Ten Surprises I Encountered When Researching Deadwood.

General George Custer, the pestilence who keeps on pesting, was the one who first discovered gold in the Black Hills.

The discovery of gold lead to a huge influx of prospectors which led to the seizure of vast territories recently deeded to Native Americans in the Treaty of 1868. This in turn led to the displacement and starving of local tribes which led to the slaughter of Custer which led to the further slaughter of Native Americans. (With a few slaughters in between.)

Native Americans were referred to in the local papers as "the Indian problem." While in the 19th century there was a consciousness among many that took into account the Native American point of view, this was not true at the frontier level.

The rush to the Black Hills and Deadwood was enormous. Deadwood went from no one in 1875 to being the largest settlement in the Dakotas, Montana or Wyoming in 1876.

Deadwood was very isolated. Cheyenne, the nearest city of comparable size, was 276 miles away, and as Seth Bullock described it, between 5 to 30 days by stagecoach. Yankton, the second largest city in the Dakotas after Deadwood, was 395 miles distant.

Seth Bullock was never elected sheriff. He was appointed sheriff for one year and then lost in a crooked election.

Seth Bullock, according to a letter written by him, arrived in Deadwood on August 3rd, 1876, one day after Wild Bill Hickok was murdered. Elsewhere in this blog, I cite that he arrived one day before, which appears in other sources.

The television show winnowed down Deadwood to make it manageable. The city sprawled and had two voting precincts, Deadwood and South Deadwood. It had many physicians and lawyers.

Some personalities fit the characters in the show: e.g., Seth Bullock, Al Swearengen, and Calamity Jane. E.B. Farnum, the weaselly mayor in the series was, in fact, a good public servant and family man.

From the 1880 U.S. Census, a little after Deadwood's peak.
 
Deadwood, Dakotas, 1880. 3777.
Yankton, Dakotas, 1880. 3431.
Cheyenne, WY, 1880. 3456.
Sioux Falls, Dakotas, 1880. 2164.
Bismarck, Dakotas,1880, 1758.
Helena, MT 1880, 3624.

Previously:

#I  Introduction. Deadwood, the Series and Contemporary News Accounts.
#II Sheriff Seth Bullock in Old Deadwood Newspapers.
#III Seth Bullock on the Trail of Stagecoach Robbers.
#IV 1876 in Deadwood.
#V Seth Bullock and the Stolen Election. 
#VI Some correspondences and dispatches from early Deadwood.

Sol Star went on to become mayor of Deadwood.

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Some correspondences and dispatches from early Deadwood.

Many issues of the first months of the Deadwood newspapers are no longer around. In this entry I will look at stories from Deadwood as related in other newspapers, some of which reprinted articles from the Deadwood Pioneer. 

Previous entries in my series regarding news stories from early Deadwood:

#I  Introduction. Deadwood, the Series and Contemporary News Accounts.
#II Sheriff Seth Bullock in Old Deadwood Newspapers.
#III Seth Bullock on the Trail of Stagecoach Robbers.
#IV 1876 in Deadwood.
#V Seth Bullock and the Stolen Election.

For today, I will focus on Montana newspapers. The gold strike in the Black Hills drew many from Montana and the newspapers reported on it and printed stories from Deadwood. Helena, Montana is 527 miles from Deadwood, as Google flies. Bozeman, Montana is 430 miles away and Deer Lodge, Montana, 552 miles distant.

Many early stories dealt with how wonderful or how terrible it was to head to the Black Hills of the Dakotas to look for gold. 

Deadwood, circa 1876.

Avant Courier [Bozeman, MT], July 14, 1876, p. 3.

