The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-07

pangs of adversely and disappointment and
become desperate in his inability to respond
to the pathetic appeals of devoted wife, is
not strange, but yet it is sad, and many an
old Montana friend and companion will re-
gret that he could not assist an old miner
in his hour of distress and need. "Jim'
Whitlatch, up to within few weeks of his
death, had lived in the hopes of once more
making a ''stake' and then return to his
family and pay no more attention to min
ing business.
During last March whitlatch was in Hell
ena on h~SSy to San Francisco to dispose
Of placer >in Emigrant gulch, near
Cooke City, ia ah he was interested, and
M also tae properti 81 tie 6so Great IT,. Republic
Which he had PS,ured bond. Another
deal be had on th3osapis WAS the sale of
gold property inSp Kingston, N. M. Arrived
IN San Francisco. he made the Baldwin
hotel his headquarters, and for two months
some friends he stated that in short time
he would receive $50, 600 for his New Mexico
mine and $4,000 for the Montana proper
ties. The Examiner thus tells she story of
the last days of "Jim" Whitlatch:
Everybody he came in contact with liked
him, and his suicide was a shock to all who
knew him.. It was generally believed that
mont was made at the hotel that he had shot
himself the act was attributed to physical
suffering, caused by q jarring thighbone
that had been fraetured three years ago in
Tombstone when be jumped from buck nc, !.
accident caused hin intense ypas(t, and he
told an acquaintance a week ago tharika
could not sleep, az whenever he moved in
bed the bone which had not been properly
- b6ld scrunch him agonizingly.
since the first OF July he had been drink
linr to excess, and the landlord of the Re
we're House says that Whitlatch acted like
crazy man when he applied for room on
FThursday. He had not been seen at the
BALDWIN since Monday. but it is known that
~ was wandering about Oakland on Tues
day-ufd Wednesday.
( Tho suggestion that he had killed himself
because Of financial trouble was secuted by
all who knew him, until the following let
ters were found among his effects:
No. 800 FIRST SIREET, BROOKLYN, N. Y.
June 25.-My Dear Husband: have writ
stand. my husband. what has come over
You. try hard to be bright and happy,
but tho thought steals over me that you are
sick or have lost all interest in your dear
ones. What are You doing2 Are you not
going TO Montana2 This is my birthday.
the beach tonight with Marshall. Will you
be able to to send me something before the
1st Of July2 have my rent to pay. With
Ill my love, faithfully, YoUR WIFE.
4 letter dated the Sth Of July read as fol-
Nv Dear Husband: never thought the
day would come when you would complete
" ignore me. You always used to be SO
good to your family and home, but now, in
spite Of all the letters have sent, my i'm
portuning, my begging, You will not send
me one word to KNOW what you are doing,
80 n,s~
With largo family of four boys, helpless.
Ybu know, dear, if had money would not
trouble yen. but am 20 fixed here l don't
know what TO do. am owing the grocer
$2.60 and ooal from Talmage. I have man
aged TO keep all the other bills down, and
every weak. r You could send me SIS i
week Il would help. paid our rent on the
Ist With the last $50 Perry Jones sent. I
beg you, my husband. not to let me struR-
gle. cannot 60 to papa any more. If you
have any reason for not writing tell me-
Your WIFE.
In the pockets of the deceased we're many
leEtsss ON mining matters, and on the bu-
yesu In the room where he was found dead
vas . -nots addressed to N. G. Fassett,
bat il gave no reason for the suicide, ex-
money.
But he IL dead and gone and many an
old-timer will drop q silent tear. He was
loved and respected by everybody and last
spring whom he visited Helena after pro-
lonRed absence he was given q royal greet
Ino. By the time he had walked one block
mp Main street no less than fifty old-timere
gathered around him at once to give him a
cordial grasp Of the hand. There is nc
mining camp or region west of the Missis.
sippi, from the torrid zone of Mexico and
even South America to California's golden
shores and ~ far az Alaska, where Yin
lar among all classes. generous to fault
when he could be and a true type of the
hail fellow we'll met, happy-go-lucky true
blue pioneer prospector. His career hal
been as romantic and interesting as any
character ever painted in fiction or history
and his life has been one of ups anc
downs, with fortune to-day and poverty to
morrow, but he always maintained rar.
degree of confidence in his ability t.
pull through all right at tn,
end. While he had never beer
reckless and pefseverinR spirit which wal
his chief characteristic, in his efforts K
emaes m independent fortune for himself
and family his fortunes varied. At last h
died poor man. leaving his family il
need, but = = not probable that the gener
larry t6ose whom the sturdy prospecto
assisted, viii ct this time permit his famil.
70 Jim. Whitlatch Helena owes deb
81 gratitude; for TO his pluck and persist
encs must, even = this time o. ereditet
Rockies. At period in the history Of tn
oity. vben tho plaoer mines had abou
ulaved ont and the few cabins in Las
Chance Guleh wsre being deserted, an,