Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Benson Stage Robbery – March 15, 1881
The Benson stage robbery (more precisely, the attempted robbery of the Kinnear & Company stagecoach bound from Tombstone to Benson) occurred on the night of March 15, 1881, in the Arizona Territory. This violent incident resulted in the deaths of stage driver Eli “Bud” Philpot (sometimes spelled Philpott) and passenger Peter Roerig (or Roerig). It played a significant role in escalating tensions between the Earp brothers (lawmen aligned with order in Tombstone) and the outlaw faction known as the Cochise County Cowboys, contributing to the chain of events that culminated in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881.
Background and Context
In early 1881, Tombstone was a booming silver mining town plagued by lawlessness. Stagecoach robberies targeting Wells Fargo shipments were common, as the region saw frequent smuggling, cattle rustling, and highway robbery across the U.S.-Mexico border. The Kinnear & Company stage line operated between Tombstone and Benson (a railhead on the Southern Pacific Railroad), often carrying valuable bullion or express shipments.
The stage in question departed Tombstone on March 15, 1881, driven by the popular and well-liked Bud Philpot, with Bob Paul (a former lawman and candidate for Pima County sheriff) riding shotgun as the Wells Fargo messenger. The coach reportedly carried a significant Wells Fargo treasure box (rumors ranged up to $26,000 in silver bullion, though the exact amount is debated). Passengers included Peter Roerig and others.
The Attempted Robbery and Murders
The holdup occurred after dark on a moonless night along the road between Contention City and Drew’s Station (near the San Pedro River, several miles north of Tombstone, closer to Benson). Three masked men (armed with rifles) stepped out and commanded the stage to halt.
- Bob Paul refused, shouting something to the effect of “I hold for no one!” (or “I don’t hold for anybody!”), and raised his shotgun to resist.
- A shootout erupted immediately.
- One robber fired first, striking Philpot (who was driving) through the heart or chest, killing him instantly. Philpot slumped forward, and the horses bolted in panic.
- Paul fired both barrels of his shotgun at the attackers but without apparent effect in the chaos and darkness.
- A passenger, Peter Roerig (an older man riding on top or inside), was also fatally shot and died shortly after.
- The stagecoach careened onward uncontrollably as the team ran away, eventually stopping or being brought under control. The robbers fled without securing the treasure box or robbing the passengers fully—the attempt was largely botched.
The incident shocked the community, as Bud Philpot was widely respected and not seen as a target of personal grudge.
Immediate Aftermath and Investigation
A posse was quickly organized, including Virgil Earp (then acting as deputy U.S. marshal and Tombstone’s chief of police), Wyatt Earp, Morgan Earp, Bob Paul (who survived), and others (including Bat Masterson in some accounts). They tracked the robbers and captured one suspect, Luther King (who had reportedly held the horses or reins during the attempt). King confessed that the main robbers were Bill “Billy” Leonard, Harry “The Kid” Head, and Jim “James” Crane—all associated with the Cowboy faction (a loose network of rustlers and outlaws including the Clantons and McLaurys).
King was taken to Tombstone but escaped (or was allowed to escape) from Sheriff John Behan‘s custody before further interrogation. The other three suspects evaded capture at the time; Leonard, Head, and Crane were later reported killed in separate incidents (some in Mexico or during other crimes), though details vary.
Rumors swirled that Doc Holliday (Wyatt Earp’s close friend and a known gambler/dentist with a checkered past) was involved, due to his prior acquaintance with Bill Leonard from New Mexico. Holliday was arrested briefly in July 1881 on a complaint from his common-law wife Big Nose Kate Elder (who later recanted, claiming coercion during a drunken quarrel), but no charges stuck, and evidence was circumstantial.
Wyatt Earp, working informally as a detective for Wells Fargo, helped trace the suspects and later testified that he believed the three named men were guilty. Wells Fargo offered a substantial reward (up to $6,000 total, dead or alive), which Wyatt reportedly discussed with Ike Clanton in a secret deal: Ike would betray the robbers for the reward money, but the plan fell apart when Ike felt betrayed (believing Wyatt had shared details with Doc Holliday).
Role in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Benson stage incident became a flashpoint in the growing feud:
- The Cowboys (including Ike Clanton, Billy Clanton, Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury, and others) resented the Earps’ pursuit and interference in their activities.
