The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1868-02-08
THE SPAULDyNG.wILs AZ
FAIR.
Retrospective Character orthe men The De-
parture and Pursuit--causht by lightning
and plucky Operator and found
Cuiity--Escape and Reczpture- --GalioWs and

Retrospective Character orthe meu--The De-
parture and Pursuit--causht by lightning
and plucky operator--Tsied and found
euiity--Escape and Heczpture- --Gallows and
Grave.
EDITOR Posr: fear that the information
I an about to give you in relation to the
horse stealing affair here, will not meet the
expectations o. ynnr readers, in CO npleteness.
az | so far as iniauta details are concerned,
bus such as i. is, 1 send it with qualification
that my pen be of any service to you, but
regret that il has no better theme.
Thomas Reeves, formerly of wallula, resii-s
in Jefferson Valley, where he has erected ais
cabin and by ,lint OF past and present exer-
tions, has managed to accumulate a little
property in live stock, which subsists on the
rich pasturage that locality affords. Near him
stands the famous rancho of Ike Miner, one
of the best hearted, most genial, honest and
hearty of men, who possesses quite compe-
tenca in herds Of horses, cattle, AMI mill and
mining property. Last winter, man named
Spaulliny, from Salt Creek, Utah, but origi-
nally from Kentucky. applied to Milner for
work which was really given him, and even
! tually Spauliing won the friendship and con-
fidence of many around him, although ocea-
sionaly il is said, little things would transpire
not exactly in accordance with the "blae
laws" in which the old man, 0for he WAS
about so years Of age,) was concerned. The
young man, Wilson, had been employed
| by Mr.. Miner, driving n team from Salt
Lake, and in various ways after arriving here.
Mr.. Milner, who is too honest himself to sus-
| pect any one else, is, or has been, decidedly
| oareless III allowing many access to his till In,
the store connected with the rancho, and ks
| noticed many times when this Wilson had
| been officiating in the store, that there should
have he2r more money by hundred dollars or
so, tL: there really WIS; finally caught in some
| act Of dishonesty, Mr.. Miner discharged him,
but he hung around the neighborhood until
ju-' before the robbery, when he disappeared
/ about the same time that Spaulding started,
! us;ru.ibly for Helena to max some purchases,
I b:t really for Salt Lake.
: NJ. Reeves missed two of his best horses
/ early on the morning after Wilson and Spaul-
I ding had left, and hearing many things that
| Confirmed his susrici.Bs he Immediately start
| ed in pursuit. II seems that Spauliipg was
ON his own horse and induced Wilson to
mount one of Reeves animals and drive an
other before them. They then took the road to
White Tail, but turned down Pipe Stone a.d
took across the mountains separating the Jet-
ferson and Sinking Water. coming again to
the road Mt or about the junction of the Salt
Lake and Virginia highways. .- .-...
| Mr.. Reeves, on becoming convinced OF the
impossihilty of overtakInS them. rode over
to the Station and teiegraphed to Taylors
| Bridge, Idaho, to Lave them arrested, as they
wouid inevitably have to cross Snake River az
that point, the heavy drifts and iinpa>sable
morn.nins couverginS all travel through this
one channel. The next morning. Jan. 2lst-
Mr.. Miner had found the tail and started
latter them. Reeves coming again to the Sta
tion at White Tail and telegraphiny to james
c. O'Conner, the operator at Pleasant Valley,
Idaho, an accurate description of the men and
horses, wlereupon Mr.. OConner took the
"war path" AMI on the sd was pretty GER
tain OF his game. Two horsemen answering the
deception, rode up, and Mr.. OComncr accost-
o., the eldest with " How are you Spautdings
lie answered promptly to bis mare, as did VIII
son, bat beiiav ii that Mr. OCouner had the
advantage of them in acquaintance, from
which he Gissented, pressing thou to cIght
and cone into the house and " warm" This
off they refused, stating that they were
pressed for time, whereupon Mr.. O'Conner, In
sisted, and they commenced to " smell huge
mice" and were about To spur on, but the
lightning nan caught their brides they drew
revolvers and made threats-0Co Conner let 60,
but drew his shot gun on them and they sur
rendered and CANE in. The horses they be-
strobe did not answer the description, but 1t
was subsequently, ascsrtlinsd tina: they had
exchanged animals 4 few miles t.as side of
Pleasant Valley.
Spauklinc telecraphel to Miner that he
had tie horses said to be stolen. and would
come back and stand trial. Miner arrived
soon after at Pleasant Valley with tie recov-
cred horses. Col. HynsoG arriving about the
same time, took the prisoners up in the coach,
and Mr.. Milner returned to Jefe7Son Valley
with the horses.
~
were seeu riding down the rive,, and an IN
usual coIrinotion WAS taking nlaca IN the
length anl breadth of the valley Ike next
night the same scene rP-enacted ard ru-
NOR stated that the NiSiiaftes' t.inl had lasted
two days and lights, :'Id that decision had
been arrived ut hut was not mate public. 1t
| seems that Spaulding tried to throw al the
blame on Wilson, saying that Wilson had in
duc.d him to run away with the stock but as
Spaulding is an old man and Wilson about
22 or - it is not very likely. Wilson during
: the progress of the trial complained OF sick
ness and while outside managed to slip away
|, in the darkness and eluie pursuit, but the
men of the valley tracke him To an old cabin
on the Sinking water after two days hunt,
and found him seated at the Ere. alone, warm
ing his feet, with his boots of. He made no
resistance, but remarked that he might as we'll
go back as to be frozen or starved To death,
and that 90 the Old Man" was against lin any
way in everything he did.
Spaulding wrote a letter to his son advising
him to take warning by his fathers fate and
! shun bad company and drink. On the 30th
Wilson was seen hanging by the roadside, in
the same manner that his predecessor of the
same name was hanged near Virginia City, on
a tripod, formed OF three corral poles tied to.
} gether at the top, and near him was what had
every indication of a new made grave, sup
posed to contain all that was earthly of Spaul-
ding Truly "the Wages of Sin is Death"