“Escape From The Desperadoes”
From: Stories and early memories by Esther PARKER ROBB (daughter) and Together Again pp. 102-104.“Additional information to Esther’s account of the time when father was being pursued by robbers when carrying a large amount of gold back from the trip to Pioche.” by Sophia PARKER STAPLEY (daughter).[As a young man]
Esther:
…he [Charles PARKER Sr.] worked for the Co-op herd, where they rode after and tended the Co-op cattle. He was subjected to much exposure in the Kanab country where the winters are very sever, having heavy snow storms and extreme cold weather. He used to relate about the life at the herd. How their meals consisted of the campfire variety, such as could be cooked in the frying pan and coffee pot. Often they had to sleep in wet blankets and in spite of the exposure he underwent, he had good health all through his life until the last few years.
While he was working for the Co-op, he was sent on some very responsible errands: One time they sent him to Pioche to receive a Pay roll ... which amounted to a very large sum….
Sophia:
…when he left the bank that day he found lodging at the hotel. The hotel also ran stables for the travelers to keep and feed their houses. Charles took care of his horse in the stable, taking particular care that the saddle could be put on the horse without losing time because he was worried about carrying so much money and being alone and strange. The money he carried was for the Kanarra Co-op herd….
Esther:
…When he arrived at the place where the business was to be transacted, he engaged a room and ordered his meal.
Sophia:
He went into the hotel and ate his evening meal,…
Esther: While eating, two fellows entered the tavern. They actions aroused his suspicions and set him on guard….
Esther: …He wasted no time in retiring,..
Sophia: …because he had seen those two stranger that were in the bank…
Sophia: ... pretending to stay for the night. He locked the door and put his light out and crawled into the bed with his clothes on,…While he lay there, a couple of times someone tried his door but nothing happened….
Esther:…was not able to sleep...
Sophia: …Charles waited until everything was quiet…
Esther:…outside his room…
Sophia: Then he quietly crept out to the barn, quickly saddled his horse and began to travel for home -- Which was a long trip…
Esther:…he was not far along when he discovered he was being followed…There was no doubt [about] the motive, so he gave his horse a [kick] and rode on as fast as he could…
Sophia: …He rode all night without stopping. The next morning, sometime in the forenoon, he was riding up a quiet narrow canyon that he had to pass through. He noticed two men riding horses above the canyon -- one on each side, on the top of the cliffs. Charles was suspicious of these men. One was riding a white horse and the other a brown. Charles had rode through this country many times and knew it well. So he took another road that he felt perhaps he could throw them off his trail, if they were following him for a purpose. Charles made time just as fast as he possibly could, and he did not see the horsemen again. There was an inn along the road and he made it there by night fall. He was tired and the horse was tired so they stopped for the night. He had dined at this inn many times on these trips before. The next morning, bright and early, after breakfast, he headed for home. It was still quite a long ride by horseback, but he made it home alright, safe and sound. But he informed the C0-op Herd that he would never tackle an experience like that again, alone. A short time later, on another trip, he again stopped at this little inn along side the road: and the owner of the inn told him that the morning he had left for home on the previous trip there were two horsemen following him. The inn man threw them off Charles’ track. He also said that one was riding a white horse and the other a dark horse. But they heard no more about them. Charles carried a lot of gold along many trips to this market, but he never ventured it alone again.
Esther:…This true story is called his “Escape From The Desperadoes.”
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