SOLD
3,100.00USD+ (775.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2023 Jun 16 @ 11:43UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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Wells, Fargo & Co. Stage Robbery, Montana, 1885, J.B. Hume, Agent
FNH
Group of letters related to a Wells, Fargo & Co. Express stage robbery of a gold strong box (treasure box), investigated by J. B Hume, the Wells, Fargo detective that caught the infamous Black Bart, the poet stage robber.
There are numerous letters in this archive, which all involves a stage robbery of the Express coach out of Marysville, Montana.
In August, 1885, Tom Jackson, "an ex-con who had recently been released after a term of ten years in he California penitentiary" was working on a ranch near Helena, when he came upon a scheme to rob the gold strong box off a Wells, Fargo & Co stage. A fellow hand, F.W. Gordon, agreed to help. Jackson bought a Winchester rifle and two revolvers and the two set about making secure plans.
Except for one thing.
Gordon appears to have been a plant, possibly assigned to "watch" the Tom Jackson, who was not the same man as another notorious stage robber, aka James Henry, who was born Thomas McCauley. McCauley was born in 1833 and came to California with his brother Ed in the 1850s. The brothers lived in Tuolumne County and made a living robbing sluice boxes, gambling, and whatever else "hard-drinking" bad guys did, according to William Secrest in Lawmen & Desperados, 1994. Pp173-177. Ed went too far and got hung in 1856. Tom went to prison and was out by 1863, when he changed his name to Jackson to avoid recognition. He also used the name Jim Henry. Henry, McCauley/Jackson was shot in Bakersfield in 1866.
Gordon met with local lawmen George Gibbs and Walter Evans and told them of the plan. The two lawmen, along with a WF messenger rode the stage from Silver City towards Marysville in expectation of the robbery. "About a mile of the Seven Mile House, the stage was stopped by two masked men and all were told to throw up their hands and submit to being searched." After robbing the passengers of coin and watches, the robbers set about smashing open the "Wells, Fargo Treasure Box". Gordon grabbed Jackson, the two lawmen cuffed him, and brought them both into jail. Jackson had hollered for Gordon to shoot when he was being apprehended, but a shot was never fired. (Helena Independent Record, Aug. 30, 1885)
The first of the letters is a two page letter written on Sheriff of Lewis & Clarke Co. letterhead, asking Wells, Fargo superintendent JJ Valentine for some expense money, since he was responsible for Jackson being caught, and was out of money. Gordon had been told to stay in town as a witness for Court. The letter, dated oct.18th, stated that the court date was Nov. 2. Gordon maintained Jackson was going to plead guilty. The next letter, dated Oct 21, 1885 is also addressed to Valentine, this time by E.J. Carter, the Helena Wells, Fargo agent. The letter references prior letters requesting some unidentified action on Valentine's part regarding Gordon.
The third letter is addressed to Carter, the Helena WF agent from JB Hume, "special officer" on his personal Company stationery. Here, Hume says the various letters to Valentine requesting payment to Gordon have been referred to him (Hume). Hume stated he did not agree with the way or policy under which Jackson was arrested (a "setup"), but that Carter, if he made an agreement re expenses with Gordon, should honor it "in good faith." But perhaps the most interesting part is a comment by Hume "If Jackson is our California Tom Jackson, I would feel that almost any plan resorted to, to "get away" with him would be justifiable, but as a general proposition, I think the action in this case is unsafe, dangerous and will not be tolerated by the Courts. Of course Gordon's statement, that the scheme was originated, proposed and perfected by Jackson is taken as true. The danger is that Gordon may be the chief conspirator and Jackson the victim. Does not the photo and description I sent you of Tom Jackson enable the Sheriff to determine the question as to whether or not he has Tom Jackson in hand" (sig Hume)
Hume, the consummate and outstanding special agent for Wells, Fargo, had caught and arrested the notorious Black Bart just a year earlier in California.
Dillon's biography of Hume, "Wells Fargo Detective" (1969) does not discuss a "Tom Jackson". In fact, the years between convicting Black Bart, the Poet Robber, and his release in 1888 are pretty much left out of the book. Perhaps another Tom Jackson (a fourth one?) received a life sentence for stage robbery in Dec 1913.
This is an excellent and important signed (autographed) letter by Wells, Fargo's most famous detective, the one who caught "Black Bart" and shows his thought processes involved with a conviction of a Montana Stage robber. The event has not been recorded by modern writers, and the involvement of Hume has not been known until now.
Date:
Country (if not USA):
State: Montana
City: Marysville
Provenance:
Auction Location:
3555 Airway Drive Suite 309, Reno, Nevada, 89511, United States
Previewing Details:
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Nevada State Sales Tax
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NSST |
8.375% |
Nevada Sales Tax |
| CSST |
7.25% |
California Sales Tax |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
25% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
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