Sometimes in wooded areas. In that case, the robbers usually have dragged a log onto the road to stop the coach. They approach carrying rifles, shotguns, and scatterguns and wearing kerchiefs over their faces. Usually four men, sometimes up to six. They make the driver and the guard throw down their guns and lie facedown in the dirt. Two men hold guns on them.
The other men make the passengers get out and stand in the road. The search them and take all of their belongings-- money, watches, rings, brooches, fine combs-- anything. With the women, they just take the whole handbag, they don't spend the time to open it and search it. Then they make the passengers open up their luggage, and they help themselves to anything they want. They're probably pretty well-dressed bandits by now.
Then they take the horses out of their harnesses, put ropes around their necks, and ride off with them at a gallop. Which leaves the passengers and crew to walk to find help at the nearest dwelling they can find. The procedure is the same on the prairie, but instead of laying a log on the road, they come riding head-on from the front at a gallop, yelling for the coach to stop.
They've killed three guards and a driver. And murdered one passenger in cold blood, apparently because he had a Back East accent. They didn't directly kill an elderly lady, but she died a day or two after a long walk in the sun. Oh, and they victims say that two of the robbers have accents that aren't from Texas. More of Kansas or Missouri accents.
The Rangers say they plan to investigate as soon as they can, but they say they're shorthanded. They say they've got a company dealing with a strong bandido gang south of San Antonio. They say they've got two companies out west dealing with Iron Shirt's Comanches. Why isn't the Army dealing with that, I ask? I asked the Governor himself that. "Why are the state police fighting Indians and letting highwaymen terrorize the highways?" His answer? "I suspect it's because they don't believe the Army is smart enough or fast enough to catch Iron Shirt." And the other companies are all around the state dealing with "prior and ongoing disturbances." The Wells Fargo Coach Line's problems are problems that will just have to wait.
Mr. Moore, if you can eliminate these murderers by any means, the company will reward you well. If you can find the men, the Rangers or the sheriff of the county will have no choice but to assist with capturing-- or killing-- them.
