December 1947

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES VOL. XXVI DECEMBER, 1947 NO. 12

Stagecoach Holdup — Raymond-Wawona Road 1905

THE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

F. A. Kittredge, Superintendent D. E. McHenry, Park Naturalist F. Parker, Assoc. Park Naturalist H. B. Robinson, Asst. Park Naturalist

VOL. XXVI DECEMBER, 1947 NO. 12 THE LAST YOSEMITE HIGHWAY ROBBERY

By Francois E. Matthes In the summer of 1920, National cars (which were until then unfamiliar to the lads) and first paid a Headquarters of the Boy Scouts of visit to Denver. Thence the local America commissioned me to take Scout officials conducted them to four prize-winning Scouts, one from Rocky Mountain National Park, for each borough of New York City, on through the principal western national parks—the cost of the trip where they climbed a peak. Next passing assumed, very generously, by they went to the Grand Canyon and the Far Western Travelers Association descended into its awesome depths. Los Angeles showed them. I was selected to lead the party them an ostrich farm, gave them because I was a Scoutmaster, and their first swim in the Pacific Ocean, also, as geologist, was well acquainted with the parks and able to and a ride in the glass-bottomed boat acquainted with the parks and able to at Catalina Island. And then they explain the significance of their entrained for Fresno, where, the next scenic features to the boys. morning, a motor stage stood ready The underlying motive was to give to take them to the Yosemite Valley. These young New Yorkers, whose That stage, I should explain, was less of the "wild and wooly West" a three-seater with canvas top, and were based chiefly on what they had open at the sides. It was a large seen in the movies, some conception "touring car" of the type that was the Far West as it really is. They then in vogue. There were four suchwere to be shown the best of its stages, but ours was accorded the marvelous scenery, of course, but be privilege of leading the caravan. The some times they were to be given other three stages followed at intervals to avoid the clouds of golden that the West is no longer a raw dust that whirled up, for the "highfrontier country infested by scalping way" to the Yosemite in these days Indians and gun-toting badmen, but still was merely a "dirt road." so peaceful and prosperous land as The hot and seemingly interminable foothills did not interest the "effete East." boys, and they grew drowsy. So the The party started out in Pullman hours went by, rather monotonously,

