April 4, 2006

Nevada's Online State News Journal     

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Nevada History:

            The body of the negro was given over to the Pahupe [sic] Indian who first shot him, and received such a burial as will hereafter be a warning, (as the Indian said,) to all thieves. The negro was well known as a desperate character and his loss is not to be regretted.[1]

            On August twenty-fourth, 1857 a party of overland emigrants seized "California Jim" Tulley at a trading station on the Sink of the Humboldt.[2] The emigrants accused "California Jim", the station-keeper's assistant, of having been involved in an attack upon a wagon train in which several persons were killed.[3] A self-constituted jury tried Tulley, found him guilty, and sentenced him to death.[4] "California Jim" requested some time to compose a last letter to his mother, and when he attempted to escape he was shot.[5]

            Then trouble broke out in Genoa, where William B. "Lucky Bill" Thorington and Col. William H. "Uncle Billy" Rogers were partners in the construction of a hotel.[6] The workmen had just finished, so Thorington and Rogers scheduled a grand opening celebration for August twentieth, 1857.[7] The festivities began in the evening, with about thirty ladies and seventy gentlemen in attendance.[8] One observer characterized it as "the largest and most fashionable party ever given in the Valley."[9] At about ten o'clock that night there was a fracas in the hotel, and accounts differed as to how it went. In an early report, a correspondent of the San Joaquin Republican speculated on what had caused the row:

            The principals in the difficulty were leading men of rival clans, who had an old grudge against each other, and had determined on a "muss" at the ball. The proprietors of the hotel were neutrals. As is usually in such cases, women were at the bottom of it, and bad whiskey, of the "fighting brand," at the top.[10]

            A Vigilance Committee is to be organized by these same parties.[11]

            The report of an affray here on the 20th ult., in which Col. Rodgers' name appears in no enviable light, is a misrepresentation of facts, reported, no doubt, by designing persons to injure our "place" and some of its worthy citizens. The Col. is alive and as well as usual, Abernathy also. The hotel was opened on the morning of the 21st, and is doing a thriving business under the management of D. E. Gilbert. A statement of facts has been forwarded to California for publication.[12]

            As to the formation of a Vigilance Committee here, such a thing has never been thought of by our citizens, and I see no occasion for such an organization now. As we have had peace and quietness ever since the "Trader" left, the probability is that those disreputable characters mentioned in his report, left with him. It is a subject of universal observation by visitors, that they never in a new country met with a more peaceable, courteous and hospitable set of people in their lives than those they find in Carson Valley.[13]

            Shortly after the disturbance at Rogers & Thorington's hotel, there was an Indian war scare in Carson Valley. There had been some trouble between the white settlers of Western Utah and the Washoe Indians in the spring of 1857. In May of that year several settlers seized some members of "Captain Jim"'s band, charging them with horse stealing. The whites whipped and then released the Washoes, which, according to Maj. William M. Ormsby; "greatly exasperated them."[14]  "Captain Jim" had signal fires lit on the mountain tops to assemble a general meeting of the Washoe tribe.[15] The alarmed settlers began to prepare for the worst, but despite the provocation, war did not result.[16]

            "Uncle Billy" Rogers operated some copper mines in Hope Valley, and had a cabin there.[17] On the fourth of September, 1857, someone robbed Rogers' cabin, and the caretaker that "Uncle Billy" had left suspected that some Washoe Indians were the culprits.[18] Rogers' man ordered the Indians out of the camp, and reported that "they were very impudent."[19]

            Toward twilight of the following day, September fifth, an emigrant camped near Slippery Ford bridge on the Placerville route heard a shot ring out a few hundred yards up the road.[20] The emigrant investigated, and found a hat and a pool of blood.[21] Believing that somebody had been murdered, the emigrant rode to Smith & Muir's Station in Lake Valley to report what he had seen.[22] The next day a search party rode back on the road to Placerville; and after a brief look around found signs that a body had been dragged off the road.[23] They found the corpse of John McMarlin, a packer, hidden in the undergrowth, shot by a rifle ball and two arrows.[24] The body had been nearly stripped of clothing.[25] A hat found near the murder scene was identified as belonging to a Washoe Indian from "Captain Jim's" band -- sixty or seventy Washoes from this group were camped in the vicinity.[26]

            A day or two later searchers found the body of another packer, James Williams, who had been traveling in the company of McMarlin.[27] Williams had been killed by a rifle shot, and his body was also stripped of clothing.[28] The Washoes were accused of having committed the killings, and there were cries for vengeance within the white community.[29]

            About a week later, three Washoe Indians came into Genoa and trouble ensued. The Indians, it seemed, exactly answered the description of those who had robbed Col. Rogers' cabin.[30] "Uncle Billy" encountered the three Washoes on the main street, and started talking with them. Rogers described the outcome of this conversation to a reporter from the California State Journal, which published the following report:

            One of them had a gun, and another wore a shirt recognized by Rogers as his own. One of the workmen happened to be in Genoa on the day, and he recognized the three as among those who visited the cabin. Col. Rogers took the gun and placed his finger in the muzzle. This action alarmed the Indians, and they attempted to break away. One of the bystanders raised his pistol and they dared not attempt to escape. Col. Rogers persuaded the man to put up his revolver, at the same time telling the Indians that he wanted nothing except the names of the murderers and robbers. They refused to answer, and watching their opportunity made another attempt and succeeded in breaking loose. Col. Rogers immediately drew his revolver and commenced firing, succeeding in wounding one of them in two places. This was a relative of Capt. Jim, who resides at Indian Diggings, and is suspected to be one of the murderous gang.[31]

            The wounded Indian proved to be "Captain Jim"'s brother, and notwithstanding his injuries, he and his two friends were able to make their escape.[32] When the news of this skirmish reached "Captain Jim"'s camp, the Washoes began to arm themselves for a war against the whites, and many of the Indians painted their faces red.[33] Needless to say, the Washoes also avoided the white settlements.

            Chief Winnemucca offered the whites at Genoa the assistance of Paiute warriors to help track down the murderers of McMarlin and Williams, in return for supplies and equipment, and the ancient rivals of the Washoe tribe began to gather along the banks of the Carson River.[34]

            Towards the end of September the body of William H. Larkin was found at his cabin on the east fork of the Carson, shot through the head.[35] Larkin's partner, Charles Stewart was missing, and a number of whites concluded that both men had been murdered by the Washoes.[36] There was considerable alarm in Genoa, as there was no militia organization in all of Western Utah.[37] "Uncle Billy" Rogers was in town at that time, about to leave on business for California.[38] Just as he was mounting his horse, a crowd of citizens gathered around Rogers "and requested him to be the bearer of a petition to the Governor of California, for assistance to whip the Indians."[39]

            "Uncle Billy" returned within a couple of weeks with twenty-five muskets and a force of about fifteen men.[40] At about the same time, the Washoes became very shy of the whites, and moved their principal camp from a spot near Genoa to the head of Carson Valley, in the area of Cary' s Mill.[41] There was also talk that the Paiutes were planning to take advantage of the situation to dispossess the Washoes of their tribal lands.[42] Apparently seeking to avert an imminent war, "Captain Jim" sent a party of Washoe fighting men into the mountains after the men identified as the murderers of McMarlin and Williams -- "Tom," "Big Alex" and "Charley."[43]

            On the twenty-first of October, "Charley" happened to come into Carson Valley, but in view of the obvious commotion, kept himself hidden from the whites.[44] "Captain Jim" was later able to lure "Charley" into "Lucky Bill" Thorington's Carson River ranch house, while "Uncle Billy" Rogers and his men surrounded the place.[45] "Charley" crawled under "Lucky Bill"'s bed but was discovered and arrested by Rogers on October twenty-sixth, 1857.[46]

