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California's Infamous Stage Robber
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BLACK BART THE LEGEND ENDS
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Reward Poster for Black Bart $800
Photo courtesy Calaveras County Historical Society.
Actual robbery site at Funk Hill
Photo courtesy Calaveras County Historical Society.
Wells Fargo Stage Driver Reason McConnell
Jimmy Rolleri
Wells Fargo presented Jimmy with a Model 73 Winchester "One of One Hundred" rifle.
The rifle literally blew apart the first time Jimmy fired it. When Wells Fargo found out
they gave Jimmy a second rifle. Unfortunately, it was just a standard Winchester. Jimmy died
in 1903 at 39 years old.
Photo courtesy Calaveras County Historical Society.
Rifle Tag from Gun given to Jimmy Rolleri by Wells Fargo for his help
in capturing Black Bart. The rifle was on display until it was destroyed in a fire
at the Calaveras Hotel in Angels Camp, California in 1938. This tag is all that remains.
The tag reads: James Rolleri, Jr., For meritorious Conduct, November 3, 1883.
Photo courtesy Calaveras County Historical Society.
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The legend ends, or
begins to end, right where it began on a mountain pass called Funk Hill
in Calaveras County, four miles outside of Copperopolis, California, on
November 3, 1883.
It was early morning when 31 year old stage driver, Reason E. McConnell,
(Mac to his friends), pulled up to Reynolds Ferry Hotel on the Stanislaus
River. He had been to the Patterson Mine near Tuttletown and picked up
228 ounces-nineteen pounds-of amalgamated gold worth $4,200. Also in
the Wells Fargo strong box was $550 in gold coins and $64 in raw gold.
For security, the strong box had been bolted to the floor of the coach
for the trip between Sonora and Milton. 19 year old Jimmy Rolleri came out
of the hotel, run by his mother Olivia, and gave Mac a bundle of mail. He
thought that the storm the previous night would have driven deer down
from the high country and he wanted to ride along with Mac to do some
deer hunting. Mac agreed, glad to have the company. Jimmy got
his well-worn .44 Henry rifle and climbed aboard the Concord Coach, and Mac
started the four horse team off toward Funk Hill.
The coach was half-way up Funk Hill when Jimmy Rolleri said to
McConnell, "I'll get off here and work my way around the
hill. Jimmy jumped off the coach to start hunting and McConnell
continued up the hill for another 30 minutes. McConnell was rounding
the head of Yaqui Gulch, close to the top of the ridge, when a hooded
figure with a shotgun jumped out in front of him. It was Black Bart.
Bart was jittery because he has seen Jimmy get off the stage, as he had
been watching the whole time. He asked McConnell where the man went
that jumped off. McConnell quickly replied it was a kid looking for
stray cattle. Bart asked McConnell to throw down the the strong box. He
said he couldn't because it was bolted to the floorboards. Bart told
McConnell to get down off the stage and unhitch the horses. McConnell,
stalling for time, said the brakes on the stage were bad and if he was
to unhitch the horses the coach would roll down the hill. "It
won't roll down the hill if you put rocks behind the wheels," Bart
said. Hoping he had not pushed the robber too far McConnell said,
"Why don't you do it?" Much to his surprise the robber picked
up several large rocks and put them behind the wheels, all while holding
the shotgun squarely aimed at him. McConnell knew the robber was now
clearly getting agitated, and when he told him to get down and unhitch
the horses, he took no more chances and followed orders. McConnell
began leading the horses up the hill when Bart told him, "If
you don't want to get shot, don't come back or even look back in this
direction for at least one hour." As McConnell was leaving, Bart
started hammering away at the strong box with his hatchet. McConnell
stopped to catch his breath at the top of the ridge, about two hundred
yards from the coach. He could not see the robber but he could hear him
hammering and prying on the metal box. McConnell caught sight of Jimmy
coming around the hill, still hunting. He knew with Jimmy's gun they
could capture or kill the outlaw. He waved and got Jimmy's attention
and signaled him to come around out of the robbers sight. Jimmy thought
McConnell had sighted a deer. Mac quickly explained to Jimmy the
situation and they started toward the coach. They were about 100 yards
away when Bart, having finally broken into the strong box, jumped out
of the coach and spotted Jimmy and Mac. McConnell, who had taken the
rifle from Jimmy, fired at Bart twice as he started to run away. Being
a poor shot, he missed. Jimmy, however, being a very good shot said,
"Here, give it here, I won't miss." Jimmy took the rifle and
fired just as Bart was entering a thicket. They saw him stumble as the
bullet found its mark. Running to where they had last seen the robber,
they found a bundle of mail he had dropped, and scattered further on
was more mail that had blood on it. McConnell hitched the team back up
and continued on to Copperopolis. He reported the robbery and a posse
of local citizens went galloping out to the site. And, as they do
today, they did a good job of destroying the "crime scene."
