In 1865, Ada County—which at the time included what are now Payette and Canyon counties—was in the market for its first sheriff. D.C. Updyke, who lately started a livery stable in Boise seemed like a good choice to the electorate. They might have had second thoughts if they’d been aware that Updyke was planning to use the playbook of Henry Plummer when he pinned on the badge.
In 1863, Plummer had been elected sheriff of Bannack, which was a part of Idaho Territory for a brief time. By the time local citizens figured out that Plummer was also the main instigator of local crime, Bannack was part of Montana Territory. Migrating borders were not nearly as concerning to the citizens of Bannack as providing for public safety. Plummer and two associates were hanged by local vigilantes in 1864.
But now it was 1865, and surely Ada County citizens would not make the same mistake as their counterparts in Montana. They elected D.C. Updyke and he took over as sheriff in March. There were a few items of official business that made the Idaho Statesman that year with Sherriff Updyke’s name attached. His name made the paper more often as one of the proprietors of D.C. Updyke and C.H. Warren’s stables.
A spot of trouble revealed itself that September when the sheriff was arrested for keeping money he collected that was meant for the county. Graft was not enough for Updyke, though. It turned out that he had probably been involved in other crimes, including stage robbery and murder. I say probably, because justice for Updyke came not in a court of law where such charges could be argued, but at the hands of vigilantes.
Sheriff D.C. Updyke and an accomplice were found hanged at Syrup Creek, not far from Rocky Bar, in April 1866. Pinned to Updyke’s body was a note that read:
DAVID UPDYKE,
The aider of Murderers and Horse Thieves.
XXX
The perpetrators elaborated by posting a card on Main Street in Idaho City a few days later. In the same handwriting as the above note, the card read:
DAVE UPDYKE
Accessory after the fact to the Port Neuf stage robbery.
Accessory and accomplice to the robbery of the stage near Boise City in 1864.
Chief conspirator in burning property on the Overland Stage line.
Guilty of aiding and assisting West Jenkens, the murderer, and other criminals to escape, while you were Sheriff of Ada County.
Accessory and accomplice to the murder of Raymond.
Threatening the lives and property of an already outraged and suffering community.
Justice has overtaken you.
XXX
Generally speaking, Ada County has had better luck with sheriffs ever since.
In 1863, Plummer had been elected sheriff of Bannack, which was a part of Idaho Territory for a brief time. By the time local citizens figured out that Plummer was also the main instigator of local crime, Bannack was part of Montana Territory. Migrating borders were not nearly as concerning to the citizens of Bannack as providing for public safety. Plummer and two associates were hanged by local vigilantes in 1864.
But now it was 1865, and surely Ada County citizens would not make the same mistake as their counterparts in Montana. They elected D.C. Updyke and he took over as sheriff in March. There were a few items of official business that made the Idaho Statesman that year with Sherriff Updyke’s name attached. His name made the paper more often as one of the proprietors of D.C. Updyke and C.H. Warren’s stables.
A spot of trouble revealed itself that September when the sheriff was arrested for keeping money he collected that was meant for the county. Graft was not enough for Updyke, though. It turned out that he had probably been involved in other crimes, including stage robbery and murder. I say probably, because justice for Updyke came not in a court of law where such charges could be argued, but at the hands of vigilantes.
Sheriff D.C. Updyke and an accomplice were found hanged at Syrup Creek, not far from Rocky Bar, in April 1866. Pinned to Updyke’s body was a note that read:
DAVID UPDYKE,
The aider of Murderers and Horse Thieves.
XXX
The perpetrators elaborated by posting a card on Main Street in Idaho City a few days later. In the same handwriting as the above note, the card read:
DAVE UPDYKE
Accessory after the fact to the Port Neuf stage robbery.
Accessory and accomplice to the robbery of the stage near Boise City in 1864.
Chief conspirator in burning property on the Overland Stage line.
Guilty of aiding and assisting West Jenkens, the murderer, and other criminals to escape, while you were Sheriff of Ada County.
Accessory and accomplice to the murder of Raymond.
Threatening the lives and property of an already outraged and suffering community.
Justice has overtaken you.
XXX
Generally speaking, Ada County has had better luck with sheriffs ever since.
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