- Ike Clanton later claimed (during the post-O.K. Corral hearing) that the Earps and Holliday had actually orchestrated the robbery themselves to cover up involvement, and that the Cowboys (who knew the “truth”) were targeted to silence them. This was part of the defense narrative portraying the Earps as corrupt.
- Wyatt denied any involvement and stated the Cowboys were protecting the real robbers (Leonard et al.), using their ranches as hideouts.
- The failed deal with Ike Clanton created personal animosity: Ike believed Wyatt had double-crossed him, leading to threats and drunken confrontations in the days before October 26, 1881.
- Broader suspicions of Earp corruption (fueled by Sheriff Behan, who opposed the Earps politically) tied back to the stage robbery rumors, heightening tensions.
- The incident exemplified the lawlessness the Earps sought to curb, while Cowboys viewed the Earps’ posse actions as overreach or personal vendettas.
These accumulated grudges—stage robbery fallout, reward disputes, arrests of Cowboy associates (e.g., Frank Stilwell and Pete Spence in a later robbery), and threats—directly led to Ike Clanton’s all-night drinking and arming on October 25–26, culminating in the confrontation near the O.K. Corral where Virgil Earp (with Wyatt, Morgan, and Doc) sought to disarm Ike, Billy Clanton, and the McLaurys.
The Benson stage robbery thus served as a key precursor: it linked the Earps to Wells Fargo interests, spotlighted Cowboy involvement in crime, fueled mutual accusations of corruption, and created the personal betrayals and fears that exploded seven months later in the famous gunfight.
In historical accounts, the event underscores the blurred lines between law enforcement, vigilantism, and outlawry in frontier Tombstone, contributing to the legend of the Earps as defenders of order amid chaos.
Galeyville Arizona
Galeyville, Arizona, was a short-lived silver mining boomtown in the Chiricahua Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona, during the early 1880s. It exemplifies the rapid rise and fall characteristic of many frontier mining camps in the American West, fueled by mineral discoveries, speculation, and the lawless reputation of the surrounding region.
Founding and Boom Period
The town originated in late 1880 following the discovery of promising silver-lead ore deposits in the area. John H. Galey (sometimes referred to as John Galey), a prospector and oil man originally from Pennsylvania (with some sources noting Texas connections), located rich silver veins and gave the settlement its name. The community quickly took shape as miners, merchants, and opportunists rushed in.
By early 1881, Galeyville had grown into a functional mining camp. A post office opened on January 6, 1881, reflecting its brief official recognition. The town featured typical boomtown amenities, including saloons, a general store, boarding houses, and other businesses supporting the miners. A smelter was constructed to process ore from local mines, such as the Texas Mine, highlighting the focus on silver-lead extraction.
At its peak in 1881–1882, Galeyville attracted several hundred residents (exact population figures are not well-documented but typical of small camps numbering in the low hundreds). It benefited from the broader mining excitement in southeastern Arizona following discoveries like those at Tombstone (founded around 1879).
Reputation and Outlaw Association
Galeyville earned notoriety as a supposed haven for outlaws and rough characters during Arizona Territory’s turbulent years. Located in a remote area near the San Simon Valley, it was reportedly used as a base or hangout by members of the loosely affiliated group known as the “Cowboys,” including infamous figures like Curly Bill Brocius and possibly Johnny Ringo. Legends portrayed it as a rough-and-tumble place filled with gamblers, rustlers, and gunmen who lived on the edge of the law.
While popular accounts (including later books and articles) amplified these tales—sometimes describing it as the “outlaw king” Curly Bill’s headquarters—more scholarly examinations, such as Brooks White’s book Galeyville, Arizona Territory 1880: Its History and Historic Archaeology, separate myth from evidence. Archaeological and historical records confirm mining activity and some outlaw presence, but the town’s outlaw reputation may have been exaggerated over time, influenced by its proximity to Tombstone’s famous events (e.g., the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881).
Decline and Abandonment
The boom proved fleeting. The ore deposits were not as extensive or rich as initially hoped, mining operations quickly became unprofitable, and excitement faded. The post office closed on May 31, 1882, after just over a year of operation—a clear sign of decline. By late 1882, most residents had departed, and the town was largely abandoned, with structures left to deteriorate. The smelter equipment was eventually relocated to Benson, Arizona.
Galeyville’s rapid collapse mirrored other Arizona mining camps dependent on narrow, high-grade veins that depleted fast without sustained development.
