Born: 1834
Died: July 11, 1859
AKA: Rattlesnake Dick

A small-time outlaw, Richard Barter organized a gang of thieves that robbed a mule train carrying thousands of dollars in gold. The robbery was a success—but the gold was lost—and none of the thieves ever profited from the heist.

A golden opportunity

The son of a British officer, Richard Barter was born in either England or Quebec, Canada. He moved to the United States when he was young. In his teens, he headed for California to pan for gold—only to find himself employed by large companies that made it difficult for an individual gold-digger to strike it rich. Barter soon turned to theft—and was soon caught. Found guilty of stealing horses, he was jailed for two years. Soon after his release, Barter, who was known as “Rattlesnake Dick,” formed a...