Newbie Southeast Idaho Stage Coach Robbery

[Tparris]

I'll be honest I joined trying to find more information on local history in Southeast Idaho. Trying to find out more information on the stage coach robbery at Robber's Roost near Inkom, Idaho.
I own a metal detector so looking to start treasure hunting.
T

 

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[vpnavy]

Welcome Aboard! Take a look at Sub-Forums: Idaho for information (i.e., clubs, etc.) directly related to your state.

 

[PatrickD]

I'll be honest I joined trying to find more information on local history in Southeast Idaho. Trying to find out more information on the stage coach robbery at Robber's Roost near Inkom, Idaho.
I own a metal detector so looking to start treasure hunting.
T

Welcome to the forum. I just did a quick search in newspapers.com and found a few articles about the stagecoach robbery in the location you mentioned. You might consider signing up for the free week and get the information you need then cancel.

Good luck.

Patrick

 

[Tparris]

I have that information as far as I can tell has never has been found thanks for the suggestion hoping to find local treasure hunters that may know more

 

[Tparris]

Thanks I did check that out great information

 

[Enginefitter]

Welcome from NE Ohio.

Engine

 

[DiamondDan]

Welcome. I've done a bit of research on that robbery, and frankly, there doesn't seem lime there's a lot to go on. It's pure speculation that the treasure is at Robber's Roost. Several members of the outlaws were dead soon afterward, and none of them fessed up to anything. Also, ifsome axcounts can be considered accurate, the entire party in the stagecoach was killed, so no witnesses other than the scumbag surviving robbers that were tight-lipped. It's a LONG shot, for sure.

PS. I'm always up for traipsing around in the mountains lol

 

[Jim in Idaho]

As far as southeast Idaho robberies go, there is another "Robbers Roost" nearer Blackfoot.....it's actually at the base of the Big Southern Butte. There was a stage holdup on what was called at the time "Root Hog Divide". The story is that the lone robber was tracked from RR into the Little Lost Valley where he was arrested. They brought him back near the site of the robbery, where he told them he would show them the cave where he put the gold. They allowed him to go into the cave, where he disappeared. When they went in the cave, they found it exited about 100 yards away. They never saw the robber, or gold, again. Twenty years later a guy showed up in the area with a map to the gold. He said the robber had given it to him as he was dying in prison in Arizona. The guy spent the summer in the RR area, but as far as anyone knows, the gold was never found.
I spent a couple of weeks working on this loot. I was finally able to determine the location of the old stage stop at Root Hog. The property is now owned by Bingham County. It's near the railroad tracks east of Atomic City. In the old days, water had to be hauled there from Webb Springs on the Big Butte. In my search, I assumed that Root Hog Divide was the high ridge west of Root Hog. I spent a lot of time detecting the trail near that ridge. But I finally decided it was a lousy place to stop the stage. Nowhere to hide a horse where it couldn't be seen from a distance by the shotgun guard atop the stage.
I finally decided the "divide" was probably what they called the narrow stretch of rough basalt lava where the railroad tracks cross the road east of the Big Butte. I was never able to find a cave as long as the one mentioned in the story. There are many caves in that general area, so it would require lots of looking to find the right one, assuming it actually exists. The only really large, long caves I know of are farther south closer to Bear Trap Cave on the Minidoka road. That treasure was approximately two gold bars weighing about 200lbs.....about 3.5 million today.
Jim

 

[DiamondDan]

That's an interesting story, Jim. Kinda gets my blood pumping. There is a LOT of country out that way. You could spend a lifetime out there.

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome aboard...

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Dan, I may go out and take a new look this month. It's fairly easy to plot a route from the robbery up to the Little Lost valley. Somewhere along that route is where the gold was hidden...probably pretty close to the robbery site, as the robber wouldn't want to haul himself and 200 lbs of gold very far. PM me if you want to go along.
Jim

 

[bootybandit]

Welcome to TNET!

 

[Brian's Luck is Golden]

As far as southeast Idaho robberies go, there is another "Robbers Roost" nearer Blackfoot.....it's actually at the base of the Big Southern Butte. There was a stage holdup on what was called at the time "Root Hog Divide". The story is that the lone robber was tracked from RR into the Little Lost Valley where he was arrested. They brought him back near the site of the robbery, where he told them he would show them the cave where he put the gold. They allowed him to go into the cave, where he disappeared. When they went in the cave, they found it exited about 100 yards away. They never saw the robber, or gold, again. Twenty years later a guy showed up in the area with a map to the gold. He said the robber had given it to him as he was dying in prison in Arizona. The guy spent the summer in the RR area, but as far as anyone knows, the gold was never found.
I spent a couple of weeks working on this loot. I was finally able to determine the location of the old stage stop at Root Hog. The property is now owned by Bingham County. It's near the railroad tracks east of Atomic City. In the old days, water had to be hauled there from Webb Springs on the Big Butte. In my search, I assumed that Root Hog Divide was the high ridge west of Root Hog. I spent a lot of time detecting the trail near that ridge. But I finally decided it was a lousy place to stop the stage. Nowhere to hide a horse where it couldn't be seen from a distance by the shotgun guard atop the stage.
I finally decided the "divide" was probably what they called the narrow stretch of rough basalt lava where the railroad tracks cross the road east of the Big Butte. I was never able to find a cave as long as the one mentioned in the story. There are many caves in that general area, so it would require lots of looking to find the right one, assuming it actually exists. The only really large, long caves I know of are farther south closer to Bear Trap Cave on the Minidoka road. That treasure was approximately two gold bars weighing about 200lbs.....about 3.5 million today.
Jim

