Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-07-06
{ Written for the Grant County HxRALi
EARLY "REMINISCENCES
a Page of History-The Long Rane and
Death of Jim Grow.

py the name OF Flpps, VINO, talllg TO
discover the fortune it contained, and
after working while on side crew
ices, sold out for trifle to morefortu-
nate parties. A mining claim 1t this
time was a lot two hundred yards
square, as allowed by tho g,vern-
ment. Moor and Watson hela one
of these lots, and in proving heir
claim struck the main body of miner
al, or in more modern parlance the
"bonanza There was living in
"Snake Hollow at this time a gang
of roughs, whose business was to
make an easy living by any means
that might subserve their own refar-
ious purpose. Sometimes they would
dccoy their victims into the saoons
and fleece them out of their "piles" at
the gambling table. Failing..at this,
they did not hesitate to adopt means
that would compass their design and
place them in possession Of the SOVIET
ed treasure of the fortunate and hard
working miner; and woe be to the
man who fell under the ban If their
displeasure. Their plan once devised
and adopted they did not fail to exc
cute it, however hazardous and viii
famous the means used in its a,comp-
lishment. No retreat, however SO.
cure, was safe from their invasion.
With the stealth and persistence of
the India thug: they pursued their
victim; andIonce within their meshes
there was no escape. The aLong
Range" with its deep, capacious
crovices of glittering ore, was prize;
and the band resolved to have it.
by fair means if possible, by foul if
necessary. Moor and Watson learn
ed their design and resolved 10 beat
them in their own way. They gave
"Jim Grow" a fighting interest. He
was a man formed in perfect mould,
and well skilled in "the manly art of
selt-defense." 1t was pastime for
him to ward off the blows of his an.
tagonist and sendt.him sprawling to
tina ground with force that beats
the Keely Motor. He was never
known to seek quarrel, nor to back
out from one in behalf of an insulted
or injured friend. A fewlwell direct
ed blows was sufficient for the occa-
sion and the recipient never asked 10
have them repeated. Bill Goodfel-
low, also powerful man, thought to
dispatch him once.at saloon in Du-
buque, striking him in the back with
an axe, seyering his ribs from the
bone, but Jim, quick and fierce as q
she tiger, turned on him, wrestling
the axe from his hands, and before
fanhng the effects OF his severe. inja, /,
dealt him such thrashlng that Bill
ever after keptIthe peace. Such was
the new partner in Moor &c Watson's
diggings, whom the minors had learn
ed to respect for his unobtrusive de-
votion to the right, and the roughs to
fear for his swift and terrible punish.
ments of the wrong. A fellow by
the name of Jno. Calder was the first
to assert his claim to the diggings,
and for this purpose armed himself
with gun. Jim saw him coming
and advanced to meet him half way.
His first move was TO wrest the gua
from his hand and then administrators
few well placed kicks, ordered him
to return by the path he had come
or he would blow the top of his head
off; Calder obeyed and relinquished
all further claim. A few days after
the whole gang, consisting of Sam
Rountree, Bill Clark, Cyrus Harper,
Jake Derrick, Bill Colly and Linsey
Evans, all armed, were seen APP
preaching the diggings Jim Crow
was prepared. for them, armed with
his knife, pistols and rifle. When
they came within thirty yards Jim
raised his rifle and ordered them
to halt along the whole line
They knew to we'll the determined
character of their foe, and to advance
further was certain death to one or
more, and they wisely concluded to
obey the order, and remain where
they were. Harper tried to COM
mence conversation and said "Crow,
we have come up to settle this diff
Guilty, aud would like to talk with you
a little" Crow replied-"you can't
talk to me you have come with a
d-m,d pack of thieves-now, take
the path you came and 60 home and
attend to your own business" They
did leave and were only too glad to
get beyond the reach of this infuriat-
ed mans rifle. Though held at bay
and baflied in their nefarious purpose
for the time, for there is little doubt
they purposed to kill Grow then and
there, if they could do so without
endangering their lives, they were
not to be thus easily thwarted, and
slowly returned celebrating a more
successful revenge. It was not long
delayed. All was kept quiet. No
was given of the work
they had in view, and it was supposed
the strife was at an end, and Moore
&c Watson were to be left in the
peaceable possession OF their rich