Beni was involved in illegal activities linked to his trading post near Lodgepole Creek, Colorado, which was called by one Eastern journalist the "wickedest city on the plains."

By the end of the decade the city had grown rapidly with the addition of a stagecoach station, which was eventually named Julesburg by the townspeople in honor of Beni.

As the gang usually targeted specific stages carrying money and other valuable cargo, Beni soon was suspected of involvement and eventually replaced by gunman Jack Slade.

Slade recovered from his wounds however and Beni, who was arrested and awaiting trial, was released after promising to leave the city.

Paul Newlan played Beni, and Gregg Palmer portrayed Slade in a 1955 episode of the syndicated television series Stories of the Century, starring and narrated by Jim Davis.