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Jim Clark, Telluride’s Outlaw Marshal
Submitted by Scott D. Myers
Jim Clark was born around 1841 in Clay County Missouri. His father’s last
name was Cummings, but he died when Jim was too young to remember him, so
when his mother remarried, they both took his stepfather’s name, Clark. When
he was a teen, Jim and another local boy stole his stepfather’s mule and
went to San Antonio, Texas, where they stole fourteen hundred dollars from a
rancher. Soon thereafter, he returned home, but was not welcomed by his
stepfather. The family moved to Jackson County, Missouri, where they
occasionally took in boarders. One of their boarders was William Quantrill,
who had come from Ohio to teach school in the area. He became good friends
with the Clarks and Jim took a liking to him.
Quantrill eventually became involved in the Border war between Kansas
“Jayhawkers” and Missouri “Border Ruffians”. He organized a band of guerilla
fighters, which soon grew to be about 350 men. They were very successful in
harassing Union forces and became quite adept at guerilla warfare. When Jim
was about eighteen, he left home and joined up with Quantrill’s Raiders. He
learned how to handle a gun and soon became a crack shot. Clark was said to
be a fearless fighter and soon became one of Quantrill’s most reliable
officers. In August 1863, Quantrill’s Raiders conducted a revenge raid on
Lawrence, Kansas, which became known as the Lawrence Massacre. The
Confederate leadership was appalled by the raid, and withdrew even tacit
support from Quantrill’s unit. After the war, Clark joined up with the James
and Younger brothers, who had also ridden with Quantrill, and robbed trains,
banks and stage coaches.
He eventually drifted away from the gang and headed west to Leadville,
Colorado where he worked as a miner. It is suspected that Clark participated
in some of the hold ups and other crimes in Leadville during those years.
Clark arrived in Telluride in 1887, took a job digging a pipeline and lived
in a small cabin. Telluride was a lawless frontier mining town then and the
town marshal was afraid to stand up to the drunken ruffians who shot up the
town every night.
Telluride in 1887 (Telluride Historical Museum)
Clark approached the mayor and offered to tame the town’s lawless
elements and he was appointed deputy marshal on the spot. That night he used
his physical prowess to overcome rowdy gunmen and Telluride experienced its
first peace and quiet in a long time. The next morning, Clark was made
marshal and Telluride experienced several years of peace, as he would not
tolerate any disorderliness or misconduct in town.
But there were rumors that Clark continued his lawless life outside of town.
Some suspected him of dressing in disguise and robbing people on the trails
leading into town and others believed he tipped off his outlaw acquaintances
about gold and silver shipments and then got a cut of the booty. On June 24,
1889, Butch Cassidy and his gang robbed the San Miguel County Bank in
Telluride. Clark later admitted that he had been paid $2,200 to stay out of
town that day.
Despite these nefarious activities, Clark was also enforcing the law in
town. He helped capture rustlers in Gunnison and patrolled the Telluride’s
streets every night. Marshall Clark also took a special interest in helping
the needy and elderly of the town. He helped them with chores, made repairs
on their shacks and generously lent money to destitute families.
Sketch of Jim Clark that appeared in the
Rocky Mountain News, August 8, 1895
Although Telluride owed a lot to Clark for keeping the derelicts under
control, the town council had grown tired of all of the rumors about his
criminal activities. They knew that many were true and began looking for
another marshal. After finding a suitable replacement, the council fired
Clark. He was very angry and vengeful; he threatened council members and
even assaulted the new night deputy. Town officials wanted him gone, one way
or the other. On August 5, 1895, Clark was walking down Main street around
midnight when he was shot. He died shortly thereafter. It was believed that
the killing was ordered by a member of the town council.
Nearly the whole town attended his funeral . In spite of his contradictory
nature, he was remembered for establishing law and order in the rough and
tumble town. He is buried in Lone Tree Cemetery in Telluride.
Credits:
Jan Murphy, “Outlaw Tales of Colorado” (2000, The Globe Pequot Press)
Telluride Marshal's Office Colorado (www.odmp.org/officer/3099-marshal-james-clark)
The Spell of the West; The Gunfighters
www.jcs-group.com/oldwest/pistoleer/gunfighter02.html
Telluride Historical Museum
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