William Lightfoot Visscher
Despite the demands of his extracurricular activities, Visscher was a prolific hack in the tradition of Ned Buntline and Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. He published A Thrilling and Truthful History of the Pony…
Slade and Gilman Ranch
What is certain is that the division superintendent for the Pony Express who stopped to enlist the Gilman brothers in the crosscountry mail relay was a name that Mark Twain knew well. In…
The Gratification of Slaying an Enemy
"In his correspondence with Einstein, Freud argued that each of us derives a very basic and profound gratification from slaying an enemy, however imaginary the act, and from viewing him…
Molly
"After the [Mexican-American] war he [Jack Slade] married a beautiful girl by the name of Virginia, whom he called 'Molly,' and engaged in the freighting business."
Ferrin’s Grave
"We then ran down the river valley, which was here about one mile in breadth, in a smooth flooring of clay, sprinkled with water- rolled pebbles, overgrown in parts with willow, wild…
Burton on Slade
"Her husband was the renowned Slade: 'Of gougers fierce, the eyes that pierce, the fiercest gouger he.' His was a noted name for 'deadly strife;' he had the reputation of having…
Burton on Bloomers and Virginia Slade
"The Bloomer was an uncouth being ; her hair, cut level with her eyes, depended with the graceful curl of a drake's tail around a flat Turanian countenance, whose only expression was sullen…
Shooting of Ferrin
"In April [1860] we moved from Henry's Fork to the mouth of Ham's Fork, where we remained for a month . . . "While camped here a mule train of…
Virginia Dale Persuades Slade to Move
"Slade next took up a ranch not far from Fort Bridger in western Wyoming, and began freighting. He was in the midst of his enemies—without the protection, of the armed stage company employees. Maria never…
Holladay Goads Slade
"'This is one tough job," [Slade] remarked to his boss, Ben Halladay, owner of the stage company. 'Looks like freightin' is peacefuler.' 'J. A.,' replied Halladay, 'the way to get along is to make folks…
Eye Witness Account of Slade’s Hanging
"J. M. Venable, mining man of Boise, Idaho, is the only living witness [in 1928] of Slade's hanging. He knew him well and describes him as weighing about 160 pounds, five feet eight…
Overland Mail and the Confederacy
"'Paul Jones,' a correspondent writing from St. Joseph, October 17, lo the Missouri. Democrat (October 22, 1861), berated [CCO & PP President] Hughes as a rascal secessionist, and charged that the…
Names of the Upper Crossing
"The Upper Crossing of the South Fork of the Platte apparently went by several names including 'Laramie Crossing,' 'Goodale's Crossing,' 'Morrell's Crossing,' and later 'Julesburg' or 'Overland City,' although Julesburg came…
Buildings at Julesburg
"At Julesburg–in early staging days one of the most important points along the Platte–were erected the largest buildings of the kind between Fort Kearney and Denver. They were built of cedar logs,…
Army Discharge Description of Slade
"Said Joseph A. Slade was born in Clinton Co in the State of Illinois, is 18 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches high, dark complexion, black eyes, light hair,…