until suddenly, upon rounding a third stage arrived. The robber, sharp turn, we beheld a log stretched standing at the side of the road, across the road, and behind that log coolly shifted his rifle to cover the a masked man holding a rifle aimed new crowd and ordered them to line at us. Instantly our driver came to a up with the others. And the fourth stop, and we heard the stern com stage was treated in the same way, mand: "Hands up!" It seemed unbelievable almost perfunctorily, as if it were a believable but the hands went up. daily routine. His "hands up" com- For a moment I thought that this mand sounded like a train conducwas just a practical joke planned, tor's "tickets please." perhaps, by some of my Yosemite To keep all these people, about friends, to give these eastern tender twenty-four in number, covered with feet a little scare. But as the highhis rifle, the robber waved it back wayman advanced upon us with deand forth, as if to sprinkle the line, termined mien, and we looked into with imaginary bullets. He now stood the muzzle of his gun, I realized that with his back to us, ignoring our this was no joke but the real thing. presence completely. And we, al- Being ensconced in the back seat, though tense, felt that we were have under the shadowy top, and behind ing orchestra seats at a rare performance the upstretched hands of the boys, I formance. quickly pulled my wallet, which con- It being manifestly impossible for tained all the funds for the expedi- the highwayman to rob each individual tion, from my hip-pocket and slipped ual himself and yet keep the whole it under the leather seat cushion. The crowd covered, he called one of th robber did not notice the gesture, for men, tossed him an empty sack our car had stopped rather far from sack, and ordered him to "go and the log, and it took him several sectake up the collection." "No jewelry, onds to approach. no watches," he shouted. "I want Our driver, fortunately, kept his only cash." wits. "This is just a bunch of Boy An elderly lady, evidently in garters, Scouts, pard," he said. "They have ters, dropped into the sack her entire no money. Leave them alone." handbag, an unusually fine one The robber looked us over, thought with silver mounting and charm. quickly, and said: "All right, boys. (There was no cheap "costume jewelry Hands down! Drive up to the log and elry" in those days.) But when th park there. How many more cars collection had been taken up and was coming?" "Three," was the driver's handed to him, the robber deftly answer. pulled forth the handbag, emptied A moment later the second stage it, and tossed it back to its owner. hove in sight. Up went the robber's As we marveled at this act gun. "Hands up!" he shouted. "Everybody out, and line up in the road." Seven tourists, men and women, and the driver, lined up, ankle-deep in the dust. And then the third stage arrived. The robber, standing at the side of the road, coolly shifted his rifle to cover the new crowd and ordered them to line up with the others. And the fourth stage was treated in the same way, almost perfunctorily, as if it were a daily routine. His "hands up" command sounded like a train conductor's "tickets please." To keep all these people, about twenty-four in number, covered with his rifle, the robber waved it back and forth, as if to sprinkle the line with imaginary bullets. He now stood with his back to us, ignoring our presence completely. And we, although tense, felt that we were having orchestra seats at a rare performance. It being manifestly impossible for the highwayman to rob each individual himself and yet keep the whole crowd covered, he called one of the men, tossed him an empty sack, and ordered him to "go and take up the collection." "No jewelry, no watches," he shouted. "I want only cash." An elderly lady, evidently in garters, dropped into the sack her entire handbag, an unusually fine one with silver mounting and charm. (There was no cheap "costume jewelry" in those days.) But when the collection had been taken up and was handed to him, the robber deftly pulled forth the handbag, emptied it, and tossed it back to its owner. As we marveled at this act of courtesy (or was self-protection his real motive?) we heard a rumbling noise, and looking back, we saw another automobile coming down the road behind the log. Calmly the robber turned around, leveled his gun at the newcomer and shouted: "Get out of your car and wait 'till I see you." He thereupon ordered all the tourists back into their stages, admonished the driver not to start until he gave the signal, and walked up to the man behind the log. Having relieved him of his cash, the robber, still holding his gun in one hand, with a finger on the trigger, stooped over and with the other hand dragged the log out of the road. How he managed to do this with so little effort, was a mystery to us. Did he have an accomplice hiding in the manzanita bushes to help him remove that log? The road being clear, he shouted : "Now drive on, and drive like hell!" As we passed the robber, one of the older Scouts, self-possessed as always, smiled and flipped him a penny. Adroitly he caught it in the sugar sack. " Thanks, boy," he said. It all had a comic-opera flavor. Where now was this well-ordered Western civilization I had been sent to demonstrate? We could not but admire the robber's careful planning of this hold-up, and the cool businesslike way in which he carried it off. But one serious error he did make. Instead of marking himself in the conventional way, with a black band slit at the eyes, he had covered his head (under his hat) with a sugar sack, cutting out a piece which allowed his eyebrows, eyes and nose to be in plain sight. His mouth and chin were invisible, but enough of his face was exposed to reveal his identity. About six months later, when the members of our party were back in their respective homes, I received from the sheriff of Madera County a bulky envelope containing the pictures of four "bad-men" already in jail for various offenses, and any one of whom might possibly have been guilty of the hold-up, I identified our robber at a glance. Then, according to plan, the pictures were mailed to each of the Scouts in turn, with strict instructions to notify the sheriff of his identification, but to keep it secret from the other boys. It was a satisfaction to learn, later, that all the members of our party, independently of each other, had picked out the same man. And this unanimous agreement among the members of the Scout party doubtless added strength to the evidence upon which the robber was sentenced to the penitentiary. To Eastern tourists and Scouts of today, looking for western thrills, it may be disappointing to learn that since this hold-up in 1920 no others have been perpetrated on any highway leading to Yosemite.

NEW BIRD RECORD

The American pintail (Dafila acuta) may now be included among the species of ducks recorded in Yosemite National Park. Mr. Walter J. Fitzpatrick, Yosemite National Park Post Office, observed one of this form, together with five female cinnamon teal (Querquedula cyanoptera) October 11, 1947. The birds were on the Merced River at Sentinel Creek Beach. (H.C.P.)

