History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 77

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080

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Our postal facilities were very meager. The only avenue of communication we had with the States was through Denver, which was a weekly mail, divided into two routes, one end extending to Colorado City, and the other to Denver. T. C. Whetmore, of Pueblo, then a resident of Canon, took the contract of carrying it to Colorado City, a distance of sixty miles. On one occasion, he failed to procure a horse, when he deliberately took the mail-bag on his shoulder and carried it the entire distance, going in one day and return- ing the next, and arriving here on contract time. Mr. Whetmore was, at that time, sixty years old. This is a well-known fact by many old settlers now living. We also had a weekly mail to the mountains, with the termi- nus at Fairplay. At one time, it cost the Government $20 to carry a single letter, that being the price for a single trip, and the mail- bag containing but the one letter.

RECRUITS FOR THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY.

In the spring of 1862, the exodus fairly commenced of those in sympathy with the Confederacy, endeavoring to get through the lines into the South. Those who were trying to reach Texas, usually crossed the river near- ly opposite the Soda Springs. This contin- ued during the season when the river was fordable. Many small parties, who wished to keep their movements secret, usually crossed in the night, making their rendezvous at A. C. Chandler's, on Chandler Creek. During high water, they were compelled to pass down the river on the north side until they found a crossing, generally at Rock Cañon Bridge, six miles this side of Pueblo, as our bridge had a short time previous been swept away.

One of the parties attempted to pass through the Comanche country, but were pursued and brought back to Colorado by Col. Shoup, of

dent's wife or haby ! Oo a peak out far from Georgetown, named in hooor of the gallant Dick Irwin, who is known throughout Colorado as one of the most adventurona explorera, and who wae the first white man known to have ascended it, which was on the 4th of July, 186-, and there planted the etripes and stars, they tried to foist the name of "Torry," no doubt in honor of & " Prof." of some kind of an "ology"-perhaps one of those bug-catchers! Byers was in the News at that time, and when it hecame known to him, he lit onto them (the students) like one of their Professors on a " splendid specimen" of a first-class June-bug, and rebuked them for their impudence, claiming that the names of the old pioneera should be perpetuated by attaching them to the lofty monument. erected by Nature, that caonot be destroyed by the ravages of time.

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HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.

Colorado Volunteers. When taken, the small- pox had attacked some of them. They offered no resistance, of course, and were easily capt- ured. Soon after they had got into camp, and after their surrender, the Indians came in large numbers and demanded a portion of their spoils, and one, at least, of the prison- ers to hold a scalp dance over, which request was firmly rejected, Col. Shoup, who was a brave and noble officer, telling the prisoners, that in case the savages persisted in their de- mands, and fighting was necessary (and the Indians numbered thousands), they (the pris- oners) should have their arms returned, and they would die fighting together, if necessary, rather than yield to the savages' demand. In fact, had they not been captured, the Indians would have murdered them all that night.

THE BLOODY ESPINOSIAS.

In the spring of 1863, three Mexicans, by the name of Espinosia (brothers), made a murderous raid through this county and the South Park country, which, from the mystery that surrounded their deeds, sent a thrill of terror throughout the entire population. Who were the perpetrators of the deeds, and for what purpose, was a mystery. The destroyers were abroad, and it appeared that their only object was the destruction of human life, for there was little plundering done. No one felt safe, for the deeds were committed by some unknown hand, and there was no secur- ity, either in one's house or on the high- way.

Nor was it the lonely traveler only that was made the victim, but two or three at a time were, on several occasions murdered, and no one could travel the many lonely canons without fearing he would be the next victim. Why the murders were committed has never been known. Various rumors were afloat, one of which was, that their family had been out- raged by white men, etc., but the most proba- ble is, from some of the memoranda found on their persons, that they were sworn enemies of the white man on account of religious fanaticism. One thing is certain, their devil- try caused more terror amongst the citizens than the presence of a thousand Southern sol- diers would have done. The secret cowardly

assassin is more to be feared than a brave enemy.

