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AdventureGuide
AdventureGuide
20. RE: Stolen freshly minted gold coins, near Virginia Dale Colorado
Jan 30 2009, 5:57 PM EST | Post edited: Jan 30 2009, 5:57 PM EST
Howdy All,
Here is the tip of the iceberg version of the story of Jack Slade and the stolen treasure of Virginia Dale:
Bandit gangs regularly terrorized the stage lines, several areas were well scouted to work, one is along the famous Overland Trail in Colorado. The gang felt so comfortable in the remote landscape they even went so far as to build a cabin at the top of "Robber's Roost", about a mile to the northeast of the Stage Station. The hideout was well placed, with a great 360 degree view,hard to sneak up on, and it was very difficult to climb because of the rim of shale, practically perpendicular cliffs. It was a widespread rumor that Jack Slade, the Station Master at Virginia Dale was the leader of the gang, he was known to have a close connection to some of the bandits.

A gold shipment of over 200 lbs that amounted to $60,000 in freshly minted coins $2.6 million today was being shipped by the US Government, the shipment represented several months of back pay for soldiers at the fort. Masked men ambushed the stage, and made off with the entire payroll about a mile north from the Virginia Dale station. The robbers were killed by the US Cavalry, the troopers eventually foud the iron strong box in a nearby creek, broken open and empty. The stage line suspected Slade was the mastermind, but were unable to prove it. The owners of the stage line felt they had no choice and fired him.

Everyone thought it was strange that Jack went very meekly, it may have been that he was tired of the job, maybe he simply had stollen enough money and thought it was a good time to move to Montana. Because of this suspicious behavior he remained under the watchful eye of the overland stage coach company's agents. Jack never recovered his loot because he died pennyless a few short years later when he was hanged for horse robbery in Virginia City, Montana, on March 10, 1864.
Happy Trails,
Johnny Do you find this valuable?