The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-09
BITS OF WESTERN LIFE.
THE EARLY DAYS IN BODIE AND
VIRGINIA CITY.

BbOChy hhO INV AS OuIOeQeQ the
Shares at Very Handsome Profit.
sam DGUis in San Francisco Examiner.
When Bodie was III tbs prime OF its pros
perity about ten years ago there was among
lis citizens villa Irishman noted for his
sharp tongue and bowling disregard for
money or position. When partially primed
with whisky he was fond of mounting
barrel or dry goods box and indulging In a
style Of rough-and-tumble oratory, which,
while it was not as polished as the rounded
periods OF Bob Ingersoll. was nevertheless
certain to draw an admtring audience.
He was finally discharged from one of
the mines for some exhibition Of freshness
that insulted the dignity of the superin
tendent, and he got revenge by climbing on
TO a dry goods box that night in front of
the slperintendents Office and speaking to
large street gathering.
"Och, boys, didn't know the blatherin'
upstart when he was packIn' his dinner bas-
ket in the Crown Poiut of Virginia City
and his sister was dom the washin' for the
Belcher minea The whole outfit came west
on an emigrant car, and meEelf and some
other miners helped schrape the gray backs
off the family before they could land In Sill
yer City,"
This sort Of talk became somewhat mo-
no! onous to the superintendent, who was
within hearing, and a man who knew his
temperament slipped into the office and
offered to knock the orator of the box for
$40.
The money was forthcoming at once and
inside of minute the man who was hired
to squelch the talker jumped up on the box
and by a well-directed swing of his right
knocked his man completely out. He fell
consoles after being struck and was car
ried into drug store by his friends.
When he recovered consciousness the man
who bad knocked him off the box was lean
ing over him and holding his hand.
"Bedad, who was the blackguard who hit
me behindt the ear7'
Pat, it was me that did it."
What forP
For $40, and you're in for half. Here's
the 10 oney.n
'Bill, you're the right man in the right
place No other man in Bodle could lay me
out like that, and no other would dizzy up
80 square. Ill be on that same box to-mor-
row night, with two 6-shooters-loaded with
blank cartridges, of course-and you can
charge 'em $500 to tackle me. Lave the
balls out of your gun aud Well have a divll
of circus.n
The plan worked to a charm 1t was an
nOuBCtu al buS III leIuOOu DupeE IDhb the
orator would speak again at s o'clock, that
he was heeled and dehed any man who wore
hair to stop him.
His friend secured the contract of OPEN
ing up a shooting match, got his $500, and
after the other had mounted the box he
plowed his way through the crowd. and
with his harmless weapons began banging
away. I be man on the box returned the
fire and the vicinity was rapidly cleared.
Then the orator started down the street on
the run covering his retreat with brisk
fusllade of exploding blank cartridges, and
amid the smoke of four barking revolvers
the two slid out of town, after which they
met in convenient ravine and divided the
money. The dry goods box orator kept on
his way heading for Keeler, while the
other, whose name was Bill GillhOoly, re-
turned In an hour or so to be congratulated
on his plucky work. By common consent
he became elevated to the position Of boss
fighter of the town, and a few days later
was offered an engagement by a leading
mining company to drive some jumpers
off some claims which the company
wanted
This looked ike more serious work and
Gillhooly began to wonder If it might not
be good idea to sublet the contract and
return to steady mining as regular bust
ness.
He begged for little time to inspect the
lay Of the land and then sent an emissarY-
man he could trust-to the jumpers.
The matter was soon arranged. The
jumpers and Gillhooly's forces were to
have big sham battle and make an equal
dizzy Of whatever money Gillhooly could
get.
He soon made terms with the company.
He was to dri' g the jumpers off for 81, 500,
$500 down and the balance after the fight
if he was alive. He also stipulated that if
he died the company was to bury him and
send 81 900 to an eastern aunt. Gilhooly
selected the trusted emissary to 70 with
him and large crowd gathered to see the
fight.
The bettingeran high on the contest.
Gill and his man sWooped down on the
disputed claims and their 1rea ms began to
crackle like lunches Of Chinese crackers
on the Monaghan New Years day. Then
came red-hot answering fire and the ex-
element was at fever heat. For a while it
seemed like the battle of Lexington. Gill
and his trusty lieutenant kept right on,
emptying their hot 6-shooters and grabbing
fresh ones from their belts. facing at least
a dozen revolvers, all belching streams of
fire and smoke from carefully prepared
blank cartridges. When the Jumpers
turned tail and started for the hills, appar-
emily packing off two wounded men, Gill
and his lieutenant were masters OF the
Clhlul, ana the WORK LnSY uio Ludb Jay
made them cocks of the walk In Bodie.
Well, Gill OWED up with the miners and
before the week was over the joke got out,
as Bodie miner in liquor is not close
moUthed man.
The Standard Company pocketed their loss
aud had to.pretend they enjoyed the joke as
well as the rest of the town. They did not
crack any wine over it, however.
Glllhooly, the holy terror of Bodie, is now
modest rancher in Southern California
and one Of the quietsst men in the pre-
cinot.
THE GREAT COAL DEAL.
Rollin Daggett when he first reached the
Comstock embarked in mining enterprises
before he became an editor. His first
venture was coal mine in the Como range.
ne invested his capital in running tunnel
INTO the hill, where be was positive an i'm
mense coal vein existed.
Month after month he sank bis money
pushing the tunnel into the hill, where he
peleVed millions OF dollars worth OF GOAL
was waiting to send a new lease Of life into
'ue Comstock with cheap fuel.
sometimes he was considerably in arrears
n"n the miners wages, and frequently had
W depend on lucky stock speculations to
RAISE the wind. One day he started for the
lime on blackboard and took almost : 500
pay up three months wages to the men
US was not all he owed them, and be
"Gnuered how he would be received. he
t;n.gnt ind the place deserted for some more
nan ~ Al. -