One Sunday afternoon in October 1851, a certain Hubbs of Downieville was riding through the forests of the California gold country. Though he had some $400 in gold dust in his charge, Expressman Hubbs was unarmed. Presently, at the base of a large yellow pine, he dismounted to relieve himself. Suddenly a robber jumped from behind the tree, pinioned his arms, made off with the gold. Astonished, terrified, tangled in suspenders, Expressman Hubbs let him go without resistance.
That was the first recorded hold-up of a California expressman. It started an illustrious...
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