Their first victim in this locality was Will- iam Bruce, on Hardscrabble Creek. He was at his saw-mill, twelve miles from his resi- dence on the creek, but was not running the mill at the time. For some purpose he went to the mill, intending to go and return the same day. Not returning, his family became alarmed, and parties, on going to the mill, found him shot through the heart. The horse he rode was not found. Every effort was made to find some clew to the perpetrators of the deed, but to no avail. Whilst yet the mystery remained unsolved, and the people had scarcely recovered from their astonish- ment, they were again startled by the news of the murder of an old man by the name of Harkins, also at a saw-mill on the Little Fontaine, in El Paso County (ever since called " Dead Man's Canon"), about sixty miles from the scene of the first murder. No clew could be had as to who committed the deed, as the man was alone at the time. Very little was taken, save some provisions, which could have been had by the asking. The murder apparently had been committed with a hatchet.

Shortly after this, Addleman was killed at his ranch, on the road leading from Colorado City to South Park. Quickly following this was the killing of a brother of Lieut. Shoup (afterward Colonel), Binckley, Carter, Leh- man, and several others. The excitement was intense, and soon quite a large party were in pursuit, and trailed them from South Park to the head-waters of Oil Creek, thence down it to within about twenty miles of Canon City, where they were surprised in their camp, on High Creek, one of the tributaries of Oil Creek, and the largest one was killed by Joseph Lamb, who captured their entire camp outfit, including personal effects, memoranda, etc., from which they learned the number of victims they claimed to have murdered. The other one succeeded in making his escape to Mexico, where he was joined by his nephew. Both were soon afterward killed by a mount- aineer, by the name of Tom Tobins, now liv- ing in Costilla County, on the Trencharo Creek. The record of their butcheries showed

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that they had killed thirty-two Americans, beside many other gringos and Mexicans.

At this juncture, rewards were offered by different persons, amounting in the aggregate to $1,500. The Governor offered $300; Lieut. Shoup, $500; the balance was made up principally by the friends of those who were murdered.

We are sorry we cannot give the particulars of this capture. It showed Tobins to be not only a brave man, but one of the most dexter- ous of woodmen. Tobins knew that it was a matter of life and death with him, for if his wily foe should get sight of him first, his doom was sealed, for the Mexican was a dead shot. Hunting him was a far more risky business than hunting the lions and other wild beasts of Africa-they cannot shoot. After killing the monster, he cut off his head, for which there was a reward, but which was never paid the brave Tom. Certainly, if ever man de- served a reward it was him. Some time ago, there was a bill introduced into the Colorado Legislature praying a reward, we cannot give the amount, but the Solons of the State nig- gardly refused paying anything.

Espinosia's head was taken to Fort Garland and preserved in alcohol, until Dr. Waggoner left the service, when he stole the jar contain- ing it, and was making his way to Pueblo, but upset his wagon in the Sangre de Christo Pass, losing the alcohol, head and all, from the jar. At Pueblo, he found the town, for the first time in its history (wonderful to re- late), without either alcohol or whisky! He then buried the head, but afterward exhumed it, and clearing the head from all flesh, etc., carefully preserved the skull until Prof. Den- ton came along and prevailed upon the doctor to give it to him. It is now said to occupy a place amongst the skulls of noted murderers in Prof. Fowler's collections.

AN ACCOUNT BY A PARTICIPANT .*

Early in the spring of 1863, the whole southwest part of the Territory was panic- stricken by the number of cruel murders com- mitted, and no trace of the perpetrators. Men were killed and robbed, and each fatality was veiled with the horrible shroud of mystery. *By John McCannon.

No one could be found near the spot of the victim, and only on one occasion were the tracks of two men discovered, but how many " two men" were doing the hellish work of wholesale assassination was the great mystery of mysteries. Nearly all travel was stopped, unless guarded by troops; no mail came into or went out of South Park without being guarded; people abandoned their ranches and moved into the more thickly populated settle- ments. A perfect reign of terror prevailed everywhere. All through the southeast part of the country, as far as Canon City and Hardscrabble Creek, terror was on the coun- tenance of all. They first killed a soldier at or near Conejos. We next hear of them near Canon City, where they murder and rob a Mr. Bruce, of Hardscrabble Creek; from there, they proceeded to a saw-mill on Little Fou- taine Creek, and kill an old man. Again, we hear of them at the Kenosha House, Park County, where they kill Binckley and Shoup, the latter a brother of Col. G. L. Shoup. A few days after this double butchery, the body of Addleman is found, life extinct, in his ranch. Carter comes next in the list, being killed at Cottage Grove, near Alma. Two days following, Lehman and Seyga were killed at the Red Hills. Lehman and Seyga were cit- izens of California Gulch, and upon the news of their murder reaching the gulch, a meet- ing was called by the citizens for the purpose of raising men and funds to ferret out and bring to speedy justice the murderers of their comrades. A call for volunteers was made, and speedily in response were Joseph M. Lamb, Julius Sanger, O. T. McCannon, Thomas S. Wells, C. F. Wilson, William R. McComb, John Gilbert, Frank Miller, Fred- erick Fredericks, William Youngh, James Foley, John Landin, Charles Nathrop, John Holtz, John Endleman, William Woodward and John McCannon. The last-named was selected as Captain of the company.

