Ghost Town

by Michael Collins

Every day they would travel the 10 miles in the search of gold but it all came to nothing plus they didn’t have enough men to help with their digging. One day they were away looking for prospective gold when two masked men raided their home, on finding a shocked Martha they robbed raped and shot her, she was heavily pregnant with her fourth child. When the Flanagan’s finally got back home and to their horror she was barely alive clutching at what clothes she still had on her, Bart held her in his arms and she tried to talk indicating with her fingers there were two of them, both Martha and the baby died minutes later she had been shot to death.

  ‘Now what are you boys doing hanging around outside the bank?’ said Crampton.

  ‘Didn’t think there was any law about that sheriff,’ said Joe.

  ‘No law at all Joe but I would prefer it if you all moved along the street.’

  The three brothers looked at each other.

  ‘Well we will be on our way shortly sheriff we are waiting for our pa,’ said Bo.

  Joes hands dropped down to his sides, Crampton was watching his every move, Isiah caught Joes attention and shook his head and Joe relaxed his pose.

  ‘The sheriff is right boys,’ said Isiah, ‘let’s wait up the street.’

  Isiah nodded to his brothers to follow him.

  ‘Nice pair of guns you have sheriff, must be worth a small fortune with them there diamonds,’ said Isiah.

  Isiah walked past the sheriff followed by his two brothers, at the same time Bart was just exiting the mayor’s office, he walked across towards Crampton.

  ‘I hope my boys ain’t giving you any grief sheriff,’ said Bart walking towards him, ‘I wouldn’t want them upsetting you.’

  ‘Now why would they want to do that Flanagan? unless they are up to something,’ said the sheriff.

  ‘We just want what is rightfully ours,’ said Bart.

  ‘Oh, and what would that be?’ said the sheriff, ‘You don’t still think you have a claim to Dethrock valley do you?’

  ‘Our ranch is only five miles down the road Crampton, we were here long before you and your immigrant low lives arrived here, so yes I still believe we have a stake in this valley,’ said Bart, ‘And as for you being the self-appointed sheriff of this hick town, shouldn’t you be doing some proper sheriff work like looking for the two bastards who fucking robbed, raped and murdered my wife four years ago!’

  Anna Dalton the mayor’s wife was stood outside of the bank and couldn’t help overhearing the two men.

  ‘I sent a telegraph to Marshal Branning in San Francisco when I first heard of the incident Flanagan, no one could give a proper description of the men because nobody saw them.’

  ‘And now nobody gives a damn! those two animals are still free roaming around somewhere!’ shouted Bart, ‘Did you know that they tore the earrings out of her ears after they raped her Crampton! they didn’t have to kill her, they could have let her and my baby live, but they shot her multiple times.’

  Tears were forming in Bart’s eyes and the sheriff looked down at the ground.

  Anna Dalton hurried across the road, sickened by what she had just heard, Bart noticed her going back into the house.

  ‘Come on boys,’ said Bart to his sons, ‘Let’s go to the saloon I think I need a drink.’

  Bo was the youngest at 18 years old all three brothers were dressed smartly like their father with frock coats, Isiah the eldest looked the meanest out of the three off them, Joe was the quiet one in the family but you know what they say about the quiet ones. Their choice of weapons was twin colt 45s. Isiah also had a turret rifle with a rotating chamber which could hold up to 20 rounds, plus a small dagger hidden in the inside of his right holster.

  ‘Good idea pa,’ said Bo as they walked to the saloon.

  Jethro Crampton made his way to the mayor’s office.

  ‘I told you boys to keep out of trouble till I give you the word,’ said Bart.’

  *****

  The sheriff walked straight into Daltons office, the mayor was fumbling with his Turbiaux palm squeezer gun, it fitted into the palm and the small barrel protruded through the fingers, this little gadget was not powerful at long distance but could kill a man at short range, there were 12 bullets in the contraption and with a gentle squeeze of the palm this fired the weapon.

