File, Document

Name/Title

File, Document

Entry/Object ID

2015.180.11.144

Scope and Content

Rans Baker's Research Collection Box 7 2015.180.11.144 The following file is composed of Lectures and Notes given or researched by Rans. Contents have briefly been listed. For more information on the subject, see the file. The folders are primarily arranged by date when possible and alphabetical by subject name in Box 7. Some files contain clippings and newspapers. RANS LECTURES 1910-1926 Talk Given to the Lions Club Meeting 9/8/2005 Pg.1 Rawlins Athletic Club-Basketball; Hugus Building Gym; Ross Alcorn; Boys and girls games, high school vs. athletic club Pg. 2 First Interschool Games with Laramie plus dance; Sagebrush Annual, Class of 1911 Pg. 3 Construction on new schools: 1st Ward School at Pine and Colorado Street, 1912 and West Ward on 9th and Walnut, 1913.1912 updates to Athletic Club. Schools arranged to have Athletic Training classes here. TALK 1 1911-1920 Pg. 1 Weather Pgs. 2-5 James C. Rose and prison break (3/25/1911) Pgs. 6-9 School athletics involving Coach Ross Alcorn vs. Rawlins Athletic club's team; boys and girls basketball, etc. Pg. 10 Creation of reservoir called Hogback Lake to catch run off of Bulls Canyon Creek into an lakebed S. W. of town. Contractor H. Larsen deepened the feeder ditch. Eventually fell into disrepair due to financial difficulties in 1917. Pg. 11 Growth of livestock industry, sheep ranches, shipping required better roads--built in conjunction with Sweetwater County. Pg. 12 State Board of Reform took over operation of the Pen Pg. 13-15 Maxim Affinosov-"mad Russian" events, sent to asylum Pg. 16 Extensive information on bars and saloons in Rawlins and their owners, some include: Turf-Exchange Saloon, Luxus, etc. Pg. 17-18 George Lewis, Union Pacific Railroad Detective attacked H. M. Thomas incident, Lewis fired. Hired in Illinois and got in trouble there. Pg. 19 Cattlemen vs. sheepmen wars enter new phase due to new sheep grazing tax Pg. 20 Routt County impounded flocks until tax paid Pg. 21 Charles Boyce, tax assessor, and Deputy Sheriff Miller; Cattlemen wintering in WY Pg. 22 Grazing taxes upheld, went to Supreme Court Pg. 23 John K. Hart, sheepman's history; Cow Creek Sheep Co.; Pg. 24 Penitentiary bad going Pg. 25 Penitentiary road work Fort Steele to Hanna, put off as too expensive--instead work on state and freight road around Monument Hill; John Posey Ryan-Chief gang boss and lifer. Pg. 26 John Ryan history; escapees from road gang captured Pg. 27 Prison road gangs considered a success; Ed Samuelson, prison guard, killed by attempted escapee Adam Eckert in 1907. Pg. 28 Mysterious death of guard W. F. Carrick Pg. 29 Prison Dr. Griff Maghee information Pg. 30 W. F. Carrick's murderer's plan Pg. 31 Prison Guard Dudley/ Coal Gulch; Albert Campbell, Al Hinman, H. B. Spencer, Warden Alston, guard Dan Healy; Sheriff D. B. Campbell Pg. 32 Missing work team partially recovered Pg. 33-34 Jep Petersen robbed in NE, his death results Pg. 35 Hans Larsen and Larsen Oil Company Pg. 36 Larsen Oil Company; J. B. Conger Pg. 37-39 End of Larsen Oil Company; Bob Meldrum; Robert Temple Pg. 40-42 Robert Temple and James W. Parsons and Bob Meldrum incidents Pg. 43 James W. Parson's trial and divorce 2ND TALK 1908-1915 Pg. 1 Winter of 1911-1912 blizzard. "Sheepman John Mahoney and herder Donovan missing. Found alive by Al Lindeman Pg. 2 Jacob Jepheson and family Pg. 3 Jacob Jepheson; Daley Ranch, Danish Brotherhood, Cliff House Pg. 4 Jacob Jepheson; Saratoga-Encampment Railroad blocked by snow