Before nightfall Calaveras County Sheriff Ben Thorn had reached the
scene and Wells Fargo Chief Detective James Hume had been notified and
was on his way. Joaquin County Sheriff Tom Cunningham and Tuolumne
County Sheriff George McQuade had been asked to watch out for Black Bart.
But, despite all the volunteers, the vital evidence that was the
undoing of Bart was found. Found: a travel worn leather valise containing
a pair of field glasses, a belt, a razor, three soiled linen
shirt cuffs, two paper sacks containing crackers and sugar, and two
empty flour sacks. Also in the bag was an old handkerchief in which was
knotted a handful of buckshot. The meaning of the buckshot is unknown,
however, the faded letters "F.X.O.7" were in the corner of
the handkerchief. Sheriff Thorn realized that the letters were a
laundry mark. Later that day Sheriff Thorn turned over all the evidence
to Detective Hume.
It took Bart about half an hour to break into the Wells Fargo strong
box. He said by the time he had it open he was so exhausted that a
ten-year-old boy could have captured him. When Bart got out of the stage,
he had to start running because McConnell started shooting at him. He was
so tired, and carrying that heavy sack weighting nearly 20 pounds, Bart
could only run at a dog-trot. After running about a quarter of a mile he
stopped, too tired to run any farther. His hand hurt and was bleeding
heavily. He wrapped a handkerchief around the wound to help
stop the bleeding. Bart found a rotten log and stuffed the sack with the
gold amalgam into it. He kept the $500 in gold coins. Bart buried the
shotgun in a hollow tree but threw away everything else except what he
needed to get by. At one cabin along his escape route he stole a
hat to replace his derby. Bart tried to avoid people but on Monday, near
Bear Mountain, he accidentally stumbled into "Old Martin" the
hunters cabin. He asked for false directions and was on his way. On
Tuesday he arrived in Sacramento, having traveled almost 100 miles
through the rough California mountains. Bart went to the barber shop and
got a shave and a hair cut. Then he went to one of the better tailors
and got measured for a suit of clothes, bought a ticket for the train
to Reno, wandered around town for a while, then caught the train to
Reno. He wrote two letters, one to his landlady saying he would be back
in a few days and to hold his lodgings and one to his laundryman, Thomas
Ware, to hold his laundry. He stayed in Reno a few days and then
returned to Sacramento to pick up his clothes. On Saturday he returned
to San Francisco and slept at the City-Front Lodging-House that night.
The next day when it appeared that everything was normal, he returned to
his residence at the Webb House and went back to his usual habits
and enjoying the good life.
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"Wells
Fargo Never Forgets"
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Since its beginnings in
1853 Wells Fargo had taken pride in the safe delivery of gold and other
express. It had relentlessly tracked down other desperadoes who had
dared to rob treasure entrusted to the company. And now this single
individual with his outlandish costume and annoying little poems was
making a shambles of this proud tradition. Bart even had the audacity
to tell more than one stage driver during a holdup, " Please give
my regards to Detective Hume." Now things were about to change.
