| As miners and prospectors
came to seek their fortune, outlaws, claim jumpers, gamblers,
and other trouble makers followed
close behind. In late August, 1861, the valley was taken
over by and organized band of horse thieves from Salt Lake
City, known as Button's Gang. The gangs' domination
was so complete they simply commandeered any cabin they wanted
and appropriated supplies or equipment they fancied.
An estimated 50 murders were committed in the first two
years of the discovery of Holcomb Valley. For example, "Hell
Roaring Johnson" was shot when he tried to fix the
first election in the valley. Some outlaws evaded justice,
but those who didn't met their Maker on Hangman's
Tree. For many years this juniper tree was mistaken to
be the famous Hangman's Tree, the symbol of law and
justice in the turbulent Holcomb Valley. (The original
Hangman's Tree is now believed to be a stump 100
feet east of Belleville Cabin). Nevertheless, you can look
up and imagine the scene when as many as four outlaws were
hanged at once from the branches of a large tree.
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