This seemingly innocent $4.00 scrap of paper, would lead me an a great historical journey!
In 1867 the Comstock was one of the largest cities in the west and certainly one of the two richest. Julia Bulette was a woman of the night with a heart of gold. Her murder was a sensation. And who do you think ran the inquest?
Julia Bulette:
There has been a score of books and articles written about this murder. Here is the short version. Julia had arrived on the Comstock in the early 1860’s. Although she was only a mid-range prostitute she was well known. She competed against the high end houses of prostitution and other independents like herself. She lived and worked in a small crib she rented at the northeast corner of D and Union Streets.
But she had won the hearts of the men on the Comstock. She was an official member of the local fire department. It has been said (maybe only partially true) that she would always help those that needed it.
So when her body was found on January 20, 1867 the local newspapers printed the details of the grisly murder scene. Her funeral had a long procession of miners lead by the fire department. But no murderer could be found!
Julia Bulette:
There has been a score of books and articles written about this murder. Here is the short version. Julia had arrived on the Comstock in the early 1860’s. Although she was only a mid-range prostitute she was well known. She competed against the high end houses of prostitution and other independents like herself. She lived and worked in a small crib she rented at the northeast corner of D and Union Streets.
But she had won the hearts of the men on the Comstock. She was an official member of the local fire department. It has been said (maybe only partially true) that she would always help those that needed it.
So when her body was found on January 20, 1867 the local newspapers printed the details of the grisly murder scene. Her funeral had a long procession of miners lead by the fire department. But no murderer could be found!
Judge Murray:
Pembroke Murray also arrived on the Comstock in the early 1860’s. The first mention I could find of him was on July 9, 1863 in the Virginia Evening Bulletin. It was an ad for Gatwell (Caleb) & Murray (Pembroke).
In 1863 he ran for Mayor of Virginia City. He won the race and was mayor until 1865. The Gold Hill News talking about his term simply remarked, “The Quarto-Gas-Pipe’s (has to be William Sharon, William Ralston and the Bank of California Crowd) opposition to him as a mayor is a sure sign that he was right for the job!
Pembroke Murray also arrived on the Comstock in the early 1860’s. The first mention I could find of him was on July 9, 1863 in the Virginia Evening Bulletin. It was an ad for Gatwell (Caleb) & Murray (Pembroke).
In 1863 he ran for Mayor of Virginia City. He won the race and was mayor until 1865. The Gold Hill News talking about his term simply remarked, “The Quarto-Gas-Pipe’s (has to be William Sharon, William Ralston and the Bank of California Crowd) opposition to him as a mayor is a sure sign that he was right for the job!
He married Rosa Clarke on August 6, 1864.
On July 5, 1865 he was appointed Justice of the Peace of Virginia City. On November 7th he returned to this position winning the election 510 to 454 votes.
On January 20, 1867 he was ex-officio coroner. (More on this later.)
He eventually moved to the firm of Bousefield & Company Assayers. But on August 22, 1868 he left the company and left Virginia City.
He ended up in Truckee. An article in the Territorial Enterprise on July 29, 1869 mentions that former Virginia City resident Pembroke Murray was living in Truckee. He had just contracted a job to cut 10,000 cords of wood for Leet and Van Gorder on their land in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Genoa. He had three months to complete this. The paper goes on to say that 200 Celestials (Chinese) will find work immediately.
He passed away on October 6, 1878 in Brooklyn, Alameda, California. His obituary says Murray was, “...one of the early settlers on the Comstock and was well known to all of the pioneers of this city.”
On July 5, 1865 he was appointed Justice of the Peace of Virginia City. On November 7th he returned to this position winning the election 510 to 454 votes.
On January 20, 1867 he was ex-officio coroner. (More on this later.)
He eventually moved to the firm of Bousefield & Company Assayers. But on August 22, 1868 he left the company and left Virginia City.
He ended up in Truckee. An article in the Territorial Enterprise on July 29, 1869 mentions that former Virginia City resident Pembroke Murray was living in Truckee. He had just contracted a job to cut 10,000 cords of wood for Leet and Van Gorder on their land in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Genoa. He had three months to complete this. The paper goes on to say that 200 Celestials (Chinese) will find work immediately.
