The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-23
Secret History Of the Gardner
Claim.
IMPORTANT REVELATIONS.
Memoir Of the Case Of DR.. George A.
Gardiner and the Mexican Indemnity.
4N* wv No., Sse.s -

...ssS ,eaa;pr medicine with his Esther, Who was
= pAyician, ct An early age. After the death OK
N father 10 turned his attention TO dentistry,
vA;sA 10 subsequently, abandoned to complete his
medical studies, which he did in South Carolina.
b the spring Of 1870 he went to Mexico, andwas
u the capital Of that country on the occurrence Of
~ revolution under Gen. Urea. The death Of tho
eminent French surgeon Dr. Flann, and the large
ssnber Of disabled soldiers consequent upon the re-
volsion, brought DR.. G.s services into requistion,
md with skill and success which 1t once establish
Cd for him high reputation as surgeon. From his
thorough knowledge Of the Spanish language and
character, he became . popular practitioner, al
most assuming the place Of the eminent surgeon NJ
ready referred TO, with lucrative practice.
D.. g.. being also skilled in mperalogy, be en-
Jared early into mining operations, SO common in
that country, purchasing and selling shares of mines
s0 an extensive scale, business in which fortunes
ass often made and lost within brief space OF
tme-aRd he soon realized sum Of nearly sixty
iAonsaDd dollars Whilst engaged in these opera
lions aided by his researches OF the archives Of the
saOolexio de Minerins," be acquired n general and
extensive knowedg e OF tie history Of majority Of
the Mexican mines-hsd been director Of one Of
he companies, of very extensive operstions, and
acquired \ some what unusual knowledge Of the
whole business.
IN 1892 his position among his own conn.rymen
n Mexico, led to his appointment as Chairman Of
the Committee to invite the American Minister,
about to retire and the one who had just arrived
20 assume his place, Powhattan Ellis and Waddy
Thompson, to public dinner, an invitation accepted
by the latter, but declined by the former from
pressing engagements.
Shortly alter this he abandoned his practice to
devote his attention to bis mining operations, which
had become both extensive and important. These
fact, and others which follow are well established
BY the dispositions of very prominent English and
American residents Of Mexico.
Or. G.. devoted much of his time to a thorough
searching Of the archives Of the College Of Miner
al0gy, open to every one and made himself familiar
with the history and details of some mines in San
Luis Potoei, that had been " abandoned" during
ths intestine wars of the country, whose riches
determined him to make search for, and
70 work them on his own private account
II practicable. lie removed. in consequence, 10 that
part Of the country, and after much toll and sut-
Aring, succeeded in discovering those mines, an 4
obtained possession of them in due form 0flaw, and
commenced clearing them out, as they were filed
with rubbish and water, and were partially covered
with q forest that bad grown up over and around
them, situated, as they were, in very rugged part
81 The Huestcca mountains, il the midst Of o half
civilized tribe Of Indians.
1t Is well here to mention how and in what man
Fer, according to the existing laws Of Mexico, an
abandoned mine can be obtained by individuals
without any capital, except that they must be well
provided with means to work them afterwards, and
sAose means DR.. Gardiner had. The laws in ques-
foE are the same as existed under the rule OF old
Spain, and prescribe that all metallic veins
or deposits, mineral lands OF every description,
wherever they may be found, belong OF right to
the government, whether situate upon public pri-
rnf rfrt and he h. 70 ,k
ia granted by the government upon certain conai-
tons. The first dlscoyerer Of a virgin vein has
tain privileges; and one VINO viii restore an " abau
dcnet" mine is allowed greater advantages fhe
ISWe!-
petition is presented to the Judge Of the district
the right TO work such mine, includ-
ing deser ption of the vein bed fore, and its To-
sahty, and everything that can tend to its identif
cation with grea: minuteness stating also that it
has been previously worked and abandoned, its con
dition and all ether particulars, or whether il was
new or virgin mine, sc sc. Your petition being
granted you are authorized, according to the pre-
Icribed form law, to snk shaft 30 feet deep that
the vein may be examined, for which you are al
lowed three months, during which placards of your
grant or application are posted throughout the
country, and published in the newspapers, in
viting opposition, if such lawfully be made, to
ysur occupancy Of such mine, &c. The shaft being
and ready for examination, and no oppo-
stion being filed to the grant, the judge appoints
in company with whom he proceeds to examine the
vein, or mine, describes its course and quality, di-
reefs the allotment OF the land to the applicant, by
the usual land marks and the public crer
that any having objections to offer to the grant
then about to be made, to come forward, sc and
none appt airing, you are placed possession, in the
name Of the government, ard the mine is thence
forward irrevocably your property, subject only to
the usual tax OF six per cent upon the actual produce
thereof, when delivered at the mint for coinage 1t
u this heavy per centage upon the actual produc-
tion, whilst the proprietors may in some cases
incur expenses in working greater than their
profits, which renders the government willing to
make the grants referred to, and hence Or. Gardi-
ner's possession Of such valuable property is
counted for, point which his enemies have indus.
tTiously used to his injury. The capital which he
employed in this business was therefore applied to
the erecting of buildings and machinery and the col
lection Of stores provisions, powder, &C., for such
extensive operations, and not for the purchase Of
The property.
A copy of all the proceedings above described is
ineludedin your title deed, and in the event of your
abandoning the mines for period Of four consecu-
tive mopths, without working them or having any
to represent you, other persons proving those facts
according to the forms Of law already described
take possession paying you for, or suffering you to
take away. ony moyeaole property that you may de-
signate as belonging 10 you
Now, these mines had been abandoned or oppa-
rently forgotten since 1919 20, aud obstacle
YVES presented to Dr. GARDENERS application, to
whom title deed was granted, according to the
usual forms Of law, a copy Of which is in bis
possession, taken from the existing archives OF re.
CORDS, the signatures TO which confirmed by those
of the College Of Notaries, by the Minister OF Fo
reign Relations in Mexico, and by the American
Consul, resident in that city, corroborative Of the
copy previously presented, with his memorial and
elsim, to the Board Of Commissioners, Sc.
DIR, Gardiner, therefore, never purchasedHny mine,
for such purchase was unnecessary. Men who 20 10
California TO dig for gold, do not purchase the
ground, but they incur great expense to reach
here, ard sti greater while employed in exploring
he earth for its trcasuresthe result ia the fruits
# their labor aud previous outlay in expenses and
Iools-the same with DR.. Gardiner. The enormous
AZ Of five Per cent on the gross product Of a
nine, without any respons biity for It's vast and
Uncertain expenses is quite sufficient TO induce |
he government Of Mexico to give away |
you choose so to express il, their unexpored or
abandoned mines, more especially 10 the distracted
md Impoverished state in which that country has
xifted for more than quarter Of century, and
Dr. GARDENERS venture comprised large outlay for
lie purposes already described, which absorbed his
dad th0 on rf nj