The James Boys In Kentucky
© Sandi Gorin
Mammoth Cave, KY, Stage Robbery - Newspaper Account
MAMMOTH CAVE STAGE ROBBERY (note, this was mentioned earlier). The following article is a copy of a newspaper clipping from the original scrapbook of Delos "Tankee" BLIGH who was Chief of Detectives in Louisville, Kyk., from January 1846 to February 1890. BLIGH, during his tenure i office was considered one of the greatest detectives in the country. The clipping is from a Louisville newspaper, dated Sept. 4, 1880.
A stage coach left Mammoth Cave Hotel for Cave City last Friday at 5 o'clock, September 3, 1880 with eight passengers. Of these passengers, three had left Lebanon for the Cave two days before, namely: R. H. ROWNTREE, Esq., the oldest member of the Lebanon bar and President of the Marion National Bank; his daughter, Miss Lizzie, and his nephew, Phillip S ROWNTREE, editor of the Evening Wisconsin, Miklaukee, who had been visiting her for a week or two previous. The other passengers were: J E CRAIG, Jr., of Lawrenceville, GA., S W SHELTON of Calhoun, TN, S. H. FROHLICHSTEIN of Mobile, Ala.; W G WELSH and George M PAISLEY of Pittsburgh. The stage was driven by a colored man.
Four miles from the cave this coach passed the stage bound for the cave, which had but one passenger, a Mr. CROGHAN, one of the owners of the cave property. A half mile further on an unexpected and startling incident occurred. At the time of the occurrence the passengers were distributed as follows: On the back seat, Messrs SHELTON and FROHLICHSTEIN; on the middle seat, Mr. R H ROWNTEEE and Miss Lizzie; on the front seat, Mr. P S ROWNTREE and Mr. CRAIG; Messrs WELSH and PAISLEY on top beside the driver.
Mr. CRAIG looking back, remarked, "I see two men on the road behind us taking a drink out of a bottle." Then there was the clatter of hoofs on the road and two horsemen made their appearance at the coach window on the left side, each with a large revolver in his hand. One of them covered the driver and ordered him to halt; the other thrust his pistol up to the window and brought it to bear on the passengers in the front seat. The stage came to a standstill, and the passengers were ordered to get out. Under the persuasive influence of the revolvers they were not slow to comply with his request. "The lady can keep her seat; she need not be alarmed, we will not disturb her," said one of the horsemen.
The suddenness of the attack at first confused the passengers and left them in doubt what it means. Some thought that the horsemen were officers who meant to arrest one or two of the passengers. They were quickly undeceived however, and found themselves in the power of two highwaymen, bent on robbing them of all their valuables in their possession. Mr. P S ROWNTREE took in the situation from the beginning and quickly thrust his watch and pocketbook under the cushion. Miss Lizzie ROWNTREE observed the act, and catching the suggestion slipped her rings from her finger an dplaced them under the cushion of the seat upon which she sat. When the men on the front seat got out she moved a seat over and was not disturbed. Mr. R H ROWNTREE also remained in the coach. The other six were made to form a line along the roadside. The robbers dismounted and throwing the reins over their arms drew each an additional pistol and proceeded to business.