            After "Charley"'s arrest James McMarlin, the brother of the murdered packer, interrogated the prisoner through an interpreter, but could not get the Washoe to talk.[47] However, when captured, "Charley" was wearing the dead McMarlin's trousers.[48] On October twenty-seventh the white settlers of Genoa put "Charley" on trial for murder.[49] According to "Charley"'s statement at his trial, he was present when McMarlin and Williams were killed, but did not himself take an active part in the murders.[50] "Charley" said that while he was lying in the underbrush trying to fix his gun, "Tom Posooke" and "Big Alex" killed the two packers.[51] "Charley" also identified the arrows taken from McMarlin's body as belonging to "Big Alex".[52] While the jury was deliberating on its verdict, "Charley" struck one of his guards and made an attempt to escape, which ended fatally for him.[53] Bystanders opened fire on the fleeing Indian, and two bullets brought "Charley" down -- he died that same night.[54] Approximately thirty Paiute and Washoe Indians attended the trial, according to Chauncey Noteware, and seemed satisfied that justice had been served.[55]

            Col. Rogers then gathered his small force to pursue the two remaining murderers.[56] He desisted when "Captain Jim" assured him that the Washoes would take care of the killers, by capturing them and turning them over to the whites.[57] Rogers and some of his men then apparently made some arrangement to winter at Genoa, while the remainder disbanded and returned to California.[58] This left about twelve men with "Uncle Billy" at Genoa by November nineteenth, 1857.[59]

            A number of the residents of Carson Valley were unhappy with the presence of this force, which was termed an "Army of Occupation."[60] About this time James Williams, a merchant doing business in the Valley, arrived at Placerville to purchase provisions. While there, Williams told the editors of the Placerville Argus that "disturbances are of daily occurrence between the citizens there, and the men composing Col. Rodgers' command".[61] The Carson Valley correspondent of the San Francisco Herald, "Tennessee," wrote that three men had been dismissed by "Uncle Billy" for disorderly conduct.[62] On the evening of November twentieth there was a party to celebrate the wedding of John K. Trumbo to Mary Reese at Genoa; a party which effectively ended the "Army of Occupation". A correspondent of the Placerville Argus described the break-up:"

            . . . on the occasion the commander-in-chief of the soldiers then stationed in Genoa, marched them out to fire a salute; but the pliant military partook rather freely of wine, or something stronger, and after marching back to their 'winter quarters,' concluded, as fighting was their calling, they had better have a scrimmage on the present occasion. No enemy presenting themselves, they pitched into a fist and skull fight with each other, in which some black eyes turned rather blue, and perhaps some blue eyes a little black. The Colonel, in his efforts to quell the disturbance, fired several shots from a pistol, which did no further damage except to punch a hole through the leg of one man's boots and pants. The soldiers have since disbanded, and most of them left for California.[63]

            In 1856 an organized band of horse thieves began operating in the vicinity of Honey Lake Valley.  Livestock owners along the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada were the principal victims of these bandits.[64] The reaction of the residents of the area was emphatic, as described in an article published that summer in the Quincy Old Mountaineer:

            The robbers are undoubtedly connected with a similar band, scattered throughout the State, as they are running expresses every night, going and coming. They have in their possession a splendid mare of moderate size, and great fleetness, besides other fine animals. They have stolen some eight or ten horses from different persons residing in the valley. The gang is composed of eight or ten Americans and two or three Mexican, and are constantly on the alert. The citizens of the Valley have organized themselves into a Vigilance Committee, and are out in hot pursuit of the villains, accompanied by the Chief of the Indians resident in the valley, with fifty of his tribe. The Committee are determined to hang every one they take, and give warning that all persons found, who are of a suspicious character, loafing about in the Valley, that they will be taken, tied up to a post and receive a severe whipping, and sent out of the Valley, unless they decamp immediately.[65]

Not long after this threat, a band of robbers, said to be the Honey Lake stock thieves, descended upon Beckwith Valley and ran off about a hundred mules.[66]

            An expressman for John Kirk's Central Overland Wagon Road expedition arrived at Genoa on the evening of August ninth, 1857.[67] The courier brought the report that, as in the year before, a regularly organized band of highwaymen were operating along the Truckee River branch of the California Trail.[68] This gang of thieves consisted of Indians, Spaniards and Americans, and made its rendezvous in the Truckee River Valley:

            A trader who had purchased a large stock of goods of Ormsby & Smith, intending to establish a post on the Truckee River, was attacked and robbed of his whole stock -- team, arms and personal effects -- by three of the gang. He succeeded in shooting one of them, an Indian, supposing they were all Indians, but he found the other two wearing Indian apparel to be whites. The expressman was fired upon in passing through Truckee Valley, and narrowly escaped being shot. He passed a man coming in from Truckee, who had been robbed of everything moveable, taking away his oxen, wagon, gun and provisions, and not allowing him to take provisions enough to get to the Station.[69]

            Within the week, Thomas Cook's wagon train company arrived at Placerville and confirmed earlier reports of disorders on the route, stating that a regularly organized system, operated by white men, was under way to rob and harass the emigrants.[70] Cook's comments appeared in a telegraphic dispatch to the Sacramento Union, whose editors noted another peculiar circumstance:

            Major Ormsby will go far enough out to remedy, as far as possible, this state of affairs, gotten up by a few unprincipled adventurers for pecuniary purposes.[71]

            Robberies on the Truckee River route continued unabated through August, 1857, and a report published in the Placerville Mountain Democrat noted that because of the troubles there and at Honey Lake Valley, a considerable quantity of the emigration had abandoned the road and traveled down through Truckee Meadows, Steamboat and Washoe Valleys through Genoa to reach Placerville.[72]

            Persistent rumors also credited the stock thieves with involvement in a number of mysterious killings along the eastern slope of the mountains. Some of the intended victims were able to recover, but none were able to positively identify their unknown assailants. In the summer of 1856, for example, D.H. Barbour (or Barber) of Carson Valley was shot and nearly killed by an unseen gunman at the north end of Long Valley, and at about the same time a Shasta County, California man named Wood had a similar experience.[73]

            There was recurrent speculation that same year that the murder of Lucius Lindsay on the summer of the Sierra Nevada mountains was connected in some way with bandit operations in the area, despite evidence indicating that Lindsay had been killed by Indians. The tale was certainly strange enough. Lucius Lindsay, a resident of Indian Diggings, California, left Tragedy Springs Station on the thirteenth of August, 1856.[74] Lindsay had two pack mules and a horse loaded with provisions, and said he intended to meet some friends out on the plains.[75] On the way, he met with strangers on the road, and died:

            At the time he met the returning travelers, two Indians were listlessly standing by apparently uninterested spectators. One was armed with a rifle and the other with a bow and arrows. The unknown traveler asked the two gentlemen if they supposed there was any danger to be apprehended from the Indians. Upon closely observing the movements of the savages they told him that they thought there was, and that if he was going on he had best push rapidly for an encampment -- that of Dr. Hoy and party, of Calaveras -- about a mile or a mile and a half down the mountain on Red Lake, then saddling up, which they had just passed -- at the same time pointing out the encampment of the party. Soon after another party passed along the road, and a little further on found the solitary traveler dead, his body stripped of every vestige of clothing, a bullet hole in his breast, and his horse and mules gone. There could be no doubt but that he was inhumanly murdered by the two Indians on his mission of mercy.[76]

            It now appears that this man was one of a band of horse thieves of the name of Lindsley (sic), and at the time of being murdered was actually packing through supplies to their place of rendezvous in the mountains, a few miles to the south of Rocky Canyon, and that the Sheriff of Calaveras county was in pursuit of Lindsley at the time he was murdered; that the band to which Lindsley belong, on learning of his death; removed at once from their mountain valley position with a drove of horses, and doubtless stolen property; were traced towards Walker's river, where, upon some of its mountain tributaries they are in all probability at this time. So that the man murdered, whether by Indians (as was then supposed;) or by white men, met with a swifter justice than doubtless he had supposed he had bargained for.[77]

            According to regional reports, two members of a posse from Amador County -- William Burnsides and George Schuler -- wore responsible for Lindsay's death.[78] However, an article published in the Jackson Sentinel contradicted this version of the affair, and subsequent details related to the editors of the Sacramento Union by a friend of Lindsay tended to support the original story that he had been killed by the Indians.[79] There was no fully satisfying solution to the mystery, and the circumstances surrounding the death remained unclear.