I sent a man at once to Cache Creek to get Alexander Morse to join me at Weston's ranch, and to bring some pack-animals with him, and to cross the range that day or night at all hazards. He met us, and with him were J. A. Hamilton, J. J. Spaulding, John Brown and Dr. Bell. We laid over one day

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$5 5M

RESIDENCE OF JOHN MC COMBE. LEADVILLE, COLO.

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HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.

at Weston's ranch, while I, with a team, went to Fairplay for a supply of provisions. Here I found the town guarded with United States troops, and the prevailing opinion was that there was a large camp of "bushwhack- ers" somewhere in the neighborhood of Pike's Peak, but this was simply conjecture. Noth ing authentic could be ascertained. In the park, I met Charles Carter, a brother of one of the victims, together with Benjamin Grif- fiths, Charles Low and another man. They were on the same errand-looking up the foulest of the most foul perpetrators of crime. At Weston's ranch, I sent seven mounted men in a northerly direction to clean out a gang of known thieves and to scour the country to the northeast. This squad was composed of C. T. Wilson, Commandant; Alexander Morse, Will- iam R. McComb, J. A. Hamilton, John Brown, John J. Spaulding and Dr. Bell. They suc- ceeded in capturing some of the gang. One Baxter was hung by some recruits of the Sec- ond Colorado Regiment near Fairplay. They then scouted through the country as far north- east as Deer Creek, within forty-five miles of Denver, and it is very probable that they drove the Espanosias from the vicinity of Kenosha House. With the balance of the company, I marched east to a point near Addleman's ranch, and made a camp, and divided the company, one section going east and the other north. We scouted the coun- try for one day, and, at night, lay so as to command the roads to the south and east. On returning to camp, the party to the east discovered the tracks of two horses going south. We at once came to the conclusion that this was a clew, so, accordingly, early the next morning, we were on the march in pursuit of what we were satisfied were the murderers. We stopped a few minutes at Addleman's ranch to examine the tracks, when, to the astonishment of all of us, John Endleman began to sing and yell, by turns, and, it being a serious affair, as we could not send him back or leave him, so I detailed two of the strongest men I had to keep a steady watch on him, and to gag him when he became too noisy. We soon struck the trail leading to the head of Four Mile Creek. The next day, after doubling two of their camps, we found

a fire still burning, about one mile below the beaver dams, on Four Mile Creek. We camped one mile below where we found the fire, and got our suppers, as the country to the south was high and barren mountains, and the trail led across them. We lay in camp until dark, the night being clear, with a full moon. I then called on the men to vol- unteer for a night's march, and wanted those who could stand a forced march, as I was determined to see what and who they were as quickly as possible. Joseph M. Lamb, James Foley, Charles Carter, William Youngh, Julius Sanger, Frederick Fredericks and John Landin volunteered. We followed the trail about three miles on to a high shale ridge, or mountain, and, not being able to track farther, we laid down in a neighboring gulch until daylight, when we soon found the trail lead- ing down into a cañon on the west side of Four Mile Creek, and near a dense thicket of willows. Here we found the two horses, one hobbled in a little park on the south side of the gulch. I dispatched James Foley, Will- iam Youngh, Frederick Fredericks and John Landin to go around the bluff and get into the canon below, and to carefully push their way along up the canon, while we covered the horses with our guns. In a short time, the largest of the Espinosias came out of the wil- lows and commenced taking off the hobbles that held his horse. Joseph M. Lamb fired, the ball breaking the second rib on the right hand side, passing directly through, breaking the second rib on the left hand side. Julius Sanger fired next with buck shot, but the horse stumbling over the desperado, it received the charge. The Espinosia raised up on his elbow, and commenced firing at me, as I had left my position to look after the other one, supposing that Lamb's and Sanger's firing had done the work. Charles Carter then fired, the ball striking the desperado between the eyes, ranging back, killing him instantly.

