Diamondfield Jack: A Study in Frontier Justice by David H. Grover

by David H. Grover

Distributed by the University of Nebraska Press for Caxton PressThis is the storyof Diamondfield Jack Davis, a young cowboy hired in 1895 by a wealthy cattle company. When two of the sheepherders Davis had been hired to intimidate were found dead, Davis was quickly tried, convicted and sentenced to death - despite there being no evidence presented against him. The story of Diamondfield Jack is a classic example of frontier justice, or what passed for it in the late 19th century.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up hearing about Diamondfield Jack, who was notorious for killing two men during a range war between cattle men and sheep men. The two men, Wilson and Cummings, are buried in our town cemetery. A lady, who used to stay with us kids when our parents were away, told me that she heard the gunshots which, she later learned, were the ones which killed the two men. One thing I didn't know till I read this book was that, after several years of legal back and forth, Jack was found innocent of the crimes and was freed from prison. He lived to die an old man.

[Jared Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

My family came to Cassia County in 1879 when my forebearers, the Cummins and Severe families, settled in Oakley. I grew up in the area and am the seventh generation to have called the Magic Valley home. One of the victims, Daniel Cummins, was the nephew of my 3rd great grandfather Frances Marion Cummins. Consequently, I grew up with relatives who thought Diamondfield Jack's pardon was a serious injustice.

Grover makes two significant errors and two significant omissions that deserve mentioning. First, is the constant misspelling of the family name. It's Cummins (like the engine company) not Cummings. This is a common error I have encountered in the history of the Deep Creek homicides. The book refers to Dan's clothing being given to "T.M. Cummings." It is actually F.M. Cummins, my grandfather (p.30). Grover quotes, without citation, "Frank Redke" calling Oakley a "hot bed of Mark Hanna," a reference to William McKinley's campaign manager and a way of saying the town was a Republican stronghold (p. 116). That is actually Frank Bedke, an early Cassia County cattleman of Prussian extraction who was a prominent Democrat. The Cummings error is common, but the "T.M." and "Redke" errors suggest sloppiness and unfamiliarity with Cassia Counties pioneer families.

Two notable omission also concern relatives of mine. The second elected Cassia County prosecutor (who undertook a halfhearted prosecution Gray and Bower after their confessions while Diamondfield awaited execution) was Benjamin P. Howell. His wife Josephine Howell (referenced on p. 117) was the daughter of F.M. Cummins. Howell almost certainly became a lawyer as a direct consequence of homicides. According to family records he was sworn into the bar days after Diamondfield's verdict in April 1897. The halfhearted prosecution of Gray and Bower likely was because Howell the rest of the Cummins family still believed in Diamondfields culpability. J.J. Gray (referenced on p.40 as a sheep man who was part of the posse accompanying the sheriff to carryout Diamondfield's requisition from Arizona) is John Joseph Gray the husband of Goldie Gray, another daughter of F.M. Cummins. Obviously the general animosity between sheep herders and cattleman grew to fever pitch at the time, but it is underdiscussed the desire for accountability and vengeance from a prominent Cassia County affected events.

In all, the book is a fascinating, quick read that brings some of the most important figures of the Old West to my native Cassia County. However, given the impressions and omissions, I would read it with Max Black's more recent treatment of the Diamondfield Jack story.

[Jeff Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the century was coming to an end, The Sparks-Harrell Cattle company was comimg across more aggressive sheep herders wanting to get at more grass land for their flock; such as they may, they resorted to hiring on as ranch hands for free service. This intrigued John Sparks, future governor of Nevada, into hiring known gunman Jack "Diamondfield" Davis as a lineman/ regulator, to keep the shepards away from the cattle grazing line. There were scrimmages that Jack was in and shots were fired, so he may have hit some shepard but not to kill, just maim.
On February 16, 1896 two shepards: John C. Wilson and Danial Cummings were found shot dead in their wagon, .44 shell casings were found on the ground. Soon word was out that Jack Davis was wanted for their murder, even though Davis packed a .45_caliber.
On April 8, 1897 the trial of The State vs. Jack Davis started and ended on April 15, Jack was found guilty in the first degree with lots of bais from the jury and prosecution as you will summarize as you read. He was sentence to hang. On the date of July 3, 1901 with everything all set to go, two riders rode in from Minidoka, Idaho: Willis Sears and Charley Krise had a telegram with the stay of execution! and officially on July 16, 1901 Davis was given life inprisonment.
Finally after more debate with powers to be, Diamondfield Jack was totally pardon by the prison board in a 2 to 1 vote! on December 17, 1902.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story and legal case. Fun stuff in considering starting an ultramarathon in the area.

[Steven Shook · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Grover's coverage of the Jackson Lee Davis, or "Diamondfield Jack," murder case is entertaining and well-written. In particular, the process by which the case was prosecuted and soon after appealed (over many years) is quite unbelievable by today's judicial standards.

The book begins with a rather cursory overview of Davis' life, followed by the disputes among cattle and sheep ranchers in Cassia County, Idaho. Next, Grover outlines the violence taking place in Cassia County among the ranchers and the murder of two men at an isolated livestock camp. The bulk of the book provides great detail into the individuals involved in the prosecution and defense of Davis for the murder of the two men, as well as the judicial process of appeal. Those involved in the case included individuals that would become governors, senators, and well known attorneys of the West.

Eventually, Diamondfield Jack received a full pardon and was released from prison. The book finishes with a rather weak and abbreviated overview of the many remaining years of Jack's life. However, since the book's focus is on frontier justice rather than being strictly a biography of Jackson Lee Davis, the last chapter is appropriate.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandfather Edwin Haines lived along the Snake River downstream of Deep Creek. I am pretty sure he, as a young reporter, wrote of "Party of 20-30 sheepmen riding south of river with blood in eyes" in the paper dated 3/16/1896. Diamondfield Jack Davis became the chief suspect in the Deep Creek killings of two sheepherders. Grandpa would have been about 20 at the time and likely at least caught up in the cattle-sheep war that precipitated the killings. As a newspaperman he may have followed the trials, etc. through the years. I hoped this book would tell me more about the cattle-sheep conflict, but it is mostly about Diamondfield Jack. It was very helpful, though, in helping me with the perspective of grandpa's life around the turn of the century around Hagerman and Cassia county.