The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-17
a MONTANA FORTUNE.
The Bulk of Judge Davis 100000
Will Go to New YORK

large share Of the big fortune Of Judge
John J. Davis, the richest man in Montana.
who died last Tuesday in Butte, viii go to
New York heirs. says the New York Sun.
Judge Davis left an estate of more than
! 8, OJ,OD, and ab lut a third of this will go
70 MS brother, Erwin Davis, and his nephew,
henry A. Root, both lawyers of New York
Judge Davis career in Montana was one Of
Iaoulous good fortune. He went there IN
1924, Wen the territory was as much a will
oerness as was Califor ia in 40. There was
mining excitement there that year similar to
the California craze fifteen years before.
Judgt Davis previously lived in Iowa. He
was democrat, and in the dark days Of
1901 ne became convinced that the country
was IN bad way. So he pulie1 up Stakes,
packed all his available pOSsesSio in two
or three carts, and started off over the
plalns toward the Montana ines. When
ne relcled the camps he sold his goods for
! Tour times what they cad cost MIN, and he
then had fair capi al to start on. Finally,
when he had disp. sed Of all but a half
orokea-do~n white horse, miner came
along who was down on his luck" He
made Davis this propositions:
say, Stranger, I'm going back east. I've
got claim back here tnag | can't afford to
WORK any longer, but l believe anybody
with little money could make a good
thing out Of it. Pve got to give it up and
walk back east. But the walking isn't
good, and If you'll trade that white horse
OF yours I'll make over the claim to you"
Davis investigated little aud closed the
bargain. He spent his available C pital in
developing the mine, aud it became the
! famous Lexington, one # the richest of that
region. MIR. Davis took a fortune from it
yearly for venty years, and five years ago
he sold 1t TO Barring Bros. of London, &C ing
for a French syndicate. for $1,000, 90 il
cash and 25 per cent of the stock. Slncs
then the mine has paid Sl,G0JO0J in divi-
dends. 80
During the past fifteen years Mr.. Davis
greatly increased his interest in the mining
rsso rces of Montana, and he was wonder
| fully fortunate. A yea ago he sold to the
But Mining Company of Boston for $780,
00J cash and S250,OO0 in stock mining
company which cost hima comparatively
| { i'll ng sum. He remarked loosely to one
Of his friends in New York when on a visit
| here last year that if he could live ten
years longer he thou hit he should be
worth some money. He owned the Butte
National Bank and large share of the
| Helena National B lnk
| Judge Davis was one of the foremost men
| OF Montana, but he was never in public life.
| de was one OF the most energetic of the de-
termined body of early settlers VIII stamped
| out crime and tanned the outlaws of Mon
| tana. The vigilance committee of which
| he was member made the mining camps
Of Montana far safer from the depredations
of thieves and blacklegs than are the street,
of New York, or any other big city. From
his connection with this primitive engine
OF Justice came his sobriquet of "the Judge"
About year ago Judge Davis health be-
gan to fail He went to New York for
| treatment, and then returned home He
| had planned to go to Euro % this spri Q,
bui he went further west instead. He was
caught in a snow blockade, and was finally
taken to a hotel in Tacoma, where he was
ill for some time. He died of paralysis Of
| the brain