Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-10-21
THE GOLD HILL SLAUGHTER.
Particulars of the Bloody Fight at the Jus
flee Mine.

Particulars of the Bloody Fight at the JUS
flee Mine.
From the Virginia (Nev.l Enterprise, Oct. 4.
A little after o'clock last evening
bloody fight occurred at the Waller De-
feat Shaft of the Justice Mine, in Gold
Canon, between Lower Gold Hill and
the Devils Gate. The battle was be-
tween two factions contending for the
possession Of the mine. There has for
some time been trouble among the
trustees of the Justice Mining Com
pany, and yesterday the side represent
ed by Mr.. Minear, President of the
Crown Point, Superintendent, in the
place of T. F. Smith, the Superintend
emit now in possession of the mine and
works. Trouble was expected, but
nothing so bloody as what finally oc-
Cured. There are said to have been
ten men in the Waller Defeat hosting
works at the time of the fight The
Kellogg party, headed by William F.
Kellogg, brother of G. F. Kellogg, the
newly-appointed superintendent, num-
bered twelve men.
The fight, such as it was-for the Kel-
logg party fred but two or three shots
lasted but three or four minutes.
Though short, the battle was decisive
Four men of the assailing party were
killed and one MORALLY wounded
The killed are: William P. Kellogg,
brother Gas we have said) of G. F. Kel-
logg, the newt y-appointed Superintend-
ent; Michael Cain, Michael O'Reilley
and John Brown.
The four dead men and the wounded
man, W. D. Shefitt, who has since
died, were carried to small cabin stu
ated about 100 yards below the Walter
Defeat shaft, and standing some twenty
feet above the road on bank at it's
south side. The cabin was about 12x14
feet in size, and in each corner was a
small couch or low single bedstead.
Upon the bed in the northeast corner
lay the body of Michael O'Reilly; on
that in the southeast, the body of John
Brown; on that in the southwest. the
remains of W. 2. Kellogg; on that in the
northwest corner of the cabin lay the
wounded and dying Shefitt; while on
the cabin floor, near the cot upon which
rested the remains of John Brown, lay
the body of Michael Cain.
The following is the best account of
spot: William P. Kellogg, with a party
of twelve or fourteen men, accompanied
by Constable Harkins, went down to the
Justice works for the purpose of taking
possession. The men with Kellogg
were armed, and he was determined that
once in possession he would hold pos
session. It was known that the Smith
faction had force of men about the
works, both at the Waller Defeat shaft
and at the old Justice shaft, who were to
hold possession of the works until they
received instructions from Supt Smith,
then in this city, to turn them over. 1t
appears to have been Mr.. Kelloggs idea
to have talk with John Dunn, foreman
of the Justice, and those with him, in
order to find out what they were dis
posed to do He had the men with him
in order to hold the works if they were
given to him-to hold them SO that there
would be no coming back. A talk was
held with Mr.. Dunn, when he said that
he was ready to turn the works over
whenever Mr.. Kellogg should come with
proper authority; that there would be
no trouble about it, etc, It was then
thought there would be no trouble, and
Constable Harkins and Kellogg started
toward Gold Hill.
After they had gone some distance,
Mr.. Kellogg saw his men going down
toward the Waller Defeat shaft About
this time six men left the old Justice
works, and also made their way to the
Waller Defeat. Mr.. Kellogg nowfeared
that, his men not understanding what
had passed between himself and Mr..
Dunn, there might be trouble. He
therefore told Harkin that he would 60
back and stop his men from going to
men they were close to the building
over the works, and still advancing, An
eyewitness of what now occurred in
forms us that Kellogg got before his
men, and tried to stop their advance.
The men in the building warned them
not to advance. While Mr.. Kellogg
was thus demonstrating with his men,
two of them pushed past him, and adj
vanced toward the building. One OF
these raised his revolver as he moved
forward and instantly a volley was
fred from the building. Three men
fell, two SO badly wounded that they
died shortly after, and Shefith also
MORALLY wounded.
Now ensued a sort of parley. Mr..
Kellogg told those within the building
that he desired to talk with them; to
tell them what he wished to do. He
said that this work must not go on
that he did not come there to have a
battle with those in possession of the
works. He asked if he might enter
the works. They answered that he
might If he came alone, but said that II
another man attempted to follow him
they would fire on the whole party.
Mr.. Kellogg now advanced toward
the building. He had reached the door,
and was just in the act of raising his
loot to step III, when he was fired on by
those inside, and fell down at the door.
Michael Cain ran up to the building to
bring Mr.. Kellogg away, he being Still
alive, when he was shot in the breast
and killed. During this time two OF
three shots were fired by the Kellogg