The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-10-17
The Confession of Robson the Famous
Quartz Blk.

From the Lewiston Northener.
In CAMP ON RoBEsoN's LEDGEs,
SHosHoNE COUNTY, l. T.,
September 2, 1874.
/ have represented, stated and published,
that in 1866 made valuable discoveries OF
gold and silver bearing quartz ledges in the
Territory of Idaho; that had taken rock
from at least thirty of said ledges, and
had procured assays from each, showing
them to range from $500 to $11, ,695.70 per
ton in value; and thatupon these statements
and representations have induced several
parties to organize companies to accompany
me to said lodges for the purpose OF locating
mining claims thereon. Among them were
two parties from San Francisco, one from
Philadelphia and new York, one from Min
neapolis, Minnesota, and one from Boston,
Massachusetts,. From each of these parties
and companies I received large sums of
money and outfits, and started with said
companies with the promise to go with
them and show the lodges, and locate the
same. Before reaching the vicinity OF the
lodges I deserted them and have never
refunded the money or any portion of it.
In June, 1874, I induced a party from
Mansfield, Ohio, to advance funds and make
the necessary outfit to accompany me,
giving the solemn promise and assurance
that would take them to the lodges and
locate the same. On the Both of August,
1874, arrived at the lodges with the party
and q gentleman from Lewiston, Idaho,
whom had induced to accompany us. On
the following morning q company of six
men, consisting in part of gentlemen who
were members of the Boston party in 1872,
and gentlemen from San Francisco, and
Lewiston, who in consequence of my state
ments and representations were in search
of my lodges, arrived and camped within q
few rods of where I and my party were
encamped. All of the parties were disap-
pointed in not finding the lodges to contain
gold and silver in the groupings as | had
| represented. All of the parties met for
conference and consultation. They inter-
rogated me as to whether these were the
lodges that I had represented, as heretofore
stated. I stated that they were, and ad
| mitted and confessed to them that had
| falsely represented the whole matter in
every instance, and that the rock and speci-
mems that had represented and stated
had taken from these ledges did not come
from them, but that had procured them
| from mines in Southern Idaho.
then proposed to all the parties present
that we locate the ledges that we were
camped upon, then procure rock from other
places, bring it here, place it upon the
| ledges, and then knock a portion off, leav-
| ing some there. That we then form a
stock company, offer the shares for sale,
| swearing that the rock we exhibited as
I--r-----e, -stsfHuIa II S'Iri
| off these lodges, and that more remained of
the same character at the place where the
specimens in question came from; which
proposition each and every man Indignantly
refused to consider. | confess that all
maps and written directions given to find
the lodges, in the event of my death or
failure to accompany them, were incorrect,
differing from each other, and thas did SO
purposely to deceive that they might not
find the leeges. Iconfess there is no value
in any of the rock in these lodges, SO far as
I am or have been able to discover.
admit and confess that ali of my statements
in regard to these lodges have been in each
and every instance fraud and swindle.
To all of the foregoing statements SUBJ
scribe and swear in presence of the follow
ing witnesses G. A. robson.