Daily Los Angeles herald., 1880-09-21
AN HONEST MAN.
A "Reminiscences of Hancock's Early Days
How Dick Garvey Brought tho Wines and
Delcacies Into Oamp-An After Adventure.

Delcacies Into Oamp-An After Adventure
Away back in the days of the
Utah war, our fellow townsman,
Col. Richard Garvey. latterIy the
Mayor of Bear Valley and Sheriff
of Gold Hill, was thwacking beef
cattle over the plains towards Fort
Bridger, in the rear of Gen. Albert
Sidney Johnson's army. At Fort
Laramie demand was made for
"an honest man. who didn't
drink" whose business was to
drive n wagon containing the
wines, potted meats and turkeys,
etc.. etc, of the officers of the
Sixth regiment. Wagon Mas
ter Bent picked out Dick
Garvey, who was at that
time tall and comely youth,
who was known never to take
drink. Dick objected to the
change of avocation on the ground
that he had never handled mules
and knew nothing about them. He
was peremptorily overruled, how
ever, his scrupulous sobrlety being e
regarded as more than an offset for
his lack of experience. During
the progress of the wagon train our
then unsophisticated fellow citizen
was astonished at the kindly atten-
tions of the other teamsters. They
would hitch up and unhitch his
mules for him, give HIM the It'd
bits fresh from the campfire and
engage him nightly in a game of
cards. He found himself in great
request as a partner; aud, as he
was by no means an extraordina.
rily good player, he did not
know what to make of this
flattering preference. 1t was con-
tinued, however, in all sorts of
weather and without break, till
Fort Rridger was reached.
During the journey the wagon
train came to a wide and deep mud
hole. Gen. Hancock was at that
time Quartermaster of the Sixth
regiment, and he drew up to super
intend the passage by the wagon
trains of this Serbonian bog of the
Plains. When Dick came along
with his mules, and failed to make
a heavy thud, Captain Hancock
called out:
"It seems to me, my friend, that
you are a very smooth driver.n
YES" replied Garvey, "I'm get.
ting to understand the mules pretty
we'll"
"You must have a very light load
on that wagon" muttered the dis
trustful Quartermaster.
"Odicers' stores, Captain,u re-
piled Dick; "wines and potted
things. They don't weigh much"
"Well, go on" rejoined Ham
cock.
When the train arrived at Fort
Bridger poor Dick was let into the
secret Of the kindly and unremit-
ting attention of his fellow team.
sters. The stores had been covered
up by blankets and general truck,
and the driver had not kept him
self informed of certain facts with
which his associates were exceed
ingly well advised. While Dick
was taking hand at n friendly
game of cards, outside the corral,
the disengaged teamsters were gut
ting his wagon OF wines, brandies,
whiskies, potted delicacies and all.
They conscientiously returned the
empty cases, and the bulk Of Dicks
load WAS as great as ever.
The de1lOuement at Fort BNdger
was something fearful to contem-
plate. When the officers found
that the delicacles and fluids upon
which they had been feasting in
their minds eye were non est, their
wrath knew no bounds. Garvey
was at once arraigned, and he said
that he knew nothing of the disap-
pearancs of either fluid or solid.
Wagon-master Bent spoke up and
said he believed just what Dick
said, and that, in his opinion, the
driver had not drunk drop on the
way. High words followed between
Bent and an officer, the
latter striking . the wagon
master with his sword, and re-
aiving, in return, u cut from q
bowie knife in the shoulder Both
Dick and his champion. found
themselves In the calabooss, where
our fellow townsman remained
three days, Capt. Hancock finally
dischArging him from the wagon
train.
Garvey then took his foot in his
hand and walked from Fort Bridg-
or to Los Angeles. The journey
was long, slow and painful. When
he arrived in the city Of the Angels
he found Capt. Hancock installed
In the old adobe building where
the st. Charles Hotel now stands,
as Quarterma aster, with Mr.. Mix as
his clerk. The wayfarer was foot
sore and shabby and in anything
but an enviable frame of mind or
body. The benevolent Mix recog-
niSed him, took him into a store
and bought him q suit Of clothes,
promising to interest himself in
getting the pedestrian q job. In
his new rig, washed and shaved,
Dick made quite presentable APP
pearance and Mix told him to come
into the Quartermaster's office and
apply for job. When he entered,
both Hancock and Mix were busy
writing at their desks. 1t Is we'll
to remark that Dick, when told to
interview Hancock, referred to the
"honest manN episode. 20 pshaw'"