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UTAH DESPERADOES

By H. VAN SICKLES

            Dictation of H Van Sickle Born in the County of Hunderdon, State of New Jersey in the year 1822 July 28th came to Pacific Coast in 1852 across the plains, touched Nevada, in 1852, 24 day of September. the first point touched was what was then known as the Mormon Station (now Genoa, Douglas Co.)

            It was a general trading post, conducted by J.E. Reese & Co. only one main building consisting of a large log building, and a corral covering an acre of land, and made of posts or logs set on end and standing above the ground 10 feet, and set into the ground about 2 feet, this made a strong fortification against either kind of thieves as the whites were in some instances as bad as the red skins.           

            The owners of the property and the inhabitants were all Mormons[1] the only surviving members of the firm that are now living J. E. Reese who is in Salt Lake City and S. A. Kinsey who lives in Genoa, Nev.  There was land under cultivation, and vegetables and some small grain. In 1854, or 5 the Mormons came in goodly numbers and settled, up Jacks Carson Eagle & Washoe Vallies, and remained till 1857 or 8 when they were called back by Brigham Young, and in their haste to respond to this call, they sacrificed their property, of course there were many who did not respond to the call, and are still here in the vallies, but they are still striving to get to Salt Lake looking upon that place as the promised land where they seem to desire to lay their bones, once an old lady stated to me that should she be able to have her bones laid in Utah she would [be] happy, while here in the vallies they were a hard working & prosperous people. They never litigate on any subject but settle all matters in an amicable manner and to this one idea can be attributed much of their success in life, so far as my observation goes.

            My reasons for making these statements are that when I first came here I settled as a general trader and was for some time brought in close contact with them and I learned much of their general character and habits. I always [found] their word to be as good as their bond.

            There were men who were living in Pol having as high as four wives the church having dominion over all this section of country.

            In 1856 Judge Drummond came to this portion of Utah and settled as U. S. District or Circuit Judge this was the first attempt at law we had in this portion of the territory.

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            There was no title to the land except possessory and those who left either traded their property or left it in the hands of their friends for safe keeping. 'The first farmers whom I knew in this portion of the valley were J. C. Fain and Adams & Brown, who commenced farming in a small way in 1852, raising vegetables.

            Potatoes in 1852 were selling for $1.00 per lb. Beans 50c a lb. white Turnip 25c a pound etc Beef 30c a pound.

            There was no hay some hoof living on grass, every thing passing here were emigrants.

Killing of Thornton.

            Mr. Thornton, better known as lucky Bill, came in here in 1853, and constructed a toll road through the Woodford or old emigrant canyon in company with Reese & Co. owners of the old Mormons Station heretofore alluded to In 1854 he brought his family here via of the plains and located on a ranch on what is known as the Frederickburg ranch now owned by William D. Keyser of the firm of Keyser and Elwood. He sold the aforesaid ranch to the Mormons when they came in 1856. He then took up a ranch since known as the Klaubin ranch, now a portion of the H Van Sickles ranch, which he was in possession of when captured, the facts of his capture ere as follows, a party from Honey Lake of about 30 men & were joined here by many more, citizens of this valley, they took in charge Lucky Bill, Luther Olds, John A. McBride Calvin Austin, Orrin Gray, Isaac Sandy and Bill Edwards. They held all the above named in irons and pretended to give them a trial, for the alleged murder of a frenchman in Honey Lake ________ (See name and fill in); John Carey of Carson Valley and Doctor King of Eagle Valley were appointed by the mob as judges to hear the evidence against the accused.  The mock court was held in a barn on Clear Creek known as the Sides & Abernathy Ranch now known as the Schultz Ranch.

            The trial culminated in a verdict finding Lucky Bill and Bill Edwards guilty of the murder of the frenchman ________ and in 3 hours after said verdict Lucky Bill was hung till dead close to the place of the trial all the others were turned loose except Bill Edwards whom they proposed for some reason not made known to take to Honey Lake to hang, a distance from the place of trial of 150 miles.

            "Statement of one of the parties who went up to Honey Lake with Bill Edwards to see him hung, by name Walter Corsar."

            He says that all who went from this valley were barred from any participation in the alleged hanging of the aforesaid Bill Edwards, and that he did not believe the said (E) was ever hung by said mob, and for the following reasons. The said Edwards had a cache of money on the California side of the Mountains and for the revealment of the same in his opinion was turned loose by said Mob he alleges that when the party having Edwards in charge arrived at Honey Lake instead of hanging him in public as usual at that time and as was done in the case of Lucky Bill his alleged partner in the murder some time prior and immediately after the trial, all who went from Carson Valley were excluded from the alleged hanging, and the parties who went out with Edwards for the alleged purpose of hanging him took a box or coffin with them and when they returned, made a statement .of his death & burial but failed to ever  exhibit the body, and as this was an unusual way of doing that kind of business at that time, the opinion prevailed among very many of the best people that Edwards was never hung but was allowed to buy his life with

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the coin that was cached on the other side of the mountains, it has been alleged that the man Bill Edwards was alive and has been heard from in Mexico be this as it may, the whole affair has a suspicious odor, when we consider the haste with which Lucky Bill was hung against whom there was no positive evidence, and the great care that was taken in not hanging Bill Edwards on the spot, a man against whom the evidence was positive he being taken 150 miles from the spot on which Lucky Bill was hung, it should be remembered that Lucky Bill had no money while Bill Edwards was supposed to have Money cached as before stated.