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Henry Wells
William G. Fargo
Wells Fargo Detective James Hume
The men who helped hunt down Black Bart. Seated (L to R) San JoaQuin County Sheriff Tom Cunningham,
Calaveras County Sheriff Ben Thorn (holding hatchet), Wells Fargo agent Harry Morse. Standing (L)
San Francisco Police Captain A.W. Stone. Standing (R) J.W. Thacker Wells Fargo Special Agent.
Photo taken in 1883.
Photo courtesy Calaveras County Historical Society.
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When Hume received the evidence from Sheriff Thorn, he turned it over to
Harry Morse, who had been hired by Hume for the specific purpose of
tracking down Black Bart. They agreed that the handkerchief with the
"F.X.O.7" laundry mark was their best clue. But, where to
start? Being as they were in San Francisco, they would start here. A
check of city records revealed there were 91 laundries in the city.
Morse knew he had a job in front of him, so he started going from
laundry to laundry looking for a match to the laundry mark. After about a
week, on Monday, November 12, Morse was at the Biggs California Laundry,
at 113 Stevenson Street. The owner, Phineas Ferguson, recognized the mark
and sent Morse to the tobacco shop of one of the company agents, Thomas
C. Ware, at 316 Post Street. Tobacco shops in the 1880's were sort of
early-day convenience stores. Ware said the washing belonged to C.E.
Bolton a friend of his. Bolton was a mining man who often visited his
mines. Sometimes he would be gone for a week or two, sometimes for as
long as a month. Morse introduced himself as Harry Hamilton and said he
too was involved in mining and would like to meet Bolton. Ware said
that Bolton had just dropped off some laundry and would be around again the
next morning. Morse also found out that Bolton lived at Webb House, No.
37 Second Street, room 40. Morse placed a watch on the house to keep an
eye to see if any person went in or out. Morse returned to the laundry
office to talk to Ware. Ware said, "Why, there comes Bolton now,
I'll introduce you to him." Morse knew immediately from the
description they had from people who had seen a stranger after the
robbery that he had his man. Bolton was elegantly dressed, carrying a
little cane. He wore a natty little derby hat, a diamond pin, a large
diamond ring on his little finger and a heavy gold watch and chain. He
was 5 feet 8 inches in height with deep sunken bright blue eyes, straight
as an arrow, broad shouldered,
high cheek bones and a large handsome
grey mustache and imperial; the rest of his face was clean shaven. One
would have taken him for a gentleman who had made a fortune and was
enjoying it. Morse introduced himself as Hamilton and asked if Bolton was the
mining man? Bolton said, "Yes I am." Morse then told Bolton he
had a matter of importance relating to some mines that he wished to
consult with him about. Could he spare a few moments? Bolton said,
"Certainly." They walked down Bush to Montgomery Street,
then to California and Sansome just like a couple of businessmen, right
up to the door of Wells Fargo and Company's office. When Charles Bolton
entered the office he seemed undisturbed. Morse requested to be seated
and then the long awaited introduction was made to James B. Hume.
Hume said he just wanted to have a little talk with him and commenced
by inquiring about his business. Where were his mines located? On being
closely pressed, Bolton was unable to give either the name of the mine or
its exact location. Bolton began to get a little excited and great
drops of perspiration stood out on his forehead and nose. He said,
"I am a gentleman and I don't know who you are. I want to know
what this inquiry is about? "Hume said he would tell him if Bolton
would answer his questions. Morse noticed a piece of skin knocked off
Bolton's right hand and brought it to the attention of Hume. Bolton
said he struck it when getting off a train car at Truckee. Bolton was
asked a great number of questions that he could not or would not
answer. The interview had gone on for over three hours and Bolton
finally grew indignant and said he was a gentleman and refused to
answer any more questions.
Hume called Captain Stone of City Prison, and along with Hume and
Bolton they went to Bolton's room at Webb House. In his room they found a
large trunk, two valises, three or four suits of clothes, and among them a
suit answering the description of those worn by the man who robbed the
stage near Copperopolis. In one of he pockets they found a handkerchief bearing the
same laundry mark as the one found at the scene of the robbery. In the
trunk were a lot of cuffs and collars and shirts all with the same
laundry mark. On being asked about the mark Bolton said, "I am not
the only one whose things bear that mark. Others have their
washing done at the same place. Somebody may have stolen the
handkerchief from me, or I may have lost it and someone else found
it." Bolton usually spoke with calmness and a pleasant smile.
