The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-01-03
DEVILS nooF NINE.
A Story Of Seeking and Not Finding
Hidden Wealth in the Mountains,

Henry Gormley, at present boarding
at 221 South Main street, has IN his pos
session map and travellers guide of the
United States, printed in 1.-THE year 1882.
The relic is doubtless worth considerable
money, not only on account of its age,
but because Of the thrilling story linked
ut. Yesterday afternoon he told the
following interesting story of the "find"
and the tragic death of Horace Thompson:
ut was last May" began Mr.. Gormley,
land l was chopping timber In Chouteau
county, Montana. l had started on my
third tree since dinner. It was pine like
all the others, and something over four
feet through. As L stepped up and scan
ned it failed to notice that it was hollow,
but at the flrst stroke found that out
But the reverberation given out was so
dull that judged the hollow to be very
small and of no consequence. | struck
IT again, and as the axe bedded itself in
the wood fat squirrel leaped out of the
trunk through an aperture about as big IS
q biscuit. a nestr l exclaimed beneath
my breath; well see to that' and l at
once set to work widening the cavity,
meanwhile keeping bright eye on what
ever might attempt to escape.
"rhe chips flew lively and the hole
grew large enough to introduce ones
head. Suddenly l dropped my axe to the
ground and thrust my hand into the hol-
low. There, lying at the bottom, on
soft bed of decaying wood, was asheet of
paper, neatly folded. In it was the map
and guide, exactly as you see it now, and
they had surely been in that tree forty or
fifty years. But the papers were not the
only articles locked in that natural safe.
Leaning against the wooden wall muz
zle up, as though placed there by its
owner, was an old fint-lock musket,
such as cur grandfathels sighted at New
Orleans. And clinging to the barrel was
something whittier than the papers. This
object ratified as grasped the gun, and
slid down the iron tube until it fell over
my fingers.
1T was the skeleton of right hand
II didn't do much more work that after
noon. ! bore my treasures off to camp
and there examined them. You see for
yourself what the travellers guide is, and
as for the musket it didn't differ material y
from thousands Of other old shooting
irons. However, filed into the barrel,
not many inches from the muzzle we're
the letters II. X. r., evidently the initials
of the owner. Poor fellow! His right
hand had gripped that weapon unto death
Even death was powerless to wrench the
musket from him. He meant to take it
with him into that strange land unknown
to US. and protect his spirit with it there.
At least forty and probably fifty years
that hand, gun and guide had lain in
the tree. l am sure Of that, for the in.
growing bark that covered the hole must
have taken that length Of time to become
rs found it,,
"And l believe I know the unfortunate
who lost the hand. AS told of my find ID
camp that night one of the boys who had
been in Montana several years gave the
following history of two mems search for
,Lo Loot D.r,lS, Hcof Nine.
Few knew of the existence of this
nugget pocket, and as the early years of
the golden times passed away the people
possessing the secret died one by one,
until patriarchal Indian was the last
left He died and in dying gave the
birch bark map of its location to young
trapper who watched at his deathbed.
This trapper was Horace Thompson, who
had come to the sunset land, like many
others, for fame and fortune, from the
East
"'As soon as the old red man was
decently buried, Thompson took friend
into his confidence, and together they
set out to find Devils Hoof Mine. But
the confidence that Thompson gave his
friend was but partial. He steadily re-
fused to allow the other sight of the
map and in other than general terms
spoke not of the mines whereabouts
They left mankind far to the South
and Westward, and rode on for many
days. Thompson's friend grew suspicious
as they neared their destination, and at
length resolved to get the map. He
feared that when the gold was really
found, Thompson would desert him and
leave him to die in the wilderness. so as
10 leave him sole owner. They had an
alteration, but Thompson got the better
of the mntineer. Fired for revenge, the
other held his peace for some days until
his chance should come. 1t came at
last
''One evening Horace announced their
journey about completed. AS there was
an extra gun and number of other use
less articles in the packs, they decided to
hidekhem away for the time being, and
perhaps get them on their return trip.
A hollow tree was found and Thompson,
On his hands and knees, received the
articles from his comrade and placed
them one by one in the hole. AS he took
the musket and WAS settino it inside the