The cache is at a historic building with a sorted history. It was a bordello in Galena's mining days during the late 1800's. It is thought to be the home of the famous Staffelback family who murdered miners to steal their money. It is also said to be haunted!!!
Built in the late 1800`s this old house has been used for several purposes, one of them being a bordello for the local miners. Although many claim this is the Staffelback bordello (not to be confused with their home which was a old run down log house on the edge of Galena) investigators have not been able to tie the notorious family to the location by historical records. However lots of paranormal evidence has led some to believe they are here and continue to haunt the structure. The house was in ruins and about to be demolished before being restored and turned into an attraction for visitors in 2013... you can even arrange to spend the night there.
The history of the Staffelback family is linked to the house. After Michael Staffelback and his wife Nancy parted ways she and her sons settled in Galena. With Galena's population at the time of over 10,000 people to work the lead rich mines and looking for a good time in the evenings it didn't take long for Nancy to figure out that alcohol, women and a fun filled night were top of the list for the many workers and travelers passing through. It is claimed that since their cabin was too small for even the few that lived there that they added on a second story to have room to continue with their plans of entertaining miners. There are a couple of written accounts that they had actually opened a bordello down the street from their cabin (that has not been confirmed), but lots of locals claim that this old bordello was their house of shame and fame.
They would bring in women to entertain the men for the night while Ma Nance (nickname for Nancy) would see that they got all the attention they needed. But the money was not enough for her and the family. The Staffelbacks set out to robbing the intoxicated miners and peddlers. Ma Nance or the ladies of the night would lure them to a back room where one of the boys were said to sneak up behind and hit them with an ax or club striking them dead. After taking the valuables from their victims they would then dump the bodies into the area mines making it look as if it was a mining accident. Although the Staffelbacks were said to have killed more than 30 people there were only 9 names given during the court case and only one was all they were tried for.
Are the Staffelbacks still hiding at the bordello to avoid their final destination? The cache was placed with permission from the current owners, but not the Staffelbacks so be careful!
TERRIBLE TALE OF MURDER
An Awful Story of a Series of Crimes Comes to Light in the Trial of a Woman and Two Sons Columbus, Kan., Sept. 15---A story of crimes rivaling the deeds of the notorious Bidder family comes to light in a murder trial now in progress here in the district court. Ed and George Staffleback, brothers, and their mother, Mrs. George Wilson, are accused of the murder of Frank Galbraith, in June last at Galena, Kan. The evidence is so direct that George Staffleback and his mother were speedily found guilty of murder in the first and second degree respectively, and the trial of Ed Staffleback is still in progress. The family were keepers of a dive in Galena. Galbraith was shot to death and robbed in the place, following a quarrel, with the mother and sons over the woman's daughter. His body was thrown into an abandoned mine shaft. Mrs. Cora Staffleback, wife of George, and two other inmates of the house, gave testimony as to the facts of the murder, and from the witnesses' evidence another triple murder at Galena has become public. Their story is that two girls from western Kansas were visited at the Wilson dive by an acquaintance. Mike Staffleback, another son of the Wilson woman, who is now in jail, charged with burglary, became engaged with jealousy and killed the man and the two girls with a hatchet. The bodies were thrown into an abandoned shaft. At Galena, a force of men are pumping out the shaft in an endeavor to find the bodies of the other murdered persons. (Dallas Morning News ~ September 16, 1897) FROM THE CHEROKEE COUNTY, KANSAS NEWSPAPER AND DALLAS MORNING NEWS ~ 1897