Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-03-06
FAMOUS EXPRESS RIDER.
Now Judge of the Superior Court
Bench In Washington.

wow Suooe OF the Superior Court
Bench In Washington.
From express rider in the sagebrush
and bunch grass country OF northwest
ern Oregon to the superior court bench
OF Wallawalla county, Wash. is the
rise of Thomas Il. Brentz. He left the
east shortly before the outbreak of
the civil war. arriving at what is
now Canyon City, Ore, In the fall OF
1861. He was the first to discover
gold in the district, locating a rich
placer claim, which was afterward
abandoned because Of the lack OF wa
ter. He established the Brentz &c Mel.
son express line, carrying letters and
parcels between Canyon City and The
Dalles. 22o miles, aud holds the record,
having covered the distance In twenty
eight hours
In the first winter the line was In
operation many horses were spirited
away by Indians, and later the road
agents became troublesome. Once
Judge Brentz was caught In n blizzard.
and it required more than three weeks
to do the trip. He encountered snow
fields ten feet deep and was forced to
walk at the head of his horse nearly
all the way. On his arrival at Canyon
City there was n demonstration. Bon
fires We're built, and the hills echoed
with gunshots and powder blasts.
Judge Brentz talked of the early days
not long ago and told some of his OK
perlences. He got so cents for carry
ing letter and sold California news.
papers at 80 cents copy, express par
cells netting him from 81 to $40, ac-
cording to weight. He also carried gold
dust from the mining districts to the
repositories.
"The express line had been estab.
llshed about year when the road
agents became q menace" Judge
Brentz said, "and many persons were
murdered for their money. One of the
most notorious bad men was Berry
May, an escaped convict from San
Quentin, who came to Oregon in 1862
and for time kept q band of horses.
Being located on the line of my route
frequently made changes of horses at
his place and thus became casually nc.
quainted with the noted outlaw. Later
he took to the road.
"Once on my way to The Dalles from
Canyon City encountered his band as
they were going into camp for the
night, and as my horse was heavily
laden and nearly exhausted there was
nothing left but to turn in with them.
l had my canteens well filled with gold
dust, which would have made profit
able haul.
Il came upon the party, consisting of
Berry May. his wife and Jim Partin. nj
the foot of Rocky Canyon. Berry asked
me If L hadn't better stop with them
for the night and accepted the invi-
tation. Taking off my saddle with the
gold dust, threw 1t carelessly on the
grass and thus disarmed the desper-
ADDS suspicious.
HE asked me IL did not carry con-
siderable gold dust on my trips from
the mining regions. 1 replied. yes.
sometimes, but on this trip am car
rying chains for pack train and am
not taking any gold DUST Knowing
me as he did, he believed was telling
the truth, but 1 slept with my head OIL
my saddle, with one eye upon the rob-
bers and my gun ready for action.
Il passed sleepless night. but my
horses were rested, and the next morn
Ing resumed my journey. had gone
short distance when / met the sheriff
and his posse from Pendleton, who ask
cd me IL had seen anything of Berry
May and his party. 1 replied, Yes,
stayed with them last night
""The mischief you didv came the
quick reply. We are after them for
murder. They shot and killed a man
named Gallagher as he lay sleeping.
and we found the trail where they
dragged the body and the place where
they washed the bloody blankets under
which the man was sleeping
Berry and his party were captured
before reaching Canyon City and were
confined In an old shack Of q jail, from
which he made his escape and went to
Boise, where he was afterward cap.
tured and brought back to Canyon City
and again locked up. The fail was sur
rounded by self constituted vigilance
committee. which took him from the
jail and hanged him from the limb OF a
tree on the hill. Partin was never
heard OF again"