Gold Robbery and Kidnapping off Old Train 82

Contents

MAIN CHARACTERS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

MAIN CHARACTERS

This story was my dream on July 29 2009, at 4:30 a.m. I picked an area in Saskatchewan Canada 400 miles up the Saskatchewan River. I’m not sure just what the actual area looked like back then. So this story will be a truly fictional story any resemblance to real people or places, is purely coincidental. I will assume the character of Jeffery Christopher Brubaker Born May 4 1870. Father Albert F Brubaker, Mother Marjorie C Brubaker. The Brubaker family moved to Canada during the war between the North and the South.

Jeffery married on June 8, 1894, he married Sandy Pearl Deacon born April 5, 1873 in Saskatoon.

The would be bank robber’s just names at the time of the robbery and approximate ages. There were five of them James Parker was the oldest about 43, Albert Parker brother, Billy Parker 18 year old son. Jim Watson and Joe Barnes, those five men were just Hunter’s until the opportunity of gold presented itself to them on November 20, 1895.

Other characters, old Sam 68 years old, lived up the river as far as you could paddle a canoe in one day light from the village of Timber Falls. Nobody ever knew his last name; he owned a bunch of mules and one dog named Bow. Jeffery became a Canadian guide at the age of 17, March 1, 1882, where he guided his first hunting party. Those three men were Bill Watson, Tom Waterston, Edward Bailey they were all in their early 40s, Jason Albertson 19 years old, and Jessie Parkowski, 18 years old, they were both born in Canada.

CHAPTER 1

GUIDING TEST

Jeffery C. Brubaker was born in United States, during the War Between the States. His father and mother were run off of their small farm in southern Illinois. They moved farther to the North and West each time squatting on property that wasn’t theirs and were run off three more times by the Northern Army. Finally when Jeffrey was 10 the family move to Canada and headed up River to a small town called Timber Falls. In those days it was just a whistle stopped for the Old Train 82; that hauled logs to the big mills below. These 500 miles of track followed the great river of the Saskatchewan southward to the bigger cities. This country was an untamed wilderness in those days, millions of square miles with very few outposts, and one royal mounted policeman to keep law and order.

There was no school house in Timber Falls, Jeff’s father worked for the timber mill; it was hard work and little money. He was a big strong man 250 pounds, quiet man not easily provoked, and taught his son those values. The Brubaker family had a three-year-old daughter who died of smallpox before they left United States, so they didn’t want any more children. The loss of a child to a mother is enormous, and it took a long time for her to get back to normal living. Timber Falls was about One hundred miles north of the biggest city around Saskatoon. The same timber mill on the river at Timber Falls, they use to send the logs down river but the logs would get all jammed up, and it would take months to un-jam the logs, sometimes they did it by blowing them up with dynamite.

When Jeff was 14 he had dreams of becoming a guide, and studied all the books he could find about hunting and what it would take to become a guide. No church but they were Lutherans in faith. The one important factor he had to overcome was he didn’t finish grade school, although his mother was a well-educated person and she helped him study for his education. By age 15 he was able to obtain a signed eighth-grade diploma, but he needed more education than that to become a guide.

He had his own trap line at age 14, although he was as big as most men he could not get a job at the mill, but he made more on the trap line than his father made at the mill anyway. But when he became 16 he did get a part-time job at the mill and he could handle both jobs. They lived in a 2 room log cabin with a loft up above were Jeff would sleep.

Jeff trapped every kind of fur bearing animal he could find, skunk, muskrat, weasels, Fox, Mink, and the most vicious of all Wolverine. He also set bear traps, they all brought a good price, and were sent to Shelby Montana by freight train, and then south to the biggest fur trading center in the world St. Louis, Missouri.

When these 200 miles of track was built, the old train 82 didn’t run on a daily basis. There was only one track with a turnaround at timber Falls, and it didn’t run by any specific schedule because of the many circumstances, such wind blown down trees that were too big to move. That would have to cut with cross cut saws. Whenever they had a delivery to make, some of the freight cars would be loaded and ready to go when they got there. Some logs were still floated down the river from Timber Falls, to Saskatoon. With numbers on each log, so if certain numbers didn’t arrive someone was sent to locate or un—jam those logs.

From Saskatoon all timber was hauled by freight trains, in those 250 miles of River it would be almost impossible to float the logs due to logs jams; it was more economical to just haul them by freight. When a log jam occurred you have to realize some of the logs were 100 feet long floating downstream. It would take months maybe even be impossible un-jam them. That wasn’t what concerned Albert Brubaker and his wife Marjorie and Jeffery. They were a close loving family and believed in Christianity for all, and that was why they got ran out by the Northern soldiers for harboring a young black man that was wounded, just 15 years old almost dead needed serious medical treatment, and the Northern soldiers thought they were southern people, and for a while took them as prisoners of war. Albert Brubaker proved he lived in southern Illinois, and he was not below the Mason Dixon line, when he was released by the Northern Army he was pushed into western Montana and eventually Upper Canada.

There weren’t many Americans in Canada at that time, and they didn’t make much point of being American when they wound up in Timber Falls. They adjusted well to living as Canadians and abiding by their law, and those days there wasn’t that much law to abide by, but they where a peace loving family, and got along well in the community. Although it was a logging town you’re going to have bar fights but very few criminals because Canada had death penalty by hanging for stealing a horse. In those days robbery was life in prison, and if there was a death during that robbery, the death penalty took place for all involved, so there were very few lawbreakers in the community. When bar room fighting occurred they were all taken to jail for a few days, by the town constable, and if he was out of town an appointed deputy would take over.

The mill owned the local store, and the things you bought were taken out of all your wages and prices were high because they had to be hauled 200 miles. Albert managed to make a living for his family. Jeff sometimes made more with his trap line, and while that was going on he studied to become a guide, fishing as well as hunting, he sent for books, maps and application to be a guide in the providence of Canada, Saskatchewan territory.

