Tom-The-Teacher’s American Western History Blog

  Note the San Miguel Valley Bank (lower left) I thought I would throw this news account into the mix.  This article alters several of the details presented by previous witnesses.  I am aware of several writers that have run with the details presented.       The Rocky Mountain News (Daily), Volume 31, June 27, 1889   THE TELLURIDE ROBBERY. How the Robbery Was Committed by the Cowboys. Special to The News. Ouray, Colo., June 26 .—The robbery of the San Miguel Valley bank of Telluride on Monday by four daring cowboys of the Stockton outfit on the Mancos is one of the boldest affairs of the kind ever known in southern Colorado. The robbers recured about $20,000. The San Miguel Valley bank, of which Judge William Story of Ouray is president and Charles Painter of Telluride is cashier, is one of the oldest and soundest financial institutions in the San Juan. The men who committed the robbery ar...

The following is a firsthand account of the Bank of San Miguel Valley robbery as presented by Charles L. Hyde, a bookkeeper and sole attendant in the bank at the time of the robbery. Many newspapers incorrectly give him the title of cashier; Charles Painter was the bank manager and cashier.  This material is maintained by the San Miguel Historical Society and submitted by Carl Hyde, Charles Hyde’s grandson (Yellow Spring, Ohio), date unknown. Later we will delve into Charles Hyde’s details and personal story. I transcribed the document and tried to retain all spelling and punctuation errors.  ___________________________________________________________ A TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLAR HANDOUT By Charles L. Hyde Telluride, Colorado, was a typical mining camp; of the thirty-two places of business half of them were saloons.   Each of the saloons had gambling facilities in the rear end and none of them was ever closed to business. Hundreds of miners earning good wages, provi...