Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-04-27
FAMOUS EXPRESS RIDER.
Now a Judge of the Superior U0u'
Bench In Washington.

Bench IN WdSH''S |
From express rider in the sageprusn
and bunch grass country OF nor'nweS.
,rn oregon TO the superior court bench
Of Wallawalla county, Wash, is the
rise Of Thomas E. Brentz He left the
cast shortly before the outbreak OF
the civil war, arriving at what Is
now Canyon City, Ore, In the rail- Oh
1861. He was the first to discover
gold in the district, locating Il ricn
placer claim, which was atterw"ru
abandoned because of the lack OF wa
fer. He established the Brentz " Mel,
son express line, carrying letters ana
parcels between Canyon CITY ana Inc
Dolles 225 miles, and holds the recoru'
having covered the distance in twenty
eight hours.
In the first winter the line was ID
oneration many horses were spirited
AWAY by Indians, and later the ROAD
agents became troublesome. once
Judge Brentz was caught In BLIZZARD
and il required more than three weeks
70 do the trip. He encountered snow
fields ten feet deep and was forced 10
walk nj the head of his horse nearly
all the way. On his arrival at canyon
CITY there was a demonstration. Bon
fires were built, and the hills echoed
with gunshots and powder blasts.
Judse Rrcntz talked Of the early days
not long ago and told some Of his OK
perlences. He got 30 cents for carry
inc letter and sold California news
PAPERS at 30 cents copy, express par
cells netting him from 81 to So ac'
cording to weight. He also carried gold
dust from the mining districts 10 the
repositories.
"Tbe express line had been estab-
ushed about a year when the roao
agents became menace, Judge
Brentz said. land many persons were
murdered for their money. one OF the
most notorious bad men was Berry
MAY. an escaped convict from san
Ouentin. who came to Oregon IN lS0Z
and for time kept band OF horses
Being located on the line of my route,
frequently made changes of horses al
his Mace and thus became casually &C
ouainted with the noted outlaw. Later
he took to the road.
"Once Oh my way to The Dalles IRON
Canyon City encountered his band aS
they were going into camp for the
night. and as my horse was neaVll!
laden and nearly exhausted there was
nothing left but to turn in with them
had my canteens well filled with golC
dust which would have made profit
able haul.
Il came upon the party, consisting o
Berry May. his wife and Jim Partin,
the foot Of Rocky Canyon. Berry aske'
me If l hadn't better stop with then
for the night, and l accepted the INV
tation. Taking off my saddle with IN
gold dust, l threw it carelessly on IN
grass aud thus disarmed the despel
ADDS suspicious.
ale asked me if did not carry col
siderable gold dust on my trips froi
the mining regions. 1 replied, 'Ye'
sometimes, but on this trip am ca
rying chains for a pack train and al
not taking any gold dust KNOWN
me as he did, he believed l was tellin
the truth, but l slept with my head 0
nv saddle, with one eye upon the roI
beers and my gun ready for action.
81 passed a sleepless night, but m
horses were rested, and the next NOR
ing I resumed my journey. had goI
q short distance when l met the sherl
and his posse from Pendleton, who as
ed me if l had seen anything of Berl
May and his party. + replied, YES,
stayed with them last night
"'The mischief you did! came Il
quick reply. We are after them I
murder. They shot and killed a mi
named Gallagher as he lay sleepln
ond we found the trail where tn
dragged the body and the place whe
they washed the bloody blankets und
which the man was sleeping
Berry and his party were captur
before reaching Canyon City and we
confined in an old shack Of jail, frC
which he made his escape and went
Boise. where he was afterward ca
tured and brought back to Canyon u
and again locked up. The jail was 81
rounded by a self constituted vigilan
committee, which took him from
iail and hanged him from the limb o.
tree on the hill. Partin was neN