for days; Charles Anderson Pg. 5 1/17/1912-fatal shooting in Baggs, Reverse 4 Cattle Co. cowboy Chick Bowen shot by Bob Meldrum. Pg. 6 Bob Meldrum; Carbon County Sheriff Creed McDaniel; Noah Wilkerson Pg. 7 Bob Meldrum; Noah Wilkerson Pg. 8 Noah Wilkerson; Bob Meldrum; Dr. Thomas Maghee Pg. 9 Bob Meldrum; labor dispute; Telluride Mines, Olaf Thissel Pg. 10 Bob Meldrum Pg. 11 Bob Meldrum; Tom Horn Pg. 12 Bob Meldrum; Jason H. Peabody (Colorado Governor) Pg. 13 Bob Meldrum hired as stock detective Pg. 14 Bob Meldrum; W. P. Blackmore; Chick Bowen Pg. 15 Chick Bowen; George Salisbury; Frank Humphrey, Harley Magor Pg. 16 Chick Bowen; George Salisbury; Frank Humphrey, Harley Magor; Bob Meldrum Pg. 17 Bob Meldrum; Chick Bowen; George Salisbury Pg. 18 Bob Meldrum; Chick Bowen Pg. 19 Bob Meldrum; Chick Bowen Pg. 20 Bob Meldrum; Chick Bowen; Meldrum's murder trial Pg. 21 Meldrum's murder trial; guilty of 2nd degree murder, Cora Meldrum Pg. 22 Cora Meldrum; State Supreme Court give Meldrum 3rd trial. Pg. 23 Meldrum ran out on his bail, reward offered, willing to return, but scared for his life. Pg. 24 Rubie Rivera escorts Meldrum back to Rawlins (Pinkerton agency); pg. 24a-no money for Meldrum retrial Pg. 25 Meldrum's friends raised money for trial-guilty of manslaughter. William Daley organized day time work release for Meldrum Pg. 26 Meldrum, William Daley, Frank Hadsell collected signatures for release/pardon of Meldrum--successful, he moved to Walcott and opened a Harness and Tire Shop Pg. 27 Fire burned down Meldrum's store, Andersons, and Joe Quintana's pool hall Pg. 28 Meldrum moved away, parts unknown; Mrs. Meldrum Pg. 29 Mrs. Meldrum; Rawlins gets new hospital-Dr. F. C. Nichols-Rawlins Hospital and Medical Institute Pg. 30 Dr. Nichols and his cure for alcoholism Pg. 31 Hospital changes management; More on Mrs. Meldrum; H. Rasmussen Pg. 32 Dr. Nichols deception, unlicensed Pg. 33 Hospital burned 1918; came back as Central Hotel, burned in 1938; Now parking lot by thrift store near Cedar and 3rd. Pg. 34 Exaggerated Meldrum story in Colorado paper; Sheriff Eugene Horton; Horse theft; Jack Dempsey; Pg. 35 J. W. Hilderbrand; Jack Dempsey; Deputy Sheriff, D. R. Frammel Pg. 36 Dempsey; Homer Merrell got his case thrown out. Dempsey went to Red Desert Pg. 37 Crippled Ole Peterson; Dempsey stole horses while gathering Peterson's sheep; Bob Cameron, Bob Meldrum Pg. 38 E. Reed Myer, Carlie Jebens, Dempsy (horse theft) sale; Pg. 39 Dempsey-horse sales Pg. 40 More on Dempsey and stolen horses Pg. 41 Posse after Dempsey Pg. 42 Dempsey caught, pled no contest, charges dropped Pgs. 43-46 More on Jack Dempsey and horse thievery, others involved are named. Extensive information is given 3RD TALK "THE TEENS" Pg. 1 Leo Keller building, business district of Rawlins, disastrous fire, 10/1906. Pg. 2 Osborne Realty Co. bought the burnt properties from Olympia Donnell in the Miller Block? and began to rebuild Pg. 3-6 Problems encountered during construction are given, disagreements, etc. Pg. 7-8 Capt H. A. R. Gray designed new school with a foundation able to hold a much larger school, 1912 Pg. 9 Taxed itinerant voters, ie: railroad workers from other towns Pg. 10-11 More on school changes Pg. 12-14 Establishment of Poor Farm, A. Verne Ferris, Riverside Home; James Sherrod at Farm and celebrates 100 birthday. Pgs. 15-17 Henry E. Clay escaped pen, story, crime, escape, recaptured, prisoner attacks Pgs. 18-Jack Dempsey and Ben Hickman escape pen Pg. 19-Warden's residence proposed Pg. 20-No money for residence Pg. 21-Prison baseball