Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-03-12
Me END OF THE
JAYHAWKERS.

IOriginal.

IOriginal.l
During the civil war a celebrated
Kansas jayhawker named Bugbee rode |
at the head of Il band of outlaws.
leaving Il desolated track behind him.
Among his other crimes was the muir
der of the Hamblin 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 the end Of the
war and went home to Kansas to find
only the grave of the girl he had X
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 OPP
Colorado. He took with him seven or
eight of his jayhawkers with a 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 q 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
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 so could the road agents,
and it was more difficult to head them
off than if 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 a 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
We're 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 >
o'clock, there was time to lay a trap.
There was nothing at Golden City
except a hostelry, but Il fresh horse
was obtained. and Frost put spurs for
Denver. There were several eX-sol-
diers of the civil wal in Denver. one
of them, Striker, who had served With
Frost. The two made up a party con-
sfsting 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 for
dinner. When they We're about to re-
enter the coach Frost asked them to
remain awhile at the tavern. since he
had a party of friends with him who
wished to take a short ride. The pas
sengers. consisting Of both men and
women. demurred, but the riding party
were we'll armed. and they stepped
aboard. each with his baggage. a bun.
die done up in brown paper.
AS soon as they were out of sight
from the tavern a halt was made. the
driver informed that they expected the
coach to be robbed, and four of the
men. opening their bundles. put on
women's attire. Then the coach was
driven on. Frost, dressed as a wom-
an, sat next the door, a Derringer pis-
tol in each hand. Striker sat next the
other door with two revolvers conceal
ed under the folds of the dress he
wore. All had their arms in some
way concealed.
They had gone about four miles and
were ascending a rise when they heard
the word "Haltv!' followed by Throw.
up your hands," The coach came to a
dead stop. and two masked men open
ed the door. ordering the passengers
to alight. Surprising Frost to be a
woman, each robber took hold of an
arm to help him. His arms were
crossed over his chest under his cloak.
Suddenly there was a double report,
and the two robbers fell dead.
Scarcely had Frost begun his exit
from the coach when a woman emerged
from the other door, followed in rapid
succession by two other women and
two men, all of whom opened fire on
six men who were standing unconcern-
ed in the road, some with their hands
in their pockets, others with folded
arms. -Four of them were shot down
before they could draw their weapons,
and two others while they were deliv-
ering their fire, which on account of
their surprise was not effective.
OF the two Frost had killed with his
| DerringerS n was Bugbee. h sight