The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-18
TOLD CT a DEFAULTER.
Good as a Miner, Broker and a Politi-
ciar, But haste Made Waste.

From the Neuo York Sun.
DENVER, Deo 12.-The brief dispatch
saying that Eli G. Belts of the Denver
Stock Exchange had become defaulter
and had fed from the country, referred to
q man of more than ordinary interest. Belts
began life in this state as miner. He was
of medium hight, we'll built, and as strong
as a giant. Moreover, he was Intelligent
and energetic When ordinary men got
50 50 day for swinging the sledge Belts
could get "a 50 without question. He was a
driver in sinking a shaft or running drift
such as may infrequeltly be found
One day, however, he drove a little too
fast. A blast went off and fired Belts out
OF the hole with his face and body full of
debris and his right arm destroyed. They
picked him 10 end got a surgeon, and after
few weeks Belts was as well as ever ex-
cept for his arm. He could not drive a
drill any more, however. and people thought
that great misfortune for a time: after
ward they thought it good luck, and now
they do not know whether it was good or
bad. This much seems certain; if he had
kept bis arm he would have kept his good
name.
When Bettis recovered from the effects OF
the blast he began to use his brains instead
of his muscles, and his brain proved to be
much like his muscles. He began dealing
Then he went into politics. and was elected
clerk of Chaffee county. He still kept his
eye on the mines Of the state, however. and
when everybod was going wild last winter
over the finds at Cripple Creek and Creede
he chose the gold camp OF Cripple Creek for
his operations.
At Cripple Creek he was one Of the lead
ing crowd-tne crowd of which Dave Moi
fat Of Denver and Eb Smith of Leadville
were the hackers, and the Rondebush broth
ers were the chief rustlers Col H. D.
Comstock, an untiring worker and one of
the best men in his line In Colorado. was
the prospector ana general superintendent
of good deal of the work done. Belts
was made treasurer of the Gold Standard
Mining Company. concern that owned
some excellent claims, and soon became one
of the most prominent men in the camp.
Two stories will illustrate somewhat the
mans char acter. Belts boarded at the
Clarendon hotel, n structure which, though
built OF pine, muslin and paper, was one of
the handsomest and most comfortable hotels
within ever seen in the state. The furnish
inRs we're elegant. One day Belts noticed
that the young woman who waited on his
table seemed TO be i'll, and questioned her
about it. He found that the dining room
work was so conf1ning that all the girls were
troubled with headaches. Thereat he hired
4-seated rig, with a handsome pair of
bays and took them all driving. This was
not single instance of his generosity, either,
and what is better, no one accused him of a
sinister thought in the matter.
Then E. G. Gard, editor Of the Crusher.
got on bad terms with the crowd and
roasted them. The Crusher Office, after
the paper was distributed. was like an ar
senaL Every man in it and a couple of
friends of the editor were on guard. There
were revolvers enough to go around, and
IUipobaafara haaidoo ~;
pected to be attacked, and with his men
was waiting for chance to shoot some-
body. Knowing this, Belts went down to
the CruSher Office, stopped at the door,
cursed and insulted and defed the whole
outfit in the most aggravatiug fashion, but
not man nor the whole outfit dared at
tack him.
Eventually the valuable properties on
Gold Hill were consolidated under the name
of the Anaconda Gold Mining Company by
the engineering of L. B. Rondebush, for
merly of the New York Stock Exchange
Rondebush had sufficient confidence In
Belts TO make him secretary OF the new
company. with its capital OF ], zoo, 900 shares
of IS each Thereat Belts bought a seat in
the Denver Stock Exchange. and became a
plunger. He repeated the experience of
the days when he as a miner sinking a
shaft. in those days he was in too great a
hurry to reach lode and shot away an
arm by a premature blast. On the ex-
change he was in too great hurry to get
rich. and threw away right good reputa-
ton. When be got caught on the wrong
side Of the market he used it is charged, the
money Of others until he could no longer
dance to the music. Then be fed
1t was characteristic of the man that be
took his own instead Of another mans wife
when he ran away
Ara H.
life as well as you do olubl He-O, yes.
Eha-And are Ynu 30 awfnlIv fond Of vnnr