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Show r -'V - . V 3Tt -?ii 4 v iriMa fi M (I r ,- . . ' - I FRANK BREWER on his horse, Candy, which had been a wild horse, at their ranch at Sweetwater in the Bookcliffs. Frank spent many years there Watterhole Dead! blm by George E. Long Note: The following was related to author by Allan Brewer as told to him by his father Frank Brewer of Bitter Creek in southern Uintah County. I wish to express my appreciation to Alan and Jack Brewer for their help in this article. During those early years around the turn of the century, one could hardly find a more remote area than that which comprised southern Uintah County in Utah and western Rio Blanco Blan-co County in Colorado. If a man wanted to find a place to isolate himself from the outside world, this was certainly ideal. With the coming com-ing of the narrow gauge Uintah Railway and the building of the new town of Dragon in 1904, several people began moving into the area. There were those who worked in the gilsonite mines, or for the railroad ; others who were involved in the various businesses of the small town, and some who homesteaded and took up ranching in the vast open spaces surrounding sur-rounding Dragon on every side. Most of these people went about their affairs just like anyone in any ordinary or-dinary community, but the following is a story of a man of a different character, a man who led a rather secretive and discreet life. This man was Charley Stevens, more commonly common-ly known as Waterhole Charley. Now it isn't known whether Charley Stevens is his actual name or not, as some seemed to think otherwise. It's not known where he came from or what he had done, except that he had oeen in trouble with the law during his past. This he had told to his close friend. Joe Trujillo. There is no record as to when he first arrived in this area, but it was some time during the late w.m. Waterhole Charley lived in what is referred to as a half dugout on the left hand fork of Texas Creek approximately approx-imately 18 milts in a rvruVrly direction from Dragon. A half dugout is a cabinlike cabin-like affair with a portion of it built into in-to a bank or hillside. In early days these w ere quite common. They were quick to construct and provided warmth during winter months, Charley's holdings were whet is called call-ed squatter's rights. In many locations during early days you could do this, and after so many years you could ol tain title to the property provided no one Jumped your claim. Charley lived alone, making an occasional oc-casional trip to Ilangrly. Colo., for supplies. sup-plies. It was during this lime that he became friends to Jw Trujillo and his family who were making their home in Hangrly. The Trujillo family later ImmestraoVd on Sitter Creek firar the Frank Hrewer holding. The watfrhole nrar where he lived and from whence he got his nickname was a rn k lank like ci'irrn katrd at the )f rr end of a long and large sloping slop-ing rock. Ham or milling nnw would flow into the cistern like affair hrr e and at Bitter Creek where he built up quite an outfit. alleys to it could then be used by those who needed it. He had made the hole with the use of black powder and it held several hundred gallons of water. This was an area where good water was hard to come by as there were considerable con-siderable amounts of alkali and gypsum gyp-sum scattered nearly everywhere. Charley liked old Joe Trujillo and his family very much. One day he shot and butchered a maverick yearling out of a bunch of wild cattle running on Texas Mountain, and as he was bringing the meat to Rangely, he was arrested and thrown into jail for stealing steal-ing beef. Most of those living in the vicinity killed and ate this meat from time to time, as the mavericks were not branded or marked to prove anyone's ownership. But the range detectives put Charley in jail just the same and told him he'd have to stand trial. It's believed that John Purdy was marshall at the time, and Charley told him that it would be curtains for sure if he had to stand trial. There was evidently something much worse in his past that would come out. Charley told him that he butchered the beef and was taking it to his friend Joe Trujillo in Rangely where they were living at that time. Besides the critter didn't belong to anyone and Joe's family was hard pressed. Now Officer Purdy, being an understandable man, knew that Charley, living alone, minded his own affairs and didn't bother anyone, and as far as killing that wild maverick, well that was certainly a ridiculous charge anyway. Besides he had done it for a very worthy cause. That night before he came on guard he saddled Charley's horse and tied some biscuits and jerky brhlnd the saddle In a roll, but forgot to put in any matches. Being around the first of March and very cold, Purdy went in and built up a large fire and leaning back In his chair, went to sleep. Charley then slipped out and headed north toward Blue Mountain several miles away. Just why he went this w ay is not know n for sure. iuiIcm he feared the law might try to locate him follow ing his getaway. His own place would have been closer and much more familiar. He may have been trying to make his way to the Mobley ranch at what is now known as The Three Springs Hanch along the eastern ilpe of Blue Mountain The weather, bring as it was In the w inter end after riding all night, there w as nil dmU that he mut have been very cold, lie culd have become lst and even tbmigh only a couple of miles from the tarn h cabin and with no mean of making a fire, he fro?e to death. Just ciactly what the circumstances were will never be known. Later