The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-05

| -Gt0Tgc hihdh IN ne Nrlr lOTk IndCptNdCni,
The whIIesI Man In the Mines.
In the early days OF the Carbonate Camp
at Ieadville, 1880, no character was bet.
ter known than Jim Moore, 1.-THE Whitest
Man in the Mines Colonel Moore was
not beauty, He was five feet nine inches
in height, and weighed only one hundred
and thirty-fve pounds, but he was an attn
letC, with muscles as hard NJ iron, and a
movement us quick us u cat He hailed
from Evansville, Ind, His forehead WIS
high and narrow, his haig black, eyes a
steel gray, large mouth and pug nose.
lie wasalways smOoth.shaven, drank some,
hut never to excess, and was man born
to lead, in whatever station OF life he might
be found.
Colonel Moore was gambler by profess
ion, and Immediately after locating in the
Carbonate Camp, commenced dealing faro
at the Texas House, OF Harrison avenue,
Leadville. The Colonel was entirely un-
known when he commenced operations in
Lealville, and the next day after he COM
menced dealing, John Richards, the camp
bully charged him with running brace
game Moore struck him over the head
with the heavy silver box, procured II new
box and continued cOOlly dealing, while
Richards friends were tryingto bring him
back to consciousness. When this WIS nc
complishcd, the crowd scattered in expccta.
ton Of seeing Il little pistol practice between
Moore and Richards but the latter walked
meekly away.
On the fourth day Of Jim's operations in
Leadville, Il glmblcr named Mooney, who
had lost heavily by his reckless betting,
drew his bowie knife and applied an OPP
probriOus epithet to Moore. The latter
pulled n revolver, shot Mooney through
The heart, and the Coroncr's jury acquitted
him on the ground of sClf-tlefense, and Jim
was ut his post, dealing as usual, in the
course Of few hours, This little episode
raised Jim in the estimation Of the gum
bleH and dcsperadoes Of the camp. and
those who had looked down upon him be-
fore, were glad to recognize him now.
Jim was II restless phenomenon. Not
long after he became accimnted and nc
quninted in the camp, an humble follower
OF John Wesley came to Lcadville to Gstab-
fish church. When Jim heard Of the
movement he observed to small knot of
gamblers gathered around him. "By Cd
boys, u town isn't worth damn without n
church in it,and I'm goinglo help the par
SON." So he called upon the minister, got
Il promise from him not to come down too
hard upon the sporting men, and promised
his aid. He got up n subscription paper,
headed ii with u round sam, passed it
around among his iriendsand raised enough
to erect church building. Then he went
to church on the first opening Sunday, led
the singing and passed the hat around
twice.
But the next Sunday he was absent from
church, and the minister, anxious to know
| II lie was sick, went to the Texas House to
inquire. He found Jim seated in the midst
Of . crowd Of gamblers and miners, dealing
faro. As SOON us jim espieIl the parsOn lie
paused in his dealing and sierlly said:
"No monkey work here, parsdn.'
"Certainly moi" snid the preacher. ~
shall not bother. did not know but that
youwere i'll, as you were absent from church
and called to Inquire"
no." said jim. ~ wanted to come, but
u sucker came in with $1,000 to spend, and
had to stay and accommodate HIM and
the minister went away.
But the incident by which Jim gained
the sobriluet OF ''tlie whitcst man in the
lninps, occurred SQQn after this. Tho town
was springing up with mushroom rapidity,
titles were loose, and Claim-jumpiig WIS
an everyday, or rather every night occur.
renee. There were about twelve thousand
people In the ranp at the time Of which |
write, and nearly half Of them were
gnmhlers, lighwaymen and desperalOes
Men had come to the camp to get rich, and
all other duties and purposes but this were
lost sight Of.
On the Cornerof Harrison avenue and
State street was q very valuable lot, which
had been taken Us claim heforelt was Of
much value, bya poor, old, withered wash
etwotnan named Ray, who had come up
from Denver Here she had pitched her
tent, and she was engaged in washing for
miners and campmen. II had been
decided by four professional lotjumpGrs
that Ainthbr liay had no right to this valua.
bic corner, and must give It UP. SO, one
cold night, their plan to dlspossess thepour
woman was put into operation,
jim Moore had heen dealing faro TOR
many hours, without rest, until his brain
reeled, ahd the smell Of liquOr and tobacco
smoke made him sick, 50 he asked a
brother gambler to tnke his. place behind
The lnneIn box for awhile, while he took q
stroll III search Of fresh ait aud q GuEe fAr
his headache. II was y cold but statlit
evening, and Jim enjoyed II to the fullest
extent, as he walked up and down the
streets, not caring whittier he vent but
enly bent on getting rid OF the weakness
and dizziness brought on by his steady
work and confinement
Suddenly woman's shrek sounded on
the night dir, and Jim Moore paused to
listen, The scream was repeated and Jim,
huFrying in the direction from Which the
s0und proceeded, SOW Mrs. Ryans tent In
In flames, In the light Of the fire Jim be,
held the forms NJ four tnen, and thcli
movements excited his suspicion that al
was not right, He hurried forward. One
of The four villains Ind clfokCd the old wO
man nearly to death, and the four nov
stood with cooked revolverS, to prevent any
atipppt Of couple Of parties near by a
eS,ingIishihg the flames, They had a new
. tent with them, which they meant 10 hav,
erected on the site Of the old one when the!
I had turned the old woman out into tn
s cold.
Jim Moore took in the whole situation a
once, and sprung forward TO the rescue
The Jumpers fred two shots. at him, hu
. they missed him, and when he anssweree,
Z ihem one man went down with hole u
HE head and another with q broken lcJ
4 The firing brought a crowd Of men, and ]
I tI,o oycitsvnatti the remaining two me