THE BLACK HILLS

The Independent and Madisonian, which claim to be NEWSpapers, have frequently charged the COURIER with publishing sensational reports regarding the richness of the Black Hills, and by such publications tending to depopulate the Territory [Montana]. In this matter we have done nothing but what we regarded as our duty as the publisher of a newspaper, and what should be expected from us as an impartial journalist by those who subscribe for and read the paper. We have given publicity to both favorable and unfavorable accounts from the Hills, eschewing both extremes, and leaving the reader to judge the merits of the mines. Unlike those papers, we have manufactured no false reports to encourage or deter men from going there. We are governed in all matters of this kind by the principle that is is the province of a newspaper to publish the news.

The question of depopulating the Territory never occurred to us and if it had, it would have been immediately dismissed. The fact has been demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that it will be many years hence before we can get a railroad, and we regard the opening of the Black Hills as the quickest and surest of bringing prosperity to our Territory. It will no doubt be the means of settling forever the vexed Indian question, and while we are called upon early in the action to deplore the loss of the gallant Custer and his brave command, it can only be accepted as one of the results of war, and it were better to sustain the loss of a few hundred men in a decisive action against the Indians, than to have the frontier settlements of the West constantly harrassed [sic] for years by these savages, who have counted their annual crop of scalps, taken from pioneer settlers, by the hundred for the last decade or so, besides the wholesale plunder of the defenceless settlements. It will open to settlement the rich and extensive territory between the Eastern and Western settlements of the New North-west, and open to travel the overland routes from Montana to Cheyenne and Bismarck, and the population we have lost by the exodus to the Black Hills will be augmented twenty-fold by the influx of immigrants to our Territory within the next two years, over the newly opened country. 

Helena [MT] Daily Herald, July 24, 1876, p. 3.

NEWS FROM THE HILLS.

Trying to Organize a Party of 1,000 for the Big Horn and Wind River Countries.

Doc. Harding, of Radersburg, on a business visit here last week, was interviewed by a HERALD reporter Saturday in reference to late Black Hills news said to have been received by him. The Doc stated that he had a letter from John Hildebrand, dated at Deadwood, June 24, in which the prospects of the writer were cheerfully dwelt upon. John thought he had a promising claim in the gulch, and was employing nine men. With the week's clean-up he reported himself $400 "ahead of the country."

Hundreds of miners, pilgrims, and others, he states, are in the Hills, unable to obtain property or even work. Efforts were then making to form a prospecting party, 1,000 strong, armed and equipped for the undertaking, to go into the Big Horn and Wind River countries, and give those regions a thorough inspection. It was believed extensive and paying mines would be discovered in the sections named. It is evident that the time approaches when a strong column of adventurous men, disappointed in their expectations and ventures, will move in organized shape out of the Black Hills and into the reputed but comparatively unexplored gold sections of Eastern Montana.

The Hills, according to the best authorities, are already overrun, with not one in a score basking in the smiles of fickle fortune. We look for Montana to regain, before the year ends, more than she has lost by the irrational excitement growing out of the gold discoveries in the Black Hills.

Two items of interest in the Helena [Montana] Weekly, July 27, 1876, p. 7.

--The steamer Carroll arrived at Bismarck on the 17 inst., with 2,000 sacks of silver ore. Seth Bullock, Sol Star, and Rev. Harris were among the passengers. The Carroll, loaded with troops and supplies for Terry's command, and left for the Yellowstone on the 21st.

[The first leg of Bullock and Star's trip to Deadwood took place using a steamship down the Missouri River.]

--Al. Merrick, an old Montana typo, and a mighty good one, is editorially at the head of the Pioneer, published at Deadwood. He is associated with a Mr. Gardner in the ownership of the paper, a tastily printed, twenty column quarto sheet, published every Saturday morning. Success.

Montana papers, at times, published letters from former residents who had resettled to Deadwood. 

Helena Weekly, August 10, 1876, p. 3.

THE BLACK HILLS

Interesting Letter from a Helenaite

His Views of the New El Dorado.