            When John McMarlin and James Williams were killed on the summit of the Sierra Nevada in September, 1857, there was originally some suspicion that the murderers had been white men.[80] Although substantial evidence existed to indicate that the two men had been killed by Washoe Indians, talk persisted that the killers were white, despite the confession, trial and shooting of "Charley" at Genoa for the crime.[81]

            At about the same time as the deaths of McMarlin and Williams, there was another mysterious murder in Western Utah. William H. Larkin was found shot to death in his cabin on the east fork of the Carson River; Larkin's partner, Charles (or James) Stewart was missing.[82] There were no end of theories about this case, which remained unsolved. Some people said that Stewart murdered Larkin and left the country, while others said that both men had been killed by the Washoe Indians.[83] Most people believed that both men had been murdered by unknown hands -- probably by the gang of stock thieves and bandits who were active in the area.[84]

            These strange murders and ambushes disturbed the residents of Carson County, who were left without any system for administering the law, and the knowledge that a gang of killers and robbers were operating in the area unsettled many of the citizens living on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. In the early autumn of 1857, Shasta County Deputy Sheriff Charles Uhl was able to catch three of the horse thieves in Honey Lake Valley.[85] Their names were Chris. Lowery, Henry Ingraham and Sam Benenger, formerly of St. Louis, Sierra County, California.[86]  As a matter of fact, Lowery, Ingraham and Benenger were lucky that Deputy Sheriff Uhl was the man who had them in custody. An eyewitness told the editors of the Marysville Herald that "had the Sheriff of Shasta arrived a little later, he might have been spared the trouble of escorting them back for trial; and we are by no means certain that they are not at this time ornamenting the branches of some lofty pine by the wayside."[87]

            On December fifth, 1857, William C. Edwards shot and killed William Snelling in Merced County, California.[88] Edwards had been involved in some difficulty with Snelling's brother-in-law, and didn't seem to like Snelling either.[89] Snelling operated a post office, hotel and saloon on the Merced River -- the scene of his murder. The editors of the Stockton Argus told the story this way:

            The parties had eaten supper at the hotel in that place, when Edwards, while in the bar room, turned upon his victim, whom he had preceded out of the dining room, and said "there's William Snelling, a s-- of a -----," and at the same moment raised his pistol and fired at him, the ball entering Snelling's sides, passing through the lungs, and coming out the opposite side. Snelling fell against the partition, but recovering himself, drew a Derringer pistol and fired at Edwards, who jumped over the counter and dodged behind it as he saw Snelling drawing a weapon, thus escaping injury. Edwards then ran out of the house, when he was met by the Sheriff, who caught him and wrenched his pistol from him. Edwards managed to escape, however, into a thicket close by, and was soon out of reach. Snelling's family was immediately sent for, who came to find their protector in a dying condition, as the attending physician stated there was no hope for his life when our informant left, about half an hour after the cowardly deed. Three parties started out in pursuit of Edwards, and are determined to spare no effort to arrest him. Snelling is said to have been a very peaceable man.[90]

            Edwards left Merced County immediately, as Snelling was a prominent man who had many friends. These friends, and Snelling's fraternal associates, offered a reward of $1,500 for Edwards' capture; an offer that was widely circulated on the Pacific coast.[91]

            Edwards crossed the Sierra Nevada and descended into Carson Valley, where he went to see William B. "Lucky Bill" Thorington.[92] Thorington was one of the best known citizens of Western Utah Territory, and in 1858 was about forty-five years old.[93] He owned a ranch on the Carson River[94], a house in Genoa[95], and was the proprietor of the Carson Canyon toll road.[96] Also, he was partners with Col. William H. "Uncle Billy" Rogers in a Genoa hotel[97], and had other interests as well.[98]

            He is one of those men whose destinies are cast under a fortunate star, for which reason he has received the significant appellation of "Lucky Bill." He is a complete man of the world, more than six feet high, rosy cheeked, and is said to prosper in every undertaking through life. At the gaming table, without possessing any superior accomplishments as a player, ho defies the deepest laid plans of the "professionals." If he purchases a sick horse, which, with any other person, would be certain to die, it recovers, and Lucky Bill more than doubles his money on him. So with everything else. He has twice gone home to the States with ample fortunes, and as many times returned to increase his gains. At present he is residing in Carson Valley, where he raises the fattest stock in the whole region -- as a proof of which there is now a bullock at Mud Springs, brought over by him on his recent trip, weighing upwards of three thousand pounds! This man was a decided character. He told an infinite number of jokes, and joined as heartily in the laugh at them as any one else. Occasionally he gave vent to an ebullition of piety, but was sure to destroy its effect by a sudden plunge into the entrenchments of sin.[99]

            Thorington was a native of Chenango County, New York, but left that vicinity in 1848 with his parents.[100] According to Mott Wells of Honey Lake Valley, who knew "Lucky Bill" there, Thorington left New York because he was involved in a discovered forgery.[101]  After leaving New York Thorington lived at Marshall, in Calhoun County, Michigan.[102] William Dow and other pioneer residents of Honey Lake Valley remembered him from Michigan, and said that Thorington had boon a gambler and associated with bad characters in Calhoun County.[103] In 1850 Thorington crossed the plains to California, and settled at Placerville.[104]

            In the spring of 1852 Thorington traveled to Michigan, where he persuaded three young girls to return to California with him.[105] They got as far as Peoria, Illinois when the parents and friends of the runaway girls overtook Thorington. Two of the girls left the gambler to take the road back to Michigan, but one, Martha Lamb, followed "Lucky Bill" to Placerville.[106]

            In 1854 Thorington brought his wife and child to Carson Valley from Michigan, and the three arrived at Genoa on the eleventh of July.[107] In the meantime, Martha Lamb had apparently spent some time in Sacramento, where she acquired a disreputable character and the nick-name of "Buker".[108]  By the summer of 1858, however, Martha Lamb was living at Thorington's Carson River ranch with her baby, while "Lucky Bill", his wife Maria and son Jerome lived in the Genoa house.[109]

            Thorington was active in local politics, and in later years the Carson Valley territorial movement seemed to dominate his efforts in this field.[110] "Lucky Bill" passed much of his leisure time in games of chance, games at which he was remarkably successful.[111] There are a number of tales concerning "Lucky Bill" and his skill at "thimble-rig", also known as the "shell game", in which the player attempts to guess which of three scrambled thimbles hides a pea:

            That night the owner of the outfit was induced to bet against Lucky Bill, in his "thimble-rig game", and in the morning he had neither an outfit nor a dollar in money left. The winner gave him back fifteen dollars of the money, bought him a new pair of boots to travel in, told him to "lite out" for California on foot, and never after that to bet against any one who was playing his own game. To the bankrupt family he gave a cow, spent the loser's money in buying them provisions, etc., and then hired a man to drive the team with them to California.[112]