  ‘Just a little bit of insurance for me,’ said the mayor, ’It’s only small but it sure packs a kick,’

  ‘I don’t think you will get very far with that little pea shooter with Flanagan and his boys Dalton,’ said the sheriff.’

  ‘He has given us four hours to give him the gold Jethro, if we don’t he will take the town, can’t you just go and arrest him?’

  ‘They haven’t done anything yet Dalton,’ he said, he walked over to the window.

  ‘Are we going to give them the gold it will get them off our backs,’ said the mayor.

  ‘Certainly not! we are not giving them anything,’ said Jethro.

  ‘They will kill us all.’

  ‘Maybe,’ said the sheriff.

  *****

  The Californian gold rush began in 1848 till 1855, the gold rush brought some 300,000 people from the rest of the United states and abroad. Gold seekers were called the “forty niners” as a reference to 1849. The gold rush attracted people from Europe, Australia and as far away as China. New methods of transportation rose up as in steamships and the railroads. A lot of native Americans were attacked and pushed off their lands, the gold was there for the taking for the lucky ones. There was no law regarding property rights so basically if you found it was yours.

  When it all began, the Californian goldfields were lawless places, and the gold was free for the taking, there was no private property, no taxes and licencing fees. The rules attempted to balance the rights of the early settlers at a site and that claim could be staked by that prospector, the claim was only valid as long as they were mining.

  If a claim was deemed as low value as most were miners would abandon the site in search of a better one. Native Americans living near these claims were not happy with this system and would form gangs to steal or take over the claim this was called “claim jumping” disputes were often handled personally and violently as in the Flanagan’s case in this book.MC

  *****

  Dethrock valley town was situated in between two mountains about 110 miles from San Francisco, in 1845 Jethro Crampton and William Dalton arrived at the site with a wagon train of 60 men and 40 women set up a tented camp after finding traces of gold in the stream which ran down the valley. One consolation was the railroad was near this particular claim so once the miners got working they could soon get their supplies delivered to the camp by rail.

  Within two years the town had taken its form, the church was built at the top end of the town when the church and graveyard were finished Jethro and William decided they would build between them a secret passage from the church basement to the graveyard, incorporated in this passage would be a store room like safe where they could hide the towns gold rather than risk leaving it in the bank only these two new about the secret grave.

  On each side of the town was the mountain valleys where the mines were dug, dynamite was used and was brought in by rail every month, the dynamite was stored outside the town for safety reasons but as a standby Jethro and William hid some in the secret store in the passage. Once the church was finished Jethro appointed Eli Mindel as the preacher, Eli Mindel was an immigrant from Europe who had made his way to California with other fortune seekers, he had turned up at the town early in 1846 dressed as a preacher looking for work so Jethro took him on. The preacher did a fine job for the townsfolk and became very good friends with Crampton. Many a time Dalton would pass Crampton’s office and he would hear them laughing and joking while they were drinking whiskey.

  William often wondered why Jethro set him on as the preacher, nothing was known about the man apart from the fact he was from Europe and dressed for the job, but alas the townsfolk seemed to have taken to him.

/>   Jethro Crampton and William Dalton named the town between them and Dethrock was born and so was the sheriff and mayor. As the sheriff, he was a feared man always immaculately dressed with his two French Lefaucheux revolvers. One night in the saloon a couple of out of towners were drunk and threatened the barman with a knife to hand over the cash, Eli Mindel who was in the saloon at the time sneaked out to get the sheriff.

  ‘Hand over your cash bartender or I will cut you,’ said the first stranger.

  The second stranger was stood behind him with his guns out ready covering the saloon. The bartender fumbled in the cash box putting the money on the counter. One of the towns folk went for his gun hoping to catch the drunkard off guard. The man with the knife saw him move spun round and threw the knife it embedded in his neck blood gushing out and he dropped to the floor.

  The stranger then drew both his weapons.

  ‘Okay anyone else want to die tonight!’ he screamed as he waved his revolvers about.

  The man with the knife in his throat was gurgling blood and wriggling about, the first stranger cocked his gun and shot him through the head.

