Charlie Utter

Charles H. Utter (Colorado Charlie) (around 1838, near Niagara Falls, New York – after 1912) was an early figure in the American Wild West, best known as a great friend and companion of Wild Bill Hickok. He was also acquainted with Calamity Jane.

Utter grew up in Illinois, then went westwards in search of his fortune, becoming a trapper, guide, and prospector in Colorado in the 1860s.

In early 1876, Utter and his brother, Steve, took a 30-wagon wagon train of prospectors, gamblers, 180 prostitutes, and assorted hopefuls from Georgetown, Colorado to the gold rush in Deadwood, South Dakota. Like many wagon trains, the wagons were Shutler wagons which were notable for "gaudy paint jobs". In Cheyenne, Wyoming, Wild Bill Hickok became partners with Utter in the train, and in Fort Laramie, Wyoming, Calamity Jane also joined up. The train arrived in Deadwood in July, 1876, and Utter began a lucrative express delivery service to Cheyenne, charging 25 cents to deliver a letter and often carrying as many as 2,000 letters per 48-hour trip.

Utter had been a close friend of Hickok's for some time previously, constantly watching to ensure that Hickok's weaknesses of alcohol and gambling would not bring Hickok to a bad end. Unfortunately, Utter was not present on August 2, 1876, when Jack McCall fatally shot Hickok in the back of the head, as Hickok played poker. Utter claimed the body and placed a notice in the local newspaper, the Black Hills Pioneer, which read:

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