Legacy
Today, Galeyville is a classic ghost town with little visible remaining—no standing buildings, only scattered foundations, mine tailings, and archaeological traces in the Chiricahua Mountains. Its elevation is approximately 5,732 feet (1,747 m). The site is remote and accessible mainly by dirt roads, attracting historians, off-road enthusiasts, and those interested in Old West lore.
Galeyville’s brief existence (roughly 1880–1882) captures the transient nature of frontier mining: optimism sparked by discovery, a burst of activity, and swift abandonment when the riches proved illusory. Its association with outlaws like Curly Bill adds enduring appeal in Western history, though the reality was primarily that of a typical, short-lived silver camp in a lawless borderland.
Contention City, Arizona
Contention City (also known simply as Contention) was a short-lived boomtown and ghost town in Cochise County, southeastern Arizona. Located along the banks of the San Pedro River approximately 10–12 miles northwest of the more famous Tombstone, it emerged as a key milling and transportation hub during the region’s silver mining rush in the late 19th century. Today, it is largely a ghost town, with only a few foundations and rubble remaining as evidence of its brief existence.
Founding and Origins
The town’s name originated from a mining dispute. In the late 1870s, prospectors Ed Williams and Jack Friday tracked stray mules to a rich silver lode discovered by the famous prospector Ed Schieffelin (whose finds had sparked the Tombstone boom starting in 1877). A contention arose over ownership of the claim, leading to a division: Schieffelin retained part (named the Contention Mine), while Williams and Friday took the other (named the Grand Central Mine). This “contention” over the silver claim directly inspired the naming of both the mine and the subsequent town.
Contention City was established in late 1879 (with some sources citing early 1880) primarily as a milling site to process silver ore from the nearby Contention and Grand Central mines, as well as other Tombstone-area operations. Its strategic location on the San Pedro River provided essential water for the stamping mills—something lacking in drier Tombstone—making it ideal for ore processing. Several mills were constructed there, including the Contention Mill (with 25 stamps) and the smaller Sunset Mill, along with others to handle ore from up to six stamping operations in the district.
The town grew quickly to support mill workers and related activities. The Contention City Post Office opened on April 6, 1880, marking its official establishment. At its peak around 1882, the population approached 500, with amenities like saloons, hotels (such as Mason’s Western Hotel), and other frontier businesses.
Key Historic Events
Contention City’s history intertwined with the lawless and violent atmosphere of the Old West, particularly due to its proximity to Tombstone and involvement in events linked to the Earp brothers and the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (October 26, 1881).
- March 1881: A stagecoach robbery (the Benson stage) occurred just outside town, heightening tensions in the region amid ongoing conflicts between lawmen and outlaws.
- Post-O.K. Corral (1881–1882): After the gunfight, outlaw Ike Clanton attempted to have Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday tried for murder in Contention City, following a grand jury’s refusal to indict them in Tombstone after the Spicer Hearing. No trial ever took place there.
- March 19, 1882: The day after Morgan Earp’s assassination in Tombstone (March 18, 1882), Wyatt Earp, Warren Earp, and others transported Morgan’s body to Contention City’s railroad depot for shipment to the family home in Colton, California.
- March 20, 1882: Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday left their horses in Contention and arranged transport for the wounded Virgil Earp and his wife Allie to the railroad in Benson, as part of the Earps’ vendetta ride following the vendetta.
- 1887: A notable shootout occurred between Cochise County Sheriff John Slaughter (with deputy Jeff Milton) and members of the Jack Taylor Gang (wanted outlaws including Manuel Robles and others). The confrontation left two outlaws dead after they fled Tombstone and were pursued.
A significant infrastructure milestone came in 1882, when the New Mexico and Arizona Railroad extended service to Contention City, establishing a depot there. This gave the town advantages over Tombstone (which lacked direct rail access until much later), supporting ore transport and passenger travel.
Decline and Abandonment
Contention City’s prosperity was tied to silver mining. The town’s fortunes declined sharply in the late 1880s due to multiple factors:
- Flooding of the Tombstone mines following a major earthquake in Sonora, Mexico, in 1887, which forced mill shutdowns.
- Declining silver prices and exhaustion of accessible ore.
- Competition from other towns that offered services as mining waned.
The post office closed on November 26, 1888, and by 1890, the town was largely abandoned, with residents moving elsewhere. Unlike Tombstone, which endured as a county seat and later a tourist destination, Contention City faded rapidly.