            In relation to the character of the man Wm Thornton better known as Lucky Bill and who was quite a character in his time in this country it may be [said] he was a man about 6ft & one inch high 45 years of age well proportioned a fine looking man as one could find in a day walk, a gambler by profession and a man having many good qualities, a good worker at anything he ever undertook a better neighbor never lived near any man or a better friend to the weary traveler never lived. Many stories might be told of his good acts, that would put to blush those who make great professions of charity and love etc. but if a man gambled with him he was quite sure to lose his money. the narrator of this has often heard him advise people not to gamble.

            In regard to the state of society existing in this section in the early days the following will give some idea of its character when an overt act was performed some one man was elected to act as alcalde and the evidence was taken by him and the case submitted to a jury of Citizens or Settlers and their verdict was sufficient to settle the whole matter in fact public opinion controlled as fully as it does today, one case showing the lawlessness of the times took place in 1853. A man owning a little trading post on Clear Creek where Lucky Bill was subsequently tried & hung, was assaulted by a intoxicated man by name J. L. Barnard, who attempted to ride his horse into his place of business and upon being requested by the owner John L. Dorn to refrain, and refusing got exasperated and without the least provocation shot the said and borrowed a pistol and was coming toward Dorn's place of business, when within 15 ft of the door, with cocked pistol, Dorn in self defense shot him dead. Dorn was tried by our local self made authority and legally acquitted and fully exonerated Several other similar occurences took place here, but it was a rare thing for one man to kill another except in self defense. Nearly every man either carried a gun or had one where he could readily get at it.

            The killing of the notorious Sam Brown was as follows: Brown was a heavy man about 200 lbs weight was noted as a lawless desperado whose name was terror to all who knew or had heard of him. he made his brags on the day of his death which was his 30th birthday that he had killed eleven men & was going to have the 12th one for his supper Brown had frequently stopped at my station in previous times always acting like any other civil traveller paing his bills and behaving himself and while he bore a bad reputation I had never had occasion to feel that he would in any manner interfere with me or my business, but on the day of his death he in company with a young man who subsequently stated that Brown compelled him to come with him, rode up to the door of my then public house and while in the act dismounting as I supposed to stop for the night, I stepped out with the remark shall I put your horse up Mr. Brown, just as I would to any traveller who seemed to be

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desirous of staying with me. He in a very gruff manner said No you Son of a _____ I have come to kill you and at once drew his gun. being entirely unarmed and knowing the character of the man I at once left the scene, for he following with a drawn gun & cocked I passed in through the dining room where there were some 20 men seated eating supper, they of course were alarmed at the sudden appearance of my hasty entrance, followed by so formidable a character as Brown was known to be, Brown exclaiming in a loud tone where is the Son of a _____?

            Seeing so many men he dropped his gun from its position and put out and got on his horse and rode away in company with his young traveling companion. I secured my own gun, got on another horse and at once went in pursuit of him overhauling him in 3/4 of a mile from the house, and when as I supposed within shooting distance I called to his companion to look out, and as he pulled away from Brown, I shot at him, but being at too long a range failed to hit him. Brown turned & returned my fire, I again shot, this time relieving him of his hat and burning his face with my fire, but again failing to bring what I was after, namely his head. He now pulls out and putting spurs to his horse drove away at a furious rate, I reloaded my gun and took after him again. in 3 miles I again got within what I supposed was gunshot range and turned loose again, he returning the compliment dark coming on and he losing his way I headed him off and thus reached the point where he intended to go, ahead of him, & awaited his arrival, I knowing he would surely come abided my time, well knowing that it was a matter of self protection with me, as if I failed to kill him he would without a doubt kill me the first time he got a chance. I therefore waited till he rode up within short range, when stepping out I said as he had previously said to me you son of a b___h I have got you now, and at once ended his career putting seven buckshots right through the center of his body, death being instantaneous, he falling from his horse without muttering a word that could be distinguished from a groan; thus ended the life of a man that had few if any redeeming traits to relieve a life of blackness and infamy. there was an investigation which I demanded as a matter of vindication to myself and the verdict was "Served him Right."

            After his death at my own expense I saw him well buried thus showing that which every body knew who was in any way familiar with the circumstances of the killing that it was a necessity that I would have been only to glad to have avoided.