DEADWOOD CITY, July 19, 1876

FRIEND TED: -- I have been here ten days, but up to the present time have not succeeded in getting into any business. Of all the motley crowds ever seen in a new camp, this beats them all. Men that were lost to sight and almost to memory, turn up here. Of course, a country with no greater extent of mines than this has yet developed, cannot furnish all with occupation, consequently everything is fearfully over done [sic]. Most of our Montana people are too late. All the good diggings and eligible town locations are in the hands of men who know their value. The mining region of this section is confined to about six miles, and the town (Deadwood) is situated about in the center. The country is claimed to a much larger extent for mining purposes, but I think (and I have done nothing but travel around since I came here) this space will cover all that has yet been developed, including side gulches and hill diggings. 

There are a number of very rich claims worked here. The amount of money taken out of one claim, owned by Wheeler and two other Montanians, is said to be enormous. All their hands are Montana men, Alex DeLong among the rest, who claims that is the best piece of ground that he ever saw. This claim pays the best wages on the creek -- $5 for day hands and $5.50 for night. The owners are prudent men and spend nothing, and this is the rule with the principal claim owners. Money does not circulate as it used to in a Montana gulch that was paying well.

Among the old Montanians doing business here are Red Clark, who has a livery and sale stable; Billy Plater, who has a few saddle horses and a hay corral. Boggy has a large stable built, but is doing nothing.

I have very little hope that this letter will ever reach its destination. We appear to be cut off from all communications with the outside world, and all kinds of wild rumors reach us concerning Indians. Whether we shall be kept penned up here, with no chance to prospect the country, remains to be determined.

Under the existing circumstances, I would not advise any one who has employment elsewhere to come here at present.

Yours truly,
H. HEALEY.

[Also in the same paper, same day, a news article reprinted from the Black Hills Pioneer that chiefly talks of flora and fauna:]

Black Hills News.

We have the Black Hills Pioneer for July 22. Among its local news items of the week are the following:

Beautiful wild flowers fragrant as the rose are found in the Black Hills.

The sap of the box elder, which grows in great abundance here, is quite saccharine. We have sampled box elder molases [sic] made in the Hills last spring, and find it very palatable.

There is an incessant cracking of rifles and revolvers in the camp--shooting mark, of course. Save your ammunition boys, until things become a little more pacific in regards to the Indian question.

The mountain rat has a bush tail, broad upright ears, with head configured like that of a mouse, grows as big as an eastern black squirrel, and, next to the magpies and Sioux Indians with letters of endorsement from post-traders, is the most impudent and audacious creature that lives. We give the description so our pilgrim friends will know what kind of an animal it is when they see one.

Whoever thinks it is an easy matter to go out in the midst of a thousand different rumors on the same subject and get the exact facts for publication, would find out how badly they were mistaken were they to try the experiment. The reported massacre of the Dunn party, on the Pierre route, was at first narrated to us by so many different parties, and with such a string of little details, that is seemed impossible that it could be false; but now we have good reason to believe there is not a word of truth in it.

In the Black Hills are  found bright green snakes -- just as pretty as it possible for any snake to be. We never before saw or heard of such reptiles; think they have not been found elsewhere in the United States. There are different kinds of the same species, some having orange-colored bellies, while the remainder is green. The probability is that they are not venomous, as rattlesnakes are not found in the Hills, though they abound in the foot-hills. These green snakes attain about the size of the common garter-snake, and do not seem tenacious of life, a slight blow usually being followed by instant death.

Helena Weekly Herald, August 24, 1876, p. 8.

From the Daily Herald of August 22.

Arrived in the Black Hills.

The Helena party, composed in part of Seth Bullock, Sol Star and Doc. Carter, arrived safely at their destination -- Deadwood City. Carter bought a large, new building, 28 x 40 feet, shingle roof, wainscoted inside and handsomely painted, for the moderate sum of $1,400. Bullock & Star and McPherson & Miller secured and jointly occupy a building suitable for their wants, and opened up merchandising. Carter writes to Dan. Floweree that kinds of business is greatly overdone, and that a large number of idle people are scattered in the several towns along Deadwood, unable to get work and without visible means of support.