Legacy
Contention City exemplifies the boom-and-bust cycle of Arizona’s mining towns. Though overshadowed by Tombstone, its role in processing silver ore, its railroad connection, and its tangential links to iconic Old West figures like the Earps and Doc Holliday give it lasting historical significance. Today, the site is remote and undeveloped, serving as a quiet reminder of the fleeting nature of frontier mining communities. Only scattered foundations, mill ruins, and occasional historical markers remain to mark where a once-thriving settlement stood.
Mazuma Nevada – Pershing County Ghost Town
Mazuma, Nevada, was a short-lived gold mining boomtown in the remote Seven Troughs mining district of Pershing County, in northwestern Nevada. Located at the mouth of Seven Troughs Canyon in the Seven Troughs Range, approximately 25-30 miles northwest of Lovelock and about 30 miles from the county seat, the town sat in a vulnerable position prone to flash flooding from the surrounding mountains.
The name “Mazuma” derives from Yiddish slang for “money” or “ready cash,” reflecting the optimistic spirit of the gold rush era.
Founding and Boom Period
The townsite was established in late 1906 by S.B. Hill and Starr Hill at the base of the canyon. It formed as part of the 1907 rush to the Seven Troughs district, alongside nearby camps like Seven Troughs, Vernon, and Farrell. Gold discoveries in the area, particularly at mines such as the Mazuma Hills Mine, drove rapid growth.
By mid-1908, Mazuma had become the most prosperous settlement in the district. Within just six weeks of its founding, it boasted:
- A mercantile house (general store)
- Three restaurants
- A lodging house
- Five saloons
- Other businesses
The town later featured more substantial structures, including a two-story bank, a three-story hotel, stamp mills (for processing ore), a post office (established 1907), and homes for residents. Population estimates during its peak hovered around 80-100 people, typical of small mining camps in the region. It served as a key milling and support hub for nearby gold operations, with at least two stamp mills operating there.
The Tragic Flash Flood of 1912
Mazuma’s prosperity ended abruptly on July 18, 1912 (some sources note July 11 or 19 due to reporting variations; the event occurred around 5 p.m.). A sudden and intense cloudburst struck the Seven Troughs Range above the town. Heavy rain in the mountains funneled massive amounts of water down Burnt Canyon and Seven Troughs Canyon.
A towering wall of water—described as 20 feet high and 150 feet wide—rushed into Mazuma without warning. Attempts to telephone warnings from upstream failed or came too late. The flood devastated the town, destroying most buildings, sweeping away homes, businesses, and debris including mining equipment and even a bank vault reportedly carrying $20,000 in gold bullion (which was carried nearly two miles downstream).
The disaster claimed eight lives (some accounts suggest up to 11), nearly one-tenth of the population. Victims included children from the Kehoe family (three siblings) and others caught in the torrent. The Seven Troughs Cyanide Plant was also destroyed, releasing cyanide into the floodwaters and adding to the hazard.
Surviving structures were limited to the two-story hotel, the general store, a few cabins, and the Darby Mill (or similar remnants). The post office closed shortly after, in late 1912.
Yesterday afternoon, at about five o’clock, the town of Mazuma (northeast of Reno) was devastated, eight people were drowned and nine more injured, many fatally, and a property loss estimated at nearly $200,000 by a cloud burst that swept down, unheralded, upon the mountain town. The known dead are:
Edna Russell, Postmistress at Mazuma;
Three children of Wm. Kehoe, all aged under seven;
M.C. Whalen, a miner, aged 35;
Mrs. Floyd Foncannon, drowned in Burnt Canyon six miles north of Seven Troughs canyon.
Those injured so far as can be learned at time of going to press are:
John Trenchard, merchant, probably fatally;
Mrs. Trenchard, badly cut and bruised, may recover.
Mrs. Kehoe, cut about head and face, bruised about body, may die;
Mrs. O’Hanlan, badly injured, may recover.
——————
Today the first witnesses of the flood conductions and who talked to the survivors returned to town. Among them was Drs. Russell and West, H.J. Murriah, J.T. Goodlin, H.S. Riddle, Jack and Will Borland and W.H. Copper.
Lovelock Review-Miner July 12, 1912
Aftermath and Legacy
Mazuma was never rebuilt. The flood marked the effective end of the town, accelerating the decline of the entire Seven Troughs district. Nearby Seven Troughs and Vernon also faded, with small-scale mining continuing sporadically into the 1950s but no major revival. A later tunnel project (Tunnel Camp) attempted to drain mines but ultimately failed.