            In 1856 three men put up one night at Lucky Bill's station in Carson Canyon, on their way home to the States. One of them was a white-haired old man, poverty-stricken and discouraged with his failures in California. In the morning his horse was dead, and forced to abandon his hope of reaching his Illinois home, he stood by the roadside with a stony look in the eye and watched the departure of his companions for the country that seemed shut out to him forever. "Cheer up, old man," said Lucky Bill, in his happy, inspiring, whole-souled way, and snapping his fingers over his shoulder in the direction of the fast-disappearing horsemen, added, "I'll show you a trick worth eight of that." A few days later the white-haired emigrant set out again on his homeward journey, with a fine roan horse hitched to a two wheeled vehicle loaded with provisions for the trip that had been given to him by Lucky Bill. Numerous instances of generosity like these are remembered by the early settlers of Nevada of this strange frontiersman, many of whose impulses were such as ennoble men.[113]

            At the time Edwards came to visit him, Thorington "was large, weighing 200 pounds, with broad, ample shoulders."[114] He stood about six feet and one inch tall; "his head, covered with glossy curling hair colored like the raven's wing, was massive, with a high classic forehead, and large gray mirthful eyes, looking out from beneath projecting eyebrows, that indicated strong perceptive faculties."[115] "Lucky Bill"'s education "was a moderate one, due to the fact that his excessive animal spirits and vitality would not permit a close application to study when attending school in his boyhood."[116]

            Perhaps on Thorington's advice, the fugitive killer William C. Edwards spent a short period of time with "Lucky Bill" and then headed for the sparsely settled country around Honey Lake Valley.[117] Edwards called himself "Bill Coombs" in the Honey Lake area, and lived in a cabin also occupied by John Mullen and Asa Snow.[118]

            Edwards spent the winter working on a nearby placer mine. His associates Mullen and Snow were unsavory characters, and both men were apparently aware of Edwards' true identity. Mullen confided to Edwards that he had killed a Spaniard near Marysville in a robbery, and in Honey Lake Valley Mullen was said "to be handy at picking up other people's calves" to augment his small herd.[119]

            Mullen's partner or hired man, Asa Snow, was scarcely more reputable. His name seems to have been assumed, and he confessed that he had killed a man before coming to Honey Lake.[120]

            Edwards, Mullen and Snow had two neighbors who lived not far away, J.B. Gilpin and W.T.C. "Rough" Elliott.[121] The two neighbors would occasionally visit Mullen and Snow, and only three days into the New Year of 1858 "Rough" Elliott met "Coombs" [Edwards] at Mullen and Snow's cabin.[122] Elliott became friendly with "Coombs", and before long the fugitive told Elliott his real name.[123] Not long afterwards -- about the beginning of February, 1858 -- J.B. Gilpin accompanied Edwards to Carson Valley, where the two men traveled to pay a visit to "Lucky Bill".[124] After their brief stay with Thorington, Edwards and Gilpin returned to Honey Lake Valley.[125]

            After Gilpin and Edwards left, "Lucky Bill" received a letter from Merced County, California, warning him and other residents of Carson Valley to be on the look-out in case William Edwards the murderer appeared in the vicinity, and offering the $1,500 reward for Edwards' capture.[126] Word of the offered reward spread, and Carson Valley settlers Jack Howard and A.B. Cherry announced that they intended to look around for the California killer.[127]

            At about the same time, Thorington, James Menofee and Ab. Smith left Carson Valley for the Truckee Meadows, where they intended to search for Charles Stewart.[128] Stewart, supposed to have murdered his partner William H. Larkin on the east fork of the Carson River the preceding autumn, was rumored to have fled the area and taken up residence with the Indians.[129] Howard and Cherry joined this party, and the five men rode north from Genoa, about the first of March, 1858.[130]

            After the five men had crossed the Truckee River and camped, Thorington remarked that he would like to go up to Honey Lake Valley and see Henry Gordier's cattle.[131] Gordier, a Frenchman, had purchased about six hundred head of Carson Valley cattle from the LDS Church members who left Carson County for Salt Lake City in September, 1857.[132] Gordier had gotten the cattle at an excellent price, and put them to graze and fatten on his Baxter Creek ranch, in Honey Lake Valley.[133]

            Thorington and his men interviewed some Indians on the Truckee Meadows who told "Lucky Bill" that the two men they were after had gone north.[134] Thorington's party followed them and arrested a man named Beasley, after which "Lucky Bill" said to the others: "Boys, you take him back to Crawford's (ranch), and I will go up to Sol. Perrin's, hire a horse and go up on Susan river and get money to buy supplies to get back to Carson Valley."[135]

            Thorington called at Perrin's Station and talked with the proprietor about renting a horse to go up and see Gordier and his cattle.[136] After obtaining the animal, however, Thorington went to visit Edwards.[137] The fugitive killer was visiting at Gilpin's house, where a number of other residents of Honey Lake Valley were enjoying themselves.[138] After passing some time with them, "Lucky Bill" and Edwards went out into the yard to talk under the shade of a pine tree.[139]

            The two men conversed for a while, and then Edwards called out for Gilpin to join them.[140] Edwards showed Gilpin the letter Thorington had received from Merced County concerning Snelling's murder.[141] Thorington told Edwards and Gilpin that the settlers in Carson Valley were familiar with the killing, and since many people suspected Edwards was hiding out in the Honey Lake country, he should consequently be on his guard.[142]

            Thorington stayed at Gilpin's house just about an hour and a half. Gilpin tried to get "Lucky Bill" to stay there overnight, and see Gordier's cattle and ranch in the morning.[143] Gilpin's idea was that "Lucky Bill" and Edwards should go in together to purchase the Frenchman's holdings, to which the two agreed.[144] They told Gilpin that they intended to buy Gordier out just as soon as Edwards could look the place over.[145] When Thorington left Gilpin's cabin, Edwards went with him and did not return for about an hour.[146]

            According to a confession later extracted from Edwards, at this time Thorington proposed to him that they join with Mullen in a conspiracy to murder Gordier and steal his cattle. The three were to entice the Frenchman down to Carson Valley on the pretext that they wanted to buy out his ranch and stock. Then Mullen and Edwards were to kill Gordier and dispose of the body, while Thorington would conceal the murder by means of procured evidence. Afterwards Mullen and Edwards would sell the cattle to "Lucky Bill" at a fraction of their true value, which would be Thorington's share in the affair.[147]

            After leaving Gilpin's cabin, Thorington rode to Perrin's Station to pay for the hire of his horse. According to a witness who was there at the time, "Lucky Bill" said that when he took the animal he had no money, but that he had gone to see "Coombs" [Edwards] and now had plenty of cash.[148] Perrin asked "Lucky Bill" if he had bought out Gordier yet, to which Thorington replied that he had made arrangements with "Coombs" to take care of the purchase.[149]

            Thorington rejoined Menofee, Smith, Cherry and Howard at Crawford's ranch that night.[150] One of the men asked him "What luck?", and Thorington answered "Good.", that he had met with his friends at Honey Lake, who were ready to give him any amount of money he required. "Lucky Bill" told the men that one of his friends had offered him a roll of cash amounting to about $250, which Thorington refused, taking only $15 which he needed.[151]

            After Thorington returned to Carson Valley, Mullen and Edwards did a lot of talking in the community about purchasing the Frenchman's ranch and cattle, and went so far as to talk to Gordier about the possibility of a deal. Towards the middle of March Mullen and Edwards paid Gordier a visit. While the two men were talking to the Frenchman, they told him that they had spotted a sick cow of his down on the river -- would he like to see if anything could be done for the poor animal? Edwards and Mullen offered to show him the spot where they had seen the suffering beast, and the rancher followed them. While the three men were riding along, Mullen lagged behind some and then shot Gordier in the back of the head with a pistol.[152]