team; Jenz' execution; broom factory strike and more Pg. 22-Capital punishment; More on Jenz'; gallows Pg. 23-27-Festivities around Jenz's hanging, his crime and his goodbyes, problems with his hanging; Rasmussen dealt with body to ship to family, but there is a stone in the prison cemetery. Another escape attempt. Pg. 28-29-Francisco Corrido behavior in prison and his suicide Pg. 30-39-Broom factory fire, citizens behavior, rebuilding, escapes, and harming of locals in 1912; Frank Wiggall-paroled. then beat Esther Higgins who had baked for prisoners; he was captured and hung by fellow prisoners; aftermath of incident; prisoners revolt; escapees leave town; Pg. 40-44-many more prison escapes, understaffed; Charles Stressner escaped, some killed; records wiped out after 15 years. RANS LECTURE-EARLY MIDTEENS Pg.1-Ferguson Mercantile bought Hugus and Company Store; Jerry and Bert Coburn open Luxus Cafe in Luxus Saloon. Pg. 2-John Donnel and his sheep business Pg. 3-5-Robert Meldrum out on bail; escaped prisoners been recaptured; local elections of 1912; Republican Victory Dances; Mrs. Henrietta Shelton shot by Ed Salao. Pg. 6-10-information of this crime and outcome; Mrs. Frank Rider's skull split with axe by her brother Mel Davis. Information on Rider family and Mel Davis and crimes, 1913. Guilty of 2nd degree murder. Pg.10-15-Shooting in Pass Creek involving George Bices, James Dickerson, Mrs. Nancy Hawkins, S. Smith, cattle dispute; Mrs. Hawkins arrested; Jim Dickerson-rustling?, His land auctioned by Sheriff; Mrs. Hawkins released-self defense; Dickerson case dropped; Ferris Photographic Studio Pg. 16-17-Ferris Photographic Studio; Rawlins Athletic club, handball Pg. 18-School students get physical ad for the first time; need for increased water supply Pg. 19-20-McMicken and C. L. Hopkins; Transcontinental Highway; Lincoln Highway Route Pg. 21-22-Nick Stevens, shepherd, murdered; Miller Livestock, Kirk Miller; Charles Rogers. Pg. 23-Stevens murder; Rogers, Campbell, Rubie Rivera, Reed Harless was Rogers real name. Pg. 24-Harless captured, pled guilty to 2nd degree murder Pg. 25-27-Water system improvements Pg. 28-Downtown property sales Pg. 29-Cullen Commercial Company; Tivoli Saloon; Ferris Hotel; Pg. 30-Ferris Estate, 1914, Ferris Hotel Pg. 31-Pen construction projects Pg. 32-Rubie Rivera-recent laws: gambling laws banned; no women in saloons; unlicensed liquor sales, others listed; Hugh "Scotty" Mathison shot (lived) Pg. 33-C. C. Ivy arrested. lost liquor license, etc. Pg. 34-35-Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill-Old West Show--disappointment Pg. 35-Sheepman Mark Edwards made Deputy Sheriff by Ruby Rivera Pg. 36-42-Incidents involving George Edwards shooting Roy Landis, horse thief, drifter who was involved with George's wife, Lena Boughan; George acquitted; shot Fred Ott for being involved with Lena and found guilty and sent to penitentiary; Story of Edwards' children, their lives, George eventually pardoned and at some late point remarried Lena and they attempted to get their children back together. Much information in lecture not given here. RANS 5TH LECTURE-LATE TEENS Pg. 1-3 Post WW I, 2/1914-Mrs. Charles Johnson's son, Alfred, was shot by bordello owner, Anna Buford aka Ada Buford. Tried for manslaughter, convicted and sent to Canon City, CO. Pg. 4 Charles Anderson; Athens Confectioners; August Swanson; Roller Skating Rink; H. K. "Bennet; funeral parlor; H. Rasmussen; Mable Rasmussen (1st licensed embalmer in WY) Pg. 5 The Silver Spur; Chatmers Detroit Auto Garage; Homer