Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-08-04
JIM KEENl,s GREAr CouP.
The Story OF His Battle with the Bo-
nanza Men Told by One Who Was
There.

There.
The story of the bogus map, which
created great deal Of excitement
among mining-stock spectators in
California some fifteen years ago, has
never, think, been told in detail. A
man who asserted himself to be one of
the principal actors in the transaction
gave me the particulars one windy
night last winter, as we sat in a little
mining cabin on one of the bleak slopes
of the Sierra Nevadas, watching with
hungry eyes our supper of bacon and
hapjacks cooking on tho stove. My
friend, whom will call Hill, was fat
on his back at the time, dead broke,
but he talked as airily and familiarity of
millions as though the miserable shanty
was palace on Mob hill and the flap
jack he was tossing was block of
stock just ready to be hurled upon tho
market to make or break the fortunes
of the day.
At the time refer to, ''Jimn Keene
was just coming prominently into view
among the little coteric of dashing
spectators which, in those days, ruled
California street with rod of iron.
He was large holder IN the Consoli-
dated Virginia and California mines on
the Constock; so heavy holder. in
fact, that lie was allowed the privilege
of having an expert in the mine to look
after his interests. The bonanza crowd,
Flood, o. O'Bricn. ct al, also held large
blocks of stock, which they were try
ing to unload upon Keene, and in pur-
suance of this design were circulating
rosc-colored reports of extraordinary
indications and rich strikes, especially
on the fifteen hundred foot level.
Kcene's expert accordingly turned all
his attention TO that part Of the mine.
Now, once in the labyrinth of drifts
and leads, which constitute the bio
Comstock mines. it is, OF course, inn
possible TO obtain any idea of their To-
Biography without the aid OF instru-
mcnts, and these lie was not allowed to
have. The expert, not to be outdone.
had a small compass inserted in his
watch lockct and also provided him.
self with q pedometer. BY the aid of
these he could easily obtain data which
would enable him TO construct toler-
ably correct map of the level, and so
TO get at the true condition of affairs.
But on the second day tho man was
detected and Mr.. Keene was informed
that this man could not enter the mine
again. The expert went down to the
''bay' and had long talk with Keene.
He told him that, as far as he could
judge, the mi1e was worthless, bat, OF
course, could not support his assertions
with proofs. The bonanza people.
seeing that it was necessary to disarm
rs srwfsA
vited him TO make 4 personal inspac-
ton of the mine. The drifts and leads
to the big silver mines are generally
boarded up at al sides BY loosely-iif-
ting planking. Through the chinks Il
Is easy to sec whether the drift Is run
ming through pay dirt OF through coun-
try or barren rock. The bonanza crowd
salfed three CT four drifts by putting
ore behind the boards and Keene was
then shown through. There were nil
lions in sight everywhere and they keDt
leading him backwards and forwards
through the sailed leads until he should
suppose he had seen the entire level
Keene went back to San Francisco
not knowing what 70 think. NaturalIv.
he suspected the bonanza people. and
there was the evidence of his ernnrf
On the other hand. he knew what he
had seen with his own eyes. II this
emergency The expert telegraphed ii
cipher TO kill. who was then in Virgil
MA City, saying that the bonanza pco-
pie were about to s.lay down. on
Aeenc. and asking him il he could do
anything - prevent It. Hill went as
once 70 the foreman at tie mine and
tried 70 bribe him % tell him the real
condition 0E the nine Failing ID this.
ha remembered that he kneH shift