RUGGLES-L Archives

From:
Subject: RUGGLES BROS
Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2000 15:13:38 EDT

Inasmuch as the infamous Ruggles Bros have been mentioned recently, I thought
I would include some newspaper transcriptions that might be interesting to
you Ruggles cousins.

The local Shasta Courier, 25 June l892
Among the papers found on Ruggles (John D.) was a dime novel account of the
holdup and shooting, evidently intended for publication in case he died with
his boots on.

John D. Ruggles has in him the making of a first class dime novel writer.


Shasta Courier 30 July l892

This is the reason the Sacramento News gives the reason why the Ruggles bros
were hanged by a mob in Redding:

Women--dear, gentle, kindhearted women are responsible for the lynching of
those cheerful stage robbers, the Ruggles bros. After the murderous couple
arrived in Redding with the blood of their unfortunate victims scarely dry on
their death-dealing hands, they suddenly became objects of interest to the
women of that peculiar bucolic village. Nobody knows why, but so it
happened. Women of all degrees and of every station flocked to the cells of
the felons with bouquets, angel cakes, lucious fruits, chicken fixings and
all kinds of danties that could, would or should delight the palate and
stomach of the epicure.

Levelheaded citizens tried to stop their wives and daughters from making
fools of themselves, but, of course, the attempt was futile. The women only
went on more and more in that way so the citizens of foresaid concluded as
they couldn't curb that strong sentiment of admiration, the next best thing
would be to remove the persons so adored, and that is why the lynching
occurred.

Thanks to the reports originated in Reading (Redding) and spread broadcast by
Reading newspaper correspondents, the women of that town have achieved a nice
reputation in the public's estimation and have been objects of supreme
ridicule not only in this state but throughout the whole country. Such a
reputation is undeserved. A statement of court house officals such as the
sheriff and his deputies who certainly were in a position to know goes to
show that the reports of the sickening conduct and disgusting attentions
showered on the Ruggles were gross exaggerations. Jailer Albro who is about
the jail constantly informs the Courier that only two women brought food to
Charles Ruggles when he was so sick that he could not eat the common prision
fare, and the testimony of others goes to coroborate this statement. But
then we suppose these chivilrous correspondents and newspapermen had to fix
the cause of the lynching on somebody, so it was harnessed on the women of
Redding.

If anyone is interested I have all the newspaper articles starting of the
robbery through the lynching and after. I live nearby and have the local
history books with some not so good photos I took at the museum of the boys
hung.

D. Henderson

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