The other one came in sight, but got off without a shot through a mistake. I had my gun leveled on him, when Julius Sanger cried out: "For God's sake don't kill Billy Youngh!"' They were about the same size, and were dressed alike. I dropped my gun to get a better look, and he, seeing the motion, threw

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himself over into the ravine and was seen no more, although he fired from the high-table lands afterward, cutting Lamb's hat and coat. We were unable to pursue him, not having had anything to eat since 5 o'clock the even. ing previous. The men with the pack-ani- mals lost the trail, and went to Canon City. We found in their camp property of twelve of their victims, together with a memorandum book, in which they claimed to have murdered twenty-three men. At about 11 o'clock that night, we got to the settlement on Four Mile Creek, being thirty hours without anything to eat and without sleep. I found by morning that three of the men were unable to travel, so I hired a team to haul them to Canon City, where we rested two days, and then returned home to Lake County. The crazy man got all right and went to Montana. The remain- ing Espinosia picked up a cousin in San Luis Valley, but they were soon discovered by be- ing tracked up where they had driven an ox into the cañon and butchered it. Thomas Tobin, with a squad of soldiers, killed them both, thus exterminating the worst despera- does the country ever knew. The Legislature gave Tobin $500 bounty for his share of a job of three days' scout, already paid, and was furnished rations by the Government, but they forgot to even mention the people of Lake County, who went out and discovered who the murderers were, and killed the one who did the principal part of the terrible work, and the only one I ever learned of doing any killing. The small one was a very poor marksman, while the one killed west of Pike's Peak was a dead shot. The statement made by Maj. Wynkoop that the Espinosia that we first shot was first wounded and then hung is not true. He was left where he fell.

PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF GUERRILLAS-ONLY TWO MEN LEFT IN CAÑON.

In the summer of 1864, a party of guerril- las, or Confederate soldiers, passed through Cañon on their way to the mines, along the western rim of the South Park. Their object was to plunder, and raise recruits for the Southern army. James Reynolds, an old Col- oradoan, was their Captain. At the time they passed through Canon, Felix Burdett and A.

Rudd were the only two men in the place. Jothan A. Draper, who was starting East with money in his pocket to buy a stock of goods, A. M. Casseday and D. P. Wilson having just left town, met the guerrillas in Canon City Park. They offered no violence, however, to any one until they arrived in the South Park. They then robbed the Fairplay and Denver coach, capturing the United States Mail and express matter from California Gulch and Fairplay. They then cut the coach to pieces and took the horses-also taking several horses from McLaughlin's ranch, and hid for a short time in the mountains. But their career was short. They had reckoned without their host, for instead of meeting them with open arms, the miners rose, almost to a man, and hunted them down. The miners surprised them at night in camp, at the mouth of Hall's Gulch, one of the tributaries of the Platte, near Hep- burn's ranch. They fired into them, killing one man, and breaking the Captain's arm, scattering the others in every direction. Judge S. D. Webster, Oliver Kirkpatrick and G. W. Burdette, were of the assaulting party. They were scattered in the night charge on the camp, and Judge Webster wandered about the mountains for days, subsisting on a deer he was fortunate enongh to shoot, and did not find a settlement until near Idaho. A large party of citizens rallied in pursuit, the most prominent being A. C. Hunt, U. S. Marshal, with two Deputies, Judge Wilbur F. Stone, and a Mr. Brown; Frank Hall, then with Hollister, editors of the Black Hawk Journal, Judge W. A. Hawkins, J. B. Cooper, now of San Francisco, the latter in charge of citizens, and Col. Shoup in command of soldiers.

