Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-12
BLACK BARTs cAPToR DEAD.
New Yorker Who Went to California
and Became Renowned For Daring

New Yorker Who Went to California
and Became Renowned For Daring
Deeds.
Former Sheriff Ben K. Thorne Of
Calaveras county, renowned for forty
years for deeds of daring and courage
died Tuesday afternoon at home OF his
daughter, Mrs. E. Sober, 726 Califor-
MIA street. AS sheriff. Thorne, among
many other acts which marked him
in the early period Of CALIFORNIA; his
tory, hunted the bandit, Joaquin Mu-
rietta, out of his district and effected
the capture Of the desperate and fin
ished stage robber, Black Rart.
Thorne was born in New York sew
enty-five years ago. He was neph-
ew of United States Senator Thomas
c. Platt of New York. He came to
California in September, 1S49, and so
soon distinguished himself by GOODNESS
and unfiinching courage that he was
quickly picked out as the man to
maintain order in the lawless camps
of Calaveras county. Almost imme-
diately he gained a reputation he new
er lost by arresting Sam Brown,
professional bad man." who killed
four men before Sheriff Thorne walk
ed up in the face of levelled six
shooter and took not only him, but
his companion, to jail.
From that time until four years ago
Mr.. Thorne was continuously connect
ed with the sheriffs office. In 1901
he was stricken with paralysis and
never recovered his strength.
The capture of Black Bart the as
sumed name of c. E. Roles. the most
famous and daring state robber
known to frontier history, was due
to Sheriff. Thorne's relentless pursuit
and dogged following of what seemed
q vain attempt.
Black Bart first commenced opera
tions as a stage robber in 1875, and
in eight years successfully held up no
less than twenty-seven stages, with
gain to himself Of thousands Of dol
lars. He always worked alone, con-
fided in no one, and when not engag-
ed in this was known in San Francis
CO as a quiet well-dressed mining man
with but few friends and plenty Of
money. In fact his methods Of con-
cealment were so perfect that his ar
rest for the crimes placed to. the cred
it Of BLACK Bart" came as a stagger-
ing surprise to all but the officers.
His final capture followed an at
tempt to rob the Copperopolis stage
in 1888. A boy passenger had dis
mounted quite way back Of the spot
where the stage was stopped by the
highwayman and his sudden appear
ance with his gun gave the express
messenger a chance which he seized.
The shot struck Black Bart in the
head, but he escaped.
Sometime afterward, near the scene
was found a cuff, stained with blood.
A laundry mark on this was traced to
a laundry where Boles,. known as c.
E. Barton, had his washing done, and
at last the officers had evidence
enough to confront Barton with the
crime. He was tried, convicted and
sentenced to five years in San Quen-
tin. After his release he disappeared.
and while a series of daring stage
robberies not long afterward gave rise
TO the suspicion that he had resumed
his old life, nothing definite was prov
ed against him.
Black Bart in al! his holdups never
took a life or insulted a woman. He
worked quietly and swiftly, with the
manner of a gentleman. His particu-
lar prey was the Wells-Fargo express
boxes and he celebrated the capture
Of each treasure chest by a verse OF
doggerel inscribed on the rified box.
These verses he signed "Rlack Bart,
p. o. S."-San Francisco Chronicle.