rn members of the Mohlry family found his frozen bo-ly end fc-iriH it on He ?p An Uncle nf Minf'ird Beard s helped lay Chalky in his final resting place Joe Trujiii'! ti l t Trat'k Brraet that fate cold grave Charley had shown him the place where he wanted to be buried under a certain cedar tree near his camp. Joe never got to carry out this wish due to the fact Charley had been buried up at Three Springs, and several weeks before Joe knew of his death. He always felt bad that he hadn't been able to do as Charley had wanted. Later on Henry Lee, who was well acquainted with several members of the famous Wild Bunch, came to the Dragon area where he met and married mar-ried Joe Trujillo's daughter. He and Joe made several trips to Charley's old waterhole camp where they spent many long hours digging under this tree and that one. Henry finally believed believ-ed that Waterhole Charley was none other than Tom McCarty who, along with Butch Cassidy in years earlier, robbed the Telluride bank. No one knew what actually become of Tom McCarty. Lee believed that somewhere near the camp there would be a considerable amount of cash hidden, hid-den, perhaps under the tree where Charley wanted to be buried. But the tree may have been gone by then, as Don Hill said that on one occasion he knew of, a cowboy tied his horse to a cedar and the animal spooked pulling the tree over and he though it was later used for firewood. The supposed loot w as never found. Stories circuited throughout the area for years about Waterhole Charley and was he the mysterious Tom McCarty? The answer no doubt lies with the man in the grave at Three Springs ranch, and chances are the rest of us w ill never know. The story beyond any question rates right along side the dozens of others w hich ended so abruptly and under puzzling circumstances cir-cumstances in early day. On Nov. 30, 19tw5, brothers Alan and Jack Brewer and mynrlf drove to the Three Springs ranch where we visited the grave of Waterhole Charley. Jack had worked several years earlier for the Three Springs outfit and therefore was well acquainted with the area We stopped and visited Minford Beard and his wife Judy at the ranch headquarters The Beards operate the huge ranch. Also at the ranch was Rial Sberidcn w hw father owns a ranch in the Bed Wash. Colo , arra and Robert Broom Hubert was art old friend of mine from school das and w as raised on a ranch at Willow Creek in the BK-kcliffs. The Beards treated us U) a fine dinner din-ner and showed Us through Iheir fabulous muwum in which they have the finet collection of mounted animate and the like that I hae eFr rn The Beards collected the fine specimens on hunting trips they have ma V ti pearly every major area in the worll All this, alo-g h the wondetful b'Kp'aVv th'wn us H 'he )'-e ;.; gurj tj,rf ffirp,t.a, fr .t e !', in- (! ! a very spei iat day. THE NEW town of Dragon, Utah, in about 1905. This was in the area which Waterhole Charley fjjll AN ARTIST'S conception of the marker located at the grave of Waterhole Charley. Was he really Charley Stevens, or could it be the mysterious Tom McCarty, as some believed? If you have a News Item call the Vernal Express 789-3511 IF LZ4 Is VEMMAL CAE Santa Clans! For every toy worth $5.0 ,mi M.ir 10 CBN 24 Mr. Family 2 KUTV-NBC Proarammina 3 HBO Premium Service u KBYU PBS Educational 4 WTBS IncL AthnM OA 12 CNN 24 Hr. News 5 KSL-CBS y Nickelodeon -Children 6 KUTX-ABC c8 TMC Premium Service 7 KUED PBS Educoiv,! cn MTV-24 Hr. Music Television 8 KSTU-Ind.SLC CV2 USA Network Sports, 9 LSPN 24 Hr. Spuit? Calliope, Synd. Programs had lived a few Golden Age Activities By Ada Murray I'm back again. Had to make a hurry trip to Apache Jet., Ariz., due to the death of our son-in-law, George Clay. Thanks to Wanda for doing the news article last week. It is sure nice to have so many people working together in harmony and heping each other. We welcome all Senior Citizens to come to the dinners and the other activities ac-tivities that are provided for us. Monday at dinner, Earl Moore and Dick Ufford entertained us by singing several songs. Thanks, boys, we ap preciate you. The board of directors held their monthly meeting Monday following the dinner. Things are going along good in each department. The chairman chair-man for the tours for us and the picnic pic-nic chairman are already discussing places that would be interesting to go to. Winners at bingo last Tuesday were Lorna Holmes and Elsie Mitchell with T U a O XJ o or more donated at Vernal Cable TV before December 18, 1986 you will receive a $20.00 installation FREE! Not good (or extra nuikb or relocating an outlet Toys nil! be donated to Venuil's Sub for Santa. VERNAL CABLE T.V. (7S9-1723) Wednesday, December 3, 1986 YeTOl Expf6l 19 V I t" " "5jBr years earlier. four games each. Ida Nelson and Viola McKelvey won three games each, placing them in second place. Representatives from the Social. Security office will be at the Armory this Thursday, Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. What happened to all our dancers Friday night? The crowd was a bit smaller than usual. Hope you weren't sick. Hope to see you all back with us this Friday and bring a friend or two with you. Let's not let the old rockin' chair blues get us down. Thre are several of our beloved Senior Citizens in the hospital. To these and those who may be ill at home, we send our love and best wishes for a speedy recovery. We also send our love and sympathy to those families that have lost loved ones. 727 Acres of Land Owners: Phillips Petroleum Co. et al By: Lockhart Auction & Realty Co. Brochures: Raintree Plaza Hotel or call O.B. Oberhansly at 801-722-2000 I Vi... w |
