The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-22
WHAT GEN. WILEY MISSED.
Millions That Might Have Been His
Fortune Had Been More Propitious.


Millions That Might Have Been His IL
Fortune Had Been More PropitiOus.
Gen. John A. Wiley rises up every
now and then in the middle of the night
and kicks himself when he thinks how
near he once came TO being millionaire.
1t was through no fsult of his own that
his plans miscarried, but all on account
of trusted party failing to carry out in
structions. 1t happened about ten years
ago, on trip with friend through the
southwest, when the mining fever was
at it's height.
They were at Tucson, Ariz-, where
prospectors were thick, and had talked
to some of them who had the ''best thing
in the world" for sale. Finally a man
put in an appearance who said he was
positive that he had big thing; that he
had two claims sixty miles from there
in which was rich deposit of copper
that would assay $75 IN silver to the ton;
that there was hog backed mountain
on the claims which he had tapped In a
straight line in four different places and
struck copper each time.
The mans talk had the true ring, but,
like most of the prospectors, he was with
out money. He had fine gold watch,
and this he put up to guarantee the ex-
psnses of the two days Journey by wagon
In case the property was nos what he
claimed. They paid his expenses at thy
hotel, and the next morning started on
the trip. Arriving there they found
everything to be as he had represented,
and arranged to buy the two claims out
right for the sum of $1,000, the general
agreeing to take quarter interest for
himself. They had travelling with them
young man In whom they had con-
fidence, and to him they intrusted the
details of the arrangement, as they
wished to proceed home and had found
means of returning to Tucson at once
So the agreement was drawn, up and the
young man and the prospector were 70
90 to Tombstone, eighty miles in an op-
posite direction, where the money had
been deposited subject to the young mans
check, with positive instructions for him
to pay the money and close the deal
The general and his companion arrived
home, but three weeks having passed by,
and the letter that they longed for not
having come. they telegraphed their
agent TO ascertain the cause of his delay
In forwarding the papers. He answered
that he had sent letter When it came
they learned from the contents that he
had not settled the matter, having come
TO the conclusion that it was best, in his
Judgment, not to purchase the claims.
And this, too, from a man who had -e-
celved positive instructions to close the
dealt
Well, shortly afterward an agent of
Flood and Mackay came along, gave the
poor prospector cool 500, 700 and the
retention Of one-eighth interest for his
claims, and entered into an agreement
with the millionaire to work the mine
on certain percentage. The company
was stocked for s12, 600, 600. So, you see.
the generals one-fourth interest would
have stood him $S ,O0o, COO. The Copper
Queen is still a great mine, while it is
said that the agent who took the con-
tract of working the same has pulled ont
as high as SG0. 900 IN one month fer his
percentage pa News