3049

Wells Fargo Reward Poster, Copperopolis Stage, Unknown Bandit, 1875 [181997]

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Wells Fargo & Express Co's Memorabilia Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Wells Fargo Reward Poster, Copperopolis Stage, Unknown Bandit, 1875  [181997]
SOLD
3,500.00USD+ (875.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2024 Jun 08 @ 09:05UTC-7 : PDT/MST
UNCLAIMED MERCHANDISE: In the event that a successful bidder has paid in full for their merchandise but fails to settle outstanding shipping invoices or make arrangements for merchandise pickup within 60 days, HWAC reserves the right to declare the merchandise forfeited. This forfeiture will result in the merchandise becoming the property of HWAC and the successful bidder shall have no claim to or rights over the forfeited merchandise.
Dated San Francisco, Dec. 1, 1875. Wells Fargo & Co.'s express box on the Chinese and Copperopolis Stage was robbed by one man about two miles from Burns Ferry (Ruplee's Bridge) Tuolumne County side, of $600 in coin and gold dust. This reward poster from John J. Valentine, general superintendent of Wells Fargo, offers $300 and one fourth of treasure recovered. Although the robber was described as a Mexican, lightish complexion, rather short and thick set, weight about 150 lbs, with a moustache and short growth of beard, this was the area Black Bart was operating in at the time, before he became known as Black Bart. So this could be his robbery. Very little (next to nothing) is known of Black Bart's early stage robbing days. This area of the Mother lode was a nightmare for Wells, Fargo. The region carried some of the most productive gold mines in the state, and it was a stage robber's haven. Newspaper reports of a stage robbery a week were not uncommon. The area was "worked" by all the major stage robbers, from Black Bart to Bill Miner, the "gentleman robber." Did the two consort? One was a kind gentleman, the other a poet robber. Neither was a killer. Hume was unable to garner information on Black Bart until after his 1880 activities. Dillon's biography on Hume does not mention Miner, an interesting omission. 12 x 9 inches, some staining; edges very good condition. We were unable to find reports of this stage robbery in newspapers.com