Today, Mazuma is a classic Nevada ghost town. Scattered ruins, debris from the flood (such as old cans, pipes, and mining remnants), and a small cemetery remain visible in the desert landscape. The site has returned largely to nature, with little left beyond rubble as early as the 1950s. It attracts ghost town explorers and historians interested in the dramatic story of a community erased almost overnight by nature.
The tragedy of Mazuma stands as a stark reminder of the risks faced by early 20th-century mining camps in arid regions—boom driven by precious metals, bust delivered by sudden desert floods.
Mazuma Trail Map
Further Reading
John H. Galey
John H. Galey (February 4, 1840 – April 12, 1918) was a pioneering American prospector, mineral developer, and oil industry innovator whose career spanned the Pennsylvania oil boom, various western mining ventures, and major contributions to early petroleum exploration across the United States.
Early Life and Oil Pioneering
Born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania (some records specify near Clarion), Galey entered the emerging oil industry shortly after Edwin Drake’s famous 1859 well near Titusville revolutionized petroleum extraction. Described by contemporaries and later publications like The Oil and Gas Journal as one of the “boldest of the early prospectors,” Galey was a persistent, fearless, and original thinker who initiated numerous ventures.
He reportedly drilled one of the first successful oil wells in the Pennsylvania fields around 1865. His expertise in locating and developing oil properties grew through the Pennsylvania boom, where he identified productive wells near Titusville and other areas. Galey also ventured into California during the post-Civil War gold mining era, appearing in photographs from San Francisco in those years. By the late 19th century, he formed a long-term partnership with Colonel James M. Guffey under the firm Guffey & Galey (later expanded), focusing on oil fields in Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Texas. This partnership applied anticline theory practically to oil prospecting for the first time in many cases, leading to significant discoveries.
Galey’s most famous later achievement came in partnership with Guffey and others when they backed the drilling of the Spindletop gusher near Beaumont, Texas, in 1901. This massive blowout produced tens of thousands of barrels per day and laid the foundation for the modern Gulf Oil Corporation, marking one of the greatest oil strikes in history.
Role in Cochise County, Arizona
In the early 1880s, amid the silver mining frenzy sparked by the Tombstone strikes (discovered in 1877–1879), Galey shifted focus to Arizona Territory. Drawn by reports of rich mineral deposits in southeastern Arizona, he prospected in the Chiricahua Mountains of what became Cochise County (organized February 1, 1881, from eastern Pima County).
In 1880, Galey discovered promising silver-lead ore deposits on the eastern slopes of the Chiricahuas, near Turkey Creek. He acquired claims, including one he named the Texas Mine (possibly reflecting optimism, irony, or prior ties to Texas ventures). Securing financial backing, he developed the property and laid out a townsite to support mining operations. The settlement, named Galeyville in his honor, emerged as a boom camp with saloons, stores, boarding houses, and a post office established on January 6, 1881.
Galey organized the Texas Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company (or similar entity) to operate the Texas Mine and process ore. He reportedly sold at least one claim or interest for a substantial sum (accounts vary, with one citing $100,000 to a buyer named Wessels in October 1880). Infrastructure included a smelter, though ore proved limited in extent and richness.
Galeyville peaked briefly in 1881–1882 with several hundred residents and a rough reputation, partly due to its remote location attracting outlaws like Curly Bill Brocius and Johnny Ringo (associated with the “Cowboys” near Tombstone). Historical sources emphasize Galey’s primary interest was underground mineral wealth rather than surface lawlessness; he likely viewed the camp as a practical supply hub for his operations.
The venture proved short-lived. The high-grade silver veins depleted rapidly, profitability declined, and most residents departed by late 1882. The post office closed May 31, 1882, and Galeyville faded into a ghost town. Galey moved on, returning to oil pursuits with Guffey & Galey.
Later Life and Legacy
After Arizona, Galey continued oil development, including ventures in Oklahoma (early 1900s), Mexico (Tampico area around 1911), and New Mexico. He remained active into old age, respected for his role in America’s petroleum expansion.
Galey died in Joplin, Missouri, on April 12, 1918, at age 78. His legacy endures in oil history through Spindletop and early fields, and in Arizona lore via Galeyville—a classic example of a transient frontier mining camp. Though the town’s outlaw myths have overshadowed details, records portray Galey as a driven prospector who briefly transplanted his mineral expertise from eastern oil fields to the silver hills of Cochise County.