Lake County Jail Inmate Search

Lake County Colorado was known for lawlessness in the early days of the state and the jail in Leadville saw a lot of action. The first city marshal was run out of town within days of being hired. The replacement marshal was shot dead within a month by one of his deputies. That deputy stole a horse and fled from the town. Mayor Horace Tabor sent for Martin Duggan, someone known to be fearless in a gunfight.

Mart Duggan would start his career as town marshal by standing his ground against miners causing a disturbance at a restaurant. He then ran the magistrate out of town and held court himself. The magistrate apologized and did his job after that. His first major arrest was August Rische. Rische was a wealthy mine owner and friend of the mayor. Tabor protested, but Rische was not released until Duggan thought he should be. After that, two miners got into an argument over a poker game. The black miner stabbed the white miner. This led to a lynch mob to assemble. Duggan backed down the mob which was around 100 people.

Duggan later arrested Edward “Big Ed” Burns. Burns was a felon who was known to be a con man. He was the head of a local gang in Leadville. Burns ended up fleeing. William “Texas Billy” Thompson was a gunman and a gambler. Thompson was passing through after a life of violence and jail. Duggan arrested him, but Thompson later left town.

Duggan eventually quit being the marshal and was already known for his drinking. Duggan killed a popular miner by the name of Lamb. The judge ruled it as self defense. Another time, Duggan turned himself in on charges of assault. The con man dropped the charges after an angry outburst from Duggan during the sentencing phase of the trial.

John Henry “Doc” Holliday came to Leadville in his later days while looking for a climate that would agree with his illness. He had borrowed money from a local bartender. Holliday was down on his luck and when the man came for the money, Doc did not have it. Doc ended up wounding him in the arm and was arrested. The jury ruled it was self defense in 1885.