Hildebrand, Sutherland, and several other Montanians, have very rich claims, and are taking out big money. The majority of the diggings opened are wages and below. A large amount of ground along the gulch is still unopened. Jim Matkins has a good piece of property in a mining ditch. Carter thinks the camp promises to be a fair one, from all the information he could gain in the few days he had been there.

The following letter from Seth Bullock was printed in several papers, including in my source: 

Helena Weekly Herald, October 12, 1876, p. 13.

THE BLACK HILLS.

Letter from Seth Bullock.
Mr. Charles Warren, of Butte, received the following letter recently from the ex-Sheriff of Lewis and Clarke, familiarly known as "Bishop Bullock:"

DEADWOOD, Sept. 8, 1876.

"I arrived here August 3d, and found a 'red hot' mining town, situated at a point where Deadwood empties into Whitewood. The gulches are very rich; claims are all taken, and sold at high figures. Deadwood is the best gulch so far as known. Claims are 300 feet up and down, and extend from hill top across -- about as large as a ranch. The country is overdone, or rather men have come here too fast for the amount of work that can be done in one summer. A great many are here idle and broke. The Indians will not permit a man to go out side of the gulch, so that very little prospecting can be done. Crowds arrive and leave daily. Most all the travel is by way of Cheyenne. Fare is all the way from ten to thirty-five dollars; time from five to thirty days. Business of all kinds are represented. Langrishe has a theatre here, and two dance houses boom nightly. We have no law and no order, and no prospect of either. Several murders have been committed and nothing done. A night herd runs the streets at night, and whoop and shoot until morning.

"Nebraska farmers peddle flour, bacon and groceries from claim to claim, which makes the grocery trade dull.

"Denne is here. 'Sid Osborne' left for Montana a few days ago on biz. The country is full of Montanians. Chess Trais and 106 others arrived to-day. Tell your friends not to come here this fall--that is, those who come to work or prospect. I cannot advise you to come; on the contrary, I think you are doing better than you could here. Board here is $10 per week, flour $8 per hundred, bacon 20 cents per pound, etc., whisky 25 cents a drink. The Hills are too near the "genial influences" for times to be here as they were in Montana in '49 without other diggings are found. Two years will take the cream of this country. I don't believe it is any better for farming than Montana. We have a little more rain here, and as many grasshoppers. Sol Star is here and doing fair. I am satisfied to remain for a while. I shall go east this winter if you do. We have no regular mail. A coach is expected here daily. Let me hear from you with the Montana news. Your friend."

SETH BULLOCK.

Next up: Ten Surprises I Encountered When Researching Deadwood.

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Seth Bullock on the Trail of Stagecoach Robbers.

In my prior two posts (#I and #II), I looked at the historical personae that correspond to the fictional characters who appear in the television show Deadwood and then presented  accounts of their deeds from contemporary newspapers. While saloon owner Swearengen was a tough SOB, Sheriff Bullock was described as tough and uncorruptable.

This shows the Black Hills area surrounding Deadwood. Deadwood and Lead City are highlighted. The state border with Wyoming (YO) is on the left. This map is from 1886.

John Manning, a minor character on the television show, led the caravan of settlers that brought Seth Bullock to Deadwood. In 1878, Manning was sheriff of Lead City, several miles southwest of Deadwood. In 1878, Manning ran against Bullock for Lawrence county sheriff. A.W. Merrick and the Black Hills Daily Pioneer were clearly in favor of Bullock as they show in the story of a gang who waylaid the local milkman.

Black Hills Daily Pioneer, Sunday October 27, 1878, p. 4.

Manning and Bullock After Road Agents.