In those days the application called for a number of things you had to learn. You needed to prove 10 main points, number one geographical maps, number two physical and mental ability, number three proficiency with firearms, number four tested to carry 150 pounds long-distance, number five tested to carry a person long-distance, number six you had to take an oath to the Queen, Number seven running a rapids with a canoe, number eight cooking, number 9 identification of wildlife, number 10 identify a fish, and last been sworn in by the local mounted policeman. Jeffrey took his oath on July 11, 1887 at age 17 his badge was number 81, easy for him to remember, that night his father and mother gave a party for Jeff. It was a surprise for him, he only had two friends, a man named Jason Albertson, and Jessie Parkowski they were both 1 year younger than Jeff.

At the party they both took Jeff across their lap and spanked him, all in fun. Albert brought out a jug of Elderberry wine and they were just a little tipsy, after they drank 2 gallons Jeff was real drunk. This was the first time in his life he was drunk, his father didn’t go very often to the bar; he didn’t have the money to buy any whiskey so he stayed away from that sort of thing. Jeff was very sick the next morning, but quickly recovered when his mother dumped a bucket of ice water on his head.

The only way he could visit his friend Sam, was by canoe. And they had no way of communication. Now that he was a guide he needed to have another canoe, so he took the last of his money to buy a good canoe, and he took his first canoe ride up the river to visit his friend old Sam. Sam had about eight mules, and a dog named Bow. Jeff made a deal with Sam, to help them pack out any animals that would be taken on one of his guiding hunting trips.

Jeff didn’t have any money to buy mules, and horses, but that was his hope someday to have a string of horses, and mules, and pack in some big Moose; maybe even a record book 59 inches across like what was mounted in the local bar. Jeff felt confident that he could beat that record. Of course there were a lot of Moose, and deer, around in your backyard, but Jeff and his old friend Sam, set up some stands to the north of where Sam’s Place was. Some of the most important rules were bringing out the meat, most important was you couldn’t take just the horns; you had to make every effort to pack out all the meat of a downed animal. The tags were purchased through the office of the local mounted police, Jake Langman, and other out posts downriver, residents applied for just one hunting license including trapping for five dollars, nonresidents was $20, Moose $10.

Jeff had the first and only guiding service in the area, but there was no way to advertise although he did send a letter down river to put up a sign in some of the local merchants, for his guiding service. He will take you to the area where you could kill a good Moose or deer, but he didn’t agree to pack it out, that was their responsibility. They had to pay extra for mules to pack everything to the boat dock at Sam’s Place; from there it would go by canoe or flatboat to Timber Falls.

Jeff stopped in the bar one day for a beer, and the big man at the end of the bar said We have no room for kids around here. Jeff thought the man was kidding, but he soon found out he was serious, as he started towards Jeff. Jeff had just a few seconds to think about what he was going to do, his father always told him to avoid a fight if you can, but when there is no other choice do what you have to do, as that big man approached him with an American accent.

Jeff threw a hard right hand to the man’s stomach as he double up groaning from the pain, the big man from Montana put a smile on his face and said, You throw a good punch young fellow. Jeff said, I’m sorry I hit you I didn’t know what you were going to do. The man from Montana said, Were looking for a guide to take us moose hunting. Then he said, Money was no object. Jeff quickly responded I’m the only guide in town."

A couple of snickers from the other two men from Montana, as the big man said, Come on over here guys. and he said, I want you to meet our new guide. This man is the only guide for 200 miles. He said, Boys meet Jeff Brubaker. After a around of handshakes the big man said, My name is Bill Watson from Shelby Montana my 2 partners Tom Waterston, Edward Bailey; he is the youngest of our group.

CHAPTER 2

FIRST GUIDED HUNTING TRIP

Mr. Jeff Brubaker what would you consider fair for a week or 10 days hunting trip. Jeff said as he looked at the three men over, You look strong enough to pack 200 pounds of moose meat, and believe me the head of a Moose is awesome for two men to carry out of the woods. It depends on the distance, and if I take you three big Montana men hunting you have to obey my rules and regulations. The youngest one made a sneering remark, and Jeff quickly said, I am the boss at all times you sign the agreement and it will say what your charges will be, and you all must agree or nobody goes.

Jeff said, I’ll have the contract here within the hour. Jeff quickly went home and drew up a contract, his father and mother was both very happy for him, his first guiding tour. When Jeff got back with a contract he explained the cost. He said, First you have to be able to paddle a canoe from daylight to dark until we get to Sam’s Place. From there we will go on foot with our backpacks at least 75 pounds per person. I have a log cabin for us to stay in after we get there it’s about seven hours walk uphill. Sam and I built that cabin 2 years ago I have everything we need at the cabin already. If you’re lucky and get a Moose we can rent Sam’s mules, the cost will be eight dollars per day for each mule.

Room and board is nine dollars per day, no whiskey of any kind will be carried in by you. I have a few gallons jugs of homemade wine. At the dock I will inspect everyone’s pack thoroughly, tomorrow morning at first light, and we will have 2 canoes, ready to go at first light. It’s a long and tiring trip to Sam’s Place, we can leave word for Sam to bring the mules up the mountain to my cabin by rifle signal’s, the signals will be three shots from the cabin door one half hour after dark.

It’s very hard work if you’re up to it there’ll be no quitting along the way if you’re not up to it now is the time to say so, my Charges are in advance $240 for food and lodging, $150 for guiding service, for a total all of $390, plus your license at the dock.

On September 10, 1889 they signed the contract, and swore an oath they would abide by Canada hunting ordinance and Jeff’s rules, and hunting was their only objective and nothing