  ‘Now, where were we?’ he said, ‘Oh yes hand over the fucking money.’

  ‘That’s all I have sir honest,’ said the bartender.

  ‘You mean I have just killed someone for a measly 100 bucks?’

  ‘Okay everyone empty your pockets I don’t fucking believe that a prospective gold town is short of fucking money,’ said the first stranger, ‘Collect their valuables Jed,’ he said to his friend.

  The second man went around the saloon holding his hat out.

  ‘Now come on give generously,’ said the second stranger.

  The saloon doors swung opened and the figure of sheriff Crampton stood there.

  ‘What the hell!’ exclaimed the first stranger.

  ‘Now listen in you boys you have got two choices and I will say them only once, you put them guns down now and I promise you that in the morning we will hang you quickly on the town gallows,’ said Crampton.

  ‘We have a fucking joker here Jed,’ the first stranger laughed, ‘And what’s the second one sheriff?’

  ‘I shoot you now.’

  Both the men had their guns trained on the sheriff.

  ‘Seems we hold all the aces sheriff you have yet to draw.’

  ‘I take it you are not going to come with me quietly then?’ said Crampton.

  ‘I don’t think you are in a position to make demands sheriff,’ said the first stranger.

  ‘Very well,’ said the sheriff, ‘Eli!

  The door at the back of the bar opened and both the men spun around in surprise to see Eli Mindel in the doorway, the bartender hit the deck and the sheriff had his guns out before they could turn back to face him the 2 Lefaucheux revolvers fired simultaneously, the sound from these guns was deafening as they both spat half a dozen bullets into each of the strangers, as the bullets hit their body’s they seemed to be staggering backwards with the force of the impact, blood splattered on the back wall of the saloon wall, both men were dead before they hit the ground the smell of cordite filled the saloon. The sheriff holstered his guns at the same time flicking the triggers to the safe position.

  ‘Hang them up on the gallows as a warning to any other strangers that think they can come here and rob our town,’ said Crampton.

  The next morning both the strangers were hung from the gallows with signs round their necks which said “We tried to rob the town of Dethrock and we failed”.

  *****

  William Dalton finally woke up behind the empty crates, he rubbed his eyes, the lamp was still lit at the side of him.

  ‘What the hell is happening?’ he said to himself.

  He thought he had seen a dozen or more ghosts or spirits before he blacked out, but he could have imagined it, he often wondered if they existed at all. The screaming had stopped now and it all seemed quite outside, he had definitely seen something that he couldn’t explain but he was sure he had recognised some of the men, woman and children. He opened the store room as silently as he could and looked outside, it was all quiet now he looked to the left of the door and the light shield was still there buzzing and humming in the darkness.

  ‘What is this place?’ he muttered to himself.

  He put his hand up and pressed it onto the light shield but no way could he push it through, he looked at his pocket watch and noticed the time was 8pm, the last time he looked it was 8:10pm but it was daylight. He walked down towards the secret door and once again pulled it open and as before everything was normal, he made his way back to the trap door and heard the voices again.

  ‘Today is the day Eli I am going to finish it once and for all,’ said Crampton, ‘When he comes through the door I will dispose of him, whatever you do don’t look at him Eli you know what the consequences of that will be don’t you?’

  ‘Yes sheriff, ‘said Eli.

  ‘Make sure all the women and kids are safely in here then leave the rest to me and don’t forget the dynamite, that should slow em down till I can pick them off, Oh! and don’t forget the saddle bags in my office you know what you have to do.’

  ‘Okay sheriff,’ said Eli.

  They heard the church door unlock the sheriff was ready for the unsuspecting visitor, as he walked through the door Crampton grabbed him from behind putting his hand over his mouth and pushed his knife into his temple.

  ‘Turn away Eli don’t look at his face’ said Crampton.

  Crampton dragged him round the back of the altar and covered him. They both walked out of the church and Eli picked the key up and locked the door behind them.

