Horse Thieves and Their Rendezvous, 1857

Dear Readers,

The article below, Horse Thieves and Their Rendezvous, was first printed in the Yreka Union and reprinted in the Sacramento Union, October 10, 1857.


HORSE THIEVES AND THEIR RENDEZVOUS

The horse thieves, Henry Ingram, Chris. Lowry and Sam. Beringer, who were captured by Deputy Sheriff Uhl, of Shasta county, and of whose movements we have had some accounts heretofore, are evidently experienced adepts in their vocation of roguery.

The Yreka Union, in giving an account of some of their exploits, says :

Lowry and Beringer hired two horses at Forbestown, with the avowed intention of going to Oroville, brought them to this city and sold them to Mr. Butterfield and Maurice Baker.

The party seems to have been joined here by Mr. Ingram, who, it is thought, formerly resided on Indian Creek in this county.

The sale was effected by Ingram and Lowry, and the bill of sale signed by Beringer.

They were suspected here as the murderers of Rothenheim on Siskiyou Mountain, as soon as the news reached town, and the description of the men as given to our officers.

They fled towards Honey Lake Valley, and on the road thither stole two horse from Mr. Barbour, and also a saddle, which was used as a pillow, from under the head of an emigrant while he was sleeping.

The Sheriff and his assistants were close upon them, and finally overhauled them in Honey Lake Valley.

The Sacremento Union adds:

The party, no doubt, belongs to a regular organized band of robbers that infest the State.

Honey Lake Valley is undoubtedly the rendezvous of the most notorious horse thieves in the State, and the emigrants coming through that valley have frequently suffered the loss of stock, which have been driven off by these prowling thieves and charged upon the Indians.

The emigrants have often searched for two or three days after missing stock, and given them up as being run off by Indians.

Honey Lake Valley and other valleys in that vicinity are believed to be the pasture for a large amount of stolen stock, and many persons of a desperate character are said to reside there.