Cassia County Courthouse

Cassia County Courthouse (HM2BT2)

Location: Albion, ID 83311 Cassia County
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Country: United States of America
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N 42° 24.745', W 113° 34.68'

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Frontier Law in Cassia County

The year was 1885 when Cassia County purchased an unfinished hovel for its first courthouse. Idaho was still a territory - a place where disagreements were at times decided by the business end of a gun. Sparked by disputes between cattle and sheep ranchers over water and grass during the 1890's, this courthouse became the scene of one of the most publicized trails in Idaho Territory.

A notorious gunman, Jackson Lee Davis, who was better known as "Diamondfield Jack" was hired by the Sparks-Harrell cattle company to restrict sheep herders from crossing to the west side of Goose Creek. Due to his reputation and a previous non-fatal shooting Davis was arrested for the murder of two sheepherders, and became a pawn in the battle between cattlemen and sheepherders, Mormons and non-Mormons, and Democrats and Republicans.

The sensational trial brought prominent attorneys from the highest rank. William E. Borah who later became an Idaho Senator served as the main prosecutor. Diamondfield Jack was defended by James Hawley, a prominent criminal lawyer from Boise who later became governor of Idaho, and Kirkland I. Perky, one time law partner of William Jennings Bryan.

Based on circumstantial evidence, Jack Davis was convicted of murder in February of 1896, and sentenced to be hanged. As Diamondfield Jack awaited



execution two cattlemen confessed to the murders. After nearly 7 years in prison and several stays of execution, the State Board of Pardons finally exonerated Diamondfield Jack.

Jack David moved to Nevada where he became a successful mine operator in the towns of Tonopah and Goldfield. The once notorious gunman faded into the shadows when in 1949 Diamondfield Jack died after being hit by a taxi in Las Vegas.
Details
HM NumberHM2BT2
Tags
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Placed ByCity of Rocks Back Country Byway
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, September 30th, 2018 at 11:01am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)12T E 287873 N 4698787
Decimal Degrees42.41241667, -113.57800000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 42° 24.745', W 113° 34.68'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds42° 24' 44.7" N, 113° 34' 40.8" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)208
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling North
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 135 North St, Albion ID 83311, US
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