Jules Beni – Corruption and Violence in Old Julesburg, Colorado
The history of the American West is interwoven with tales of opportunity, expansion, and often, a darker side of lawlessness and corruption. Among the figures who embody this complex narrative is Jules Beni, a name synonymous with the tumultuous early days of Julesburg, Colorado. This article delves into the life and times of Jules Beni, exploring his role in the establishment of Julesburg, his descent into corruption, and the violent events that ultimately defined his legacy.
The story of Jules Beni begins in 1858, a period of intense westward migration fueled by the promise of gold and land. Beni, a man of mixed French-Canadian and Native American heritage, recognized the burgeoning potential of the Upper Crossing of the South Platte River. Previously involved in trading with the indigenous populations, he shrewdly adapted to the changing landscape, establishing a small trading post and saloon strategically positioned along the heavily trafficked California-Oregon Trail. This location, right on the border of present-day Colorado and Nebraska, proved to be a lucrative venture as emigrants flocked westward, seeking supplies, respite, and entertainment.
Described as a grizzled and sullen figure in his fifties, Beni, often referred to as "Old Jules" due to his age, possessed a formidable presence. He was said to be bearlike in stature, with a keen intellect, but also shrewd, mean, and possessing a reputation as a killer. This combination of traits allowed him to thrive in the harsh and unforgiving environment of the frontier. As more people settled in the vicinity, a cluster of buildings emerged around Beni’s trading post, transforming the area into a vital rendezvous point. Traders, Indian fighters, buffalo hunters, adventurers, desperados, and bandits all gravitated to this burgeoning settlement. Julesburg quickly became the largest settlement along the 350-mile stretch between Fort Kearny, Nebraska, and the rapidly growing mining town of Denver, Colorado, forever etching Jules Beni‘s name into the landscape.
The arrival of the Jones & Russell Stagecoach Line in the summer of 1859 further solidified Julesburg’s importance. The stagecoach line selected Julesburg as the point where its two westbound lines would diverge, one heading towards Denver and the other towards Salt Lake City, Utah. "Old Jules" Beni, with his established presence and familiarity with the region, was deemed the logical choice to manage the company’s station there. He quickly rose to prominence as a conspicuous frontiersman, becoming a well-known figure between the Missouri River and the expanding cities of Denver and Salt Lake City.
However, beneath the surface of Julesburg’s growth and prosperity lurked a darker current. As the station manager for the stagecoach line, Jules Beni‘s influence and control over the area expanded, but so did the opportunities for corruption. Atrocities along the Oregon Trail became increasingly frequent, with wagons looted and burned, and solitary travelers murdered. While these acts were often attributed to Native American tribes, survivors reported the presence of white men among the raiding parties. Released prisoners further fueled suspicions, recounting tales of white men freely moving in and out of Indian camps, sharing in the stolen loot. Rumors began to circulate that Jules Beni himself was at the heart of these criminal activities, with the wealthiest trains seemingly targeted after leaving Julesburg.
Following Beni’s appointment as station manager, crime escalated. Stagecoach lines, particularly those carrying money and valuable cargo, were increasingly subjected to robberies. Problems also plagued the station itself, with horses, supplies, and other company property disappearing, and mail being misrouted or lost. This pervasive corruption and mismanagement contributed to the financial woes of Jones & Russell, ultimately leading to its failure in October 1859. The company was subsequently reorganized as the Central Overland, California & Pike’s Peak Express Company.
Recognizing the need to address the issues plaguing its operations, the Central Overland, California & Pike’s Peak Express Company sought to clean up its unprofitable divisions. In the fall of 1859, Joseph "Jack" Slade, a man known for his fearlessness and toughness, was hired as superintendent of the Central Overland’s Sweetwater Division. This division, spanning nearly 500 miles from Julesburg to Rocky Ridge, Wyoming, was considered the most dangerous section of the company’s 1,200-mile route.
