Evening journal., 1908-01-07
The END OF THE
IAYHAWKERS.
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Ioriginall

tOriginal-l
During the civil war a celebrated
Kansas jayhawker named Bugbee rode
at the head Of a band OF outlaws,
leaving a desoiated track behind him.
Among his other crimes was the muir
der of the Hambln family on their
farm near Marysville Mary Hamblin,
aged twenty. was engaged to Elliot
Frost, a soldier in the Union army.
Frost was discharged at "a end Of the
war and went home to kklsas to find
only the grave Of the girl he had ex-
pected to welcome him. Standing there
by the heaped earth, now covered with
waving grass, he swore that he would
not rest till he had killed Bugbee.
Bugbee. finding that Kansas was be-
coming too law abiding for further op-
erations. crossed the line and went into
Colorado. He took with him seven or
eight Of his jayhawkers with n view
to operating on the different stage
lines in the region about Denver.
Frost went TO Denver and heard at
once that the Bugbee gang was the
terror Of every road leading out OF
that town, but it was impossible to
locate them. At one time they would
operate on the route southwark to
Pixies peak and the next day would be
heard OF on the road leading south
eastward into Indian Territory. Then
within a week a robbery would be
committed on the south fork Of the
Platte. and Bugbee would turn out to
have led the robbers. No vigilance
committee could locate them.
Frost who had been a cavalryman
during the war, secured a horse and
started for the last place the Bugbee
gang had left their visiting cards. The
country is an unbroken plain, and the
young man could ride where he
pleased. but 50 could the road agents.
and II was more difficult to head them
or than II they had had to travel only
by the roads.
After a months chase Frost tracked
the gang to a point within the en-
trance Of the canyon directly west and
about twenty miles from Denver.
Frost rode into Golden City one even
ing, fifteen miles west OF Denver, and
while eating his supper heard a miner
who had come down from Empire tell
Of meeting q prospecting party Of eight
men IN camp five miles up the canyon
who had asked him when the Denver
coach would pass up, they wishing to
take passage up to the mines. Frost.
putting this with information he al
ready had. was sure the prospectors
were the Bugbee gang and that they
would rob the next coach that passed
up. Since the coach would not pass
the point where the miner had met
them till the next afternoon about 2
O'Clock. there was time to lay a trap.
There was nothing at Golden City
except a hostelry,- but a fresh horse
was Obtained. and Frost put spurs for
Denver. There were several ex-sol.
diers Of the civil war in Denver. one
Of them. Striker, who had served with
Frost The two made up a party con
Eisting Of young veterans and three
other picked men. six in all, and, TAX
ing with them certain apparel they
intended to use, rode out in the early
morning to Golden City.
At noon the Denver coach came
along, and the passengers alighted foi
dinner. When they were about TO re
enter the coach Frost asked them Il
remain awhile at the tavern, since b,
had a party Of friends with him VIII,
wished to take a short ride. The pas
sengers, consisting OF both men ant
women, demurred, but the riding part.
were well armed, and they stepped
aboard, each with his baggage, a bun
die done up in brown paper.
AS soon as they were out Of sigh
8nocn the tavern a halt was made. tn