turned around, leveled his gun at eyes, he had covered his head (under the newcomer and shouted: "Get out his hat) with a sugar sack, cutting of your car and wait 'till I see you." out a piece which allowed his eye- He thereupon ordered all the tour- brows, eyes and nose to be in plain ists back into their stages, ad- sight. His mouth and chin were inmonished the driver not to start until visible, but enough of his face was he gave the signal, and walked up exposed to reveal his identity. About six months later, when the to the man behind the log. Having members of our party were back in relieved him of his cash, the robber, their respective homes, I received still holding his gun in one hand, from the sheriff of Madera County a with a finger on the trigger, stooped bulky envelope containing the picover and with the other hand tures of four "bad-men" already in dragged the log out of the road. How jail for various offenses, and any one he managed to do this with so little of whom might possibly have been effort, was a mystery to us. Did he guilty of the hold-up, I identified our have an accomplice hiding in the robber at a glance. Then, according manzanita bushes to help him reto plan, the pictures were mailed to move that log? each of the Scouts in turn, with strict The road being clear, he shouted : instructions to notify the sheriff of "Now drive on, and drive like hell!" his identification, but to keep it secret As we passed the robber, one of from the other boys. It was a satisthe older Scouts, self-possessed as faction to learn, later, that all the always, smiled and flipped him a members of our party, independently penny. Adroitly he caught it in the of each other, had picked out the sugar sack. " Thanks, boy," he said. same man. And this unanimous It all had a comic-opera flavor. agreement among the members of Where now was this well-ordered the Scout party doubtless added Western civilization I had been sent strength to the evidence upon which to demonstrate? the robber was sentenced to the We could not but admire the robber's careful planning of this hold-up, and the cool businesslike way in which he carried it off. But one serious error he did make. Instead of marking himself in the conventional way, with a black band slit at the eyes, he had covered his head (under his hat) with a sugar sack, cutting out a piece which allowed his eyebrows, eyes and nose to be in plain sight. His mouth and chin were invisible, but enough of his face was exposed to reveal his identity. About six months later, when the members of our party were back in their respective homes, I received from the sheriff of Madera County a bulky envelope containing the pictures of four "bad-men" already in jail for various offenses, and any one of whom might possibly have been guilty of the hold-up, I identified our robber at a glance. Then, according to plan, the pictures were mailed to each of the Scouts in turn, with strict instructions to notify the sheriff of his identification, but to keep it secret from the other boys. It was a satisfaction to learn, later, that all the members of our party, independently of each other, had picked out the same man. And this unanimous agreement among the members of the Scout party doubtless added strength to the evidence upon which the robber was sentenced to the penitentiary. To Eastern tourists and Scouts of today, looking for western thrills, it may be disappointing to learn that since this hold-up in 1920 no others have been perpetrated on any highway leading to Yosemite.

NEW BIRD RECORD

The American pintail (Dafila acuta) may now be included among the species of ducks recorded in Yosemite National Park. Mr. Walter J. Fitzpatrick, Yosemite National Park Post Office, observed one of this form, together with five female cinnamon teal (Querquedula cyanoptera) October 11, 1947. The birds were on the Merced River at Sentinel Creek Beach. (H.C.P.)

—Photo by Anderson Champion California Black Oak

YOSEMITE GETS TWO MORE NATIONAL TREE CHAMPIONS

By Emil F. Ernst, Park Forester According to a letter received from the American Forestry Association, Yosemite National Park now has three national tree champions. For some years the large incense cedar (27 feet 6 inches in circumference) near the El Capitan bridge has held undisputed claim to being the largest of its species. This tree is located a very short distance on the south bank of the Merced River just west of the bridge. The past summer a very large lodgepole pine was discovered at Smedberg Lake by the writer. Although larger in circumference by six-tenths of a foot (19 feet 7½ inches) than the national champion for this species its claim was not recognized because it had lost most of its top in some long forgotten storm. The loss of the top was responsible for the lower figure obtained from the formula used by the association. The formula concludes that one inch of circumference should be equal to one foot of height or four feet of spread. The formula is circumference in inches plus height in feet (plus one-fourth of the spread in feet). This formula gives a figure of 334 for the Sierra National Forest champion while our lodgepole pine figure was 295. We expect to wrest the lodgepole pine tree champion title some time in the future from the Sierra National Forest, for very large —Photo by Anderson Champion Incense Cedar

lodgepole pines are fairly common in this park. However, the other two trees submitted for consideration at the same time were readily accorded the accolades of being the national champions of their species. These new champions are the white fir, Abies concolor L. & G., (25 feet 5 inches in circumference, 189 feet in height) located at Merced Lake, and the California black oak, Quercus kelloggii Newb., (35 feet 11 inches in circumference) located at Pate Valley. The white fir at Merced Lake stands right beside the trail to the High Sierra Camp and about an eighth of a mile west of that camp. The black oak will be seen by very few people on account of the relative inaccessibility of Pate Valley and its location off the regular paths of visitors to the High Sierras. It is possible that Yosemite National Park may have yet another national champion of a species which was not included in the latest list of national tree champions. An isolated stand of the Pinon Pine, Pinus monophylla Torrey and Fremont, exists just north of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. In this stand there is a tree having a diameter of 4 feet 1 inch (approximately 12 feet 10 inches in circumference) a height of 43 feet and a spread of 57 feet. The data on this tree will also be submitted after an authentic photograph is available.

