The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-05-11
NEWS AND GOSSIP.
AN IDAHO MAN sW1NDLED.

| The gold brick swindle-that 3Qlt
musty chestnut has again beer
successfully worked. This time al
Idaho man, whose name has beer
discreetly withheld from the sym
pathizing public, was the victim
Last Saturday, just after the trair
from the north reached Salt Lake
a gentleman from Idaho presented
himself at Mccormick q Co.'s
bringing q letter of introduction tt
Mr.. Mccormick. No sooner were
the usual greetings exchanged than
the stranger asked if q gold brick
had been received at the bank from
Idaho. Learning that the brick
was expected by express, Mr.. Nc
Cornick said that it was a little
early for express matter, but il
would doubtless arrive within an
hour. In an hour the gentleman
returned, and meanwhile, the pack.
age had come to hand. ut is a
gold brick" said the gentleman
upon which I have advanced ST..
200. I made the loan to a man
named Thomas Day, who repre-
sented that he was we'll acquainted
with you, and that he or his part
ner would meet me here, when you
would doubtless purchase the brick
and I would be able to obtain the
money / loaned upon it. Do you
know Mr.. Day?" Mr.. Mccormick
said he might have met the gentle
man, but did not remember him,
but he was certain he was not as
intimate as Mr.. Day insisted upon.
The gentleman from Idaho became
suspicious that something was
wrong and the brick was inspected
at once. The brick, which was very
large, looked all right. It had a
small hole neatly drilled near the
centre, and it was from this cavity
that the assay had been made in
Idaho, upon which the 200 had
been advanced. 1t had a very good
appearance, however, and, save for
the fact that it was rather light for
its size, would be liable to mislead
anyone, save a jeweler or an assayer.
At this point it was suggested that
the brick be submitted to John Nc
Wicker, the assayer, and it was
taken to him. AS McVicker watched
the result of the test he made, he
said: "Just as l expected. There
is not even trace of gold. I should
say the brick runs about SO per cent
in pure copper, with a small per-
centage ofzinc." The brick weighed
about twenty-four pounds, had it
been gold, it would have been worth
nearly $4,000, but "a pounds Of cop
per is not worth much.
Since the above was in type we
learn from the Statesman that the
person who was "coppered" by the
ocd-chopper" in the $4,000 gold
brick scheme is no other than the
old pioneer of Idaho, Jake Reeser,
of Rocky Bar. Reeser followed the
"brick" to Salt Lake City expecting
to meet the "brick-maker" there,
but he failed to "show up" but the
"brick" did. The "brick" upon be-
ing assayed and tested proved to be
valueless, as it contained no trace
of gold, being principally composed
of copper. We would suggest to
Mr.. Reeser that he send his brick
over to the French syndicate, per-
haps they could corner it.
OKLAHOMA LAND GRADERS.
The U. S. Marshals who "grab-
bed" so many desirable claims in
Oklahoma in advance of the legal
opening, are likely to get into
trouble. News from Washington
says that George w. Cole, of Chi
cago, who was in Oklahoma when
the territory was thrown open to
settlers, had a conference lately
with Acknowledgement Miller, in
regard to the conduct of govern.
ment officers on that occasion. Ac-
cording to his statement, Marshal
Jones, of Kansas, and nearly all Of
his 700 deputies, took illegal advan-
tage of their official position to get
possession Of choice lands. He
said that it was currently reported
that Marshal Noodles and his depu-
ties were equally culpable, but of
that he was not personally cogni-
zant, so did not care to be respons-
ible for the charge against them.
The Acknowledgement assured him
that the matter would be thorough
ly investigated. He said he had
heard such reports before from
Oklahoma, and was determined the
perpetrators of this crooked bust
ness should be brought to justice if
possible.
OKLAHOMA NOTES.
1t is reported that Messrs. Rews
& Rupert, of HALEY, have secured
choice claims in a good locality.
Miss Nanita Daisy, the lady boomer,
was shot through the arm by San
ia Fe engineer who had jumped her
claim. She is not seriously injured
however. Miss Daisy has friends
who have resolved to see her rights
Five rnen in fhnir cot