paved
with small saplings half buried in
clay. Miles and miles they went,
with Monk whistling merrily and
Horace Greely, the only passenger
bumping along with the rolling
coach without being able to help
himself in the least. At last the
dignified passenger could stand it
no longer. When he had been
thrown for the fortieth time against
the wooden frame of the coach door
he cried out: "Mr. Monk, don't you
think you are going pretty fast?"
Monk let out a mouthful of tobacco
juice and giving & sharp crack
.. A
with the whip to the leader replied
iuusicaliy: "Keep your seat
Mr. Greely; I'll get you there ou
time." Greely got there on time
as he demanded, but he lecture was
jolted clean out of him.
Hodges was associated with the
famous twin stage drivers, Curly
Dan and Curly Perry, fearless and
careful meu, whose innocent decep-j
tion of passengers, owing to their
extreme likeness, was the cause of
great hilarity. It happened that
Dan would start out with the stage
in the early morning from Placer-1
ville and at midnight would ar- :
rive at the changing station, where ,
he would give his seat ou the box
to his brother likewise curly haired
and featured. The passengers
being asleep, they were not aware |
of the exchange, and next morning
when they espied a man whom they '
tllOUeht 111 llO ("llplu lion >l>o
seat they supposed he hud been
driving without sleep since the >
morning of the day before. Perry !
used to have a great time convincing
the curious passengers, that he
was not his brother, but his broth- i
er's brother.
When President Grant did a little
staging in the west in 1879 |
there was great rivalry among the,
drivers as to who should handle ]
the re'ns in the coach that took
him from Placerville to Virginia]
City. Billy Hodges got the honor,'
which was a "plum," because of,
the additional money in the job.!
When they started out Grant look-]
ed at the frisky six horse team and j
then at the driver, who looked as j
lively and frisky as Ifis animals.
"That's a frisky team and a frisky
driver, but he's got a good eye and
a white nose!" exclaimed the pres-1
ident.
Grant marveled at the speed with
which they traveled, and the way !
they dashed into Virginia City on
that memorable day just suited the
lod warrior. He complimented
Hodges on bis work with the reins.
Henry C. Ward, better known its
Old Wardv, who graduated from
stage driver to Wells-Fargo gun i
messenger was often on the seat
with Billy Hodges. As gunman
Wardy made a record, one occasion
placing him 011 a page of Cali
lortiia ntstory. The stage was held
up an Iu the battle that followed
Wai dy's trigger finger was shot off
his right hand. Bleeding as he
was he sat there without a whimper
until the robbers had secured
their loot and departed. He knew
the typography of the country
thoroughly, and after the handits
had disappeared around the hill he j
stopped the state and jumping down
ran around to the left of the hill
where he knew the handits would
come cut on another road to divide
their spoil. He got there opportunely.
ctught them redhanded and
shct tm down ir spite of his]
maimed hand.
During the years from 1S70 to
1884 Wells-Fargo lost, incidental
to robberies, $927,762.55. There
were during this time 313 stage
holdups, 34 attempted robberies
smd four train robberies. More
than 16 guards were killed or
wounded, while more than two dozen
handits were killed, besides
those sent to State prison. ? St.
Louis Post-Dispatch.
HK USED THE COUNTY PRESS
Mr. St. Tells Hc-.v He Built
Up Myrtle Reach in One Season.
The question has often been
asked, "Does advertising pay?"
There is one man who says "yes,"
and he relies almost almost on the
country press. A representative of
Tlie Times recently interviewed Mr.
Charles St. John, who has revived
and brought to life the Myrtle
Beach Hotel, which has been on
the decline for some years past,
but. which is now overcrowded with
guests.
"How did you do it?" asked our
representative.
"Well," answered Mr. St. John,
"after 1 had made an inspection of
the property and found the conditions
right, first a splendid hotel
building, second, a fine climate j
with no malaria; no sand flies, no
mosquitoes and third ? a beach
unsurpassed anywhere, with excellent.
railway facilities and excursion
tickets from all points on
the Atlantic Coast Bine, when all
these excellent conditions prevailed. |
I knew that with proper publicity.
Myrtle Beach would be a winner
and success would be assurred.
My first thought was to reach the
great middle mass of people?not
the rich who cared for the follies of
the gay resort ? but those who
represent the the best element in
society, who are always ready to
have a eoofl tlmn >?i?*
do not care for the "strenuous"
life. We wanted to reach those
who read the country weeklies and
the dailies in the smaller cities. I
used about fifity such publications.
"I^etters of inquiry began to
flow in. I the mean time we
had refitted and refurnished the
hotel. Our guests seemed pleased
with the changes made. They commented
upon it and wrote letters
to their friends. Every one seemed
to have a kind word for us and
guests came from all sections of
North and South Carolina. We
could trace the results of the ad-j
vertising in almost every instance. I
1 had published a newspaper of i
that character for many and 1
knew they would produce results, j
Go in any town and you will see ]
that every live merchant advertises.