"Do you take me for a stage robber? I never harmed anybody in all
my life, and this is the first time that my character has ever been
called into question." Also found in Bolton's room was a Bible.
The inscription read, "This precious Bible is presented to
Charles E. Boles, First Sergeant Company B, 116th Illinois Volunteer
Infantry, by his wife as a New Year's gift, God gives us hearts to
which His -- faith to believe. Decatur, Illinois, 1865." It was
signed by Mary Boles.
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The next morning at 7:30 AM Captain Stone and Detective Hume took
Charles Bolton and started out for Stockton. They telegraphed Sheriff
Thorn to get Thomas P. Martin, "Old Martin" the hunter, to
identify the stranger he saw after the robbery that had been committed
by Black Bart. As soon as he saw Bolton he said, "That's the man,
that's him!" Even now as the evidence piled up Bart did not show
concern. He still joked and was amused that the huge crowd outside the
jail thought that he was one of the officers and one of them was the
prisoner. They took Bolton to Reason McConnell to see if he could
identify him. When McConnell took the shot at Bart, he was at least 100 yards
away, and up close he was wearing a mask. But when the two talked,
McConnell told Morse that this was definitely the man that had robbed
him. After many more hours of questioning Bart realized that things
were not going his way. Bart asked Morse, "I don't admit that I
committed this robbery, but what benefit would it be to the man who
did, to acknowledge it?" Morse was excited, Bart was showing the
first signs of weakening. Morse said, "If a stage robber forced
his accusers to take him to trial and he was found guilty of several
robberies, a judge might well give him a maximum sentence." Morse
continued, "On the other hand, if a stage robber pleaded guilty to a
single crime with which he was charged, then went on to make
restitution, that probably would be taken into consideration by the
judge." Bart asked Morse, "Suppose the man that did commit the
robbery should do this, would it not be possible for him to get
clear altogether?" To his credit Morse did not lie. "No. The
law does not look upon stage robbery lightly. A man who pleads guilty
to robbery must expect a prison sentence. However, that would
certainly be better than a trial and the possibility of spending the
rest of his life behind bars." Bart stood up, it was cool in the
jail but there were beads of sweat on his forehead. Bart said, "I
want you to understand that I'm not going to San Quentin, I'll die
first." The interview went on for a little longer, always with the
benefits of confession and restitution and the fear Bart had of a
lengthy prison sentence. Then Morse called in Sheriff Thorn and Captain
Stone. Bart had decided that he would take his chances with confession
and restitution for the Funk Hill robbery. Then Bart said, "Let's
us go after it." Thirty minutes later Morse, Stone and Black Bart
were headed to Funk Hill to recover the stolen gold.
On November 16, 1883, in the Justice Court of Judge P.H. Kean in San
Andreas, Charles E. Bolton entered a plea of "guilty" to the
single charge of having robbed the Sonora-Milton stage on Funk Hill on
November 3, 1883. He was bound over to the Calaveras County Superior
Court for trial. The following day, November 17, 1883, after waiving
jury trial, Bolton pleaded guilty to the same robbery charge before
Superior Judge C.V. Gottschalk. Judge Gottschalk sentenced Charles E.
Bolton to six years in San Quentin Prison. On Wednesday, November 21,
1883, he began serving his sentence at San Quentin.
In court Bart always denied that he was either Black Bart or Charles E.
Boles. The prison records at San Quentin list him as Charles E. Bolton.
However, during his incarceration he wrote many letters to his wife,
Mary Boles.
From a San Quentin form: Charles Bolton's markings:
Reg. No. 11046...Small mole left cheek bone, scar right top forehead,
scar inside left wrist, Fat. shield Right upper Arm. (tattoo). Gunshot
wounds right abdomen. High cheek bones, heavy eye brows. Head: large
& long. Forearms hairy & tuft of hair on breast. Prom. Nose and
Broad at Base."
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