The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-10-23
HANGMAN's GULCH.
Aow a Noted Locality Got It's Name. a
Incident Of Early Colorado Life.

The fame of Green Russell's exploits
as a prospector spread all over the
country, and at one time Pixies Peak or
bust became the cry of large number
of restless spirits in the East. The
beautiful country known as the Divide,
near the head waters of Cherry and
other creeks, was all this time the Nee
ca of gold seekers from all parts, until,
from an uninhabited frontier it became
the center of large population, all en-
gagged in the one calling of wash
ing out the auriferous sands. How
much was ever rocked, PANIED or sluiced
out in those days was never absolutely
ascertained. but the amount must have
been very large. On one of the richest
tributaries of Cherry Creek large
population had settled, and every hun
dred yards or so might be seen men
digging, sluicing, panning, working as
if their very lives depended upon it.
Among them were two men or partners,
named Jack Holt and Bill FIemming,
whose luck was exceptional. None in the
camp could show as many colors to the
pan or find as many nuggets as they.
Notwithstanding the high cost of living
it was currently believed that they had
quite q snug hoard of glittering gold
stored in their cabin near the forks by
the cottonwoods Although partners
they were known to have fierce quarrels
at times, and passers by on the trail in
the vicinity of their cabin frequently
heard the sound of oaths and sometimes
of blows. One day Flemming was seen
at work alone, thing which was never
known to have occurred before. Always
surly and disagreeable in his manner he
was now worse than ever, and to the
questions put to him as to where Holt
was, gruff1y and briefly replied that he
had pulled stakes and gone to his home
in Georgia Nothing more was thought
of the matter for some time, until one day
q letter was brought to miner in the
camp who had lived in the same town
from which Holt had come. The letter
was from the sister of the latter, ex-
pressing great anxiety at his long ST.
lence, and also fears of foul play. This
was shown to number in the camp,
and few of the most self-asserting and
leading miners held meeting in pri-
vate and resolved to take advantage OF
the first opportunity and make a thor
ough search of Trimmings cabin. This
occurred on the very next day, and
party of ten determined men proceeded
to the forks" early the following morn
ing, and, entering Flemming's abode,
made thorough search of its one little
room without discovering anything diff
ferent from what is usually seen in such
imprompu dwellings,. Just as they
were passing over the threshold, how
ever, one of them tripped slightly over
some uneveness in the rough floor, and
casting his eyes down, saw what looked
like a spot of blood. Quickly calling
the attention of the rest of the party
to his discovery, more thorough
search was made and it was ascertained
that the floor had recently been re-
moved. A few of the boards were
quickly torn up and the earth had the
appearance of having been recently
disturbed. Shovels were at once put
in requisition, and in few moments the
partially decomposed corpse of Jack
Holt was revealed. Trimmings guilt
was at once apparent. The party pro-
ceeded to the place where he was work
ing, and covering him with their Colts,
with which indispensable weapon each
was provided, he was made prisoner and
taken to grove known as the Big
Pines.
The trial, as was characteristic of such
affairs, was very short, but under all
the circumstances undoubtedly fair,
and, at its conclusion, Tom Norman,
who was made judge, both by reason Of
his being the most powerful man, phys.
ically. in the camp and that he had
been apprenticed to an attorney when
a youth. but had run away after two
weeks of Blackstone and come West,
addressed the prisoner in these terms
Bill Flemming, you've been tried by
court OF your equals and pards. The
law and the evidence prove you to be
guilty of having killed your pard and
thrown your pay of life into the tailings.
II you have anything to say, now is the
time to open your sluice gates" Elem.
ming, however, maintained a stubborn 81.
lence. But few minutes elasped when
he was sentenced to be hanged by the
neck until dead, and the sentence was
at once executed. He was taken q short
distance down the small g,llch, where
tall pine reached it's lower limb like
arms across the stream, when willing
hands quickly fastened a rope around
his neck, the other end OF which was
thrown around one Of the branches.
and Bill Trimmings was launched into<I
sternity. The gluch has ever since,
been known as "Hangman's Gulch. .
Strange to say, the upper branches Of
this tree, in accordance with the pom.
lar legend Of those on which man
has been hanged, are completely
withered and decayed on the side Of
me fatal limb. Denver (Col.) Tribune.