Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-07-29
JOHN COMSTOCK.
A sister in Senrch Of Eim-Mysicry SUR
rouEt!in. Him.

A sister in Search Of Him-Mysicry S"f-
rounding: Him.
From the Territorial iNey.l Enterprise, July 10th.
Some two months ago we copied para
graph from the Bozcman (Montana) Acant
Courier, 10 the effect that the remains OF
Con,stock, the noted pioneer and prospector
who gave his name az one of its discoveries
to the Comstock lode, reposed i'll the Boze-
man Cemetery, without Slab to marx the
spot A few days ago the only sister OF
Comstock, a lady well advanced in years,
called upon It's. She had ust arrived from
Illinois. The purpose Of her visit was to
learn something of the fate OF her brother
from whom she had not heard directly for
some years She had heard Of his death
through the newspapers, and also from a
former mining partner, Who had operated
with Comstock in Montana, and who asserted
that he had attended bis funeral in Eirginia
City, in that Territory.
The action Of his partner, whose name IS
Smith, together with several conflicting ac-
counts given to others concerning the death
of Comstock, excited the suspicion OF the
sister, and she determined to visit the Pacific
Coast and definitely learn whether or not her
brother was dead, and if dead, how he met
his death. Smith tried TO dissuade her from
the undertaking, but finding her resolute, he
left Illinois for Texas, where he possibly low
is. While Smith was in Montana, he wrote
to the sister, informing her that Comstock
had received q paralytic stroke, and was not
expected to live He again wrote, stating
that Comstock was rapidly failing, and in
| subsequent letter, informed her that her
| brother was dead. Some newspaper accounts
stated that he had committed suicide, and
others that he had died through dissipation.
| The papers also disagreed as to the place OF
| his death and burial. After receiving these
various reports of the death Of her brother,
| she met some one who declared that he had
| seen and conversed with him later than any
of the reported dates Of his death. The sister
| therefore entertains the opinion, either that
| her brother is sill living, or that he was muir
dered by his partner, Smith. The extract
| from the AuGnt Courier was shown to her..
but she was disposed to regard it as the work
of Smith, as also the other published accounts
of Comstock's peaceful death. She inclines
to the belief that her brother is still living
somewhere il the wilds of the West; but
should he be dead, she is convinced that
Smith murdered him, and caused the conflict
ing accounts of his death and burial to be
published, with the view of sitting inquiry.
The sister is now in San Francisco, and will
probably next visit Montana. She believes a
mystery enshrouds the fate of her brother,
and is determined to unrayel it.
| Tom. Marshall.
Many years ago, when the science Of phrenOl-
| ogy first began to attract public attention, q
| lecturer of tnat sort, brimful of enthusiasm,
| turned up in Louisville, and gave series
| of talks to the people and examined large
| number OF heads, made charts at so much
| each, and, in short, developed quite an
amount of hidden vice and virtue which had
not been before even suspected among the
good people of that city. Tom Marshall was
present and enjoyed the exercises. After the
affair was over crowd adjourned to the
Gait House to post books and render judg-
ment on the science itself. Tom said he
could examine heads as well as anybody-it
was u humbug, penny-catching business
and to satisfy the people he was right, he
would take any number of men who chose
to go into the parlor adjoining and make the
experiment, althoug gh he was Il little the worse
from an overdose of Bourbon. Many went
in, and Tom seated them, and went round
from man to man, most of whom he knew.
and made Il vast amount of fun for the crowd,
as he always could Oh almost any prOvoca-
ton 1t so happened that among the persons
present, Louisville buck, of scant amount
of brains, who was distinguished for puppy
iss, and forwardness, had taken his seat.
Tom passed him, but announced, neverthe-
less, that he had examined all the heads in
the room; whereupon our buck rose with:
''Beg pardon, Mr.. Marshall, wish just to
say that you have forgotten me. have not
been examined" Tom seemed puzzled at
first, smiled, looked around, but relieved him
self with: "You must excuse me. sir:
can't do it, really can't. l am too drunk to
read small nrint NV candle-lgh ht :"