France; J. H. Withers, clothes store, died 1914. Pg. 6-7 Prison wall built; Roman Catholic Church built; Rawlins-Laramie long distance line with other towns in between coming soon; 1915 playground built for children Pg. 8 Mayor P. P. Murphy officially changes name of Cedar Street to Lincoln Highway; UPRR-Front Street businesses confrontation over property Pg. 9-Julius Mayer, Robert Freedman and the Wyoming Bar Pg.10-15-Molly Meyers aka Indian Moll; Alphonse Martinez, "The Irish World" Brothel; Isabelle Trujillo, prostitute. Isabelle and Alphonse were killed, murder-suicide?, bodies returned to families. More to story in script. Pg. 15- work on Catholic Church; bells arrived-donated by John Osborne, blessing of bells, 1916; gym addition to Central School; Mrs. Edith Clark Pg. 16-Jim Dickerson, George McIntyre, A. D. Campbell Pg. 17-18-G. McIntyre shot Jim Dickerson; McIntyre arrested, incident expanded on in notes; fire on Front Street-(long lecture) Pg. 19- 2/9/1916-Billy Craig and bakery; eastbound passenger train No. 18, held up. Pg. 20-Train Robbery story Pg. 21-25-Complicated story about Enrique Cordova, (ranch hand of Harry Phelan), night policeman, Pat Burns, and Glen R. Bush who ended up killing Mr. Cordova needlessly. Bush joined others in attempted jail break, jailer James Herzler beaten by man named Howell. Pg. 26-Bill Carlisle train robberies Pg. 27-Swedish Community bought old Catholic church for North Star Lodge Pg. 28-30-Harry Phelan, Jr., John Ryan, George Edwards, Lee, J. W. Spangler. Fight between Spangler and Harry Phelan, Jr. Spangler stabbed Phelan; Spangler arrested. Pg. 31-35-High School boys have physical training program, 1914. Edgar Steever designed program; Cadet training; Will Anderson; uniforms, etc. Pg. 36-Harold McKay; Robert Clause; Wade Wikes?; Henry Larsen; Phil Zingsheim; ? Tierney; Ruel Armstrong; Frederick Anderson; Carl Engstrom; Harold Close. WW I impact on Rawlins. Pg. 37-Stone bridge construction; realty deals; trainmans' residence; installation of phone lines. P. 38-Union Pacific Clubhouse; local construction; Ford Garage; Odd Fellows Building Pg. 39-Shirt factory in Pen; Fred Rendle; Rawlins Drug Store; Stone Hospital Building fire. Pg. 40-Spanish Influenza, Homer Merrell's old house turned into temporary hospital. Pg. 41-Rosier House, Rawlins Motor Company; Addition to West School; Pg. 42-Proposed Theater LECTURE 6-INTRO TO THE 1920'S Pg. 1 Volstead Act (prohibition); July 1919 allied victory celebration moved to June to beat prohibition. Pg. 2 Moonshiners; day light savings time; American Legion Post; Frank G. Engstrom; P. J. Johnson, Modern Opera House; North Star Lodge; Pg. 3-Bars becoming ice cream and soda parlors; Pete Johnson, theater business; Charles Anderson sold his theater to Johnson and Bangs. Pg. 4-Nation wide coal miners strike-peaceful in Hanna; coal shortage; Pg. 5-Need for winter fuel; 11/15/1919, Lone Bandit, Bill Carlisle escaped pen, robbed train, shot in hand. Pg. 6-Winter storm-raised concern about fuel, especially the depot; Niland and Tierney Company; John Minor Wilkes; Rawhide Bill. Pg. 7-John Minor Wilkes; Rawhide Bill, Blizzard camp jacks?; Buster and Ortiz, Loomin Ranch; Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Bryant, Hanna miner, car broke down and nearly froze to death. Pg. 8-Red Brawley, Buster froze to death; Coal miners strike-lack of coal to heat in town. Pg. 9-Bill Carlisle, Lon Roach Pg. 10-Bill Carlisle, Lon Roach, Ed Williams Pg. 11-Roach shot Carlisle, not fatal; UPRR-coal conservation rules Pg. 12-Miners agree to go back to work Pg. 