The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-03-14
NEyADAs WORST DESPERATE.
sA5I BROWNS CAREER BEFORE A SHOTGUN
VAS EMPTIED INTO HIM.

Among the desperadoes that domI
Aeered and terrorIzed Virginia City.
NeD. III the early sixties. Sam Brown
was the most prominent figure His
stature, strength, and ruftianly cour
IRE. together with his skill with the
10wle knife and revolver. weapons. he
was prompt to use with OF without
preteXt, gave him a -eminence
among the bad men Of that lawless
and sanguiuary era.
Some Of the peculiafities of this
worthy Mr.. Brown naturally made Linn
an uncomfortable companion at the
gambling table. At poker his habit
Of reinforcing pair Of deuces with
two TeyolyeTs and a bowie knife hen
ever the size Of the pot made it an OBJ
iact, tended 10 make conservative pl&y
ers shy Of his company. When play
ing III bad luck at faro he would as 4
latter of course, help himself to his
leighbors's stack Of chips, and 1t was
IN ignorant or hardy man vino ven
tured to protest Meeting stranger
oa the road whose horse struck his
fancy he soon convinced the traveller
Dy his characteristic modes OF parsua-
sion that an exchange of animals was
Tor his advantage. His services were
III frequent request by mine and town
ly, jumpers for the intimidation Of
prlor claimants, and merely his pres
c4ce on the scene Of contest was apt
ID turn the scale. the merits OF the case
being a consideration after Sam Brown
lad taken lis side. 1t is told, how
c.Cr that IN thus sort Of business lie
once found his match in a stalwart
aud newly arrived young lawyer nam
ed Stewart now United States senator
from Nevada. who, with hand III hip
pocket, clutching the butt of reyoI
yer, cross examined Sam at a referees
court IN d way that brought this mas
LerfuI desperate dead to rights and
won his admiration and friendship f6r
the man who dared 50 boldly to con
front and browbeat him
Ia an old report Of the United States
geological survey, upon the Com
stock mining and miners. Eliot Lord
thus narates two typical incidents III
Sam Browns career.
The most prominent figure Of the
crew, the desperadoes Of Virginia City,
was a burIy ruttian known as Sam
Brown, who had killed thirteen men
iii Texas and California, as was report
cd before his arrival at Virginia City.
The terror and aversion which this
man inspired recall the nursery tales
Of the days of Ogres and their victims
iu the summer Of 1898 an agent OF the
leading Western express company
called at a station which Brown then
was keeping on the Humboldt river
and desired something to eat Brown
pointed to hanging strip Of bacon.
and the taryeler requested the loan Of
a knife to cut off slice. With an odd
smile Brown pulled out his immense
sheath knife, but Immediately thrust
ii back into his boot LEG. remarking
that he had killed five men with that
knife and was superstitious about
lending it to cut bacon The visitor
was equally scrupnlous and left the
cabin without the meat
One of Browns first exploits in the
mining district was a murder, which
illustrates yiyidly the character Of the
man and the camp. 4 weak, under
witteQ bar-room IoUnger. whose feeble
discretion was lost in hqUOr. staggel-
ed up to Brown one day IN a saloon
and made some remark which the lat
ter considered offensive. Without a
word the giant wound his muscular
arms about his victim and. holding
mm as easily as a cat does a mouse,
drove a sheath knife twice into his
quivering body, turning it, Maltese
fashion, IN his yitals. Then he flung
the bleeding sufferer on the floor. and,
when d few minutes later, a party
took up the man. stlll breathing faint
ly, from the red pool behind the bar.
Brown was seen sleeping as camIy as
a child on billiard table in the room
Sam Browns last day was perfectly
in keeping with the rest Of his violent
career. He had become offended at
q ranchman of Carson Valley, named
Van Sickle, and went to his house in
Carson City. to kill him. Van Sickle
was not at home when Sam rode into
he yard to carry out his purpose, and
the desperate, forcing his way into
the house, searched it from roof
t0 cellar for his intended victim,
throwing things about and terrifying
lle women Upon leaving the house
lie encountered the officers of the law
on the street and kept up a running
fight with them as he rode ont Of
town. \ sheriff posse was organized
and started in pursuit. determined