The coach came around the bend and there in front of us in the road was Charles Ruggles at the age of 22 in a long coat and his face hidden behind a large bandanna. His shotgun drawn and ready to shoot. The stagecoach came to a stop and Charles demanded the strongbox of gold. Buck got the box and threw it to the ground. As Charles eyes were fixed on the descending box, Buck grabbed his shotgun and blasted the robber. Charles was dropped by the gun blast and his gun went off spraying buckshot into John Boyce the driver and George Suhr the passenger. Brother John was hiding in the bushes, heard the shot and came out from hiding and seeing his brother lying face down on the road started firing at Buck. He hit Buck and then fired several shots at the stagecoach.I'm in the coach sitting low, yet watching the action take place. The fear of me getting shot was overwhelming. I wanted to stay out of the way of the gun fight. Because of the noise, the horses bolted and took off as fast as they could run. Buck was seriously wounded and could not do anything. The driver and the passenger were in bad shape and they just hung on for the wild ride. Just like in the old western movies, I climbed out of the coach onto the roof. I got onto the driver's bench and tried to grab the reins. Buck was looking pretty bad and had a glazed look on his face. I got the reins and pulled back hard and nothing happened. The horses kept going at their out of control pace.
Around the bend came a man with a horse and buggy. The stampeding horses were heading straight for them when all of a sudden the runaway horses settled down and came to a stop. John Boyce, not noticing me, took the reins and drove to the nearest place which was Middle Creek Hotel in the little town of Waugh named after Joseph Waugh. I watched Buck Montgomery die of his wounds, while John Boyce and the John Suhr were patched up and going to be fine.
The news of the robbery of $5000 in gold bullion and coins and the death of Amos "Buck" Montgomery traveled fast to Redding. Buck was well known and respected in Redding. A posse was hastily organized and left to find the robbers and bring them to justice.
I stayed at the hotel in an empty room and I was puzzled why no one would talk to me and they seemed to look right past me. It was like I wasn't really there. I decided that my body in time travel transformed into something new and different. I was the same old dude, but I can now hear better and didn't need glasses anymore. Yes, I looked the same but with no aches and pains. I fell asleep trying to fully comprehend my new self. The next morning I woke up with the posse at the hotel and they talked to the witnesses of the robbery. They got their information and headed out to the robbery site. I followed on horse back to witness first hand the capture of the robbing and murdering brothers Charles and John. Charles was last seen face down in the road suffering from a gun shot wound. John was last seen grabbing the strongbox and heading towards the Middle Creek side of the road.
We got to the robbery site and fanned out. I got off my horse and went down the bank of the road towards the Middle Creek. I was walking through the bushes when I saw a man sitting on the ground by a fresh pile of rocks and dirt. Could it be the gold that has never been found? Stories have been passed down through the ages that say John Ruggles hid all the gold bullion attached to a floating device that floated a foot below the surface of Middle Creek. Maybe, the gold coin was hidden somewhere else. Anyway, Charles saw me and got up and stared at me.
Around the bend came a man with a horse and buggy. The stampeding horses were heading straight for them when all of a sudden the runaway horses settled down and came to a stop. John Boyce, not noticing me, took the reins and drove to the nearest place which was Middle Creek Hotel in the little town of Waugh named after Joseph Waugh. I watched Buck Montgomery die of his wounds, while John Boyce and the John Suhr were patched up and going to be fine.
The news of the robbery of $5000 in gold bullion and coins and the death of Amos "Buck" Montgomery traveled fast to Redding. Buck was well known and respected in Redding. A posse was hastily organized and left to find the robbers and bring them to justice.
I stayed at the hotel in an empty room and I was puzzled why no one would talk to me and they seemed to look right past me. It was like I wasn't really there. I decided that my body in time travel transformed into something new and different. I was the same old dude, but I can now hear better and didn't need glasses anymore. Yes, I looked the same but with no aches and pains. I fell asleep trying to fully comprehend my new self. The next morning I woke up with the posse at the hotel and they talked to the witnesses of the robbery. They got their information and headed out to the robbery site. I followed on horse back to witness first hand the capture of the robbing and murdering brothers Charles and John. Charles was last seen face down in the road suffering from a gun shot wound. John was last seen grabbing the strongbox and heading towards the Middle Creek side of the road.
We got to the robbery site and fanned out. I got off my horse and went down the bank of the road towards the Middle Creek. I was walking through the bushes when I saw a man sitting on the ground by a fresh pile of rocks and dirt. Could it be the gold that has never been found? Stories have been passed down through the ages that say John Ruggles hid all the gold bullion attached to a floating device that floated a foot below the surface of Middle Creek. Maybe, the gold coin was hidden somewhere else. Anyway, Charles saw me and got up and stared at me.
I am now face to face with Charles. I told him that I am a time traveler and from the future and that he can't hurt me because he can't see me or talk to me. Yet, if this was true he would not be pointing his gun at me and ordering me to get my hands up. I stood there in disbelief and closed my eyes as he pulled the trigger and I fell to the ground.
This is the History Mystery Man signing off for now until I write again.
Copyright © 2009 by Ted Weyand. All rights reserved.
I would like to acknowledge and thank the following sources of information:
Dottie Smith's blog from Redding.com
Bicycling Through Time--History Along the Sacramento River by Donna Pearson
Dottie Smith's blog from Redding.com
Bicycling Through Time--History Along the Sacramento River by Donna Pearson
LegendsofAmerica.com
Peggy B. Perazzo, Letter dated 20 May 2001
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