The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-15
CRAZY BUCKSKIN JIMMY.
A WELL KNOWN CHARACTER ON
DENVER'S STREETS.

400. So Stanley Wood Sage.
From the Neto York Advertiser.
few weeks ago I told the readers Of the
C,,ndq,j Advertiser the true story Of a
Co,or.do woman with "grit," whose clear
b-ain and undaunted perseverance, won her
. fortune and made her husband twice a
millionaire. This is the story of a Denver
man who if he had been declared insane
ATTAIN wears ago, when he was brought be-
fore court of inquiry as to his mental CON-
d,tjon. would, no doubt, at present, be q
sane man and worth 100000. AS it is, he
IA now worth about $4,000, and is a mental
wreck in charge OF a conservator.
Jaraes Thomas, or, as he is Familiarity
called. "Buckskin Jimmy" is well known
character in Denver. he has lived in that
CITY for thirty-one years, and is entitled to
all the honor Of an ''oldtimer.n He went to
Denver early IN the sos, and located
down in the bottoms" on Cherry creek.
Beipg a glovemaker by trade, he started
one man-power mandatory and prospered
IN his business He lived alone, was his
own housekeeper and cook, sold the
products Of his labor at q good price, made
money, and, what Is still better, saved 1t.
When be had accumulated little cash he
hogan to buy real estate on the banks of
the Platte river, which to-day Is classed
among the best truckage in Denver. In 1882
be began to show signs of mental derange-
ment They were CT a very mild character,
taking the form OF a belief on his part that
be owned all the horses in the state. Now
adays the physicians would diagnose his
case as one Of paresis, and pronounce him
suffering from dementia crandiosa, but the
frontier doctors OF those early days In Den
YER after mature elaboration, decided that
"Buckskin Jimmy" was "a little
off his base" which, after all, answered
ell practical purposes as we'll as
verdict of dementia crandiosa, and served
to bring "Buckskin Jimmy" into a court of
inQuirendo de lunatico. He was arraigned
before Judge Harrington of the county
court, and his eccentricities brought before
the inspection OF legal eyes. 1t was shown
that Jimmy" had a habit of taking up
every horse he found loose and putting the
animal into his 'carrol, as any Enclosure
for animals is always called in Colorado
In parenthesis l may say that a great
many Spanish words have been Incorporated
into the vernaculer Of Colorado. The
southern part of the state was settled by
descendants Of the Spanish hidalRos, who
originally dominated in New Mexico, and
many OF their words and phrases havo
passed into common use all over the state,
For example, when a Mexican tightens the
girth OF his saddle he is said to "cinch" il.
From this the word has acquired topical
meaning, and now whenever one man sue
ceeds in securing an advantage over another
he is said to have the ''cinch" on him.
1t looked as though the court would get
the ''cinch" on "Buckskin Jimmy" when he
was brought before it charged with lunacy,
but it was proved that although Jimmy"
took up all the horses he could lay his hands
on, he never sold them, and that he would
give them up when claimed by their owners,
though with O vast deal Of reluctance and
grumbling. In view Of this apparent
honesty and saneness of purpose ths judge
declined to find him absolutely non compos
mentls, but compromised by appointing his
brother~iu-law, Thomas Shella, conservator
Of his estates. Jimmy :" although allowed
his liberty, WAS much aggrieved at this de-
cision, and never ceased to denounce it as
unjust and tyrannous; Ia fact, he made
constant efforts to have 1t reversed.
As is always the case, perseverance has its
reward and another illustration was given
OF the fact that this world Is very prone to
estimate man at his judgment OF himself.
Jimmy" asserted that he was sane, and he
asserted it roundly every day for five years.
The result was that in 1887 be secured an
other trial Of his case, this time before a
jury. The noble jury system of our coun-
try vindtcated its usefulness, as usual, and
WAS
sane. Although competent physicians
q pronounced him suffering from mem
tai ailments, which confinement in an
asylum and proper treatment would re-
move plenty Of witnesses testified that they
believed the petitioner to be as sane as they
were and fully as competent co take care Of
MS business. Perhaps he was, but It was an
pnIucky day for " Buckskin Jimmy" when
his property was placed In his own hands
had the verdict been different and had
Jimmy" been removed, as his friends and
nearest relatives desired, to an asylum
Wnere he would have received skillful treat
ment, there is little doubt but that to-day
ne would be IN full possession OF his facul-
tIeS ana the owner Of property that is worth
at least 100000.
dis lands were restored to his control lust
as the real estate boom "struck" Denver,
aud Jimmy" at once, with the perversity
Oh an insane man, became a "hearn In the
market, SO far as his holdings were con-
cerned. The railroads soon discovered that
tney mad picnic in Jimmy" aud be.
lore long he had sold all his land. "That
.'7 the time for disappearing" and
Jimmy" accordingly, took a header, u
ana Tor six months his anxious friends lost
al traces OF the great real estate "bear.n
ne railroads didn't worry any. They had
al MS lands, and with a good title, for the
court had pronounced him sane and fully
SgaOAo Oh managing his business. They
8 uau paid him his price; in word, there was
tngItnIhg Tor them to worry about. But
Jimmy" had friends and relatives, and
tuey never ceased to prosecute their search
LOT MIN. Their efforts were entirely fruit
tess Sno they became convinced that lie
. nao added one more to the long list of "mys-
ferrous disappearance" forever, which
OsnVer and the west can show.
OK months after Jimmy" dropped out
VI agnt his orother-in-law received a letter
from MIN. 1t was dated at an insane asylum
Al canada. He had proved a much more
,enuherative guest in the asylum than
lIoss andering crazy men, for when incar-
e oelatsu oy the authorities $500 was found
se"ed 10 his clothing. Most Of this the
authorities claimed for expenses and other
c qua and it goes without saying they
after great deal OF red tape, Jimmy
N Has transferred to the care Of his friends in
iDesuYer, out he was supposed to be abso-
tusely penniless. His well known habits of
susaiity precluded the idea Of his having
t5 5ualdered the money but it couldn't be
.SL't and his friends became convinced
. .nsy ne mad either lost all his money or been
siSooeu' "Jimmyn could give them no as
hs.aIce IN their search. He said that IL he
S pau Deen robbed be was quite sure he would
ms IuEe remembered it, aud his impression was
, yLss ue mad bought the asylum In Canada
he ~ very large cash payment. In fact,
10 10 ubnnctly remembered that transaction
FfWaN o. -