It is no doubt not altogether banished from the minds of our readers, the puerile chase of Sheriff Manning after the cutthroats that but a short time ago bound the milkman Anderson to a tree, about eight miles from this city, robbed him of what money he possessed, ransacked his house, took his horses, and made good their escape. The sheriff in person pursued according to our gentleman who witnessed the whole proceeding, in a manner best calculated to aid the escape of the robbers. He left Deadwood with a flourish of trumpets and clang of arms, and at Rapid city disclosed his entire plan of action to a person at the hotel in the hearing of one of the very men he was looking for. Sheriff Manning claims he was within two miles of his game, but was given away by a ranchman, and the party escaped. On the other hand, the ranchman says he informed the officers where the robber's camp was, and offered to conduct Manning to the place, but the latter would not go. The ranchman then offered to go if accompanied by a soldier, of whom the sheriff had fourteen, and was again refused. He then dared the sheriff to follow him alone, to be again ignored, and to-day the outlaws are free.

Contrasted with this conduct is the cautious, brave manner in which Seth Bullock hunted down such game one year ago, as well as the course adopted in the late pursuit. Caution, discretion and bravery were called into use, with success. To-day the people of the Black Hills owe Seth Bullock a debt of gratitude for ridding the highway of robbers, capturing five, and securing nearly all the property lost.
---

A month before this, the Deadwood to Cheyenne stage was robbed and the Black Hills Pioneer breathlessly followed Bullock and his posses' pursuit of the pilfering perpetrators.

Black Hills Daily Pioneer, Sunday September 29, 1878, p. 3.

$5,000 Reward.

The Cheyenne & Black Hills Stage Company offer the above reward for the arrest and conviction of all of the highwaymen who robbed the "Treasure Coach" of said company on the 26th inst., at Canyon Springs, and the recovery of all treasure taken from said coach, amounting to $25,000; or $500 apiece will be paid for the arrest and conviction of each of said highwaymen, and $2,500 for the recovery of the treasure taken, or pro rata for any portion of the same recovered.

CHEYENNE & B.H. STAGE Co.
Deadwood, Sept. 27, 1878   87tf
---

The chase played out over the next week.

First, in that same day's paper:

Black Hills Daily Pioneer, Sunday September 29, 1878, p. 4.

ON THE TRAIL

The Robbers Making Toward Rapid.

They Purchase an Outfit on Slate Creek, Paying Two Hundred Fifty Dollars.

The following dispatch was received last evening by Mr. J. T. Gilmer, one of the proprietors of the Cheyenne & Blacks Hills stage line:

    CUSTER CITY, D.T., Sept. 28.

We have struck what we think is the trail at Hill City. Ward is there now. The robbers purchased a wagon yesterday, and are making towards Rapid. We take the trail again at daylight.

They have a dead-axle wagon, two ponies, one gray with bald face, the other dun or roan. They bought the outfit at Slate creek.

Notify all along the Sidney line, and order fresh stock for us at Rapid. Send Davis or May to meet us at Rockerville or Rapid. Our stock is run down. The robbers paid two hundred and fifty dollars for their outfit, half in dust.

BULLOCK.
---

Black Hills Daily Pioneer, Wednesday October 2, 1878, p. 4.

THE PURSUIT

The Robbers Only Twenty Miles Ahead at Last Accounts.

Deputy Sheriff Smith, of Pennington county, arrived on last evening's Sidney coach. He says a squad of soldiers, arrived at Rapid City as witnesses, report meeting a wagon Sunday evening containing two men, one driving, the other lying upon the bottom of the vehicle with a rifle resting across his breast. About twenty miles nearer Rapid the soldiers encountered the Seth Bullock party. This was at six o'clock Monday morning and eighteen miles from Rapid, where the party camped the night before. The team was being driven rapidly, a portion of the time in the road and at other times over the bluffs and across the prairie toward Pierre. The pursuers are, it is thought not more than twenty miles behind their game and a full day in which to catch up. It is said that the only chance for escape is by appropriating one of the many boats at the crossing of the Cheyenne river and sail down it. It runs so fast the no horse could keep pace. The citizen upon the trail number at least twenty and all well armed. [Another report said the posse was fifteen.]

The horses found near Slate creek arrived in town last evening, and word was sent to S.M. Booth, Custer [city], as one of the animals is thought to be his.

