The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-01

valued at 1880, broke a wheel of his
wagon within short distance of Tas-
ker's ranch He appealed to Tasker
for the loan Of wheel TO enable him
to reach this city. This Tasker would
; not do, and the freighter was forced
to ride TO this city for one. TaSker ad-
Vised him to cache the bullion, but the
freighter considered it unnecessary. ow-
ing to the low value and bulk of the
stuff. That night Tasker had Dutchy,
who was working for him, dig hole in
the middle of the road near the ranch
house. In this the bullion was buried
and a wagon repeatedly drawn back
ward and forward ever the spot to OBJ
literate all traces of the excavation.
This proximity of the bullion to the
ranch evidently proved a disturbing
factor to Ben Tasker's slumbers, as he
had Dutchy dig it mp and next hauled
it across the desert to a point nine
miles distant, where they buried il in
the middle of the road leading to Cedar
City. Tasker had q band of sheep in
the vicinity, and these were repeatedly
driven over the spot, TO the utter mys-
LITIGATION of his herder.
The first hole AT the ranch was pur-
posely left open, and Dutchy posted
the following warning over it:
"All horse and cattle thieves passing
over this ranch will be buried here"
He received notice to remove this, or.
as it said. he might himself fall in. AL
though he complied promptly. this hole
subsequently yaWned to receive him.
The theft of the bullion created a
sensation among the owners of IL in
Salt Lake City, and every endeavor wstS
made to connect TaSker with it, but
he proved too shrewd. Dutchy, how
ever, grew dubious of the outcome. and
one night saddled up two of TaSker's
best horses and attempted to leave, but
was detected by Tasker and one of his
hands before he got fully away and
was shot down by them. They pro-
posed to bury him in the same hole
over which he had posted the warning
notice, but the pleading of his wife,
who was also in TaSker's employ, pre-
vailed, and he was buried at some little
distance from the road. Tasker imme
diately left for this city, where an, I'M
successful effort was made to have
him betray the Whereabouts of the
stolen bullion. He boldly asserted, how
ever, that he could find it, and an
agreement by which he was to receive
$3.50 and no questions asked if he would
designate the spot where it could be
found, was accepted by him, and the
AONONCA(~- S~9-~O-
was next arrested for the shooting of
Dutchy, but escaped from custody, and
has not since been heard of.
Charles Clark next settled on the
ranch and pursued the cattle business.
He was a we'll behaved and much re-
spected man, and no outlaws were shell
tered there in his time. His place be-
came widely known as the Clark place,
and he amassed considerable means.
The old man succumbed TO an attack
of asthma, and his grave. which lies in
full view of the road, is the only one
which covers a natural ending of life.
Shooting of Young Clark.
A very. pathetic tragedy was enacted
during Clark's time in the old ranch
house: his youngest son, Vincent, being
the victim. One of his. hands had occa-
sion to- kill a steer, and left a loaded
Winchester rifle standing in the corner
of one of the rooms. An elder son en-
tered the room. seized the gun and
playfully pointed it at young Vincent
Of course the gun went off, and Vim
cent was almost instantly Killed by
being shot through the face and head
He lies buried beside his father on the
ranch, and a handsome iron railing
surrounds the spot. These are a few of
the fatalities which darken the his
tory Of the ranch.
One of the last owners Of the place
was John c.. Lynch. Appointment min
ing man, who died in this city a year
ago last March.
In the earlier days the mysterious
of travellers crossing the.
desert was not infrequent, and often
all traces of them was lost in the vi
cinjty of this ranch.
The gray sage of the desert, which
grows luxuriantly there, has, perhaps,
been tie silent witness of many a
tragedS the particulars of which will
never be known; and the notes of the
mountain dove, which now break the
stiffness of the place With aemournful
cadence, are, perhaps. a requiem for
some unknown victim sleeping there