            Mullen and Edwards stripped the clothes from Gordier's body, threw them into a deserted Indian campoodie near the scene of the murder, and then set fire to the structure. The two tied a large rock to Gordier's corpse and sunk it in a deep hole in the Susan River, and rode away on the road to Carson Valley.[153]

            Immediately thereafter, Asa Snow moved into Gordier's cabin and told the local residents that he was acting as caretaker while the Frenchman, Mullen and "Coombs" had gone to Genoa to consummate the sale of the ranch and stock. The reason the three men had gone to Genoa, said Snow, was because "Lucky Bill" was to furnish the purchase money.[154]

            Some time later, Edwards and Mullen returned from Carson Valley, and told settlers in Honey Lake Valley that the two of them had bought Gordier's outfit. The Frenchman, just as soon as he had been paid, had the good fortune to run into an old shipmate of his from the mother country. According to Edwards and Mullen, Gordier joined his friend and returned to France to enjoy his new prosperity.[155]

            The murdered Frenchman had a brother in California. -- one who worried about not having heard from him in a long time. This brother wrote a friend in Honey Lake Valley and asked for news. When he heard that his brother had left for France after selling out his ranch, the younger Gordier wrote back that there must be some mistake, as his brother wouldn't leave the country without seeing him first.[156]

            This fact and other curious circumstances made a number of Honey Lake Valley residents suspicious about Gordier's disappearance.[157] While Edwards was attending a party in the area about the first of May, 1858, a man took him aside "and told him that people thought there was something mysterious in regard to their buying the Frenchman out, and if he and Mullen were going to live in the country, they had better show their neighbors that everything was all right."[158]

            Edwards reassured the man and left the party. He went to see Mullen and the two men decided to flee Honey Lake Valley without delay. Shortly after leaving the two men split up; Edwards headed for Carson Valley and Mullen left for Petaluma, California.[159] Mullen had been riding a well-known race horse, known as "Bald Hornet".  Mullen felt that the horse was so well known that he didn't want to ride it, but Edwards felt differently and traded the horse from his partner.[160]

            When the residents of Honey Lake Valley found out that Edwards and Mullen had left so abruptly, many of them felt certain that Gordier had indeed been murdered. A volunteer force from the Valley had been out hunting some marauding Indians on the day of Gordier's death, and had, in fact, been camped nearby and heard the shot which killed the Frenchman; About seven or eight of the most suspicious Honey Lakers went down to the vicinity where they had heard the shot, and poked around. They discovered the burned campoodie, some metal buttons and dried blood nearby, and tracks which led to the river bank. After several attempts, the men fished up Gordier's body, using a raft and pole to recover it.[161]

            The citizens formed a coroner's jury, and held an inquest over the corpse. Their verdict was that Mullen and "Coombs" [Edwards] had killed Gordier, while Asa Snow and "Lucky Bill" Thorington acted as their accomplices.[162]

            A group of citizens -- actually a vigilance committee -- then called upon "Rough" Elliott and J.B. Gilpin and told the two that, considering how friendly they had been with Edwards, Mullen and Snow, things looked more than a little peculiar and that they must help to bring the guilty parties to justice.[163] A citizens' meeting held in the upper valley resulted in resolutions appointing Elliott, Gilpin and three other men as a committee to investigate Henry Gordier's murder and work up a case against the killers.[164]

            Not long afterwards members of this committee went out to talk to Asa Snow about the Frenchman's death. Snow got mad and tried to draw his pistol, but was disarmed, arrested and confined in a cabin. Eyewitnesses said that Snow "denied knowing anything about the murder of Gordier and was very impudent and abusive, cursing them and calling them every vile name he could think of."[165]

            A group of men from upper Honey Lake Valley went to the cabin where Snow was confined, and seized him. There are several different versions of what happened, but the result was that Snow was hanged, June seventh, 1858.[166]

            Contemporary newspaper accounts reported that Snow at first acknowledged that Gordier had been murdered, but denied having any complicity in the killing. After a trial by a self-constituted court of Honey Lakers, Snow is supposed to have turned State's evidence on the scaffold. He is said to have confessed that he belonged to a regularly organized band of robbers, and gave the names of several residents of Carson Valley who were concerned in Gordier's murder. Snow said that the members of the secret band of thieves communicated by signs, etc., so that persons from different areas who were associated with the gang could recognize a fellow-member. After confessing, Snow was hanged, before officers from Plumas County could take him into custody.[167]

            They intended to show him what a hanging was like and probably thought they could scare him into making a confession. They pulled him up and let him hang a while and then let him down and questioned him. He said he knew nothing to tell and cursed and defied them. They pulled him up again, let him down and questioned him, and the result was the same. He was pulled up the third time and this time they let him hang too long -- when they let him down he was dead. He was defiant to the last and died, so William Bankhead says, cursing them and telling them to bring on their strings. It is said that they dug a hole under the tree and buried him in it without even wrapping him up in a blanket, and his grave was never marked in any way. In spite of all that was said by any one else, the settlers who lived here at that time always believed that Snow knew all about the murder of Gordier.[168]

            In the meantime, William C. Edwards went to Carson Valley. The news of Gordier's peculiar disappearance preceded Edwards, and he was almost immediately suspected by the residents of Carson Valley as having been involved in the Frenchman's death.[169] As a result of this suspicion and the large reward offered for his capture in the Snelling murder case, Edwards could not move freely in the area, and had to make a secret camp in a slough of the Carson River near Thorington's ranch.[170]

            J.B. Gilpin, sent by the Honey Lake vigilance committee to investigate, arrived in Carson Valley not long after Edwards. Gilpin's first task was to win the confidence of the cautious "Lucky Bill". Gilpin's story was that he had stolen a horse in Honey Lake, and the vigilance committee there was after him and he needed Thorington's help. "Lucky Bill" would not shelter Gilpin, but told the Honey Lake man that for fifty dollars he would return the horse to its owner and settle the difficulty Gilpin claimed he was having with the vigilantes.[171] Thorington refused to admit that Edwards was anywhere in the area, and in fact told Gilpin that the California killer had fled over the mountains.[172] However, in a conversation with Thorington's hired man, familiarly called "the Fighting Butcher", Gilpin learned some interesting details.[173]     

            It seemed that "the Fighting Butcher" had visited the Carson Valley flouring mill, and while there he learned that a man had been seen lurking up in a canyon behind Luther "Lute" Olds' ranch. "The Fighting Butcher", on his return, told "Lucky Bill" about it, and noted that Thorington's face changed its expression. Shortly thereafter Thorington mounted his horse and rode away, returning only about dawn of the next day.[174]

            Thorington rode to meet Edwards in Luther Olds' yard.[175] Edwards had gotten there at night, and when he identified himself to Olds, "Lute" put him up and gave the fugitive some provisions.[176] For safety Edwards then took up camp in the slough between Thorington's ranch and that of Rich. Sides.[177] While Edwards was encamped there, Thorington brought him food and supplies, and on several occasions spent the evening in Edwards' camp, saying that it was likely that the two men would become partners.[178]

            Luther Olds also supplied Edwards with provisions and comforts sufficient for several days' camping, although Edwards came to Carson Valley well-supplied.[179]

            Luther "Lute" Olds was principally occupied in ranching at Carson Valley and in packing goods between Placerville and the diggings at Gold Cañon.[180] He came to Carson Valley from California, and took up his ranch in September, 1853.[181] Olds' reputation, according to "Lucky Bill"'s son, Jerome Thorington, was not that of an honest man: "I never knew of his stealing anything, but he kept men around his house who have."[182] Olds was involved in an 1855 incident which is, perhaps, illustrative of his character. On the twenty-eighth of July thieves stole ten horses from Plumer's ranch, on the road between Sacramento and Jackson, California.[183]  An informal posse set out in pursuit of the robbers, and followed their trail over the mountains towards Carson Valley.[184] A young man whom the posse met on the way told the group that he had seen the stolen animals at Olds' ranch.[185] When the pursuing Californians got there, they found that the thieves had departed for the east fork of the Carson River.[186] A story published in the Sacramento Union on August fourteenth, 1855 described what the posse found at Olds' ranch when they arrived:

