The horses were somewhat restive, but Tom held them fast, and Southmayde, with a view to reconnoitering, said in a whisper, “Tom, drive slow.” Ives called out, “Drive on.” Leroy turned round on his seat, determined to find out who the robbers were, and looked carefully at them for nearly a minute, which Ives at last observing, he yelled out, “If you don’t turn round, and mind your business, I’ll shoot the top of your head off.” The three robbers gathered together, and remained watching, till the coach was out of sight.
Leroy Southmayde lost $400 in gold, and Captain Moore delivered up $100 in Treasury Notes, belonging to another man.
The coach proceeded on its way to Bannack without further molestation, and on its arrival there, Plummer was in waiting, and asked, “Was the coach robbed to-day?” and being told that it had been, as Southmayde jumped down, he took him by the arm, and knowing him to be Sheriff, Southmayde was just about to tell him all about it, when Judge G. G. Bissell gave Leroy a slight nudge, and motioned for him to step back, which he did, and the Judge told him to be very careful what he told that man, meaning Plummer; Southmayde closed one eye as a private signal of comprehension, and rejoined Plummer, who said, “I think I can tell you who it was that robbed you.” Leroy asked, “Who?” Plummer replied, “George Ives was one of them.” Southmayde said, “I know; and the others were Whiskey Bill and Bob Zachary; and I’ll live to see them hanged before three weeks.” Plummer at once walked off, and though Leroy was in town for three days, he never saw him afterwards. The object of Plummer’s accusation of Ives was to see whether Southmayde really knew anything. Some time after, Judge Bissell—who had overheard Southmayde telling Plummer who the thieves were—remarked to him, “Leroy, your life is not worth a cent.”
On the second day after, as Tom was returning, he saw Graves at the Cold Spring Ranch, and took him on one side asking him if he had heard of the “little robbery.” Graves replied that he had, and asked him if he knew who were the perpetrators. Tom said, “No,” adding, “And I wouldn’t for the world; for if I did, and told of them, I shouldn’t live long.” “That’s a fact, Tom,” said Graves, “You wouldn’t live fifteen minutes. I’ll tell you of a circumstance as happened to me about bein’ robbed in Californy:
“One night about ten o’clock, me and my partner was ridin’ along, and two fellers rode up and told us to throw up our hands, and give up our money. We did it pretty quick I guess. They got $2,000 in coined gold from us. I told ’em, ‘Boys,’ sez I, ‘It’s pretty rough to take all we’ve got.’ So the feller said it was rather rough, and he gave us back $40. About a week after, I seen the two fellers dealin’ Faro. I looked pretty hard at them, and went out. One of the chaps follered me, and sez he, ‘Ain’t you the man that was robbed the other night?’ ‘No,’ sez I, for I was afraid to tell him the truth. Sez he, ‘I want you to own up; I know you’re the man. Now I’m agoing to give you $4,000 for keeping your mouth shut,’ and he did, ——. Now you see, Tom, that’s what I got for keepin’ my mouth shut. I saved my life, and got $4,000.”
Ives made for Virginia City, and there told, in a house of ill-fame, that he was the Bamboo chief that made Tom Caldwell throw up his hands, and that, ——, he would do it again. He and a Colorado driver, who was a friend of Caldwell’s went together to Nevada. Each of them had a shot-gun. Ives was intoxicated. The driver asked Ives whom did he suppose to be the robbers; to which he quickly replied, “I am the Bamboo chief that robbed it,” etc., etc., as before mentioned. The man then said, “Don’t you think Tom knows it?” “Of course I do,” said George. As they came back to town, the driver saw Tom, and waved to him to keep back, which he did, and sent a man to inquire the reason of the signal. The messenger brought him back information of what had passed, and told him to keep out of Ives’ way, for he was drunk and might kill him.
The same evening, Tom and his friend went to the Cold Spring Ranch together, on the coach, and the entire particulars came out, in conversation. The driver finished the story by stating that he sat on his horse, ready to shoot Ives, if he should succeed in getting the “drop” on Caldwell.
Three days after, when Southmayde was about to return from Bannack, Buck Stinson and Ned Ray came into the Express Office, and asked who were for Virginia. On being told that there were none but Southmayde, they said, “Well, then, we’ll go.” The Agent came over and said to Leroy, “For God’s sake, don’t go; I believe you’ll be killed.” Southmayde replied, “I have got to go; and if you’ll get me a double-barrelled shot gun, I will take my chances.” Oliver’s Agent accordingly provided Leroy Southmayde, Tom Caldwell, and a young lad about sixteen years of age, who was also going by the coach to Virginia, with a shot gun each. Leroy rode with Tom. They kept a keen eye on a pair of Road Agents, one driving and the other watching.
The journey was as monotonous as a night picket, until the coach reached the crossing of the Stinkingwater, where two of the three men that robbed it (Bob Zachary and Bill Graves) were together, in front of the station, along with Aleck Carter. Buck Stinson saw them, and shouted, “Ho! you —— Road Agents.” Said Leroy to Tom Caldwell, “Tom, we’re gone up.” Said Tom, “That’s so.”
At the Cold Spring Station, where the coach stopped for supper, the amiable trio came up. They were, of course fully armed with gun, pistols and knife. Two of them set down their guns at the door, and came in. Aleck Carter had his gun slung at his back. Bob Zachary feigning to be drunk, called out, “I’d like to see the —— man that don’t like Stone.” Finding that, as far as could be ascertained, everybody present, had a very high opinion of Stone, he called for a treat to all hands, which having been disposed of, he bought a bottle of whiskey and behaved “miscellaneously” till the coach started.