In the isolated eastern Sierra, the Wild, Wild West lived up to its name. Vigilante justice was a reality; within twenty-five miles, two men met their fate in twenty years at the end of a hangman’s noose. Today you can visit the site of both lynchings, Hangman’s Bridge outside of Markeleeville and The Hanging Tree in Genoa, Nevada.
The mild, mild west
Despite Hollywood and depictions of the “dime novels,” the “Wild West” wasn’t as wild as many believe. People from varied backgrounds and locations emigrated west in search of riches. Settlements quickly established rules and enforcement of laws. In an isolated and inhospitable environment, people had to rely on their neighbors. If a citizen broke the rules, the town would leave them to their own devices or runthem out of town. Most men carried the ultimate equalizer: the Colt Peacemaker.
The Wild, Wild West Was Really the Mild, Mild West
History: How Stuff Works October 10, 2019
(Photo credit: The Vintage News)
There were times when the Wild West lived up to its name. Vigilante justice was a reality, especially in isolated areas. When a crime occurred, the town would form an ad hoc committee. They would hear evidence and immediately issue punishment: flogging or banishment for minor crimes, hanging for serious crimes.
(Photo credit: Scenic 4)
Hangman’s Bridge
Our tale begins with a fight over the oldest reason in the book, a woman. Ernst Reusch believed E.H. Erickson, proprietor of a Silver Mountain City saloon, was having an affair with his wife. On December 18, 1872, Reusch obtained a gun that county judge Charles P. Goff had left in his room at the boarding house. While Erickson was playing cards at his saloon, Reusch shot through the window, killing Erickson.
To save Alpine County the cost and effort of finding an impartial jury and judge, the trial was moved to Mono County. On April 17, 1874, Reusch was transported from Silver Mountain City but never arrived at his destination. Armed vigilantes halted the transport on the East Fork of the Carson River. They captured Reusch, placed a noose around his neck and threw him over a bridge.
Ernst Reusch was not the only burial related to Hangman’s Bridge. The original E Clampus Vitus plaque was rejected by the Bureau of Land Management in 2014 and was”buried in an unmarked grave.” A new plaque with “historical changes” was dedicated in 2017 and erected at the Alpine County Historical Complex near Markleeville.
Markleeville Cave
Hangman’s Bridge is at the intersection of the East Fork Carson River and the historic 1864 Johnson Toll Road. If you follow the old road north of the bridge, you will soon come to Markleeville Cave. The cave was a winter shelter and ceremonial site for the Washoe Tribe. During prohibition, it became a speakeasy.
Genoa’s Hanging Tree
Hangman’s Bridge is not the area’s only local site of vigilante justice. You can visit Hanging Tree in nearby Genoa, Nevada’s first settlement.
In late November 1897, a night of drinking at the Millerville Saloon turned deadly. Adam Uber of Calaveras, California, had a few too many when popular local teamster, Hans Anderson, decided to torment him for fun. At some point, Hans grabbed Uber and was shot for his troubles, dying on the bathroom floor. Uber was arrested and taken to the Genoa jail. Sobering up the next morning, he claimed to not remember anything of the previous night.
A week later, on the morning of the 25th at 2 am, Thanksgiving Day, vigilantes appeared, held the sheriff and undersheriff at gunpoint and dragged Uber from his cell. The mob beat Uber and took him half a mile down Genoa Lane to a stand of cottonwood trees. Throwing a noose over a low branch, they hanged him. With his last words, Uber cursed his killers to seven generations.
Visited: 11-11-2020, 10-26-2020
References
- Ebbetts Pass Adventures: Historic Sites Along Ebbetts Pass
- E Clampus Vitus: Hangman’s Bridge and Vigilante Justice
- Genoa, Nevada: Visit Genoa
- Great Courses Daily: Vigilante Justice in the American Wild West
- Historical Marker Database: Hangman’s Bridge and Vigilante Justice
- History, How Stuff Works: Ridiculous History: The Wild, Wild West Was Really the Mild, Mild West
- PERC: Old West violence mostly myth
- Record Courier: Genoa’s Hanging Tree
- Vintage News: Colt Peacemaker was the most popular gun in the Wild West
- Visit Carson Valley: Genoa’s Hanging Tree
Matt / Fly I-80 says
What is the text of the original E Clampus Vitus marker that was removed? This was was typically well-written, they are a colorful and interesting bunch.
Tami says
I would love to know what it said. I was told the marker might not have been buried…. a treasure to seek.