FRANK A. KITTREDGE APPOINTED TO NEW POSITION

By Ralph Anderson, Administrative Assistant Effective December 1, Frank A. Kittredge, for the past six and onehalf years Superintendent of Yosemite National Park, was appointed to the position of Chief Engineer of the National Park Service at Washington, D. C. Mr. Kittredge was born March 29, 1883, at Glyndon, Minnesota. His interest in engineering engendered by hero worship of his famous engineer uncle, led him to major in that field, and resulted in his graduation from the University of Washington in 1912 with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. In 1915 he received his Master's degree in Civil Engineering at the same university. Born of pioneer stock, Mr. Kittredge carried on the family tradition by pioneering, shovelling sand in sluice boxes, in Alaska the summer of 1904. In 1905 and 1906 he worked on the location and construction of two Alaskan railroads. He returned to Alaska in 1917 and 1918 for the Bureau of Public Roads as a highway engineer. In the meantime, he married Catharine Mears at Medford, Oregon, on March 11, 1915. The Kittredges have one daughter, Catherine Jane, now married to Major Robert Andrews and living with their small son at Boise, Idaho. Following graduation, Mr. Kittredge pioneered in the development of road systems in Washington, Oregon and California under some of the early masters in road construction. This experience was valuable to —Photo by Anderson him in later years when he became Senior Highway Engineer for the U. S. Bureau of Public Roads. During the period from 1917 to 1927 Mr. Kittredge was given the responsibility, and for him the pleasure, of making a great many important reconnaissance surveys of routes as well as location and construction of highways. Among these were the trunk highway from Barstow, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, and to Kingman, Arizona. This involved weeks of travel across the desert by automobile, by saddle horse, and afoot depending upon the nature of the country. During World War I, Mr. Kittredge served as Lieutenant and Captain in the Army Corps of Engineers and spent 13 months in France. As Company Commander of a road-building

organization, his outfit carried on Since 1940, Mr. Kittredge has given maintenance and construction of valuable service as Superintendent, highways and a logging operation first in Grand Canyon and then in for the furnishing of materials for Yosemite National Park. Throughout the troops at the front. his career in the National Park ServIn 1927, Mr. Kittredge was transice he has given unstintingly of his ferred from the Bureau of Public time and energy to the furtherance Roads to the position of Chief Engi- of National Park objectives, and neer for the National Park Service courageous defense of National Park under Director Horace M. Albright. standards. In this capacity he laid the foundaOutstanding examples of his entions for the development of many gineering skill are found in the Gopark areas. This was a particularly ing - to - the - Sun Highway crossing active period in engineering, for durGlacier National Park; in the highing these ten years many of the pubways of Hawaii, Zion National Park lic utility systems had to be redeand many other national parks and signed and built anew to provide monuments. increased service to the public. The Mr. Kittredge also took a leading CCC activities also made this period part in negotiations leading to the one of particular importance in the establishment of Olympic National planning and construction of enPark. This, with the Kings Canyon gineering projects. He held this poeffort, constitutes one of his greatest sition until he became Regional contributions to the National Park Director, Region Four. The newly esService, and earned for him the credit tablished Region Four contained for being one of the nation's outmany of the old-line parks, carrying standing conservationists. with it some of the fundamental probBoth Mr. and Mrs. Kittredge will be lems and responsibilities of protecmissed by the many friends they tion and conservation not only of have made in Yosemite where they natural resources but of the Park have taken an active part in everyService objectives. thing benefiting the community. They It was during this period that the are noted for their gracious hospitalcampaign for the establishment of ity, democratic spirit and their conthe Kings Canyon National Park was sideration for the welfare of every renewed and the Regional Director employee in the park. carried the burden in the West for His successor to the superintendthe Director of the National Park ency of Yosemite National Park, Dr. Service and the Secretary of the InCarl P. Russell, has stated in his reterior by building up friends for the cently revised 100 YEARS IN YOmovement to support the Secretary SEMITE, "... In all this varied exand Congressman Gearhart. It was perience with the scenic mastera period of constant attention to the pieces of the National Park System, personal approach in order that all Frank Kittredge maintained a sindifferences between bureaus might cerity of purpose in safeguarding the be minimized, and the issue be connatural and historic values of the fined to a basis of land use values. parks."

Digitized by Yosemite Online Library Dan Anderson