The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-05-18
(From Thursdays Daily.)
LETTER FROM MR. CAPLICE.
Caplice & Smith Put in Possession Of the Trout
Mine by Process Of ~Law-0rigin Of the Philips
burg Troubles. .a

mAo W Ifoee@ VI 1aW-urlglno OF bne rnlilps-
burg Troubles. ,.1
Editor Butte MINER
Inasmuch as matters of recent occurrence
at P~hilipsburg have been brought before the
bar OF public opinion in the press of the Ter
ritory | request space in your journal to cor
rect erroneous impressions to our prejudice
before these matters shall have come to a
judicial termination. desire to state that
tile present controversy is in relation to
claims against the Northwestern company
that accrued before our firm had anything to
do with the mine that we reluctantly and
against the advice of friends took charge of
the property to protect ourselves for prior
claims, after the company had failed and
refused to incur further expenses in working
the mine and CLEARING off the liabilities. The
board Of directors stated to mt their inability
to raise one dollar for the payment Of debts
or towards reorganization. We came regularly
into possession Of the mine by suit in attach
ment, and subsequent judgment and sale ofall
the rights and privileges of the Northwestern
company. On taking possession of the mine
we offered to cooperate with the miners
working in the mine for the recovery of our
joint claims against the former company but
they rejected our offer, and held our firm
responsible for all labor performed subsequent
to our judgment and sale. In short, We
found no responsible person or persons. will
ling to risk their capital or none of the miners
who were willing to risk their labor for the
recovery of their claims against the former
company ; our firm had 10 bear the whole
burden and take the entire risk. Now, COM
ing to the facts After coming into legal
possession we developed the mine into a val
ue it did not previously possess, by the eX-
penditure Of SIC, 900 before we found paying
ore, and thereafter a further expense of $10,-
900 in the extraction of ore ere we realized
one dollar from its workings. For a period
of several months, while we were riski1g our
capital to make this property valuable, nc
adverse claim was made ag .inst the property
nor did any one seek to disturb our posses
sion. We were engaged, single-handed and
without assistance from any source, in an eff
fort to recover money we had sunk in the
mine under its former management and,
although we were mourning all the risks and
carrying the whole burden, we repeatedly and
voluntarily gave assurances to the laborins
men who had worked for the former company
J that we would do all in our power for theil
protection after we had collected our demand
and paid the necessary current expenses o
mine. Whilst in the pursuance of our duties
for the purposes herein mentioned having II
all some "a or 20 men employed, an armed
body of men constituting themselves a mob
take possession of the hosting works an
drive out employees, while working the sam
telling them to leave the premises and for
/, bidding those coming to work to enter b
pointing guns at their persons. by thei
action they deprive us of our legal rights i
: the premises. They 0 have 10 deal wit
g the law and cur cause becomes the cause {
The people. | fear those men have adopte
means of acquiring their dues by a course II
consistent and injurious TO themselves, an
that time will prove many ofthem the victim
of a few designing knaves. Caplice & Smil
cannot be considered resposible for the deb
due those men. We have done business ft
fifteen years with the mining population
Montana and we challenge them to say wle
we owe Il dollar that we are noC willing al
ready 10 pay. We have to-day book accoun
to the amount of forty thousand dollars tn
the laboring men us, and with these fac
proving conslusively that we are the re
friends of those people, they seek 10 depri
us Of our property and liberty, and those W
aid and abet by such counse claim to he t
friends of laDoring men. Our cause is nc
in the hands of proper authorities; let it lt
there. | claim to have doue more shan /
former company by SO far developing |
mine and placing it OH IA paying basis wi
reasonable anticlpations Of paying what tn
failed i'll doing. My belief is this ALI
prompts the conspirators to use these labo
ing men for purposes best known to thei
selves. We know that II the head Of Il
mob is IA saloon keeper who never worked
dav for the Northw esteru company. and
have reason 10 believe hiln the instrument
others who are hot as yet iii the front.
JOHN CAPIlCE.
DEER LODGE. May 9th. 1850.
avry SAounciI.