It always brings business, and a
hotel should advertise just its
much as any other kind of business,
but be sure and use the
home newspapers.
? ?
THIS IS CERTAIN*.
The Proof That Dillon Headers
Cannot Deny.
What could furnish stronger evidence
of the efficiency of any remedy
than the test of time? Thousands
of people testify that Doan's
Kidney Pills cure permanently.
Home endorsement should prove j
undoubtedly the merit of this reme-j
dy. Years ago your friends and |
neighbors testified to the relief they
had derived froim the use of Doan's
Kidney Pills. They now confirm j
their testimonials. They say time
has completed the test.
N. H. Sprunt, Second avenue and
Calhoun street, Dillon, S. says:
"My hack was lame and weak and
I had a soreness across my loins.
My kidneys were also disordered
and 1 felt miserable i every way.
The use of Doans' Kidney Pills as
directed gave me relief and my
experience was so satisfactory that
1 have no hesitation in saying that
this remedy is an excellent one for
the back and kidneys." (Statement
given March 0 108.)
The llenefit Dusted.
On January 3, 1911, Mr. Sprunt
said: "I am willing to confirm my
former endorsement of Doan s Kidney
Pills and I am glad to make
the luct known that I have hud no
occasion to use a kidney medicine
since 1908. Doan's Kidney Fills
are certainly effective."
For sale by al! dealers. Price 50
cents. Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo,
New York, sole agents for the
United States.
Remember the name ?Doan's?
and take no other.
How's This?
We oflcr One Hundred Hollars Reward for any
tov of Catarrh that cannot be cured by Hulls
Catarrh Cure.
F. J. CIIIINKY A CO.. Toledo. O
We. the undersigned. have kuoMii y J. Cheney
lor the last li years, and believe hint perfectly hctiIrable
In all business transactions and financially
Sole to carry out any obligation* made by his Orm.
National Hank ok Comiiekcf.
Toledo. Ohio.
Hall's Catarrh Cure Is taken Internally, acting
directly upon the hlood and mucous surfaces of the
System. Testimonials sent free. Trice TS cents |wr
obttle. Sold hy all Druggists
Take Hall's Family Tills [or constipation.
CHICHESTER SPILLS
DIAMOND BRAND
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Ask your Druggist for CTTI-CHES-TER'S A
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Gold metallic boxes, sealed with
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years regarded as Itcst,Safest, Always Reliable.
SOLD BY ALL DRUGGISTS
TIMK PUI-'RYUJUPRf WORTH
TR1KD tVtn I Wntnt TESTED
".J Noah's Liniment Is the
??.'SJ \y at ret.tody lor Uhoutnat
ism, Sciatica. Lame Hack,
A ' Wffl S M IT Joints and Muscles,
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For Sale by Evans' Fharniac}'.
A I'OI NTEK A BOLT ICE CRKAM.
means coming to enjoy dleicious,
creamy, properly-flovored delight
i with health and refreshment within
| the silver circle of every spoonful.
; Po better pointer on earth?try our
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Special rates for larger quantities.
Freeh candy every week and salted
peanuts daily.
Opposite Possenger Station.
Phone 155
SALEEBY'S CANDY
KITCHEN
DILLON, SOUTH CAROLINA
The Home of *
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| Little Rock, S. C. +
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A New Insurance Proposition.
Particii>ating policies at less tlmn non-participating rates emtxMiied
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! W. H. L. McLAURIN, Distrit Agent, Latta, S.C.
^?xi^HB^ntimra^mfc2?DHBi^BBaia*KMBnHEaaMH
i "Cardui Cured Me" i
For nearly ten years, at different times, Mrs. Mary Jinks I
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If you are weak, tired, worn-out, or suffer from any of I
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Wrltt to: Ladin' Advisory Dept., Chattanoojra Medicine Co., Cbotttoooga. Tenn., I
I (or Special hutnteUons. and 04-page book, "Home Treatment lor WoDt*>" *enl ir??. ] 54
V\ 1 vv* i n i i -
rresbytenan High School
Florence, S. C.
Home ami School for Hoys and Girls.
The Home.
1. In charge of principal and wife.
2. Nice bed rooms, good board, city water.
3. Hot and ccM baths, electric lights.
4. Large athletic field for recreation and exercise.
5. Moral and religious influences.
The School.
1. Does only High School work.
2. Courses in English Bible and Greek.
3. All High School branches taught.
4. A Christian school?not Sectarian.
5. Study hall, where lessons are prepared under the direction of a
i teacher.
Our Aim.
To give thorough preparation for Collgee, teachers examinations, or
competitive examinations; careful attention to the individual pupil;
thoroughness in scholarship, earnest habits of study, strong moral
characters.
Terms moderate. Next session begins September 12th, 1911. For
' further Information address George Briggs, Principal, Florence, S. C.
tel.
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W. A. FASS CO.
Mens Furnishing Goods
Dillon, South Carolina
ijsmrfln ,