Mormon Joe – The Robber
By John A. Hill and Jasper Ewing Brady in 1898
The American West, a land of sprawling landscapes and burgeoning industries, also harbored its fair share of intriguing characters and captivating tales. Among these stories, the saga of "Mormon Joe," a railroad engineer with a penchant for adventure, stands out as a curious blend of fact, fiction, and folklore. This narrative, penned by John A. Hill and Jasper Ewing Brady in 1898, recounts the unlikely story of a man who inadvertently found himself embroiled in a gold mine robbery and, through a series of unforeseen events, navigated a path to love and redemption.
The storyteller begins by asserting a close acquaintance with a reformed, albeit unintentional, robber. This individual, known as Joe, had retired from his life of accidental crime. The narrative then harkens back to 1879, placing the reader amidst the rugged terrain of the Santa Fe Trail, where the narrator first encountered Joe Hogg. Hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah, Joe’s association with the Utah Central Railroad earned him the moniker "Mormon Joe," a name he bore without objection. Whether Joe adhered to the Mormon faith remained a mystery, yet his skills as an engineer were undeniable. Joe was a dedicated and well-mannered professional, qualities that distinguished him among his peers.
One evening, a fellow engineer, "Whiskey Jack" McCabe, made disparaging remarks about Mormons, prompting Joe to defend his community. Joe did not attempt to defend the Mormon faith. Instead, he argued for its practicality, noting its focus on providing tangible aid to those in need. He highlighted the faith’s alignment with Christian principles and the evolving social dynamics within Utah, where women enjoyed equal rights. Joe’s eloquent response silenced his critics, showcasing his intelligence and strong moral compass. The story of Mormon Joe then takes an unexpected turn when the narrator learns of Joe’s arrest as an accomplice in the robbery of the Black Prince mine in Constitution Gulch.
The Black Prince mine, a gold placer owned by two middle-aged Englishmen, operated with a small stamp mill powered by mules and a series of sluice boxes. The owners kept to themselves, creating the impression that the mine was not very productive. However, one night, the mill and sluice boxes were burned, revealing a loss of over thirty thousand dollars. The partners accused each other, leading to their arrest. Amidst this turmoil, Joe’s arrest shocked his colleagues, particularly the Brotherhood men, who rallied to his defense.
The accusation stemmed from Joe’s visit to the Black Prince mine the day before the robbery, during which he was reportedly seen carrying a large package. Joe remained tight-lipped, refusing to offer any explanation or defense. His enigmatic response, "Ask the sheriff; he’s doing this," only deepened the mystery surrounding his involvement. Despite a prolonged period of incarceration, no concrete evidence could be produced against Joe, ultimately leading to his release. The Englishmen, unable to implicate each other, sold the mine and disappeared, leaving behind a legacy of mystery and speculation.
Joe resumed his work on the railroad before accepting a position as chief engineer at a large stamp mill in Arizona. As time passed, the Black Prince robbery faded into the realm of local legend, with the estimated value of the stolen gold escalating over time, reaching fantastical sums. Years later, while traveling through Santa Fe, the narrator spots a trunk bearing the name "Mrs. Jos. Hogg," sparking a glimmer of recognition. A refined woman and a young girl soon appeared, claiming the trunk. Shortly after, a man matching Joe’s description, albeit with a beard and Western attire, arrived to escort them. A missing thumb, a detail etched in the narrator’s memory from a past incident, confirmed the man’s identity as "Mormon Joe."
A chance encounter on the train platform led to a heartwarming reunion between the narrator and Joe. Joe invited the narrator to his cattle ranch, a testament to his hard work and perseverance. During a campfire conversation in the New Mexico hills, Joe finally revealed the truth behind the Black Prince robbery and the romantic entanglement that had shaped his life. Joe begins by recounting his introduction to Rachel Rokesby, the daughter of one of the Black Prince mine owners. He met her at Mother Cameron’s hash-foundry. Rachel, a charming and intelligent English girl, immediately captured Joe’s attention.
During their conversations, Rachel confided in Joe, revealing a plot by her father’s partner, Mr. Sanson, to rob her father and destroy the mine. She feared that Sanson would frame her father for the crime, leaving them without recourse. Rachel enlisted Joe’s help to safeguard her father’s share of the gold, appealing to his sense of justice and chivalry. Joe, captivated by Rachel’s beauty and vulnerability, readily agreed to assist her.
Rachel revealed that over fifty pounds of gold dust and nuggets were hidden under the floor of the old mill. She then explains the plan to take the gold, burn the mill, and accuse her father of the crime. Joe agreed to help her fool Sanson. In a moment of boldness, Joe declared his own interest in marrying Rachel, expressing his growing affection for her. Rachel, while flattered, suggested they postpone such discussions until after they resolved their current predicament. The story of Mormon Joe gets more and more interesting when Rachel tells him her plan. She would leave a note at the boarding house with the plan she and her father had worked out.
A few days later, Joe received a cryptic note from Rachel, disguised as technical instructions for adjusting the counter-balance of the stamp mill’s mule-powered machinery. Joe, understanding the coded message, realized that he was to retrieve two packages of gold from the mill’s counter-weight box at midnight on July 17. Despite the risks involved, Joe devised a plan to feign a mechanical issue with his engine, allowing him to slip away unnoticed. The old five-stamp mill was driven by a mule, who wandered aimlessly around a never-ending circle at the end of a long, wooden sweep; this pole extended past the mill post a few feet and had on the short end a box of stones as a counter-weight.
Under the cover of darkness, Joe stealthily approached the Black Prince mine, retrieved the gold packages, and hid them near the town. He then returned to the roundhouse, changed his clothes, and cautiously carried one package at a time through the town, encountering the marshal, Jack Kelly, along the way. Joe successfully deposited the gold packages inside the dome of his engine. He carefully placed them within the steam engine’s dome, concealing them from prying eyes.
Joe was arrested as a suspect in the robbery. Joe maintained a dignified silence, refusing to incriminate himself. The townspeople, swayed by his composure, began to view him as a martyr. Eventually, the authorities released him, compensating him for his wrongful imprisonment. Upon returning to work, Joe retrieved the gold from his engine. A few weeks later, Rachel reappeared disguised as a traveler. She informed Joe that she and her father had sold their share of the mine and were leaving for England. She told him where the gold was hidden. After Rachel’s departure, Joe followed her instructions, recovering the gold.
Joe settled down to work and waited for Rachel to call for him. However, years passed without any communication. Joe eventually accepted a job on the Mexican National Railway. While visiting a fellow engineer imprisoned in Mexico, Joe encountered Rachel’s father, Mr. Rokesby, who was also imprisoned for murder. In a shocking confession, Rokesby revealed that he was the mastermind behind the Black Prince robbery. He had manipulated Joe and Rachel into helping him steal the gold. Rokesby confessed that he had sent Rachel to him. He had used Joe and Rachel to do the work for him and take the blame if caught. Sanson was honest enough, and Rokesby fired the mill himself.
Rokesby admitted to intercepting Rachel’s letter to Joe, preventing them from reuniting. Filled with remorse, Rokesby handed Joe the long-lost letter, revealing Rachel’s whereabouts in England. Overjoyed, Joe immediately set sail for England, where he finally reunited with Rachel. Mormon Joe finally made it to England! After arriving in England, Joe finds Rachel. The narrative concludes with Joe and Rachel finally finding happiness together.