13-Coal totally out; 2 prisoners escape due to snowbank on wall Pg. 14-Harvey Wallace & Jason Code escape; trucks made it to coal mine, but got stuck. Pg. 15-17-UPRR let coal come in and lifted restrictions12/18/1919; Bill Carlisle back to pen and more; UPRR retaliation. Pg. 18-Rawlins Board of Trade; 2/16/1920-charity ball to raise funds for new hospital. Pg. 19-Red Cross Tag Days fund raiser Pg. 20-Hospital board: W. W. Daley, R. H. Hopkins, L. E. Armstrong, George Bible, H. J. Rogner Pg. 21-Hospital giving; Anderson and Bang's theater Pg. 22-23-Strand Theater Pg. 24-Lack in City revenue due to prohibition; occupation tax? Pg. 25-City finances; Henry Wallace, Dave King, Jack Smith attempt to escape pen Pg. 26-29-Tells of who made it, who got caught, etc.; Frank Hadsell; new well for pen. Pg. 30-I. J. Rendle, robbed of horse; Annie Baker, Frank Cobb Pg. 31-Blanch Miller's Sporting House; Booze robbery; Bob Westbrook; Pg. 32-Charley Robertson; Gertrude Miller Pg. 33-Veterans moving to Rawlins, Dr. C. W. Jeffery, Dr. T. J. Swisher. Pg. 34-36-Dr. Jeffery, coroner; Dr. W. P. Mott and Dr. Neva Mott, sordid story ending in Mr. Mott's suicide. Pg. 37-Coast to coast airmail flight race Pg. 38-creation of Rawlins air strip; Pilot Cook Pg. 39-40-1st WY air mail fatal crash Pg. 41-Rawlins regular air mail stop; Louis Schalk; Perry Smith. RANS LECTURE 7, 1921-1922 Pg. 1-Crack down on gambling, bootlegging; John Friend, Justice of the Peace, fined guilty $50 and let them go; number of breakins at 1st of year. Pg. 2-3- Burglars caught and jailed; Young Peoples Social Center Pg. 4-5-Social Center; Al Biscaro-pen escapee Pg. 6-12-Al Biscaro; Grace Nichols (2); Biscaro suicide; Pg. 13-Rosa Phillips, 1st beauty parlor; Julia Potak, Mike Bosanac, Stevo Potak, (Julia's estranged husband); Pg. 14-15-Triangle between the above with Julia being shot by her husband, who then shot himself in the stomach; See lecture for complete story; Moonshiners listed. Pg. 16-Jack Lee& Tom McCullem-fight, McCullem shot. Pg. 17-18-Jack Lee was never caught; Red Sanders, moonshiner operating on Frank Roberts Ranch near Ft. Steele. C. J. Hagen caught Pg. 19-C. J. Hagen; Christina Harper and Minnie Tuange aka Minnie Herbert Pg. 20-Women's "sporting houses, court fees, morality fees Pg. 21-Dance nights, moonshiner mash clogs sewers Pg. 22-23-Alvaristo Perez, Carmen Gutierrez (shot Perez) Pg. 24-Gutierrez and Ignacio Jaso Pg. 25-26-Carmen Gutierrez, Dr. Rex G. Aten; Masonic Temple fire; 1st paid fireman, Frank J. Morgan. Pg. 27-Maxonic Temple; alternate fuel sources for heating--natural gas. Pg. 28-Natural gas companies; Ohio Oil company lines installed; water and sewer redone. Pg. 29-St. Joseph's Catholic Church Rectory built 1922; Fred Brown crime and manhunt, aka Gus Grimes aka The Chain Bandit. Pg. 30-37 Fred Brown's crime; shot; captured; medical care; lady troubles; travels; capture. Pg. 38-Brown's guns, trial and attempted escape; reward money offered and paid discrepancy; taken to Nebraska and eventually ended up being shot trying to escape from the Penitentiary at Lincoln. Pg. 39-40-Ian Buchanan, Walter Felton, and Eureka Sheep Company. Pg. 40-41-Ian Buchanan's disappearance 7/30/1916 and some remains found in boat in 1922, but not all. RANS LECTURE 8, 1923-EARLY 1926 Pg. 1-Stone building for bachelor quarters for guards opened Pg. 2-3-Oil and gas booming; location for PARCO refinery opened 3/13/1923; construction of company town. Pg. 4-Rawlins brings water from Sage Creek Pg. 5-Osborne Realty Company-building construction downtown; the Daley