Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-06
BLACK BART's cAProR DEAD.
New Yorker Who Became Renowned
for Daring Deeds.
San Francisco Chronicle.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Former Sheriff Ben X. Thorne of Gala
veras county, renowned for forty years for
deeds of daring and courage, died Tuesday
afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
f. Sober, 726 California street AS sheriff,
Thorne among many other acts which
marked him in the early period of Califor-
Mas history, hunted the bandit, Joaquin
Murietta, out of his district and effected
the capture of the desperate and finished
stage robber. Black Bart.
Thorne was born in New York seventy-five
years ago He was a nephew of United
States Senator Thomas c. Platt of New
York He came to California In Septem-
Der, ls49, and SO soon distinguished himself
by GOODNESS and unfiinching courage that he
was quickly picked out as the man to main
tain order in the lawless camps of Gala
veras county. Almost Immediately he
gained reputation he never lost by arrest
ing Sam Brown, a professional bad man, -
who killed four men before Sheriff Thorne
walked up In the face of a leveled six
shooter and took not only him. but his COM
panion, to jail.
From that time until four years ago Mr..
Thorne was continuously connected with the
sheriffs Office. In 1901 he was stricken
with paralysis and never regained his
strength.
The capture of Black Bart, the assumed
name of c. E. Boles, the most famous and
daring stage robber known to frontier his
tory was due to Sheriff Thorne's relentless
pursuit and logged following of what
seemed vain attempt
Black Bart first commenced operations as
a stage robber in 1875, and In eight years
successfully held I'D no less than twenty
seven stages, with gain to himself OF
thousands Of dollars. He always worked
alone confided in no one, and when not en-
gagged in this was known in San Francisco
as a quiet, well-dressed mining man, with
but few friends and plenty of money In
fact his methods Of concealment We're so
perfect that his arrest for the crimes placed
to the credit Of BLACK Bart came as a
staggering surprise to all but the officers.
His final capture followed an attempt to
rob the Copperopolis stage in 1883. A boy
passenger had dismounted quite a way bac
Of the spot where the stage was stopped by
the highwayman, and his sudden appear
ance with his gun gave the express mes
senger a chance. which he seized. The shot
Etruck Black Bart In the head, but he es-
capped.
Some time afterward, near the. scene. was
fouEd a suff stained with blood A laundry
mark on this was traced to laundry where
Boles, known as c. q. 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 ts serve five years in San Quen-
tin. After his release he disappeared, and
while series of daring stage robberies not
long afSerWard gave rise to the suspicion
that he had resumed his old life, nothing
definite was proved against him.
Black Bart in all his hold-ups never took
life nor insulted woman. He worked
quietly and swiftly, with the manner of a
gentleman His particular prey was the
Wells-Fargo express boxes. and he cele-
bTated the capture of each treasure chest
by verse OF doggerel Inscribed on the