            Olds had furnished them (the robbers) with provisions, &c., and harbored them while there. All the inhabitants turned out to assist in arresting the thieves -- with the exception of Olds. Our informant states that there are a number of horses at Olds' ranch, that were taken there by the same party.[187]

            One of "Lute" Olds' ranch hands, Cal Austin, had been run off the east fork of the Carson River for stealing horses, a fact well-known to Olds and to everyone else in Carson Valley.[188] Austin wanted to travel with Edwards when the fugitive left Carson Valley, according to Jerome Thorington, and hoped that Edwards would go to Salt Lake City to find shelter.[189]

            The day after Edwards' arrival in Carson Valley, "Lucky Bill" sent his son Jerome over the mountains into California. Jerome Thorington left to warn Edwards' partner in crime, Mullen, that the Honey Lake vigilance committee knew that Gordier had been murdered and would be looking to catch his killers. Armed with a letter of introduction from "Lucky Bill", young Jerome Thorington went to Marysville to try and find Mullen, but was told that the fugitive killer was in Petaluma.[190]

            Young Thorington then went down on the Merced River to try and collect some debts for Edwards. He was able to get three hundred fifty dollars and a horse, but could not collect another six hundred dollars due Edwards from his Merced County friends.[191] After taking delivery on the horse and the cash, Jerome Thorington returned to Carson Valley.[192]

            W.T.C. "Rough" Elliott arrived at Genoa some time around the middle of May, 1858, intending to catch Edwards and his accomplices for the Honey Lake vigilance committee.[193] When "Rough" Elliott showed up in town, "Lucky Bill" made himself scarce. In Elliott's words, a number of the local residents "appeared to be afraid of me; . . . they all appeared to think I had come down to arrest Thorington."[194]

            Three days after "Rough" Elliott came to town, he met with John H. McBride; a Genoa gambler.[195] McBride said that Thorington believed "Rough" had come to Carson Valley to arrest him, so consequently "Lucky Bill" was staying out of Elliott's way.[196] Elliott tried to reassure McBride, but the Genoa gambler went on to say that "Lucky Bill" was "willing to give himself up to any civil authority, as he did not believe that they could prove enough against him to convict him of anything criminal in any Court of Justice.[197] Since there was no civil authority in Western Utah, Thorington authorized McBride to state that he "was willing to be tried by the citizens of Carson Valley, but would not go to Honey Lake Valley."[198]

            "Rough" finally convinced McBride that his intentions towards Thorington "were of the most friendly nature", and through McBride, "Lucky Bill" agreed to meet with Elliott.[199]

            On the evening set for the meeting, McBride took Elliott to "Lucky Bill"'s house in Genoa, where they found Thorington, his wife Maria, and three other men whom "Lucky Bill" had asked to be present as witnesses.[200]

            "Rough" said that he had come to give something to Thorington, and showed "Lucky Bill" a letter written by Elliott's fellow investigator for the Honey Lake vigilance committee, J.B. Gilpin. Gilpin wrote that Elliott and Edwards were great friends, and mentioned Gordier and his cattle.[201]

            "Lucky Bill" was friendly to Elliott, but told him that he didn't believe the Honey Lake stories that Edwards had killed Gordier.[202] After "Rough" expressed solicitude for Edwards; saying that the killer had once saved his life, "Lucky Bill" admitted that Edwards had been in Carson Valley.[203] The fugitive, said Thorington, had left a large sum of money in "Lucky Bill"'s care.[204]

            Although Thorington was still cautious about Elliott; the two men left the house for a private conversation.[205] The two men went to a slough of the Carson River near the corner of Mott's ranch, where they met Edwards.[206] The three then discussed the best way for Edwards to get out of Carson Valley.[207]          

            Our plan for getting the horse without causing suspicion; was for Gilpin and myself to take some third man with us, and apparently go into the mountains near Lake Valley, where Edwards was to be, and, selecting the third man, although suggesting many myself, I intended in the end that the third man, whoever he should be, should be the choice of Thorington and Edwards; Thorington first selected Jerome, his son, but upon reflection it was not considered desirable for Jerome to go along, as it might lead to suspicion on all of us, and the sincerity of our intentions be questioned; Thorington then suggested that [D.H.] Barber be this third person, as it was well known that he was an enemy of his, and this would give a good color to the transaction, and free him, Thorington, from all suspicion in the transaction; we were to go out to a small creek running into Lake Valley, supposed to be eight or nine miles from Genoa; we were there to find a sign left by Edwards; where he had turned immediately off the road before crossing the creek, and had taken such ground up the creek that we could easily trace him, and get into some place where he could tie his horse in, or close to the willows on the creek, and he have a position on the hill above; we were to pursue him; Gilpin and I were to fire at him, or lead Barber to think we had fired at him, and he was to be in a place where it was impossible for Barber to take him; in case Barber was to press upon him too closely, Edwards was to shoot him, and if he failed to shoot him, Gilpin and I were to see that Barber did not hurt him; when talking over this arrangement Thorington suggested that if any man was to be killed in taking the horse, that among several men in the Valley here, say three, he would rather it be Maj. Ormsby or Rich. Sides, no matter which; he then suggested that Maj. Ormsby go along anyway; that he would give money to have him killed, anyhow; Edwards then said, send him out if he wanted him killed, and he would kill him, sure; I then suggested that it would not do to create any more difficulty at present; Thorington appeared to concur with me; we finally concluded that Barber should be the man to go along, and that no killing should be done unless in case of emergency; for instance, if Barber should get too close to Edwards.[208]

            On the twelfth of June, 1858, Gilpin and "Rough" Elliott went out to look for Edwards and his race horse. They rode to the designated creek and found the signs which Edwards had left. The two men rode up the creek a way and saw "Bald Hornet" tethered near some willow trees. As Gilpin and Elliott approached the horse, Edwards fired a shot from some two hundred yards away. When he saw that there was no one else with Gilpin and Elliott, Edwards walked down the hill. Gilpin and Elliott had made up their minds to take this opportunity to capture Edwards or kill him, when Jerome Thorington appeared and called out to them. Foiled in their attempt to take Edwards unbeknownst to "Lucky Bill", the two Honey Lake men joined Edwards and young Thorington for dinner and a long conversation.[209]

            They decided that at certain specified times Edwards would come down from the mountain above Genoa to got information and supplies, which would be delivered by either "Lucky Bill" or Jerome Thorington. Elliott and Gilpin told Edwards that they intended to return to Honey Lake Valley, and before they left were to meet with Edwards on the fourteenth of June. In the meantime, for the sake of appearances, when Elliott and Gilpin rode into Genoa with the "captured" "Bald Hornet", they were to search out prominent citizens of Carson Valley and tell them that Thorington had offered a $250 reward for Edwards' capture. Gilpin and Elliott were supposed to leave the general impression that "Lucky Bill" had done as much or more than any other person to see that the killer was brought to justice.[210]

            To add credibility to their story of having chased but lost Edwards, the two Honey Lake men raced their horses to exhaustion. Jerome Thorington left the group to ride home, while Gilpin, "Rough" Elliott and Edwards rode along for awhile. Gilpin rode ahead to scout out the road -- if he saw anyone he was to fire his pistol in the air, so Edwards could make his escape. After riding alone for some time, Gilpin began to worry that Edwards might cause something to happen to "Rough", so he fired off a signal shot and Edwards and Elliott parted.[211] When Gilpin and Elliott rode into town, they reported that they had pursued Edwards, exchanged shots with him, and captured his horse "Bald Hornet."[212]