The pursuit now commenced, the guerrillas taking nearly the same route they had trav- eled in going to the mines. Three of their number were captured at the residence of Al and George Toof, by Toof brothers, Lewis Conley and Pete Baltof, then working for Mr. Toof. Early one evening, Mr. Conley thought parties were prowling about, and sent Baltof for George Toof, who accidentally dis- charged his gun on the way up, which caused Al and his family considerable uneasiness during the night. In the morning, about day- break, three men came up and asked for break-

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fast. Mr. Toof invited them in, and making excuse to drive the cows to the upper field, really drove them into Conley's corn, where, fortunately, he found him cutting fodder. Hastily telling him his suspicions, he inquired for the safety of his brother, but being told he had gone over the hill on the trail, Mr. Toof started back, seeing him coming on the trail at full speed. He whistled and sang, attract- ing his attention, for he said it was about his first attempt at music, motioning him down. George slid down the bank about forty feet to the creek. Al went to the house, and, taking the water-pail, said something about getting water to mix mess for the pigs, went to his brother and explained the situation, arrang- ing to have him, with Conley and Pete, make their appearance by the south door of their log houses, open covered space between them and the door from one to the other. Mrs. Toof slowly prepared breakfast, answer- ing their inquiries as to what the papers said about the guerrillas. Mr. Toof coming in, assisted her, and they disposed the table to suit the approaches from the doors. Soon after they were seated to the table, Mr. Toof discovered the boys coming, and just as they reached the south door, he grabbed his gun, and commanded them to surrender. They jumped to their feet, and the largest one grabbed for his revolver, but the quick eye and steady nerve of George detected the movement, and he made him hold up in approved Western style. Pete was ordered to disarm them, but being too much flustered, Mrs. Toof bravely came forward and assisted. They then sent word to Charles Pauls, living on Soda Springs ranch below, who went at once to Canon City, and informed the officer in command, who took possession of the prisoners that night, and forwarded them to headquarters, at Den- ver, reporting his capture through the columns of the Denver News, but everybody in the county was on the alert for rebel raiders for a long time.

DESPERADOES, HORSE AND CATTLE THIEVES AND THEIR FATE .*

From the latter part of the winter of 1860-61 up to 1863, the country was infested

with a gang of horse and cattle thieves, greatly to the annoyance of citizens, and apparently led by daring and cunning rascals, who almost defied detection. It appeared to be almost impossible to break them up, and, when an animal was once taken, it was very seldom that they were recovered. In fact, the thieves and their aiders and abettors were as thick around us as grasshoppers were in Kansas, and, although we felt certain as to who some of them were, we had not the proof positive of their guilt. They had a regular organized line, extending from the locality of Taos, N. M., via Trinidad, Pueblo, Cañon City, to Cali- fornia Gulch.

Among the principal actors in the business was one Charles Brown ("Dutch Charley "); Bateman, headquarters in this locality, on Beaver Creek; Bill Waggle and brother; Steel, from Minnesota, and others whose names are forgotten. They were in the habit of stopping at Jim Briner's and John Tyerly's, pretending to be friends. Waggle took Briner's horse, and some of the party took some horses from Reub Frazier, who, with Edwards and Tyerly, trailed them to Mace's Hole. They found the cabin deserted. They then trailed them to Taos, and arrested Steel, who escaped from them, but was recaptured two miles from Taos. On the return to Taos with him, Tyerly thought Steel was trying to escape, and attempted to tie him, when he re- sisted, and Tyerly shot him twice and killed him. But they did not succeed in getting the horses, there being too many of the gang close at hand to assist them to escape, and at the same time get away with the stock.

Brown was arrested in Canon, but Bateman managed to get tools to file off his irons. " Alphabet " Hall also assisted him in the es- cape. Brown afterward went to Idaho Terri- tory, where he joined the vigilantes and en- gaged in the pursuit of horse thieves, whom they captured the other side of the divide, be- tween there and Denver, and assisted in lynch- ing them. Vincent Moore was also notorious. He stole two mules from A. Rudd, one from Wolf Londoner, one horse from D. P. Wil- son, and finally "got away with " everything. Waggle was afterward killed on the divide. Riley was shot, but recovered, and then joined

*By Eugene Weston.

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HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.

the United States troops, and was made As- sistant Provost Marshal, and stole a large amount of property and escaped to Old Mexico. Vince Moore escaped to Montana, and at last accounts was still running at large, ready to do any stealing or roguery offering an opportunity. There were many others, whose names are forgotten, but most of them are dead, all having met their death by vio- lence.

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History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 77

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 1080

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080