The Scott Davis party, which are giving chase in the direction of Fort Fetterman, have with them McHenry, alias Burroughs, and they have informed him that he must place them on the right trail or swing. [They captured one of the perpetrators McHenry and, if he didn't cooperate, he would be hanged.]

It is thought that the branch of the gang carrying the stolen gold, a bulk of over one hundred pounds, are going in that direction, and it is stated that they stole a mule from a ranch and packed the plunder upon it, in presence of the lady living at the ranch, departing westward.
---

Meanwhile, Sheriff Manning, who was not a part of the posses, had problems of his own.

Black Hills Daily Pioneer, Wednesday October 2, 1878, p. 4.

ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE SHERIFF MANNING.

A Narrow Escape from Death on the Lead City Road.

Sheriff Manning was in Lead City yesterday, gathering points relative to a case (the nature of which is required to be kept secret) until quite late in the afternoon, when he started upon his return, selecting the road down Gold Run. At a point soon after entering the woods a shot was fired which caused his horse, probably from fright, to stumble. Scarcely had he jerked the animal to his feet when a second report was heard, the bullet passing into the saddle in front on the left side. The sheriff thinks a pistol was used and that the shooter was but a few feet distant. It is thought the attempt was made by one of the parties against whom the sheriff had been endeavoring to obtain evidence and having succeeded too well, as the culprit probably thought he undertook to put the officer out of the way. Mr. Harlow, of Rapid, was on the road about one half mile below, walking toward Lead, when Manning came flying down the thoroughfare and insisted that Mr. Harlou [sic] should proceed no further.

---
With the appearance of a female conspirator, the plot thickens.

Black Hills Daily Pioneer, Thursday October 3, 1878, p. 3.

THE PURSUIT
Tony Pastor and Lew Hagar Captured.

Seth Bullock only eight hours behind his game.

The Cheyenne coach last evening brought in Deputy Sheriff Noah Siever and J.J. Argue, and Tony Pastor and Lew Hagar, who were arrested by the former at the ranch of the latter, on Cheyenne river, sixty miles below the crossing. The information of suspicion against them has not been made public. The officers proceeded to the ranch Monday night, and effected the arrest of Hagar, and in the morning, when Pastor came for his breakfast captured him. The twain protested they were strangers to each other, but a man who was with Siever knew better, and Tony had to accept the alternative.

Tony Pastor is a hard case and no stranger to Deadwood police courts. Our readers will remember his arrest about one year ago for horse stealing, and his appearance before Justice Burke, who granted a change of venue to Hayward, in Custer county, which resulted in his discharge. When arrested at that time he had $114 in greenbacks and a terrifying assortment of knives and pistols upon his person.

Quite a prominent woman in the road agent circle, Mrs. Ogden, who has a ranch and log cabin four miles from the stockade, Tuesday packed her earthly possessions and returned to Spearfish, her former place of residence. It is altogether probably that the citizens of the Cheyenne river valley invited the old lady to change her haunts, as it is alleged she has harbored the worst possible classes for the past year. It is also asserted that Burroughs, the captured robber, is her husband, but lawful o [sic] unlawful is not ascertained. An incident in connection with these two worthies may be worthy of note: Burroughs was arrested at her place in the afternoon and taken to the stockade, and in the evening the old lady came rushing up, out of breath and wild with terror, because two masked men had robbed her, and requested that the messengers return to the cabin with her. They of course refused to accede, and she remained until quite late. Before she had departed, however, her son, a chip off the old block, rode to the stockade, but was stopped by a hostler, who, cocking his rifle, commanded the youth to a halt. Both struck out for home a few moments later. It was conjectured she was endeavoring to release Burroughs. A daughter of the dame, a woman of ill-repute, visited her a few days before she packed up and left for Spearfish.

