A mounted original albumen photograph of thirteen men who made up the posse sent from Tucson to Yuma to take over the goods from a suspected major retail goods swindle. The posse was involved with Marshal RH Paul. Mat is 8 x 10" with an oval photo in horizonal format adhered to the board. No photographer noted. 5 3/8 x 7 3/4". The identity of the thirteen men is on the front, with an attendant statement that the 14th man was not present(Smith). The men are: Donelson, Leggett, Earnest, Hoffman, Purdy, White, Lyon, McKennan, Taylor, Evans, Fitzhugh, Lee, Dunbar (?). In 19th c ink on reverse: "Posse under Dep. U. S. Marshal J. W. Evans of Arizona Territory, which took under the direction of T.A. Hoffman six and a half car loads of merchandise from the store of Isaac Lyons at Yuma, Arizona Territory, being the same which had been purchased by Joseph Goldwater from the merchants of San Francisco under false pretenses, and delivered same at Tucson. In doing so, the Judge of the Second District, his order and write were defied (Judge Deforest Porter), his posse driven away and the law of the night (?) was declared to be the right of Arizona. The posse took the store on March 7th and vacated same on March 29, 1881."Goldwater, the brother of prominent Arizona merchant M. Goldwater, but was not in business with him. This Goldwater went to San Francisco, arranging to purchase "$80,000 to $100,000 in goods" as a "Commission merchant." Things began to go awry when it was found that the goods were all shipped to "Diamond L" in Yuma, for which there was found to be no such business. At the same time, Goldwater seemed to "disappear." (He was on his way back to Arizona.) The merchants panicked, among them Levi Strauss. Dep. US Marshal R.H. Paul was sent to Yuma to arrest Goldwater. He was found in his home there with Lyons, the JP and other officials all having dinner. While Goldwater said he'd go, he continued refusal. He was forcibly removed outside, whereupon Levi, and attendee at the dinner, and a legal official, said he would not allow the "kidnapping" of Goldwater, and grabbed for the prisoner. Pistols drawn, "it required the forceable argument of a half-cocked Colt to persuade Levi to release his hold." (Ariz Weekly Star, Feb 17, 1881)If you ever wanted to see what a real posse looked like in the "wild west", here it is!There is another lot in this sale of important Arizona history and outlaw activities, inclusive of the Bisbee Massacre, please see the Robert Matheson Letters lot. Tucson Arizona Robert Coelln Collection