The James Boys In Kentucky
© Sandi Gorin
Mammoth Cave, KY, Stage Robbery - Newspaper Account- Cont.
When Mr. ROWNTREE'S watch was taken, the robber whispered to him that if he made a good haul he would give him back his watch. Mr. ROWNTREE now reminded him of his promise. The fellow took out the watch and seemed to hesitate, but finally remarked that he would keep it. Miss Lizzie asked for her diamond ring, but after looking at it the robber said it would look well on the hand of his wife. "I told you I wouldn't disturb you," he said, "but you chose to hid your rings, so I will keep them." Telling the driver to drive slowly, the robbers mounted their horses and rode off ahead of the stage at a rapid pace. As they went off the leader remarked to Miss ROWNTREE: "Give my respects to the GRAY girls in Lebanon. They know me."
None of the passengers had any arms, and they were not permitted at any time to get within ten feet of the highwaymen. The losses of the several passengers were as follows:
R H ROWNTREE, money, watch and key - $215.00 Miss Lizzie ROWNTREE, rings - $50.00. P S ROWNTREE, cash - $.75 J E CRAIG, Jr., money - $680.00. S W SHELTON, money - $50.00 S P FROHLICHSTEIN, money - $33.00. W G WELSH, money, $51.00 Geo M PAISLEY, money, $4; watch $50 - $83.00
Besides his money, Mr. Craig, as above mentioned, lost papers calling for $700, but the loss of these may not involve the moss of the money they represent. Mr. P S ROWNTREE saved a valuable watch an $30 in money in the manner above mentioned.
Inquiries along the road between the scene of the robbery and Cave City elicited the information that the robbers had been along the road Thursday evening and had applied at several houses for permission to spend the night. They said they would have robbed the stage Thursday evening, but it was too wet. They also stated that they had robbed Mr. CROGHAN, the solitary passenger in the coach going to the cave of $700.
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD. The connection of Mr. R H ROWNTREE, one of our oldest and most prominent citizens with this affair has given it a great deal of local interest. Mr. ROWNTREE was born in Edmonson County within 10 miles of Mammoth Cave, and on Friday morning revisited the old homestead which he left 53 years ago. He feels keenly the outrage done him and his fellow passengers in the county of his birth; not so much on account of the amount lost, as because he feels that there ought to be no highway robbery in Kentucky at this day. He authorizes us to say that he will pay a reward of $500 for the capture and delivery of the two highwaymen to the Jailor of Edmonson County, or half that sum for either of them. He asks - and the request appears reasonable - that all papers favorable to the suppression of crime copy this offer of reward and the subjoined description of the men. In making this offer Mr. ROWNTREE is seeking no benefit to himself but only endeavoring to perform a public service.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROBBERS. The man who did the talking was medium sized, about five feet six to eight inches high, weighed about 140 pounds, beard and mustache sandy, not red; thin and scraggley in appearance. He is about 35 years old and is nervous in his manner, talking in a thin, high pitched voice. He is slightly round shouldered, but the shoulders are square from the front. His general appearance is slouchy. He rode a black horse of about 1,000 pounds weight, a good squared hipped, rangy animal, but thin of flesh. The second man was of a dark complexion, within, black beard and mustache, large dark eyes, a little taller than his companion. His voice is pleasant and full and his manner of action and speaking indicate that he is countrybred. He road [sic] a sorrel horse with blaze face and two white feet. This man is about 30 years old.
Kentucky Peace Officers Magagine, not dated: In connection with this robbery, a man by the name of T. J. Hunt was indicted and arrested in March, 1881, and sentenced to prison for this crime. However, upon the death of Jesse James in 1882 his picture was published in the newspapers and the victims of the stage coach robbery identified him as the person who robbed the stage coach instead of T. J. HUNT. Some of the watches and jewelry which had been taken in this robbery were found in the possession of Jesse James at the time of his death, and were identified and returned to the persons from which they were taken. Hunt was pardoned. (Note: That's a whole another story in itself!)