Sheriff fortified his constitution with some whis
3 O- LG
en Van
LtOws
not far from the spot where he had
9
186. There were no religious services or other delays and he was
dead a few minutes after leaving the jail on his last ride, This
“ i
HISTORY OF COLORADO by Frank Hall Volume IT, Published 1890
Pages 150-15); feet filed COlorado ru Rt ng Bounded :
was constructed on "Casey Road!
killéd Copeland, and he rode the
Sheriff and a U. S, Marshal.
1864. There were no religious
> dead a few minutes after leavin
a
services or other delays and he was
g the jail on his last ride, This
_ was-the first legal execution in the Colorado Territory.
a
HISTORY OF COLORADO by Frank Hall, Volume Ite Fublished 1890,
Pages 150-15) (Excerpt filed Colorado - N'U — Bounds
Sheriff cogitind his constitution with some whiskey and then Van
Horn stated that he_w.
mans —Ths~gallows
not far from the spot where he had
there in a wagon stariding between the
He was hanged there on Janua:
“was-the first legal execution in the Colorado Territory.
>
= aa =
SUE e
cat oF aeeaco
aa, "a see Pay,
| January , 1864
VAN HORN,
Van Horn, a white man, arrived in Central City, Coloey in 1863 with
his mistress and opened a small saloon in Gregory Gulch, His woman
became enamoured of Josiah Copeland, cheif clerk in an establishment
known ag the Massasoit House and they began meeting surreptitiously,
One night in late October, they were walking on a street known as
"Casey Road," when Van Horny who had previously concealed himself,
emerged and’ began firing a pistol at Copeland. The young clerk
furned and ran with Van Horn in pursuit, firing the pistol, One of
the bullets took effect, killing Copeland, and Van Horn fled, He
was subsequently captured and taken back to Central City where a
large crowd, friends of the popular Copeland, maxm was determined to
lynch him, It was only with the greatest difficulty that the Sheriff
withsbood the mob for many hours, threatening to kill the first man
who crossed a line that xk he had drawn in front of the jail. Finally
the Sheriff managed to take Van Horn to the jail in Denver where he
was held until his trial when he was convicted and sentenced to die,
He maintained his composure up until an hour before his een,
where he broke down and began whimpering and begging for mercy, he
January » 1864
VAN HORN»
Van Horn, a white man, arrived in Central City, Colo., in 1863 with
his mistress and opened a small saloon in Gregory Gulch, His woman
became enamoured of Josiah Copeland » cheif clerk in an establishment
known a& the Massasoit House and they began meeting surreptitiously,
One night in late October, they were walking on a street known as
"Casey Road," when Van Horn, who had previously concealed himself,
emerged and’ began firing a pistol at Copeland. The young clerk
furned and ran with Van Horn in pursuit, firing the pistol. One of
the bullets took effect, killing Copeland, and Van Horn fled. He
was subsequently captured and taken back to Central City where a
large crowd, friends of the popular Copeland, maxm was determined to
lynch him. It was only with the greatest difficulty that the Sheriff
withstood the mob for many hours, threatening to kill the first man
who crossed a line that x he had drawn in front of the jail. Finally]
the Sheriff managed to take Van Horn to the jail in Denver where he
was held until his trial when he was convicted and sentenced to die.
He maintained his composure up until an hour before his hea eit
where he broke down and began whimpering and begging for mercy, “he
January » 1664
VAN HORN,
‘opeland, and Yan Horn fled, He
Was subsequently captured and taken back to Central City where a
‘VAN BOE, et eee
ey area tego tn cia co
ih
ae He
Hea
