Milton Sharp’s Buried Loot
The allure of gold in the American West invariably attracted those seeking fortune, not through the honest toil of prospecting, but through the barrel of a gun. Among these figures was Milton Sharp, an outlaw who carved a niche for himself in the late 1870s by targeting the stagecoaches laden with gold and silver traversing the routes between the Sierra foothills and the bustling hubs of Sacramento and Stockton. Reputed to have robbed over 20 stages, Sharp’s criminal career took a pivotal turn when he partnered with W.C. "Bill" Jones, also known as Frank Dow, an ex-convict from San Quentin whom he met in Bodie, California, and who had a dangerous propensity for alcohol.
Their initial foray into stagecoach robbery yielded a meager $88 and three watches pilfered from passengers of a Wells Fargo Express. Undeterred, the duo pressed on, achieving considerably greater success in their subsequent heist, netting over $15,000.
Operating across a wide area, including Carson City, Nevada, Jones and Sharp terrorized stagecoaches, executing six robberies in a span of fewer than four months. Their exploits became fodder for San Francisco newspapers, with Sharp’s persona adding an intriguing layer to the narrative. Unlike the stereotypical gruff outlaw, Sharp was known for his refined attire and courteous demeanor. When ordering Wells Fargo guards to surrender the strongbox, he maintained a polite tone. In stark contrast, Jones was a formidable figure with a full beard and a booming voice that instilled fear in both guards and passengers. While Jones kept the driver and guard at bay, Sharp would address the passengers with a carefully crafted apology, stating, "A thousand pardons for the inconvenience I have caused you, but you see, these are the hazards of my profession. We must relieve you of your valuables." His gentlemanly conduct extended to occasionally returning valuables to distressed women. Before making their escape, Sharp would offer a gracious bow, "thanking" them for their cooperation. This bizarre display of etiquette earned him a strange kind of notoriety. The tale of Milton Sharp’s Buried Loot begins with these audacious acts.
These “polite” robberies continued without serious incident until the morning of September 5, 1880. On that fateful day, while stopping the Wells Fargo Express en route from Bodie, California, to Carson City, Jones, reportedly inebriated, discharged two shots, fatally wounding one of the stagecoach horses. Mike Tovey, the stage guard, retaliated, killing Jones. Undeterred, Sharp proceeded with the robbery, abandoning Jones’ lifeless body on the road and leaving the stranded stagecoach and its passengers behind.
In the wake of Jones’ death, the authorities ramped up their efforts to apprehend Sharp. Posters offering a $3,000 reward for his capture were plastered throughout California and Nevada, turning lawmen and bounty hunters into relentless pursuers.
Sharp’s eventual capture occurred in San Francisco. He waived extradition and was transported back to Aurora, Nevada, in chains. Facing charges for six robberies against Wells Fargo, he was met with a hostile atmosphere. A lynch mob gathered outside the jail each night as he awaited trial. Desperate to recover the stolen wealth, the authorities relentlessly questioned Sharp about the location of his buried loot. However, he remained tight-lipped. In November 1880, he vanished from his cell, leaving behind a 15-pound iron ball chained to his leg. He had managed to dislodge bricks from the jail wall, making his escape unnoticed. The legend of Milton Sharp’s Buried Loot intensified after his escape.
The reward for Sharp’s recapture was immediately increased to $5,000, and the pursuit intensified. After weeks of being relentlessly tracked, and suffering from hunger, exhaustion, and exposure to the elements, Sharp surrendered to the Sheriff at Candelaria, Nevada. He was returned to Aurora, where he was convicted on five counts of robbery. When he continued to refuse to reveal the location of his hidden treasure, the judge, showing no sympathy, sentenced him to 20 years in the penitentiary.
Sharp was incarcerated in the state prison in Carson City, where he made several escape attempts within the first few months of his sentence. Eventually, he settled into a more compliant routine and, in 1881, unsuccessfully sought a pardon. Undeterred, he continued to plot his escape, finally succeeding in 1889. He remained at large for over four years. On October 3, 1893, he was apprehended in Red Bluff, California, and returned to prison.
After his recapture, Sharp penned a letter to Wells Fargo, providing a list of names and places where he had been employed during his time as a fugitive. Believing that Sharp had reformed, Wells Fargo endorsed his request for a pardon. On July 10, 1894, Sharp was released and, for the remainder of his life, reportedly lived as a law-abiding citizen. The story of Milton Sharp’s Buried Loot doesn’t end with his release.
In the years following his release, rumors and tales began to circulate, suggesting that a significant portion of Milton Sharp’s ill-gotten gains remained hidden in the locations where he had buried them. The possibility of discovering this hidden wealth sparked numerous treasure hunts.
In 1910, two brothers, Gus and Will Hess, embarked on a search for Sharp’s hidden loot in the hills of Bodie and Lundy. They managed to find small quantities of gold, adding credence to the rumors of buried treasure. However, it is estimated that approximately 70 percent of the stolen gold has never been recovered. It is believed to remain buried along the old stagecoach routes in the vicinity of Aurora, Nevada, and Bodie, California. The mystery surrounding Milton Sharp’s Buried Loot continues to fuel the imaginations of treasure hunters.
The legacy of Milton Sharp is one of audacious robberies, a brief reign of terror on the stagecoach routes of California and Nevada, and a persistent legend of undiscovered treasure. The allure of finding Milton Sharp’s Buried Loot still attracts those who dream of uncovering a fortune from the Old West.