White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-07-01
ROMANCE OF WHITE PINES
NOTED ROBBERS BOOSTS

states has it's Robbers Roost-tha:
enough to take in one of the numer-
Gus Robbers Roosts scattered over
the mountains from Canada to Mex
leo. White Pine county seems to BE-
large enough, for instead of having
one Robbers Roost il has two.
The first and probably better
known Robbers Roost is three miles
from Thirty-Mile springs, the latter
being on the old overland stage trail
between Cherry Creek and Moor
mans ranch. The second one is in
the vicinity of Bullwhackee summit,
which is the divide between Steptoe
and Cave valleys, some sixteen miles
south of Ward. So Ely is in the per-
ilous position of being directly be-
tween these two hangouts for dcs-
peradoes-that are dead.
The Oldest survivors of this vicin-
ity are unable from their memories
to tell how the former or north Rob
bers' Roost earned its name. It is
so close to the old stage and pony
express trail that there is bound to
be some direct genesis for the appel
lation, and it surely has the equip
ment from nature, for robbers could
hide in there and slaughter a regi-
ment.
Dan C. Mcdonald, who came here
in the early '70s and who is a lover
of traditions and "reminiscences,
never learned the real story of Rob
hers Roost, If there is II antedat-
ing the several here related. Gene
Norris drove stage over that road
back in 81 and he lever heard a
story of it other than that which old
timers have heard thousands of times
that it was a hangout for cattle
rus;lers.
But at that the north Robbers
Roost-as it may be called for a
better designation in the course of
this ARTICLES close to the scene of
some of the most thrilling events OF
the earlier days in White Pine
county.
The most notable OF these was a
double homicide at the Thirty-Mile
ranch, occurring along in the early
sos. Tom Wright was involved in
an unpleasantness of long standing
over cattle. Several men around
there had regulations of being more
or less of cattle rustlers, and at that
time it was a real cattle country.
There was all kinds of grass and it
was before the day of numerous
sheep in eastern Nevada. Thousands
the hills and valleys of the Butte and
Jake's valley regions, as they did over
practically every foot of White Pine
county. Wright shared in the gen
eral regulations of the rest.
1t was in the evening and three
men were there working oyer some
cattle or disputing about some in a
corral at Thirty-Miie. Wright vas
one of them, the others being La
none, a Mexican. who was a v~aauero
and an enemy of Wright, and Tom
NORM, a six-foot Texan, who was
friendly with Wright, or at least
leaned to his side of the argument.
The argument had rot proceeded
far when Lamone shot Wright and
he died in his tracks.
NORM had but one cartridge left
in his rifle but he was a marksman
and he drew a bead on Lamonc and
in less thar half a minute there was
a dead Mexican in the corral.
Wright's body was taken to Ruby
xnlJAx, ,,1arD - r-a- .r;AI =
was taken to Cherry Creek and it
lies in the old cemetery of that his.
toric frontier village.
1t is not clear whether it was be.
fore or after, but it was within a few
years one way or the other that Jim
Little was believed to have killed a
man named Morton. This was over
the ownership of Thirty-Mile springs
Morton was the owner and running
the ranch at the time, but a mar
known as Thirty-Mile Brown claimed
the water.
Little and Brown we're friendly
They went there together and Morton
was working in a field. Their story
was that Morton was making a dem.
onstration at laying them out with
a shovel and that as he was about tc
strike one of them Little shot anG
killed him.
Little was tried at Hamilton fol
the murder but was acquitted. Blu,
there was a strong belief at the time
which still obtains where the circum-
stances are not forgotten, that Brown
was the one who killed Morton. Yei
Little admitted the killing and Wen
through a trial, using as his defens.
the shovel story.
None the less thrilling was TIL,
shooting of Bill Norris, an English
man, by Doc Wheeler. at Long val
ley slough, several miles from The
scene of the other killings. Wheeler
was a gunman like you read abou'
and had notches to show for it.
- This time Wheeler and Jack Cas-
sidy were sleeping in a cabin at thu
slough when about midnight three
loud raps were heard on the door
They knew what was up, for the!
.z-As.- ALL e~~o AvNvrsc