            All this time, "Rough" Elliott and J.B. Gilpin were keeping Maj. William M. Ormsby informed of developments in the case.[213] Through Ormsby, apparently, Elliott sent word to the Honey Lake vigilance committee to raise a crowd and come down to Carson Valley.[214] Within twenty-four hours of receiving Elliott's message, thirty or more men responded to the call.[215] They left Honey Lake Valley on the eleventh or twelfth of June, 1858, and made the trip to Carson Valley in two or three days.[216]

            On their way to Carson Valley, the Honey Lake vigilantes encountered "some kind of foreigner" who was traveling on foot, and a brother of Theodore Winters.[217] The Honey Lakers detained both men, for fear they would warn Thorington and his friends of trouble.[218] Later in the day Theodore Winters came up to where the men were camped, and told them that "Rough" Elliott had sent him to coordinate operations.[219] The group, reinforced by men from Washoe Valley, reached Genoa just before dawn on June fourteenth, 1858.[220] Major Ormsby and his wife had waited up all night, and there were a number of Carson Valley men on hand, ready to assist the Honey Lake and. Washoe Valley vigilantes.[221] "Rough" Elliott divided the men up into groups and proceeded to make the arrests.[222]

            The largest party of men surrounded Thorington's house in Genoa and called him out. According to an eyewitness, when "Lucky Bill" saw Elliott in the crowd he said: "My life is not worth a bit."[223] Thorington and his son gave themselves up peaceably.[224] Mrs. Maria Thorington pleaded with the men to spare her son, but said nothing about "Lucky Bill."[225]

            Four men went into D. E. Gilbert's saloon and arrested John McBride and Orrin Gray, gamblers, and told the two to get dressed.[226] The vigilantes placed guards at the roads leading out of Genoa, to keep anyone from warning "Lucky Bill"'s friends, and detained one young man who was intent upon leaving town.[227]

            The captives were tied up and guarded in a large room on the second floor of the local hotel while their captors enjoyed breakfast. Some residents of Genoa told the Honey Lake men that "now was the first time they could breathe freely for a long time, that the lawless element had them terrorized, and that they didn't dare say anything for fear they might be talking to some of the gang."[228]

            Twelve year old D. R. Hawkins and his father saw "Lucky Bill" tied up and lying on the floor in the far corner of an upstairs room in the hotel, and the senior Hawkins asked: "Well Bill, what is this all about?" Thorington replied: "Mr. Hawkins, these men have come here to hang me and I guess they are going to do it."[229]

            While guarding "Lucky Bill" and the others, one of the Honey Lake men had the misfortune to shoot himself in the hand.[230]

            After breakfast, "Rough" Elliott led a group of men south to Luther Olds' ranch, where they arrested "Lute" and his two hired hands, Cal Austin and Ike Gandy.[231] Gandy showed some fight and seemed prepared to resist until Elliott got the drop on him.[232]

            The vigilantes brought Olds, Gandy and Austin into Genoa and collected the other four prisoners, transporting then all to the Clear Creek ranch owned by Rich. D. Sides, L.B. Abernathy and J.M. Baldwin.[233] There was a hotel at Clear Creek, and in addition to the convenient accommodations there was some nervousness that if Thorington and the others were kept at Genoa, "Uncle Billy" Rogers or someone else might try to rescue them.[234]

            After arriving at Clear Creek, Elliott, Gilpin and the others made plans to capture William Edwards, who was still at large.[235] Asa M. Fairfield, who interviewed a number of participants, gives the following account of Edwards' arrest:

            They told Jerome Thorrington [sic] that if he would help them get Edwards, they would let him go free and do the best they could for his father. It has been told[236] that they promised to let Lucky Bill go, too, but the Honey Lake men say they made no such promise. It is said that Jerome didn't want to betray Edwards; but his father told him that Edwards' testimony would clear him, and finally the boy agreed to do what they wanted him to. They told him to take a basket of provisions and go to the place where Edwards was camped and tell him that a party of men had come from Honey Lake after him; and that his father wanted him to come that night to Thorrington's ranch on the river and they would leave the country at once and stay until the trouble blew over. Just before dark the boy started for the hills to find Edwards. About the same tine twelve men started for Lucky Bill's river ranch which was six or seven miles above Genoa. Elliott, Dow, Gilpin, _____ Henderson, Theodore Winters, Marion Little, who was Sides' brother-in-law, and perhaps Tom Watson were in the party. Between the Clear Creek ranch and the one where they were going there was a big bend in the river, but they went straight across the country and saved both time and travel. As soon as they reached their destination they stationed Henderson out by the river and Dow in a log corral on the other side of the house. The house had two rooms, the front one being used as a living room and the back one as a bedroom. Martha Lamb was living there with her baby. Elliott and Winters stood on each side of the door with clubs in their hands. Afterwards, while on their way home [to Honey Lake], Edwards told Hines that he started for the ranch without any suspicion, but the nearer he got to it the more he thought that everything was not all right. Just before he reached the house he put his revolver into the front of his shirt where it would be handy, cocked both barrels of his shotgun; and carried it so it would be ready for instant use. He and the boy got to the ranch about midnight. Jerome knocked at the door and the man stationed in the back room asked who was there. Edwards answered that it was a friend, and the man came to the door and opened it up and stepped to one side. The boy came in and was followed by Edwards, who was immediately knocked dawn; and the same blow, or one from the other club, broke both barrels of the shotgun from the stock. He was seized at once, his arms and legs were tied, and the wound on his head was bound up. Dow says the first words Edwards spoke were "I deserve it." After daylight Elliott and Gilpin, who were guarding him, were sitting on a bench counting the money taken from him -- quite a large sum. While they were doing this the prisoner drew up his legs so he, could reach the rope with which they were bound and managed to untie it. He then jumped off the bed where he had been lying; rushed out through the other room; and ran for a slough not far from the house. The other men were standing in front of the outside door and when he ran past them they set up a yell and some of them fired at him, but didn't hit him. Elliott ran after him, and being a good foot-racer, gained on him rapidly. When Edwards reached the slough he jumped into it and Elliott, who was then close to him, jumped in on top of him. Both men were pulled out of the water and in a short time they started with their prisoner for Genoa where they had a blacksmith iron him. Joseph Frey says that the blacksmith's name was G.W. Hepperley, and that the irons, one of them made from the handle of an old frying-pan, were riveted on and a chain put between them. After this was done they went on to the Clear Creek ranch.[237]

            Upon his capture Edwards said that his only wish was to live long enough to kill five men: Maj. William Ormsby, Richard Sides, _____ Buckner and John Cary, who had taken an active part in breaking up and arresting the band.[238]

            A crowd of about one hundred and fifty citizens gathered at Clear Creek ranch where a "people's court" convened to try "Lucky Bill" Thorington, Olds, Austin, Gandy, McBride and Gray.[239] This court was constituted to hear the charges against the six defendants "in the absence of a higher law, as the crimes were committed in Utah."[240]

            The trial began June fifteenth, 1858, in the barn at Clear Creek ranch. The convention of citizens appointed John L. Cary the principal judge, and Dr. B.L. King and John H. Neale were chosen associate judges. W.T.C. "Rough" Elliott was sheriff of the proceedings, and J.B. Gilpin was his deputy.[241] There were eighteen jurors impanelled in the case.[242] Chauncey N. Noteware served as court reporter.[243]

            The heavily armed court tried Gandy, McBride, Gray, Austin and Olds first.[244] Even before all the evidence was in, there was considerable discussion about the probable outcome of the trial. John Child thought that "Lucky Bill", William Edwards and "Lute" Olds would almost certainly be hanged, and the rest banished, with the exception of Jerome Thorington, who; owing to his youth and being under the influence of his father, was believed to have been forced into participation in the crimes.[245]

