, 1891-12-09
GREEN RIVER GOSSIP.
Several Matters Disposed of in an
Important Court Session.
An Alleged HOId-Up Rather Roughly
Handled by officers.
Carl Spinner Talks on Early Days
in South Pass.

special COrTesDondence.
GREEN RIVER, Dec. Court was 10
session all last week and some of the cases
created considerable talk, while one, that
of John Mcdonald, was of more than
local interest. As wired to The LEADER
Mcdonald, who has persisted in black
mailing Union Pacific officials aud en-
ployes, was convicted of criminal libel.
He was sentenced to three months I'M
prisonment and to pay a fine of 81 900.
The case of Louis Erb vs.. the city of
Rock Springs for $1,000 damages was
watched with interest. Erb claimed that
his health was damaged to that amount
through exposure while confined in the
Rock Springs Jail. No damages were al
lowed. A number of people are laughing
over Bob Smiths dog case" "Pogie"
Smith. the little rustler who secured 200
subscribers to THE WEEKLY LEADER a
wear ago and won the first prize of $40.
vas the owner of a setter pup. For Gre
ating a disturbance in the chicken coop OF
R D. Woodruff the little dog was shot,
hence, the suit. The jury disagreed.
SHOT WHILE UNDER ARREsT.
Green River people are considerably
exercised over the occurrence of two weeks
ago. Harry Hof, an emplove OF Josh
Twichell's, identified the man who had
said to him: You had better hold up
your hanCs," and then fired a shot at
Hoff, who whirled and ran instead of
complying with the request. He was ar
rested, and either D.. Payne. the city
marshal, or Tobin, the Union Pacific
Waterman. or both together, gave hun an
unmercitul beating and lett him on the
street in an unconscious condition, instead
of taking him to Jail. The man has
three bad gashes on his head made by a
slx-shooter. and a bullet hole through his
shoulder. The ball entered the left
shoulder and passed downward and out of
the left arm half way to the elbow. He
is weak from the loss of blood, and DIR.
Benson, the attending physician, says he
may die vet. A complaint was made
against Tobin, who had a hearing before
% uSllCt - w. DOutcs uub vas dClAib1Cus
AN OLD TIMER.
There may be a difference of opinion as
to how long a man must live in the coun-
try before he is entitled to be called al
old timer. There can be no doubt, il
the case of b. Spinner. however. as he
was here before Wyoming was. He
walked from Denver to Cheyenne, then
in Dakota territory, along with a freight
outfit, Just behind the Hon. w. W. Cor
lett. Mr.. Spinner speaks with a slight
German accent. and If his story of the
early days in the South Pass country
could be quoted as spoken, it would be
though true, as laughable as the savings
of the average shows funny man, and
much more sensational.
ONCE FAMOUS MINING CAMP.
In 1869 Spinner ran a butcher shop in
Atlantic City. At that time Atlantic,
South Pass and Miners Delight were
great placer camps and it was not an I'M
common thing for the butcher to receive
gold nuggets worth from 81 up to $75.
To use his own words. my poorest
neighbor was worth $40, OO0-in his
mind" Spinner and his partner con
cluded they would also embark in the
mining business. In one instance they
fond fifty cents to the pan at the grass
roots. The ground was rich at bed rock
too, but after two days s~luicing only fifty
cents to the man could be cleaned up.
The gold being scaly had hoated off.
There we're men who made money. One
nugget was sold by the fire eater" for
$3.50 and another miner received several
hundred for a fine quartz specimen. Joe
johnson and three others hauled their
dirt nearly a mile to the sluIce boxes in
the summer of 70, and in the fall John
son left with l,4O0 as his share Of the
summers work. That summer sixteen
quartz mills were in operation. The
stamps long since have ceased dropping,
except occasionally to crush some choice
ore, or that believed to be good by some
one Of the persistent miners who still
remain in the camp. One of the latter is
Phillip Haas, who for more than twenty
years has delved in the rocks of the
mysterious camp in the hope that he
would strike a rich pocket or a true vein.
Other old timers are jim Smith. the
South Pass store keeper, and Bob Nc
Cauly, who for almost a quarter OF a
century has been postmaster at Atlantic.