 

[Brian's Luck is Golden]

Hello Jim
I've read this story in True West 1967 Dec. Issue.
From what the author wrote back then, the stage was heading to Springfield when the bandit robbed the stage. From your expedition adventure your way in another area where did you hear or know about this treasure, I've been looking on Google earth and I see no RR tracks near Big Butte

 

[Brian's Luck is Golden]

Hello Jim
I've read this story in True West 1967 Dec. Issue.
From what the author wrote back then, the stage was heading to Springfield when the bandit robbed the stage. From your expedition adventure your way in another area where did you hear or know about this treasure, I've been looking on Google earth and I see no RR tracks near Big Butte

I don't believe it was ever dumped in a cave. I believe it was droped in some hole and covered with rocks , you said you looked for days in the area you said and nothing , is there a lot of snakes there?

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Hello Jim
I've read this story in True West 1967 Dec. Issue.
From what the author wrote back then, the stage was heading to Springfield when the bandit robbed the stage. From your expedition adventure your way in another area where did you hear or know about this treasure, I've been looking on Google earth and I see no RR tracks near Big Butte

The tracks are several miles north of the Butte, and extend from Blackfoot to the National Engineering site. They used to go all the way to Mackay, but were torn out 30 years ago.
Jim

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I don't believe it was ever dumped in a cave. I believe it was droped in some hole and covered with rocks , you said you looked for days in the area you said and nothing , is there a lot of snakes there?

Probably dropped in a hole, or other small opening. We now have a pretty good idea on the stretch of road where the robbery occured, but have not located the loot. I did find a stretch of Goodale's Cutoff that, apparently, noone is aware of. It's completely unmarked, and very faint. It also matches the description pretty well. As far as rattlesnakes...there are enough I don't take my dog out there from May 1 to Nov. 1.
Jim

 

[Clay Diggins]

The story is that the lone robber was tracked from RR into the Little Lost Valley where he was arrested. They brought him back near the site of the robbery, where he told them he would show them the cave where he put the gold. They allowed him to go into the cave, where he disappeared. When they went in the cave, they found it exited about 100 yards away. They never saw the robber, or gold, again.

This is one bogus story. The people were robbed of their money, caught the thief and then left him alone to recover the stash and return it? Pure BS. Humans don't act that way. Why would they let the guy go into the cave alone and just wait for him to return the loot? The more likely scenario is that they beat him so badly he died before he gave up the location of the loot. That's how humans act in these situations.

So many of these treasure stories go off the deep end when trying to fill in the details. If it sounds stupid or unbelieviable it probably is. In my view when a writer puts this sort of nonsense into a tale I discount the whole account of the event by that writer. Dishonesty of this sort is not somerthing that just slips in to a written story. It's never accidental and leaves me with strong doubts about the whole story, not just the obviously made up parts.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Another thing, Brian...Root Hog was a nickname given to the stage station which is going towards Blackfoot, and is about 13 miles northeast of the Big Butte stage station. The stories I've read said the robbery occured ON Root Hog divide. All the research I've done, and I've never been able to find out where Root Hog divide is located. There is no such name anywhere on the internet, other than the story. There is a ridge just west of the stage station, but we've searched it extensively with no luck, and the ridge offers few spots for a lone robber to stop the stage safely (without being shot). My initial thinking was that ridge was Root Hog divide. I no longer think that's the case, though it could be. Obviously Root Hog divide was a name the locals used, but was nothing official. There is also a "divide"of a sort southeast of the Butte about 3 miles, or so, heading toward Springfield, but it offers few places to stop the stage. We've searched that area, too.
Jim

 

[Jim in Idaho]

This is one bogus story. The people were robbed of their money, caught the thief and then left him alone to recover the stash and return it? Pure BS. Humans don't act that way. Why would they let the guy go into the cave alone and just wait for him to return the loot? The more likely scenario is that they beat him so badly he died before he gave up the location of the loot. That's how humans act in these situations.

So many of these treasure stories go off the deep end when trying to fill in the details. If it sounds stupid or unbelieviable it probably is. In my view when a writer puts this sort of nonsense into a tale I discount the whole account of the event by that writer. Dishonesty of this sort is not somerthing that just slips in to a written story. It's never accidental and leaves me with strong doubts about the whole story, not just the obviously made up parts.

Yes, Clay....I often think the posse got off with the loot, but it's impossible to keep a secret known to a group, so word would get out. Also, there is a small volcanic butte where there is now a public rock pit. That pit is known as "Robber's Roost community pit" so that name derives from the story the robbery actually occurred. That pit is adjacent to one of the places the robbery could easily have occurred. I can't think of another reason that pit would have that name.
Jim
Jim