Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-12-25
Bill Nye's Nephew William.

The immediate neighborhood OF the
Baptopilas mines, in Old Mexico, made
celebrated by Shepherds connection
with them as manager, has just been
the scene OF q very important and
rich strike OF gold ore. 1t Is in the
San francisco mine, in the southern
extremity of the state of Chihuahua,
eight miles southeast of Guasapares;
the ancient mining camp, where the
wealthy Becerra Brothers, of that
state, own the famed Santa Ritagroup
OF mines. Mr.. William P. Nye is the
name of the newly made capitalist,
and he is a nephew fthe great humor-
list OF the same name. Two years ago
Nye passed through Ell Paso on a.
prospecting tour through Mexico and
located himself near Guasapares,
which is just southeast of Batopilas,
the camp where "Boss" Shepherd has
been operatingso successfully for some
years. Nye soon opened up g. new
discovery, which he called the San
Francisco mine, a favorite name in
that land where "Pan shos' abound.
In a very few months the lucky pros
pector found himself in possession of
a bonanza, for with shallow depths he
succeeded in raising free gold ores that
would assay from 81 900 to $4,000
to the ton. The miner thus found
himself in q dangerous predicament,
for he was alone in foreign country
with fortune in his hand. He daily
mistrusted that some wretch might
take his life to grasp his gold. He en-
ployed four Mexican miners, two of
whom he had learned to trust, and
two more who were strangers and act
ed strangely. With this help he man.
aged to sift out some lore" and grind
it on q Mexican "metate," which con-
sists of two lava stones. Thus, when
the ore was pulverized, by washing it
he procured his gold dust and con-
cealed it daily under his rustic bunk,
which was made ofpoles and "Colora-
do feathers"
Last August, while Nye was sleeping
in his cabin, near, his faithful peon,
Manuel, Mexican, who had worked
for him since he first found ore with
which to pay him, he heard a noise,
and quick as g. flash he grasped his
navy six-shooter, which was beside
him. Hardly had he secured it when
he discovered bending over him a
human form with raised arm, in the
hand of which was a. glistening knife.
He fred twice in quick succession and
killed the would-be assassin. Manuel,
too, rushed out and fired at the two
other robbers killing one Of them, but
allowing the third to escape. The next
morning Nye went to town, eight miles
distant, and gave himself up to the
authorities, who, taking him prisoner,
and, with jury and an escort,
proceeded to the scene of the slaugh-
ter. Nye says every Mexican looked
angrily at him along the route,
and he expected every minute to be
shot because he killed a native. On
arriving at his cabin the crowd recog.
nized in the dead man; who lay on the
floor still clutching the knife with
which ne had intended to kill-a des-
perado whom the law sought-and,
not waiting to see the other corpse,
each and every one, Judge, witnesses,
jurors and. escort, began to embrace
the prisoner in Mexican fashion and
congratulate him upon his heroic act.
The other dead man was of the same
ilk. Since that time Nye has had no
trouble, but has arranged good sale
OF his property to O. Chicago and
Cleveland syndicate, to whom he has
shipped, via Guaymas, 800 pounds of
ore for the purpose of test.
Wages OF the various grades OF help
In California;: Cooks, $24O to S72O a.