  William opened the trap door and climbed up closing it behind him, he looked around the empty church, he looked behind the altar Eli Mindel laid there dead, he noticed the unlit lamps which were stood on the window sills, he went to the door and opened it the sun was shining he checked his watch it was 8:10pm but he looked up squinting and he thought it was more like mid-day. This was familiar to him he had done this before he thought. He looked down the street and watched the sheriff go into his office.

  ‘Good Day to you mayor,’ said Ben Royse as he passed the church.

  ‘Eh! Wha! Oh! Same to you Ben nice day again,’ said the mayor.

  ‘You soon got up here mayor I have just seen you in your office,’ said Ben.

  ‘Oh! I! yes Ben am looking for the preacher,’ said the mayor.

  ‘Just seen him walking down the street mayor, said Ben.

  The mayor had just seen Eli who was dead in the church, what the hell was happening he thought.

  ‘Thanks Ben, say do you have time on you my watch as stopped?’

  ‘Ben took his watch out its 12:20 pm mayor,’ said Ben, ‘See you later.’

  William took his watch out and checked it the time was 8:20pm, something was wrong here he thought and it has something to do with the light shield in the passage.

  He looked down the street and saw the four riders coming into town it was the Flanagan’s they stopped outside the bank and dismounted and tied their horses up he could see Bart speaking to his sons then he crossed the road and walked towards the mayor’s office.

  ‘My office,’ he mumbled, ‘He’s coming to see me.’

  The mayor ran down the back of the buildings towards his house and entered the back door.

  ‘Hello darling I thought you were in the office,’ said Anna Dalton.

  William rushed across and grabbed his wife and hugged and kissed her.

  ‘Oh my darling you’re okay, I thought I had lost you forever,’ said William almost in tears.

  ‘William what has come over you?’ she said, ‘I only saw you five minutes ago, and where have you been your filthy.’

  ‘Sorry darling,’ said William, ‘I will go and get cleaned up.’

  He went into the passageway and up to his office door which was slightly ajar, he could hear his own voice speaking to Bart Flanagan but couldn’t see anything.

  ‘T
his is your last warning Dalton either hand over the gold or I will get my boys to take it from the bank,’ said Bart.

  I have heard all this before thought William he even spoke the next line with his double sat in the office.

  ‘We have a legal right to the claim Flanagan,’ word for word he repeated the whole conversation under his breath.

  ‘My god am I going crazy?’ thought William.

  He was tempted to go back to the living room to his wife but he knew something was wrong so he left the building through the main door and made his way back up the street, he saw Eli Mindel walking towards the sheriff’s office with a couple of saddle bags, the mayor stood there scratching his head. William got back to the church he had to think and try and work out what was happening and why? Before he went back in the church he looked down the street and saw sheriff Crampton walking across the road towards the three Flanagan brothers, William stared for a moment shaking his head.

  Back in the church he made his way down the ladder shutting the trap door behind him, he had decided to go back to the safety of the store the answer to this predicament lay in that passage he thought. He passed through the secret camouflaged door and made his way back to the store room, he could hear the screams again coming from the church, they gradually got louder then he heard the gunshots ring out and the smashing of glass again the screaming got louder and the ghostly spirits of the woman and children started to come down the passage towards him, their hands held out as if they needed help, the smell of smoke was overwhelming. As they came nearer, he could see the faces and they were faces that he knew, they looked frightened.

  ‘What do you want from me!’ he screamed, ‘What do you want?’

  But they kept coming towards him the icy air making the hairs stand up on his neck, he ran in the store and locked the door. After a few minutes, everything went silent, he looked at his watch it was 8pm.

  Sequence 2. Weds 7th August 1850 2pm

  Sheriff Crampton came out of his office with Eli Mindel and they both made their way to the stables to collect their horses, he was off up to check the mines and collect any gold from the miners for safe keeping, as he rode past the saloon Crampton knew that he was being watched, however he didn’t see the person who was watching him from the office, he looked straight ahead and carried on riding towards the Dethrock valley hills, Eli Mindel was close behind him holding his rifle looking very nervous.