St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-02
LEAOVILLE'S PARSON.
Episodes Of the Early Days in
the Great Colorado Min
ing Camp.
Often Called to Marry Mem
bers Of the Sporting Fra
ternity.
Funerals Of the Wicked and
Consolation for the I'm
fortunate.
PaYson Uzzell's Queer Duties
in a Wild Frontier
Town.
New York sun.

parson Tom UZZell was the lirst cler-
gyman TO set up the tents of the Lord IN
Leadville. He is now the preacher in
the PEOPLES Tabernacle in Denver. He
has been in contact with many Western
types, but his latter experience is I'M
eventful when compared with that OF
1878 and 1879. when sin was running
riot in LeadviIe. In those days he was
frequently placed IN positions in which
any other mans life would have been
endangered, but some how ParsOn Toms
honest simplicity always stood him In
good stead, and lie made friends instead
of enemies even among outlaws, The
wickedest man in the camp respected
him, and literally gave to his church.
and. although he never succeeded in
turning them from evil, they invariably
came to him when in trouble, and when
summoned to the Court of the Most
High, Tom UzzelI whispered assurances
of hope.
"lf hell itself had opened its jaws in
those DAYS | don't believe LeadVlile
would have hesitated an instant" Par
son Tom said one day: "There was no
depth of vice to which it did not sink,
and its early record of crime is second
to none in amy section of the wild West.
The town was hell bent, and in most
cases | think it gained its objective
point"
Parson Tom was called one night to
perform the marriage ceremony for the
notorious doc" Baggs. The prospect
was not alluring, but Parson Tom, TO
use his own language, "didn't like to
refuse" and he went to the notorious
dive. where the rooms above the gamb-
ling house beamed with light and
splendOr, and the wedding guests in
rich attire impatiently awaited the com
ing of the clergyman.
The bride, whose character was not
of the best. was arrayed in cOnVen-
tiOnal bridal attire of the most luXur-
iOus quality, and doc" was resplend-
minor fashionable details had been for
gOttel. The men and women were the
entire sporting population Of Leadville.
For moment the splendor of the scene
and the dignity Of the bridal party al
most staggered the parSOn, whose draw
ing room experience had been very lin
tied But he summoned sufficient voice
TO unite the pair and to ask Gods bless
ing on the marriage. All present bowed
their heads. and Tom was encouraged
10 elaborate somewhat on his usual
form of supplication. After Baggs had
kissed the bride he slipped a $50 note
into the parsons hand. When Parson
Tom started to retire the bridegroom
forgot his lines and swore vlci0usly.
"D-n you, UzZell," he said. ''what
are you thinking OF? You're not going
until we've had something to eat"
SO Parson Tom sat down, and al
though his heart was in his mouth he
partook. perhaps, of a more sumptuouS
repaSt than he has ever seen before or
has ever seen since.
IL kept the money in my hand all the
time' he SAID afterward, and | was
MORALLY afraid they'd do me, but!they
didn't. 7 hey kept up appearances until
/ left, and Baggs sent me home in the
handsomest carriage in the town."
In those days marriage licenses were
not required in Leadville, and Parson
UzZell thinks that he must have mar
ried and remarked many person to
others when they had tired of their
bonds. Names were very easily ex-
changed when occasion required.
Whenever the parsons suspicious were
aroused he always investigated to the
best of his ability, but he Invariably
heard stories that might he true.
The bad men of Leadville always sent
for Parson Tom as death approached,
seeming to regard his presence as a di-
rect lnterposition with the Almighty.
They died hard" he said. ''but they
always wanted me with 'em."
Once there was sad harvest of death,
and the funerals at which ParsOn UZzell
Officiated averaged as many as six day.
al nj riA hn Ann
thunderbolts of warning right and left,
and the people who received them wept
bitter tears until his eXhortatiOns were
finished. Then they went their ways.
A big German, who kept a famous
beer garden at the corner of State and
Pine streets, frequently transferred the
garden into hall, where Or. Gibbons.
an early Colorado reformer, and ParsOn
UZZell gave temperance lectures Jointly.
The proprietors would cover up the
counters in jffy," according to the
parsons description, :" and the eXhorta-
tons would go on right lively for a
time. but we never accomplished much,
for before our words were cold beer
was selling again as fast as it could be
drawn, and the lectu"" '~"S forgotten.
The tinkle of glas: IS always began be-
fore we had time to 49,,
IarSon UZzell saw the rise of Col
oradO'S great millionaires. Tabor was
then in Leadvile keeping small store.
Judge Stanslll was begging his bread
in the carbonate camp about the time
ParSOn Tom Otficiated at "Doc' Bagg's
widest millionaire Colorado has ever
known. He was a Western "Coal-oil
Johnny" and he very soon ran through
an immense fortune. When the affairs
of the great Gallagher mine were il
dispute, Parson UZzell said to Pat
Gallagher. the millionaire owner: ''Pat
J understand your mines are in litiga
ton"
mo, be jabers," Pat replied; 'that's
a loie. Everybody knows they're il
loime stOne!"
On the day that Parson Uzzell arrived
at Leadvile, an old woman, known a:
"Mother Ray" began washing under {
pine tree. Just one year afterward SHE
Struck it rich on Fryer hill, stopped
washing. put piano into her shanty
and altired herself in silks and satins
Grub stalking August Richie made
Tabor" is saying in the camp OF the
carbonates. Richie was a poor shoe
maker al Orc City, now Leadville, il
the seventies, who had prospected il
the 1lllS DelW6tu OdlllOIllld OuIcll ant
Red Cliff. He had discovered indica
tons of rich carbonates during one o
his explorations. and his confidence
therein induced Tabor to grub stake
him in order to enable him to pursue
further Investigations.
A grub stake" is supply of pro
visions such as bacon, coffee, flour, salt
sugar, tobacco and whisky sufficient K
last three months. 1t required consid
cradle eloquence and many arguments
on the part of Richie to induce Tabor tt
furnish the requisite amount of prov
ender for the reason that Richie was al
ready indebted for previous supplies
Tabor advanced the "gIub stake" OF
condition that two-thrds of Riche'
find be given to him. Richie returned
two months afterward with bag O
carbonates. Tabor had the samples as
saved, and bought Riches interest il
the claim, which later became the ia
nous Little Pittsburg mine.
Parson Tom was summoned one da,
to disreputable house to pray with al
abandoned girl who had been sho
through her right arm by drunken