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Bigelow, Quincy

Petty thief from Heath's Crossing,[1] Texas.[2] (October 12, 1849 – May 15, 1877)[2]

In July of 1876, Bigelow rode in a stage coach with Bart Maverick, Charles W. Farfan, Janet Kilmer and Judge Somervell from Grantsville[1] to Salt Lake City.[2] As the group discussed Bart's winning $600 of Farfan's money in a poker game the night before, Bigelow realized Bart was carrying quite a bit of money with him. After Bigelow, along with Bart and Farfan, checked into the Capital City Hotel[1] in Salt Lake City,[2] Bigelow stole a suitcase out of Bart's room. No one realized at the time, however, that Bart and Somervell had accidentally switched suitcases as they got off the stage. Bigelow found nothing of value in Somervell's suitcase and discarded it through a window of an abandoned warehouse and ran out of town. Believing Bart still had possession of Somervell's suitcase, Hazelton and his thugs threatened to kill Bart if he didn't recover its contents within twenty-four hours and turn it over to them. Desperate to find the suitcase, Bart tracked Bigelow to the ghost town[1] of Gifford[2] and marched him back[1] to Salt Lake City[2] on foot to recover the suitcase where Bigelow had tossed it. When they reached the warehouse, the suitcase was nowhere to be found. Bart took Bigelow at gunpoint to the marshal's office. But the marshal pretended not to know anything of the theft and Bigelow was allowed to go free.[1]

See: The Thirty-Ninth Star