National Republican., 1883-01-04

occupying to-day distinguished official posi-
tions, were so satisfied of Hardings corrup-
tion that they advised me to hold possession
against such q bold robbery by force if need
be. / adopted, however the expedient Of fill
ing the tunnel with tar, pitch pine wood,
sulphur, old wooden rags, and, indeed
anything else which, when burning
would raise q vile odor, and when
Porter and the sheriff attempted to 60
down his shaft they were met with such q
volume of smoke, impregnated with vile
smells that they very quickly retired Judge
Harding had started for Atchinson, Kan, but
messenger was dispatched who overlook him
on the plains and brought him back to Central
City. Another hearing was held for seven
days. This time l denied everything, and
Porter was unable to prove that l personally
had prevented his getting possession of the
mine. On the evening of tho last day of the
hearing the court room was crowded to its
utmost capacity, and good deal of excite
ment prevailed concerning Harding's high
handed course. My attorney arose in court
and directly charged Judge Harding TO his
face with the corrupt part he had taken
in the proceedings. Harding ordered the
sheriff to arrest him, but somehow in the con-
fusion the sheriff did not hear the order, and
the judge had to sit and listen to the charges
of his being bribed and corrupted. The
excitement was intense and without issuing
room his friends got him Co Denver that
night, and the next morning he took tho
coach for tho states, and has not made his
appearance in Colorado since. Ono of Por-
ter's attorneys, who has since died, before
his death told my attorney that only 5000
was paid Harding for his course. IT was "
rather cheap sell out. Porter next fell back
on his knowledge of military engineering
He built large building on the hill over the
top of his shaft, constructed large fan six
teen feet in diameter and employed eight
men TO stay on the spot and turn IL night and
day. He covered over the top of the shaft
tightly, leaving trap-door by which access
was had to tho Underway, and ran long
flexible hose into the mine 30 or 40 feet
through which the fan would force the air and
80 throw back the smoke and fumes thus
smoking me out.
His purpose was then to get down and take
possession, barricade himself against me and
thus hold the mine that the court had been
unable to give him. Porter himself stayed
with his men in the building while l re-
mained with my men in the mine. The pro-
cess went on night and day for nearly six
weeks. He usually made his attempts to de-
scend about o'clock in the morning, when
he allowed the fires to go down, and he ex-
pected to find us mapping; but when he at
tempted TO come down we replenished our
fires and the fumes drove him back. Several
times nc got TO within fifty feet of the bottom
before he was forced back. His fan worked
well, and sometimes the smoke came back on
us so densely that we were forced to lay fat
on our backs in order to remain at our posts.
This kind of warfare lasted till the latter part
of May or first of June, when Porter took
down his building and removed his fan. He
remained in tho country few days longer
and then returned to the states and l do not
think has been in Colorado since
tI,a al, onft tIo e
he thus tried to gain possession %
"It was worth at least S1,000,000, and its
value was then estimated at from s., 100000
to $5,0O0,0OO"
"You are not in favor, then, of his restora-
tion to the army?"
As l said before, / am not fully acquainted
with the facts of his military record, but
think officers of the army ought to be gentle
men, men who can be trusted and l know
Porter is not that kind of man"