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303 Appendix B John McCannon’s Attempt to Claim the Espinosa Reward The following is a portion of an article found in the February 25, 1897, edition of the Rocky Mountain News in 2012 by Christie Wright, president of the Park County Local History Archives Board, and very generously shared with the author. It has been lightly edited. The author believes it sheds a good deal of light on the character of John McCannon, mistakenly called “McCammon” by the writer of the account. ESPINOSAS WERE FIENDS So Say Those Who Saw Their Bloody Deeds RECALLING THE HORRORS John McCammon of Leadville An Applicant for the Reward Claims That It Was Through His Efforts That the Gang was Finally Broken Up, and that Tom Tobin Is Not Entitled to Any Reward— Judge Wilbur F. Stone Remembers the Case, And Says That Tom Tobin Did Kill Old Man Espinosa In the San Luis Valley . . . The dispute over the man entitled to the reward offered by Governor Evans for the killing of the Espinosas recurs every legislature and each time recalls stories of the most cold-blooded and daring of the outlaws of the early sixties. . . . While the reign of terror existed Governor Evans offered a large appendix b 304 reward for the capture or death of the bandits. After the death of both of the Espinosas an effort was made to find the paper in which the reward had been offered, but every copy was destroyed. Those kept in The News office were carried away by the flood of Cherry Creek in 1863, which buried from sight so many other records. Every legislature for many years has been appealed to for an appropriation to pay this reward, which was supposed to be $2,500, but as the document is destroyed the amount is not certain. Another Reward Wanted A bill for the relief of John McCammon was introduced in the lower house of the present legislature by A. E. Whitney of Lake, but was reported adversely by the appropriations committee. The reasons given were the long time that had intervened since the events mentioned and the difficulty in the way of securing reliable data. When Mr. McCammon sent in his claim he sent also a letter from himself and enclosed one from Judge Wilbur F. Stone. Mr. McCammon’s letter was: GRANITE, Colo., Jan. 15, 1897 Alex E.J. Whitney: Dear Sir—As there is likely to be a bill bob up to pay Tom Tobin for something he did not do, I write you the details of the matter. In 1863 there were a large number of mysterious murders committed in the then territory of Colorado. Governor Evans offered a reward of $2,500 for the discovery or arrest of the murderers. I organized a company of men in California gulch and hunted them down at Saddle Mountain in Fremont county in April, 1863. We made the discovery, killed the principal one and captured all their plunder. In a memorandum they claimed to have killed twenty-two men. I have Espinosa’s medal that I took off his neck at my house in Leadville. Colonel Tappan, in his report to Colonel Chivington, says the smaller one returned to the San Luis valley after his escape from Saddle Mountain and took a boy with him. They stole a steer, drove it up into a canon and butchered it. The Mexican herder trailed it to their camp. He reported his discovery to Colonel Tappan at Fort Garland. Tappan sent a squad of soldiers and he says the soldiers fired on them, killing both man and boy. Tobin cut their heads off, he says, and brought them to Fort Garland, and he says he has got $1,500 of the reward and expects to get the other $1,000. I never put in a claim yet, but I do now. I don’t want such men [3.133.121.160] Project MUSE (2024-04-24 18:12 GMT) john mccannon’s attempt to claim the espinosa reward 305 as Tom Tobin paid for my work. I spent $125 of my own money in fitting out the expedition. Correcting History Tom S. Wells has been trying to get another man to put in a claim. I expect him to do me all the dirt he can, as he is well aware that I understood his treachery when he deserted me on the trail.1 I send you Judge Stone’s letter and refer you to...

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