Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-11
An UNEXPECTED VISITOR
Startled by the Vision of an
Outlaw Long Supposed
to Be Dead.
The Notorious "Dutch john"
of Plummer's Gang. App
pears in the Flesh.
From Sundays Daily.
Written for The Miner.

from sundays Daily
Written for The Miner.l
The publication in TIE MINER lastsprine
OF my Mountain Mystery was the occa.
sion OF my having to entertain about one
month later q most singular and unex-
pected visitor.
Il was late at night, later than is usual
for me to be out Of bed. but I was all alone
and feeling lonesome I sat by my table
writing, and musing by turns. I was
more than hall asleep when suddenly /
heard q loud rap on the door. I started
| up and said "Come in" Great heavens!
the door opened and in strobe the tall
giant form OF dutch john" the man
whom the v~igilantes were supposed to have
hanged a quarter OF q century ago. I
knew him in an instant. Age had not
dimmed the fire Of his eye. Not a gray hair
on his head, straight as an Indian. and APP
parently not a day older than when the
noted outlaw committed his daring robber-
les at the cost OF so many lives in the early
days OF Montana. He seemed to enjoy my
CONSERVATION, for a broad grin spread over
his face. "Why, John" l said, II thought
you were dead"
"But 1 ish not you see. I vos too smart
for dem %fellars; dey hanged an oder man
what wasn't me-"
is your name, Dutch Join'2'I asked,
to make sure that 1 was not mistaken.
"Vell dat ish vot dey called me in the
early days." Then as if to re-
lisve my suspense, he proceeded to in
quire il / was the author of the
Mountain Mystery" which told OF the ter.
rible suffering and death OF a ~prospector
in Park canyon in January, 1865. the re-
cord OF which I had deciphered from the
faded leaves OF an old diary, written by |
Charles, Mo. The diary also mentioned
two companions who had gone in search of
game and did not return. 1t further gave |
account of q rich silver mine which they |
discovered and hid again near the cabin. 4
Upon being assured that / was the man
whose name was subscribed to the article |
which he claimed to have read in an East
ern paper he said, ''Vell, l bad a slight &C |
with dem fellars. I vas here |
mid them at times when my p.shness re. |
quired dat I should be absent from some
odder places. We had two mines, Won vas |
mine de odder vas deres. l vas not here
ven de snow storm came. | had gone away |
on bishness before dat and covered mine
you SEE, I did not know vat became OF
dem fellars until you wrote. ] supposed
dey vas still alive ant as did not return
m mino vaa roma vnr1 aoo0 Vo1 I how /
to show you dem two mines, il you
will give me half vat dey are wort when you
sells DEM" |
I assured him that if the ground
upon which they were located
vacant, or could be pur-
chased at a reasonable price l would
gladly stand IN, but I cautioned him that
here was no vacant ground for miles in
direction in which he pointed, but that
he could show me the exact places and I
would do the best for him l could. He
readily assented, and arming ourselves
with a pick and shovel we were were soon
the spot where l found the diary. He
then led the way up the hill and walked
straight to the spot. dig hers" he said.
And SO / did, and in q few minutes reached
the timbers which covered the shaft. We
removed them and decended into
the damp, dismal hole. 1t required but a
few moments to satisfy me OF the reality OF
the bonanza, and as the air was bad We
hurried oat and again replaced the cover.
ing. l will not describe the location OF this
treasure, but it is in just such a place as l
would never have thought of finding it. i
We next started for the other. I followed
John at a break-neck speed over the hills
until we landed at the spot where he had
his treasure. He told me as he went
of it's great richness, specimens from which
he had years after procured assays running
as high as fifteen thousand ounces per ton.
His heart sank within him whea I told him
the ground upon which it was located was
the property Of q well known mining com
pany. He had discovered the groupings
of the bonanza chute of the claim. His
rude works were torn away. The ore had
been taken out and from its proceeds ex-
work has been done. I described
to 9 depth of over 800 feet, and had
grown larger and richer to the
workings OF the mine. where it is
low larger and better thar ever before and
undoubtedly continue for thousands
Of feet.
As we stood their talking the moor sank
TO rest, and the darkness which proceeds
the dawn OF day was upon US. Directing
to follow him no farther, he turned and
strobe rapidly up the mountain side, and
Dutch John" was again in the shadows.
1 attempted to inquire how he had es-
,aped from the v~igilantes, and what he had
been doing since the days OF Plummer and
MS gang, but he paid no heed to my gu ss-
ions. I particularly wished to learn who
hanged in his stead, but if he knew he
would not answer. He was well dressed
carried with him an air OF refinement
which told that he had abandoned the life
Of his former years, and somewhere was
living a quiet life OF ease and comfort.
Physically "Dutch John" is the most per.
specimen of manhood I have ever
known. y. E. KINMAN.