The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-09
STORY OF AN 0PHIR KING.
SANDY bowers LUCK, HIS FOLLY
AND HIS LONELY GRAVE.


He Struck 1t Rich, and His Neighbors
Hanged Man to Give EcIat to His
send-off to Europe Home Again to
Make an Eden in the Desert-The
| End of Sandy's Dream.
From the Kansas City Times
In grave of sand dug under the shadow
of lofty pine, in the steep side of a low
foothill Of the Sierra Mountains in Nevada,
lies molderiag now the frame Of a man
who in his time was one of the most unique
characters of'western life. In the person of
open-handed, great-hearted Sandy Bowers,
was realized a phase Of character that
novelists and dramatists have since vainly
endeavOred to depict. When the great
tide Of emigration arose in the east and
swept resis,iessly on to the newly discovered
gold fields OF California, Sandy was borne
westward on its bosom, and the waves
lodged him nigh and dry in the Sierras.
The alternating fortunes of the mines Of
that day were his and afiluence and poverty
successfully chased him with varying for
tune.
But at length there came bountiful day,
when, IN the Vernacular of the region,
Sandy struck it rich.n In the now almost
forgotten tina when Washoe was a thriving
Nevada mining town of full 5000 souls,
Sandy made strike in Ophir, and in
day was wealthy beyond his widest hopes.
In the elegant two-story frame saloon
called THE Palace" in One-eyed Frisbie's
Magnolia gambling hall. and in the shanty
known as 'Delmonico's" restaurant, where
all the Injuries of the season were liked by
a TOD g1elo
strike occasioned great excitement among
the throngs of Washoe elite, and Sandy's
good fortune was the theme of every tongue.
For time he was content to enjoy it in the
town that grew rapidly because Of the mill
ions that came pouring down from the hills
into its lap.
The thousands of dollars that accumu-
lated for Sandy in Wells, Fargo & Co.'s
express office made him uneasy. He de-
termned to travel. or, as he phrased it,
bum aroun in Yarrup," and then return
ing to Washoe build him a grand house I'M
der the shadow of the snow-clad Sierras,
near the margin of Washoe Lake When
Sandy's decision was made known the en-
terprlslng people resolved on giving him a
parting reception. and notices were posted
up calling for meeting of the people to
concert measures for giving Sandy Bowers
blow out" Between the lively town and
the lake was the race track, and the exer-
clses took the form of a number of horse
races. For some time prior TO the day an
nounced for Sandy'S going incendiarY fires
had been of frequent occurrence, and the
day before the races young man, known
to no one in the camp. was arrested by a
self-constituted officer ON suspicion of being
the incendiary. lie was locked up that
night in the office of the livery stable, and
could easily have escaped if the suggestion
OF flight had occurred to min
Next day no one worked, and ranchmen
and miners for miles around came into
Washoe to see the fun and give Sandy
Bowers q good send-off" The young man
who had been arrested stoutly denied hay
ing set fire to any building, but it was con-
Guided that he was guilty on general prin-
clples, and the crowd voted to hang him
between heats of the races by way of Civ
ing Sandy a little farewell surprise Every
body streamed out to the race track after
dinner, and the alleged incendiary, who had
front seat opposite the judges stand,
enjoyed the races as much as any one.
Between the heats of the last race the
young man was put in Brad's dray wagon
and driven up under the judges stand, from
the front OF which projected a beam. A
rope was adjusted about his neck and fast
ened to the beam above, and he was then
told to confess. He aid he didn't set fire to
any buildings and SO he couldn't confess
Being then asked if he had anything to say,
he CURLY answered:
H'Nothin'; go on 18th your ole hangfn'.n
The dray was driven out from under him
and the unknown man was left dangling in
the air. Sandy admitted he was very much
surprised, but said it was a good hanging,
and after brief time, during which the
horses got we'll rested, the body was cut
down and the concluding heat was run to
evervbody's satisfaction. Then every one
6Ton OF fhn Pola 1rNx, .l.xf-
pense. and he and his wife entering the
stage drove off amid the hurrahs of all
w ashoe. No one envied him. Venture
somely had he sought Fortune out; bravely
had he wooed the dover of all her wealth
was in his hands and MISUNDERSTANDING
| seemed to burst his days.
Sandy Bowers aud his wife. genuine
specimens of the suddenly made rich of the
early days of the west, roamed over Europe
from capital to capital, as suited their vari-
able fancies. They had more money than
| they could spend, and in the untarnished
| innocence of their hearts they fancied they
were as good as most people and a great
deal better than many But the chief
object of their tripso became the purchase
| of works of art and articles of furniture to
| adorn the home they made up their minds
| to build out in the sagebrush land Costly
| pictures and marvels of the sculptor's chisel.
| tapestries and rugs, beautifully oound books
in languages that they did not understand
were all purchased with an indiscriminate
! hand that reckoned not of cost, and sought
only certain barbaric consistency of pro-
| fusion.
Wherever Sandy andJhis wife found a
| choice bit of artificial and decorative land
scape drawing was made of it and pre-
| served for reference, that it might be du-
| plicated in the pleasure grounds Sandy
resolved to construct about the mansion
| that he would build When Sandy had
bought much more than the house he had
vaguely planned could possibly contain he
| turned his footsteps homeward
When the return of the travellers was an
| nounced in Washoe every vehicle was
| pressed into service to enable the people to
| go forth and welcome their favorite. It
| took some time after the meeting for them
to regain their enthusiasm that oozed out
| when at first they saw the toggery
| in which Sandy was arrayed, regard.
less either of cost or taste. There were
men who never afterward regaiued the
| equanimity with which they had before
been content to regard their friend. Sandy
at once set about realizing the dream with
which his European tour had filled his
mind. He selected as site for his home
4