Gilpin observer., 1913-10-02
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE SIXTIES

When Green Russell and his little
band Of Georgia prospectors returned
to their homes in the autumn Of '5S,
after discovering gold in paying quan
titles at the Gregory diggings above
Black Hawk, the whole country was
aroused over the fabulous stories of
the wealth of gold in the Rockies, and
the following winter was spent by
thousands in outfitting and making
arrangements to cross the desert the
next spring to this new Eldorado.
Mem of all classes and nationahties
were represented, from the college
graduate, fresh from his studies, to
the bandit, the bad man and the cOur
texans.
Colorado at that time was por-
ton Of the territory Of Kansas and
remained SO until 1861, when con-
gress passed bill including all that
portion within our present state
lines as the territory Of Colorado.
Prior to this time all crimes and
misdemeanors were adjudicated by a
miners court. Their methods, al
though rude, were just, and penalty
followed quickly the finding Of the
court
The first man tried by miners
court and suffered the penalty OF ex-
ecution by hanging was man an
swering to the appelation Of Pen
Gil" Tuck, (no other name was ever
known) who lived at Missouri City
about midway between Central City
and Russell Gulch.
This man having fancied grudge
against one Of the miners at the
Gregory diggings, took his gun, went
down to the ddggings and. upon sight
ing his man. deliberately fired and
killed him. Tuck was Immediately
arrested by the miners and taken to
Missouri City for trial by the miners
court, that district balloting on his
guilt or innocence. When verdict
OF guilty was rendered, they at once
erected scaffold and hanged him
before retiring from the field. The
scaffolds in those days consisted Of
two poles set in the ground and a
crossbar at the top. over which
rope was thrown and a sack OF stone
.or sand tied to the other end. The
drop consisted Of a plank placed on
props or legs about six feet from
the ground, upon which the condemn
ed climbed. The moose was then ad-
justed his arms and legs bound and
some miner spiritually inclinde was
called upon to offer prayer. AS the
wcrd Amen" was spoken, the props
were knocked out and the culprit
swung into eternity. This execution
was in November. 1859.
The next was dn Lake gulch. A
man by the name Of Kennedy call
ed saloonkeeper outside his place
of business and shot him, death be-
ing instantaneous. The miners from
Lake district called upon the miners
of Russell, Missouri and Gregory dis
tricts to meet with them at one p.
m. on that day. Tor consultation
1t was decided that Lake district
alone should vote on the guilt or in
nocence Of the accused. A vote was
taken and he was pronounced guilty.
taken to the scaffold, the rope ad-
justed and Charles R. Fish, a local
preacher and afterwards banker at
Georgetown. was called upon to offer
prayer, after which the props were
knocked from under Murderer No. 2,
and another bad man was no more.
This execution took place April 13.
1861. There was also another hang
ing under the miners law at Russell
grlch, but we have not the data at
hand to relate 1t correctly.
The first case OF hanging under
the territorial law was q man by the
name Of Van Horn. This man cross
ed the plains in company with a
Mrs. Squires. They came to the
Gregory diggings and established a
boarding house and saloon, under the
name OF "Bobtail Exchange. George
Copeland, hotel clerk at Central
City became infatuated with Mrs.
Squires, who is said to, have been
very beautiful, and one evening, as
they were walking along Casey ave-
nue. toward Bates hill. Van Horn fol-
lowed and shot Copeland and rolled
his body down the mountain side. He
was arrested by Sheriff Cozens. tried
by legal jury and condemned to
hang on the spot where the deed was
committed. Cozens erected scaf-
fold, drove Van Horn to the place
and held a puhldc execution. This