Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-11-18

at point supposed to be somewhere
near the line Letween Montana and Wy
oming. In less than q week after the
discovery was made Q party of hostile
Indiana made descent on the discover
ers and killed all but one Of them. The
survivor, man named Thompson, made
his appearance in Alder Gulch and set
the camp ON fire with the tale of the
wonderful discovery whish he and his
companions had made. The discovery
was said to consist of ledge of quartz
several feet in width, With streaks of
pure gold running through it averaging
from one to seven inches wide. The
story was marvellous, and If the public
pulse had not been at that time in q fe-
verish condition on account of the vast
quantities of the precious metal then
being taken out weekly from the placers
of Alder Gulch, its truth might have
been questioned, but under the circum-
stances no one thought of doubling it
for an instant, especially when Thomp-
son exhibited several ragged chunks of
gold that had the appearance Of having
been broken from mass of the glitter
ing metal, and this Thompson asserted
was the case. The camp went wild. A
hundred men stood ready and anxious to
follow Thompson TO the spot if he would
only lead them; but Thompson suddenly
disappeared, and afterwards news came
of his death in the Big Horn country.
A MAD MINER.
II had been in California several
years." said the last searcher to the re-
porter yesterday, "when, in company
with a friend, visited the State Luna
tic Asylum. This was last winter.
While going through the asylum, the
warden called our attention to a peculiar
case in his charge. 1t was of u man
who occupied all his time in drawing
rough maps or diagrams ON the walls Of
his cell. These drawings were all alike
and the walls and floor of his cell were
covered with them. They were of some
mountainous country, with q river run
ming through it from tho south, and q
smaller stream putting into the river
from the east in about the centre of the
map. From the point of junction of
these two streams line was drawn due
south to q peak marked three miles"
and thence it continued IN a zigzag line
in a southerly direction with the length
of each straight line marked. At the
extreme end of the line a circle was
drawn, with q GROSS in the center. As
soon az looked at the crazy map maker
l recognized him. 1t was Thompson. l
was subsequently told that, after going
from Montana to California, he had lost
all his money, and was then taken down
with fever. He was adjudRed insane
and sent to the asylum where l found
him. He had been there three years.
We stepped into the cell. examined
the maps on the wall and asked Thomp-
son about them. He seemed willing
enough to talk about other matters-in
a very disjointed manner, hOwever-but
concerning his map he would not say a
word. On finding that the man was
Thompson it Immediately occurred to
me that the map was intended to show
the point at which the Lost Cabin and
the wonderful deposit of gold we're 10
Gated, and the questions which l asked
were prOpounded with view to getting
a clew. After questioning him unsuc-
oessfully for some time put my finger
ON the circl6 in the map and asked
him:
''Is that gold p
His answer was to spring at me in
wild rage. knew from this that had
guessed his secret. We all withdrew
from the cell and at the first opportunity
l had an interview with one of the ply
sicians of the institution aud told him
what I knew about Thompson. I also
told him that there was little doubt of
the existence of the deposit of gold and
that Thompson could lead us to it. The
physician had previously informed me
that the patient was sometimes to all
purposes perfectly sane for weeks, and
now suggested that the next time one OF
those lucid intervals occurred we should
see what We could do with him. The
doctor agreed.
HUNTING FOR THE GOLD.
In about two weeks q note was sent to
my hotel, informing me that Thompson
had entered upon one of his lucid spells.
l Immediately went up to the asylum.
In company with the doctor l entered
Thompeon's cell and entered into con-
versation with him. His talk was quite
rational, and in the course of half an
hours interview he appealed to me to
get him out of the asylum. This was
our chance. The doctor Immediately
offered to free him from the asylum ii he
would show US the way to "that point
indicating with his finger on the map.
Thompson hesitated for Q moment, but
presently consented. This was all We
wanted. There was no difficulty in get
ting him out of the asylum. The doctor
certified that he was cured and dis
charge soon followed. We Immediately
started to Montana, whence we intended
to proceed to tho Big Hern Mountains
for the purpose of bunting the treasure.
We reached Dillon on the Sd of last
June, and took the stage to Virginia City.
There We Quilted, ostensibly for the
National Park. and continued our jour
ney. In q few days We found ourselves
in the park and we'll on our way to the
Big Horn Mountains, in which Thomp-
SON said the gold mine was located. In
three more days we reached the Big
Horn River, and travelled up 1t to the
south. This was on the 18th Of June.
Thompson had up to this time acted
az naturally a. any Of rs Tin addition to
the doctor and myself We had brought
along one of the asylum sttendants).
Thompson said that we would be able to
reach the gold deposit tho next day, and
We were all wild with excitement. We
camped ON the night of the fifteenth in
a wild place few miles from the river.
Aside from Thompson We were all very
tired and slept soundly. When We arose
in the morning Thompson was gone.
The excitement had evidently brought
on a spasm Of insanity, and he had got
up during the night and wandered on
into the mountains. We hunted Tor
him three days and finally found him
living. bruised and dead, at the foot Of a
Cliff fully q thousand feet high. In his
delirium he had plunged over It to q
certain death-probably the night that
he fed from camp. We buried him
where We found him, and a. . search
for the treasure would be hopeless with.
ont his assistance We turned back, The
doctor and his man / left at Miles City
whence they will probably 20 East. Al
for myself, / will make no further search
| for the Lost Cabin. Helena Independent