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The Caddo to Fort Sill route was started in 1871. It was first under the management of the El Paso Stage Company. During the El Paso phase, the stage had more trouble losing horses to Indian raids than robbery. Around 1876, the line was sold to a man named Batsell or Pachell. He had little trouble until the mid-1880's when the stage was hit by robbers several times, once within sight of Heck Thomas' White Bead Hill abode (Heck being at Ft. Smith delivering a load of prisoners.) At least twice, once near Nail's Crossing and again near Sulphur Springs, the driver was shot and killed and the coach looted. And, unlike the movies, the horses did not go on to the next stop, the robbery was discovered by passers-by. I believe the reason the coach was not attacked more often is that it did not carry pay roll coin or other large sums. Just before the Civil War, the Butterfield Overland tried to change its route by angling down across the Choctaw Nation toward the Fort Belknap road from Edward's Store through Fort Arbuckle, but nothing came of that effort. Thus no robberies. The mail route from Texas through Forts Washita and Arbuckle were outlaw infested roads but no specific knowledge of robbery is known.
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| Posts: 381 | Location: Elmore City, Ok, USA | Registered: Fri December 12 2003 |    |
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