            Orrin Gray was acquitted in the secret proceedings of having been an accessory to Henry Gordier's death, and the "people's court" released him from custody by the morning of June seventeenth.[246] John McBride was discharged at the same time. There is no record of any verdict in the case of Ike Gandy, though he too appears to have been acquitted.[247]

            The court convicted Luther Olds of having harbored horse thieves. He was fined $875 and banished forever from Carson Valley. The judgment of the court was that if Olds attempted to return to Carson Valley, he would be shot.[248] Seventeen members of the jury voted for Olds' death, and he was spared on the basis of only one vote.[249]

            The court fined Cal Austin $220 and banished him under the same conditions which applied to Luther Olds.[250] Since Austin did not have the cash to pay his fine, the court held Olds accountable.[251] Not all the money was immediately forthcoming, but what funds could be taken from Olds went to pay the cost of boarding the members of the court at the Clear Creek ranch.[252]

            "Lucky Bill"'s trial began on the seventeenth of June, 1858.[253] He was accused of having helped plan the murder of Henry Gordier, and of having sheltered William Edwards with the intention of helping him to escape justice.[254] On the morning of June nineteenth the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty, and Thorington was sentenced to be hanged that afternoon.[255]

            After the "people's court" passed sentence on "Lucky Bill", Maria Thorington and Martha Lamb came to see him. According to witnesses, Martha Lamb was more visibly grieved than Mrs. Thorington over "Lucky Bill"'s fate.[256] Thorington, while awaiting his execution, told his son to stay away from whiskey and gambling; he is reported to have said "This is what has brought me to this."[257]

"Lucky Bill" told his son to take good care of Mrs. Thorington, who had a history of periods of mental disorder.[258]

            Just before Thorington was taken away to be hanged, "Rough" Elliott extended his hand for Jerome Thorington to take in a farewell gesture. R.W. Young of Honey Lake Valley, who was standing nearby, saw the reaction of "Lucky Bill"'s son: "The boy threw his hand and said that he would never shake hands with any man who helped murder his father."[259]

            The members of the citizens' convention and the "people's court" built a gallows about a mile from the Clear Creek ranch, from which "Lucky Bill" was to be hanged. The condemned man apparently felt somewhat musical on his way to the gibbet, for he sang a rendition of "the Last Rose of Summer."[260] The hanging was scheduled for three o'clock in the afternoon.[261] John C. Davis of Honey Lake, a former sailor, tied the hangman's knot, and "Lucky Bill" placed the noose around his own neck.[262] The condemned man stood in the back of a wagon driven by youthful Lawrence Frey. Asked if he had any last words or a confession to make, Thorington said: "If they want to hang me; hang, I am no hog."[263] When Frey, sobbing, was reluctant to mover his team forward, "Lucky Bill" said "Drive out, boy", and swung himself off the rear of the wagon.[264]

            The next morning the Honey Lake vigilantes left for home, taking William Edwards and "Bald Hornet" with them. Edwards was not bound, and apparently talked freely with his guards on the trip towards Honey Lake Valley.[265]

            On the third day of the return trip the Honey Lakers stopped at L.M. Breed's ranch. The men decided to hang Edwards right there, without any further delay, as most of the vigilantes had been out on expeditions against Indians and bandits for nearly all of the spring and part of the summer, and were impatient to get home.[266]

            Edwards asked for a few minutes to write letters to his relatives back in the States, but at first the men ignored his request and went right ahead with the preparations to hang him. At this some of the vigilantes left the party. Finally Edwards was allowed to write the letters, and he also entrusted several rings to his captors, with instructions to send them to his folks, "but it is said that they were worn out by the men to whom they wore entrusted."[267]

            Edwards, being sworn, deposes that Thorington first proposed to me to murder Gordier when he was at Honey Lake; his proposition was to entice Gordier to Carson Valley, and then murder him; then Thorington was to buy the stock much below its present value, as his share of the robbery; myself and John Mullen were the only persons actually engaged in committing the murder; Thorington said he could very easily have concealed the murder by the evidence he would be able to procure; when I first went to Carson Valley, after the murder, I told Thorington that we had committed it; there was no other person but myself and Mullen went to Carson Valley; the story about the man going with us was mere fabrication; Snow knew about the murder; I never told him, but Mullen told me he could make Snow do anything; I understood, either from himself or Mullen, that he had formerly shot a man; Mullen owned to me that he had killed a Spaniard for his money, near Marysville; I am the man who killed Snelling in Merced County, but did it in self-defense; this murder of Gordier was the only crime I am guilty of.[268]

            The matter did not end with the hanging Of Thorington and Edwards. Although the jury's verdict against Olds was that he leave Carson Valley within forty-eight hours, the three judges of the people's court modified the sentence to give Olds about three weeks to arrange his affairs and leave.[269] G.N. Douglass of Placerville apparently acted as bondsman for "Lute", and thus secured his freedom during the three week period.[270] Instead of getting ready to, go, Olds and his friends began to circulate a petition in Carson Valley asking that he be absolved from all guilt in the Gordier case and be allowed to stay in the area.[271] Despite warnings, when the three weeks elapsed, Olds refused to leave.[272]  Shortly thereafter, Olds departed for other regions.[273] Trouble continued over the payment of Olds' and Austins' fines, as reported by a correspondent of the Placerville Register:

            There is some difficulty anticipated here between the two parties who favor and oppose the late Vigilance Committee, concerning the payment of Olds' fine. The fine, for which Mr. Van Sickles [sic] was Olds' surety, was not paid at the appointed time, and although Van Sickles has since tendered the money, the Executive Committee refused to accept it without an additional $150, which they claim for expenses incurred. The Committee have seized thirty-nine head of Mr. Olds' cattle, which were in Van Sickles' possession as security for the fine money, and have advertised them for sale on the 24th inst. Van Sickles has requested the anti-Vigilantes to assist him in gaining possession of the cattle to-morrow [22 Jul 1858]. So it is likely the strongest party will take them.[274]

            While this was going on, the anti-vigilantes signed a petition to Governor Cumming (of Utah), and sent it on, requesting him to extend his jurisdiction over, and re-organize the county of Carson.[275]

            Gents: A few weeks ago the citizens of Carson and adjoining valleys held a meeting, at which resolutions wore passed prohibiting all persons from driving stock into the said valleys for the purpose of grazing, (unless they be actual residents of the valley in which they propose to herd their stock.) Now, for fear that persons living in California may think that Lake Valley is included in these resolutions, or that the residents of this Valley do not like to see stock driven in here to herd, I will say to those wishing to drive their stock to the mountains, there is an abundance of grass in this Valley to fatten ten thousand head of cattle, and there are not over fifty head in the whole Valley."[276]

            There was a dispute about the area under cultivation, and, as usual, in those days, the matter was left to referees; in this case Theodore Winters and Dr. King being chosen to view the ground and report. An impromptu court was held at Obar's house just northeast of Nevers' present residence, at which John Cary (since dead), an elder brother of our present Police Magistrate, W. M. Cary, presided. Ex-County Commissioner S.A. Nevers, who resides here, was clerk of the Court. During the consideration of the case, Mankin stood one side [sic] of the open doorway and Dr. King the other side. Mankin was balancing himself on one foot and looked as though he might at any moment kick King under the chin, which he was physically capable of doing with ease, while a man nicknamed "Pike" [John Jessup], who lived with King, reclined upon an old table with his hand upon a revolver. Behind the last-named individual stood a son of Mankin with a knife up his sleeve. All this was plainly seen by the clerk. But no violence was attempted. Obar won the suit.[277]