He passed away on October 6, 1878 in Brooklyn, Alameda, California. His obituary says Murray was, “...one of the early settlers on the Comstock and was well known to all of the pioneers of this city.”
Murray meets Bulette:
We will never know if Pembroke Murray and Julia Bulette crossed paths when Julia was alive. But on January 20th Murray, as ex-officio coroner, held an inquest. The panel came to the quick conclusion that she was murdered and the whole town seemed to take part in searching for the murderer. But no murderer could be found.
Murray, in his official capacity, held on to the inquest report. In May things started to change as a man named Millian quickly became a suspect. On May 28th he was charged with first degree murder. Murray's inquest report, along with overwhelming circumstantial evidence, quickly sent Millian to the hangman!
1. “Nevada Printing History” by Armstrong
2. 1868 Nevada Directory
3. Reno Gazette Journal reprint of an article from the Virginia Daily Union of January 21, 1867
4. “Julia Bulette’s Probate Record” by James in “Uncovering Nevada's Past: A Primary Source History of the Silver State”
5. “Life & Confession of John Millian...Convicted as the Murderer of Julia Bulette” in the Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, Volume 3, Number 1
6. Nevada Historical Society Papers, Volume I
7. Virginia Evening Bulletin
8. Territorial Enterprise
9. Gold Hill News
We will never know if Pembroke Murray and Julia Bulette crossed paths when Julia was alive. But on January 20th Murray, as ex-officio coroner, held an inquest. The panel came to the quick conclusion that she was murdered and the whole town seemed to take part in searching for the murderer. But no murderer could be found.
Murray, in his official capacity, held on to the inquest report. In May things started to change as a man named Millian quickly became a suspect. On May 28th he was charged with first degree murder. Murray's inquest report, along with overwhelming circumstantial evidence, quickly sent Millian to the hangman!
1. “Nevada Printing History” by Armstrong
2. 1868 Nevada Directory
3. Reno Gazette Journal reprint of an article from the Virginia Daily Union of January 21, 1867
4. “Julia Bulette’s Probate Record” by James in “Uncovering Nevada's Past: A Primary Source History of the Silver State”
5. “Life & Confession of John Millian...Convicted as the Murderer of Julia Bulette” in the Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, Volume 3, Number 1
6. Nevada Historical Society Papers, Volume I
7. Virginia Evening Bulletin
8. Territorial Enterprise
9. Gold Hill News
Let’s not forget the person who signed this check. He was Superintendent of the Empire Mine. Graves, although not as well-known as other superintendents, left a mark on Virginia City that still stands today - “The Castle!”
Graves was the superintendent of the Empire Mining Company in 1868 as seen by the check. The 1868-69 Nevada Directory lists him as the superintendent of the Imperial Mine. The 1870-71 Nevada Directory lists him as superintendent of the Imperial and Empire Mines. The 1873-74 V&T Directory lists him as superintendent of the Gould & Curry. He was a true Comstock mining man.
He made a fortune on Comstock stocks. It was said that at one time he made $80,000 a month. But Comstock mines, like all mines, eventually played out and Graves lost his fortune continuing to speculate on these stocks.
But one thing he did do when he was so flush was build a house on B Street in the neighborhood of Millionaires row.
"The Castle” was one of the finest mansions of the West when it was built in 1868 by Robert N. Graves, a mine superintendent of the Empire Mine. The immense prosperity in the mining towns of the time is apparent in the Castle's rich, elaborate furnishings which were imported from all over the world.
Graves was the superintendent of the Empire Mining Company in 1868 as seen by the check. The 1868-69 Nevada Directory lists him as the superintendent of the Imperial Mine. The 1870-71 Nevada Directory lists him as superintendent of the Imperial and Empire Mines. The 1873-74 V&T Directory lists him as superintendent of the Gould & Curry. He was a true Comstock mining man.
He made a fortune on Comstock stocks. It was said that at one time he made $80,000 a month. But Comstock mines, like all mines, eventually played out and Graves lost his fortune continuing to speculate on these stocks.
But one thing he did do when he was so flush was build a house on B Street in the neighborhood of Millionaires row.
"The Castle” was one of the finest mansions of the West when it was built in 1868 by Robert N. Graves, a mine superintendent of the Empire Mine. The immense prosperity in the mining towns of the time is apparent in the Castle's rich, elaborate furnishings which were imported from all over the world.