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

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Wells Fargo & Express Co's Memorabilia Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Wells Fargo Reward Poster, Copperopolis Stage, Unknown Bandit, 1875 [181997]
SOLD
350.00USDto b*******n+ buyer's premium (87.50)
This item SOLD at 2024 Nov 27 @ 12:12UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
FINAL AUCTION RECORD The Auctioneer’s podium notes serve as the final, legally binding record of the auction results, superseding any electronic bidding records. See Terms and Conditions
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 [ Copperopolis California 1875