RUGGLES BROTHERS LOOT NEVER FOUND
REDDING LIFESTYLES, REDDING RECREATION, SHASTA COUNTY
September 25th, 2008
A dozen years ago, I was mountain biking along the unpaved section of Middle Creek Road between Iron Mountain Road and the Shasta Transfer Station in Old Shasta. I paused to wait for my biking companion, when I spotted a stake with a small metal tag attached. I looked more closely and saw an inscription-”Site of Ruggles brothers stagecoach robbery”.
John and Charles Ruggles, originally from Tulare County, made a name for themselves here in Shasta County when they robbed a stagecoach of $5,000 in gold coins. Charles, a handsome kid with a college education, popped out from the bushes on May 14, 1892, and ordered the driver, John Boyce, to stop. He complied, then threw down the strongbox as ordered. Amos “Buck” Montgomery, the stage guard/messenger was riding inside the coach and fired his shotgun at Charles hitting him with buckshot in the face and upper body. As he fell, Charles discharged his gun spraying the driver and passenger George Suhr in the legs. John Ruggles, hiding nearby, returned fire wounding Montgomery and the stage took off and arrived in Old Shasta a 
few minutes later. After describing what happened, a posse was dispatched. Montgomery died a few hours later.
John, believing his brother was dying, hid the strongbox nearby and fled to his aunt’s home in Woodland. Charles was quickly found, and despite being severely wounded, was taken to jail in Redding. John supposedly hid the loot in Middle Creek. He made a clean getaway, until his aunt found out about the robbery, kicked him out and reported him to the local sheriff. Six weeks later, John was arrested at a restaurant in Woodland and was returned to Redding and jailed where he found his brother alive and recovering from his injuries.
Local ladies found John and Charles to be handsome bandits and started pampering them with cakes, 
fruits and flower bouquets; even offers of marriage. This enraged the local men, who on July 24, formed a lynch mob 40 strong that stormed the jail, blew up the safe to get the keys and took the pair from jail. Knowing they were about to be hanged, John Ruggles was quoted as saying “Spare Charley and I will tell you” where the loot is. It didn’t work. They drug the men to an oak tree next to the Redding Blacksmith Shop, at Shasta 
Street and the railroad tracks, and hanged them.
Redding residents awoke the next day to the two bandits hanging by there necks. They remained there for three days for all to see. An editorial in the local paper summarized the event by stating “It was a disagreeable job, but under the circumstances appeared to be necessary for the public good and is an
example to the courts”.
The loot has never been found. They did find the express bag pouch, but no gold coins were ever recovered. Sounds like a great opportunity for treasure seekers!
Contact me for exact directions to the stagecoach robbery site. The metal tag had been removed the last time I rode by there.
530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492
BRAD GARBUTT
REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE
REAL ESATE PROFESSIONALS GMAC
QUARTER CENTURY LOCAL REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE
Great article on the Ruggles Brothers, and I’m wondering if the $5,000 in gold coins is still out there!
Where is the location of the robbery? I ride my mountain bike in that area quite often.
Thanks a lot.
DJ
Love it. this is a great story that I heard about a couple of years ago when living in Eureka. Now that I’M in Redding I believe that I will look into this hidden gold if, and a big if, it has not been found yet. I think if someone did find it they might stay “mum”. With quite a few people living in the area, there must at least be one old prospector looking…
Good Hunting.
P.S. if I locate it, I’ll let you know
love the history of this area lived here most of my life but never have seen the location of the hold up. would love to take a look at the location. thank you
Doing family research and discovered my grandfather, William Jesse Adams, witnessed the hanging.
Thank you for the article, it’s wonderful. My Father’s been talking about this story for years. Where is the actual site I thought it was closed to the public these days?
I used to live in Shasta, but moved away several years ago, so I’ll let you all in on a little secret:
The marker placed by the Boy Scouts that is referenced in this great article is in the wrong place. The old stage road didn’t follow Middle Creek Rd. The stage left town on Mule Town Rd, then turned towards Redding on what is now Old Stage Rd. off Swasey Dr.
The period accounts don’t mention Middle Creek, but rather say that John Ruggles fled from the “low side” of the road. The original newspaper articles can be viewed at the museam in Shasta.
Happy Hunting.
I bet the gold was found long ago, and whoever found it just never told anyone. I know I wouldn’t have!
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