after the murder of mr. askew, the bandits, in anticipation of renewed efforts to effect their capture, left missouri and visited their old haunts in the south-west. they spent several days in the indian territory for the purpose of learning with what persistency and the character of the search being made by the authorities. finding that all effort at their apprehension was confined to western missouri, the outlaws rode into texas and soon formed a plan for robbing the stage running between san antonio and austin. to plan was to execute, and on the 12th of may, 1875, jesse james, clell miller, jim reed and cole and jim younger selected a spot on the highway, about twenty-three miles south-west of austin, and there ambushed themselves to await the coming of the stage.
it was late in the evening, the sun just descending behind the hills and the chirrup of twilight insects had begun to echo in the solitude of the place. eleven passengers, three of whom were ladies, were cheerily cracking jokes and relieving the discomforts of the journey by agreeable conversation. suddenly the driver descried five horsemen riding out into the road one hundred yards ahead of the stage and advancing leisurely. their appearance and conduct looked suspicious, but as no robberies had been perpetrated on the highway for many years, the driver[pg 82] did not realize what the act portended until, as the stage bowled up, the five men, drawing their pistols, commanded a halt. the order being accompanied by such persuasive authority of course the obedience of the driver was prompt. then the passengers wondered what it meant, but before they could propound a question four of the brigands rode up on either side of the stage and ordered the inmates to get out. the women, seeing such cruel looking men and their fiercer looking pistols, screamed and scrambled over the male passengers with utter disregard of propriety, and created much confusion. jesse james and cole younger did the talking for the bandits, and in courteous language assured the ladies they had nothing to fear provided the passengers acted with discretion. soon the eleven but recently gay travelers were arranged in single file along the road behind the stage, and as not the slightest resistance was offered frank james and jim younger had no difficulty in expeditiously relieving all the passengers of their money, watches and other valuables. among the number was john breckenridge, president of the first national bank at san antonio, from whom $1,000 were obtained; bishop gregg, of austin, contributed his gold watch and nearly $50 in money, while from the other passengers sums from $25 to $50 were obtained.
having completed the personal plunder, the bandits cut open the two mail bags from which a goodly[pg 83] sum of money was secured, but the amount has not been estimated. the haul aggregated, perhaps, $3,000, which they placed in a sack carried for the purpose, and then, bidding the passengers adieu, the border desperadoes rode swiftly into the shadows, leaving the surprised party to resume their journey in a less amiable mood.