Building; 1st National Bank. Pg. 6-Sunny Side Addition Residential Area, area covered and cost of lots given; Dr. Raymond Barber, his car, the prison mechanic, and the escapee, Glenn E. Moran. Pg. 7-Harry Cashman; Cliff House Hotel and Restaurant. Pg. 8-1923-Downtown construction continues, see document for information; Hatfield Oil Company's fruitless search for oil; Dr. Neva Mott and Claude Kittell. Pgs. 9-12-Kittell shot Mott and then committed suicide, leaving his son, Cleve. Order of the Royal Neighbors held the service for Dr. Mott. (their coffins were shipped to different places, see notes for details) Pg. 13-Building of the Rawlins County Club and Golf Course story (near where Flying J is (2018) near Smiley Springs. Built by H. Larsen and opened 2/12/1924. Pg. 14-More on Rawlins County Club and Golf Course and the hiring of Mr. Tabaio, Golf Professional; Bids for 1st National Bank, opened late 12/1923; I. J. Rendle and Dave Rusk's Aero No. 2 Service Station at 5th and Buffalo, 6/11/1923; Strand buying organ. Pg. 15-Strand organ information; F. M. Johnson Ford Dealership; H. Larsen's Hardware Store; Elks Lodge. Pg. 16-17-Piggly Wiggly; Dr. Barber addition to his office, (now the Aspen House 2018); Film, The Cowboy's Dream, filmed in Rawlins with locals--Harry Breitenstein and Theresa Smith, included many other locals, see lecture. Pg. 18-20-Terrible train wreck 9/12/1923, Vincent R. Gallagher killed, inquest held, see lecture.\ Pg. 20-21-Penitentiary Shirt Factory Fire, consequences and losses. Pg. 22-New shirt factory construction; Odd Fellows Annex constructed; the Paulson building; Homer France buildings on east side of 4th near Front. Pg. 23-New Albany Hotel; Daley Building; Sage Creek Water Line. Pg. 24-Elmer Hawkins, Irvine Draper, Moonshiners Pg. 25-Sheriff Sander's moonshine raid on oil field roads; Mrs. Laid operated a roadhouse north on the Bell Springs Road, she and her helper Charles Lee were arrested. See lecture for fines, jail sentences, etc.; Charles Zumstag arrested as moonshiner. Pg. 26-1924-Christian Science Church built, had been meeting since 1910; blasting powder stolen and set, resulting in damage. Pg. 27-Three day crime wave by 3 men--Mrs. Jose Douglas violently robbed (had nothing of value); Other names: Bebe Hart, Louis Jahnke, (victims); Pg. 28-31-Above men broke into Mosher's, stole furs, etc., had accomplices in hiding; other incidents; caught in Denver and Pueblo. Pg. 32-Trial of robbers in Rawlins and their sentences Pg. 33-Stanley Hudson, convict, goes into detail of his life, crimes, prison time, and diary, "Sweet Smell of Sage Brush."; Frank Dunn; City Marshall Hillenbrand. Pg. 34-More on Stanley Hudson and City Marshall Hillenbrand; new high school (Carbon Building, 2018)-planned 6/1924. Pg. 35-Location site for new school controversies, planning committee and school board names given; Pg. 36-37-1/20/1925 bids opened for above; Rawlins Theater Company (names given) organizes and announce plans to build Theater at 6th and Cedar; Rawlins Public Library plans; The Rex Theater plans. Lecture goes into detail on these subjects. Strand Theater updates. Pg. 38-Alice R. Haswell; More on Rawlins Theater Company and the Rex Theater. Pg. 39- Sundin Chevrolet Agency, Engstrom Motors; Presbyterian Chapel, France Memorial Church; Rawlins Republican Newspaper Building Pg. 40-Engstrom Motors and Nash Agency, photo page 13, Rawlins Republican, 10/28/1926 Pg. 41-42-Judge Homer Merrell's house-history given of various owners. Burned by hobos and aftermath.

Collection

Archives and Library