Slade quickly identified the problems within his division and implemented changes to improve the livestock, personnel, and stage stations. It did not take him long to determine that Jules Beni was a thief and a scoundrel, and he swiftly removed him from his position as station master. Faced with Slade’s formidable reputation, Beni stepped aside without resistance, and the two initially maintained a semblance of civility as Beni continued to operate his trading post and ranch in Julesburg.
However, Beni harbored deep resentment towards Slade for taking over "his town" and costing him his job. This anger intensified when Slade appropriated two horses from Beni’s corral, believing they had been stolen from the company. Beni vowed vengeance against his nemesis.
In the early months of 1860, Slade was focused on preparing for the launch of the Pony Express, scheduled for April 3rd, which would run its first cross-country delivery from St. Joseph, Missouri, to San Francisco, California. However, Slade’s efforts were disrupted in March, just weeks before the Pony Express was set to launch. During a routine inspection of the stage stations in his division, he arrived in Julesburg. As he approached Beni, unarmed, a warning cry rang out: "Look out, Slade, Jules is going to shoot you!" Before anyone could react, Beni fired three shots from his six-shooter into Slade’s body.
Mortally wounded, Slade staggered towards the stage station. But Beni was not yet finished. He retrieved a double-barreled shotgun and fired two barrels of buckshot into Slade. He then turned to the horrified stage drivers and remarked, "There are some blankets and a box – you can make him a coffin if you like." Slade was carried into the station and placed on a bunk, riddled with bullets and buckshot. No one believed he would survive. Beni, confident that Slade would die, declared within Slade’s hearing, "When he is dead, you can put him in one of these dry-goods boxes and bury him."
Slade, defying expectations, rose in his bunk and retorted, "I shall live long enough to wear one of your ears on my watch chain. You needn’t trouble yourself about my burial." The arrival of the overland coach brought the road superintendent, who, upon hearing of the assault and finding Slade in agony, ordered Beni’s immediate arrest and execution. A makeshift gallows was constructed, and Beni was marched to the site. However, after three failed attempts to hang him, the superintendent ordered Beni to leave the country or face execution by an informal court. Beni fled to Denver and then further west.
A Pony Express rider raced 175 miles to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, to summon a military surgeon. The doctor arrived a day or two later and, to his surprise, found Jack Slade still alive. He removed the pistol balls from Slade’s body. Once Slade recovered enough to travel, the Central Overland Company transported him nearly 1,000 miles by stagecoach and rail to St. Louis, Missouri, where skilled surgeons removed most of the buckshot. Incredibly, Slade was able to return to work in June.
By this time, Beni had disappeared, but the story was far from over. Upon Slade’s return to his post, he learned that Beni had repeatedly boasted about finishing the job of killing him. Army officers at Fort Laramie advised Slade to capture and kill Beni, believing that there would be no peace for the stage company until he was gone.
Beni returned to the area in August 1861, and upon hearing of his return, Slade dispatched four of his men on horseback to capture him, promising a reward of $500 if he was brought in alive. Within a short time, the men delivered Beni, tied over a pack-saddle, to the Cold Spring Pony Express Station in Wyoming. There, Beni was tied to a post in the corral, awaiting Slade’s arrival and judgment.
When Slade arrived, he shot Beni multiple times and cut off his ears. He reportedly kept these as souvenirs, using one of the ears as a watch fob. This act cemented Slade’s already fearsome reputation.
Slade’s exploits became the stuff of legends, but his ferocious reputation and drinking problem ultimately led to his downfall. The Central Overland fired him for drunkenness in November 1862. He eventually made his way to Montana, where, during a drunken spree in Virginia City, he was lynched by local vigilantes on March 10, 1864, for disturbing the peace.
The story of Jules Beni is a stark reminder of the violence and corruption that often accompanied the westward expansion of the United States. His rise and fall, intertwined with the development of Julesburg and the operations of the Central Overland, California & Pike’s Peak Express Company, provide a glimpse into the complex and often brutal realities of life on the American frontier. His legacy remains a cautionary tale, a testament to the destructive power of greed, ambition, and unchecked violence.