The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-02-03
LUCKY BILL"
rho way He Punished an Erring
Emier1nt


MNtN --- Ae
In the early days when what Is now
the state Of Nevada was Western Utah
q we'll known character among the res
Idents Of Carson valley wns William
Thorrington, a man who was 50 for
tunate In all his undertakings that he
wa Familiarity known far and wide
amonR the valleys lying along the cast
ern base Of the Sierra Nevada noun
tafns az Lucky Bill" Although
Lucky BDln owned a fine ranch at
the upper end Of Carson valley, with
other outlying lands and many cattle,
he was a good deal Of a sport and
spent much OF his time about the sta
lions on the overland road during the
season when the emigrants were
pouring 10 ncross the plains. He de-
lighted IN giving luck a chance" and
RI is said that he captured his full share
Of the spoils 10 be found among the I'M
sophisticated pilgrims from the mother
states.
McMarlin,s station was q fayorite
place Of resort for Lucky Bills and
other sports during the summer run Of
eastern suckers AS this station was
situated on the Carson river at the
mouth OF Gold canyon twhere the town
Of Dayton now standsl, in and along
which rich placer mines were then be-
Ing worked, a sport f~requenting II
had Two stringstoShis bow-could work
both the emiFrant and the miner.
"Lucky Bill, had with him At McMar-
Inns IN the spring and hummer Of
1858 q partner named Hugh Tate, q
high-toned Sport well known in the
mining camps Of California In tho
days Of forty-nine," and the pair
captured a good deal Of the dust dug by
the Gold canyon miners either at poker
or three-card monte. However, the
miners presently refused to bite at
monte, and poker vas then the main
dependence Of Bill and Tate until an
emigrant train rolled in. Then at once
out came three-eard monte in all its
glory.
As the emigrants arrived at McMar>
Inns fresh from the tolls and ter
rors Of the great Humboldt desert they
generally halted there a few days to
rest, recruit their stock, do washing,
bake bread. mend harness, repair
wagons and otherwise prepare for the
last grand effort before rolling into the
land Of gold-the crossing Of the Sierra
Nevada range. seer looming up some
twenty miles t the westward When
Lucky BilI' and his partner found
good pielingsn in a big% emigrant
train'they frequently followed it Il the
base Of the Sierras, working their
games at each camping place. One Of
these camping places wa Eagle ranch
tnow Kings raneh1, near where Carson
City now stands.
On n occasion Lucky Bilfn was at
Eagle ranch at a time when q big emi-
grant train from Illinois wa camped
there A poker game had been run
ming In which Bill had taken a hand
with his usual good luck. Presently
some excitement started that attracted
the attention Of the players and broke
up the game. Bill got up and rushed
away, leaving upon the table a stack
Of gold dust and his pocketbook, con-
tanning valuable papers and a consider
able amount Of money.
An hour later Lucky Bill" missed
his valuables and returned to the table
to look for them, but both dust and
pocketbook had vanished. As soon as
he made known his loss the cry of: "a
thief In camp was rLfsed, and there
was a big excitement But there was
no clew to the thief; no particular per-
son was suspected, and SO nothing was
done in the matter further than to ut
ter threats Of hanging the thief in case
Of his being found, that being then the
penalty in California for such a crime.
Two or three days passed without
anything being heard Of Lucky Bilrs'
nbont sixteen years Of age belonging
70 the Illinois train came to Eagle
ranch and informed parties there that
aIDntchman Of the train, travelling with
. DR.. Pinigre, had shown him a pocket
book and asked him to read some
papers, not being able to read writing
himself. The boy said that in looking
over the papers he had seen Thorring-
tons name on several Of them.
At this time there were no courts or
officials Of any kind in western Utah,
Carson county having been dismem-
bered and all its records removed to
Salt Lake city, therefore the people
were a 'law unto themselves" when
occasion required. This being the case.
the people about the station called a
meeting and appointed W. s Cooke,
now justice Of the peace in Virginia
City, ''alcalde.
Men were sent to the train to bring
In the Dutchman, the boy being taken
along to point him out. DIR. Pinigre
was greatly astonished at seeing his
man arrestedon a charge Of theft and.
would not believe he had taken the
missing valuables. The doctor and a
great crowd from the Illinois train
went up to the station with the Dutch
man and the settlers who had him in
charge, all curious to see what would
be done by the impromptu court
The alcalde held his court IN the
open air, and as soon as the prisoner
was brought before him ordered him to
be searched. On his person were found
both the pocketbook and the sack Of
gold dust. The yaluables were identi-
fed by Lucky Bill" as being his
property. Bill found the dust intact,
but some 81 the money was missing,
and also a number of valuable papers;
among others a note for 1880 on par
ties in California
The Dutchman made a clean breast
OF it He said that seeing the pocket
book and purse lying forgotten on the
table he had taken them. Also Me
acknowledged that he had torn up and