There’s nothing worse than buying a ticket for a fake lottery! In 1875, a man named William Pattee began a phony lottery-by-mail operation aptly named the “Wyoming Lottery.” Everybody loved it…but nobody won! After Congress made it a felony to swindle the public through the United States mail, Pattee came up with new schemes. The Laramie Sentinel’seditor … Continue reading Lottery Pattee →

There’s nothing worse than buying a ticket for a fake lottery! In 1875, a man named William Pattee began a phony lottery-by-mail operation aptly named the “Wyoming Lottery.” Everybody loved it…but nobody won! After Congress made it a felony to swindle the public through the United States mail, Pattee came up with new schemes. The Laramie Sentinel’seditor … Continue reading Lottery Ticket →

Train robbers –possibly Butch Cassidy and his “Wild Bunch” –boarded an Overland Flyer train near Wilcox, Wyoming, blew up this safe and escaped with thousands of dollars! The Wilcox train robbery occurred at 1:00 a.m. on June 2, 1899, near Wilcox, Wyoming, outside of Laramie. Masked men boarded the Overland Flyer, forced it to a … Continue reading Wilcox Train Robbery Baggage Car & Safe →

Con Wager, Asa Moore & Ned Wilson were lynched in 1868 by the “Committee of Vigilance.” The three had intimidated many ranchers to sign over the deeds to their ranches. Asa “Ace” Moore, Con Wagner (a.k.a. Con Moore), and an individual known as “Big Ned” or “Big Ed” Bernard were hanged in 1868 for their … Continue reading Lynching of Con Wager, Asa Moore & Ned Wilson →

Officials survey the damage to an Overland Flyer train car caused by an explosion that allowed train robbers to escape with $30,000.  The Wilcox train robbery occurred at 1:00 a.m. on June 2, 1899, near Wilcox, Wyoming, outside of Laramie. Masked men boarded the Overland Flyer, forced it to a halt and ordered the attendant … Continue reading Wilcox Train Robbery →

Butch Cassidy was a famous American outlaw who served time in the Wyoming Territorial Prison in Laramie (1894-1896). Born in Utah in 1866, Cassidy’s real name was Robert LeRoy Parker. He was intermittently a cowboy or a cattle rustler, a bank robber or a train robber teaming up with a succession of other outlaws. His … Continue reading Butch Cassidy →

Tom Horn was an American legend who carried out varied roles as a hired gunman, an agent with the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, range detective and soldier. Horn was hired in 1892 by the Swan Land and Cattle Company in Wyoming as a horse breaker. In truth, however, he was a stock detective working for cattle barons … Continue reading Tom Horn →

There’s nothing worse than buying a ticket for a fake lottery! In 1875, a man named William Pattee began a phony lottery-by-mail operation aptly named the “Wyoming Lottery.” Everybody loved it…but nobody won! After Congress made it a felony to swindle the public through the United States mail, Pattee came up with new schemes. The Laramie … Continue reading Early Day Wyoming Lottery & Swindles →

On the surface, Otto Gramm was a respected businessman and prominent citizen in Laramie, as well as a public servant. In 1870, he purchased Dr. Finfrock’s, a successful drug store in Laramie. In 1880, he added a soda fountain, which became a longtime fixture in the Laramie community. Gramm later opened the first bottling company in Laramie. A … Continue reading Otto Gramm — Millionaire, Politician, Dastardly Contractor →