The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-02-24

house was occupied as saloon Tor uanc-
ing, drinking and gambling, the upper
floor was divided into small apartments
and let as bedrooms to the frequenters of
the place, or to uulucky strangers who,
either by chance should wander that way,
or were enticed thither by the decoy ducks
employed for that purpose, and who If
they ever left it alive did so minus cash,
iewelry and often even clothing. The
rear portion of the building extended out
over the water of the bay, which at that
time had not been filed in as it now is,
and rested on piles driven into the mud.
The floor was placed at a sufficient height
above the water to enable small boat TO
pass at any stage of the tide. The rear
room was the regular rendezvous of 1.-The
Thugs" Here were concocted those dia-
bolical schemes that rendered them so
famous, and which finally drew down up
on them the vengeance Of an exasperated
and outraged people, and led to their ex-
termination five years later by that last
great uprising of the long-suttering citi-
zens of the town.
By an ingenious contrivance in the floor
of this apartment, ingrcss and egress
could at any time be had. By rowing a
boat underneath and touching a short
lever of wood fastened to one of the piles,
trap-door flew open and ladder de-
scendcd that led up through the floor into
the Thugs Den," which, after beng
used, was so efectually closed as to leave
no traces of its existence. 1t is told of
two detectives of the Vigilance Commit
tee, about this time, that they were in pur-
suit one night of boat that was known
to contain three of the gang whom they
wanted. The detectives boat was close
astern, and gaining on the fugitives when
they shot under the buildings along Pa
cific street, and disappeared like plan
toms. The empty boat was picked up,
but no traces of its occupants could any
where be seen, and it was thought then
that they had been drowned, but it was
afterward ascertained that they escaped
through the means just described. One
of them was atterward hanged by the
committee; one was killed in Sacramento,
while attempting to escape from an
officer; of the third nothing is definitely
known.
There was one other mode only of en-
trance to this apartment, and that was by
door opening into the back room of the
adjoining building, which was occupied
by an old Jew named Jacob Smart, whose
cheap sign on the front door indicate d
that his business was that of gold-dust
buyer and money broker, but who, in
reality, was the agent of the Thugs in dis
posing of their stolen goods, and in giving
them the tip whenever a rich customer
presented himself at his counter to dis
pose of his treasure. 1t was never clearly
ascertained that old Jacob ever directly
assisted in robbery, but by his manage
ment many unsuspecting miners were re
ieved of their plethoric bags of dust, the
profits Of which Jacob participated in
His mode of procedure was, after wheed
| ling all he could out of his customer
| (Which In those early times was not diff
| cult, for the miner had not then learned
| TO keep his business to himself, but was
rather disposed to contide in his fellow
man, especially when that man was pro
fuse in his professions Of friendship, tc
enticc him into his back parlor, where
over social glass and cigar he gained
| his entire confidence and the consent o.
| his dupc to spend the night in sport anC
revelry at the Balaklava" next door
His lifeless body floated among the piles
next day, or he found himself wandering
about the streets crazed, almost destitute
cf clothing, and without a cent to pur
chase meal.
This man Jenkins had been arrested
early in the evening of the day named by
the officers of the Vigilance Committee
which fact was speedily made known tt
the leaders of the gang. A hasty sum
mons to meet at the den was circulated
and while the committee on Battery stree
was deliberating his case, his friends ol
Pacific street had assembled in council 70
the purpose of devising means for his re
lease. What the deliberations of this con
clave were is not known, but 1t was re
solved that Jenkins must be rescued iron
the hands of the people at all hazards, ant
as the committee could not be manipulate'
as the courts had been, the hope OF effect
ing their object by false swearing and COZ
ruption could not be indulged in the least
Stronger measures must, therefore, be re
sorted to, and every member in the cit
was ordered to hold himself in READINGS
for immediate action, and if it becam
necessary, force would be used, which, i
the opinion of the leaders, could not ia
to be effective, for they, as well as a larg
norton Of the inhabitants of the city, WEI
ignorant of the strength and temper of tn
committee Although the "Thugs" mus
F tered in strong force, and were ready
perform any deed, however desperate, an
counted on an easy victory in colllslo
with the impromptu authorities, they wei
not prepared for the power manifested b
the committee when its battalions of d'
termined men, fully armed and equipped
marched forth to carry out their resolve
hanging John Jenkins then and Their
and of following up in rapid succession
until the town was pnrged of every mu
derer, house burner, or robber that couI
be found.
The bell continued to toll the dealt
knell of the doomed man as the prepar
ton for the execution went steadily 10
ward. 1t was known to the commits
) through their agents in the enemy's cam
that rescue of the prisoner was conten
t plated, and they We're fully prepared. III
friends of the culprit, on the other han
+ dared not force the issue in the face OF
great odds, and while the rays of the fu
, moon mellowed the hazy atmosphere
this midsummer night, and all mamma
Y nature seemed at peace, they were col
| pelled to remain inactive while one
, their band paid the penalty of his MI
: deeds. But they were marked, every mi
/ of them. A power had risen in the lar
e too mighty for their resistance, and whl'
/ was soon to manifest that power mo
0 forcibly among their ranks. Others we
: doomed to follow their comrade IN L
d dance of death, and the rest to be expell
n from the city and the organization brok
\, up.
n At two o'clock the signal was give
d and score of men seized the rope alrea
v adjusted to the neck of the trembli
!. wretch and ran toward the adobe bull
t, ing at the north side of the plaza, dra