The Bullock party were heard from last evening by means of the Indian interpreter, Fielding, who arrived at Rapid City yesterday. He was interviewed there by Capt. Williard. He reported having met the dead-axle wagon at Pinau Springs, and the Bullock party eight miles behind. The stock attached to the vehicle was about exhausted, while the pursuers are yet well mounted. After leaving the Springs no hiding place occurs, the road thence to For Pierre leading across an open prairie, leaving scarcely a shadow of a chance for escape, and probably ere this the wagon and its occupants are in the camp of the pursuers.

Black Hills Daily Pioneer, Friday October 4, 1878, p. 4.

ON THE TRAIL.

Good News from Seth Bullock's Party --- The Villains Are Still Being Pursued and, by This Time, Are Probably Captured.

From Seth Bullock, who went on the trail of the road agents that robbed the Cheyenne treasure coach at Canon Springs station, we obtain the following:

The robber's trail was struck at Newton City and bore in the direction of Rapid City. After ascertaining that the robbers would go near that point, word was sent to Col. Ed Cook to organize a party of determine men and make an attempt to capture them, if possible, before they reached the Cheyenne river, and also to secure fresh horses for him upon his arrival there so as to have no delay in following up the trail.

Unfortunately, when Bullock's party reached Rapid, all the available fresh stock in the neighborhood had been secured and taken off with Cook's party, thereby placing him in the awkward dilemma of either proceeding on their already tired horses or giving up the chase. He finally concluded to continue upon the trail and try, if possible to come up with the thieves before their horses became useless.

After traveling some distance, they came up with Cook's party, who it seems, had lost the trail. After a short hunt the trail was discovered, when the entire party, now increased to a good sized squad under the leadership of Cook, started again on the hunt. As the road agents were urging their stock to the utmost, they kept well ahead of the pursuers, who, upon their utterly fagged stock, saw that it would be almost impossible to overhaul them, secured a good mule team, and leaving their stock to recuperate, made a run during the night, expecting to pass the road agents in the darkness, and waite [sic] for them to come up on the following morning, when they could easily be captured.

This plan would have succeeded most likely, had it been properly stuck to, but during the night ride they passed the robber camp nearer than they expected, and the neighing of one of the horses in their camp, which was but a short distance from the road, betrayed their whereabout to the pursuers, who immediately halted and held a consultation as to the best mode of securing their game. Cook, who the leader, decided to scout around the camp, and if possible hit upon some means to secure them, if they were the party he was seeking.

After a short absence he returned with the information that they were the men he was after, and proposed a plan to secure them. His suggestions not meeting with general favor, Bullock made a proposition to the effect that it would be better to surround their camp and kill their horses, thus placing them on foot and in the power of the officers. Cook overruled his suggestions and decided to place the men at various points around their camp and wait until morning. This was done.

In the morning when they came to look for the robbers neither hide nor hair of them or their horses was visible, they having slid out during the night. As soon as this fact was sufficiently elucidated to the leader he ordered the party to repair to the nearest station and procure fresh stock to continue the chase. Six horses were all that could be obtained for the party.

Those who had luckily secured the fresh horses continued the chase, while Messrs. Bullock, Beaman and Steele returned to their jaded horses and struck out for home. Mr. Bullock is confident that ere this the robbers have been captured and that they are the men who are implicated in the coach robbery.

On their return to Rapid, a man was arrested there and placed in the Pennington county jail, who answers exactly the description of one of the outlaws.

It is to be hoped that the party have been successful and their object attain, of ridding the country of one of the worst and most desperate gangs of outlaws that have ever infected it.
----
Although this sounds like Cook usurped Bullock in running down the stage coach robbers, a follow-up report on October 12 said that Bullock captured a wagon that the perpetrators had abandoned and that the gold was found nearby, although not by Bullock. No mention was made of how the reward was split.

The South Dakota portion of the Dakota Territories, 1876. The Black Hills are at the far left. Deadwood is not yet named. The Sioux land from the treaty of 1868 makes up the left two-thirds of the area of this map, an impressive tract until the buffalo were slaughtered, the tribes were starved and the land taken away.

Up Next: 1876 in Deadwood.

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