The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-23
THE TRAPPER'S STORY
HOW COLGATE WAS LEFT no PER-
IsH BY CARLIN.
If Reeiey Tells the Truth, Then the
Desertion of Cook Colgate Was
Both Inhuman and CowardIy.

river, in the wildS of the Bitter Root
mountains, lay now fast decomposing
the remains of George T. Colgate, the
unfortunate man who accompanied
the party of hunters headed by Will
liam E. Carlin and his New York
friend. A L. A Himmerwright, in the
capacity of cook and camp assistant
Stories heretofore told in connection
with the desertion Of Colgate are con-
tradicted by Ben Kelley, a trapper,
who led the party out Of the mount
lains. Kelley today told your cores
ipondent the following story of the en-
tire trip, including the narrowing de-
tails of the abandonment of the unfOr-
tunate Colgate:
ut was some time during the month
of October I cannot give the exact
I date, for I did not carry a calendar
with me, when went into the mount
aims to trap for the winter, and that
| Martin Spencer, the guide of young
| CarlinS party, came to my cabin and
stated that he and his charges had too
long delayed the exit from Bitter Roots
and that he thought they were in a
bad fix. The main body of the party
shortly after came up. Carlin and
Himmelwright questioned me closely
regarding my knowledge of the coun-
try and ability to construct and handle
a raft for mountain streams Being
satisfied with the information thus ac-
CURED they proposed TO purchase my
share of provisions in the cabin occu-
pied by Jerry Johnson and myself, and
engage me at a. liberal figure to assist
them in making their escape by means
of the Clearwater river. This prop
osition L quickly accepted induced
| largely to do so by the fact that my
mountain partner and myself were on
anything but good terms, and [ was
glad of an opportunity to get out of
putting in a long winter with him.
L noticed at the time that George
Colgate, who accompanied the Carlin
party, was q very sick man, and called
ahead of us was an exceptionally diff
cult one, and that it would be almost
impossible for a man in his condition
to successfully accomplish it. There
was some talk of leaving the poor fell
| low behind with Johnson in the cabin,
but the latter was surly and we feared
would refuse the suffering man even
the neceSsaries of life, and we decid-
ed to take him along with us. We trav-
eled a distance of about three miles
when we struck the river, and as tim
Der was plentiful concluded at once to
set about the construction of two RATS.
ut was then that Carlin and Him
MCKNIGHT exhibited actual Indifference
! to their surroundings, and the neces-
sity of hurrying along as rapidly as
possible, particularly on Colgates ac-
count. They both were exceedingly
particular that the RATS should be
constructed in q certain way, but in
stead of assisting in the work they put
| in the time hunting and eating like
beavers, Notwithstanding our provis-
ions were rapidly becoming exhausted.
Piercet assisted Spencer and myself
I hull =. L
necessarily slow, and / think we con-
sumed about fourteen days in this task
| Colgate, however, was much improved
by this time, and we looked forward
to but little trouble on his account
On the 3rd of November, according
to Carlin's dairy, we divided the pro-
visions between the two RATS and
started down. On the first day out the
head raft was caught in a whirlpool
and submerged, Colgate being thrown
| into the cold waters of the river. but
was promptly pulled out, and the jour
ney continued. All went we'll until
the 18th, when we landed and recon
noitering, found the stream no LONGER
navigable, and that a tedious perilous
! trip along the rocky, almost impaSsi-
bic banks of the river must be at once
commenced. 1t was necessary to cross
the stream, and we were obliged to
fell large tree and crawl on its trunk
and branches.
Colgate, though striving manfully,
was very weak, almost unable to walk
| his plunge into the river a few DAYS
before having had a very serious effect
on him. Young Carlin was very impa-t
tent More through his own selfish
ness than any other cause our proyis-
ions were nearly exhausted, and it Ger
tainly did appear that all would go
hungry before reaching civilization,
and Carlin'S orders were to make haste
He talked the matter over with Col
gate before crossing the river and told
him that 1T was a case of every man
for himself. The poor old fellow begged
him not to desert him, but young Carlin
was memorable, and turning on his heel
ordered us to proceed. | gave the poor
old man my blanket, an old army COW
ering. Carlin handed him ~ tin Gun.
some matches and salt. Colgate had
his own fishing tackle, but not a MOUTH
tul of food was left with him.
1T was cruel and cowardly. I sup
pose our action will no doubt be thor
oughly condemned by all sportsmen.
but such were orders from those in
charge OF the party, and Spencer and
myself were powerless to prevent it.
After crossing the river l turned
and looked at the unfortunate Colgate
Tor the last time. Not a word escaped
his lips. but the look of horror that
crossed the old mans weatherbeaten
race, as he fully realized his awful DO
Siuon, viii remain in my memory until
my dying day. The journey from then
on until we met Lieutenant EIIiott,s
party has already been fully and cor
rectly told. We had been entirely out
OF provisions for two DAYS and All
were weak and considerably PLAYED out
particularly Carlin, who could not have
lasted much longer
1t was on Wednesday, November D. !
that we were met by Elliott's com
mand. We had therefore travelled nine
days after abandoning Colgate, but had
not accomplished any great distance in
that time. There was some talk of
sehdlng back relief party in quest of
hlm- told Elliott it was a difficult
ahd dangerous trip UP the river, and
young Carlin finally persuaded him to
abandon his idea. There was no snow
Whatever along the route we had lust
travelled, and it was certainly a possible
but very dangerous undertaking to
attempt the trip back to the rocky
bank where we had left poor Colgate
to perish.
Il am confident that had II been
young Carlin or one of his friends who
mad been thus deserted, an attempf a
rescue would have been pron,ntIv
made However, young Carlin carried
his point and, after resting a couple of
days, we journeyed into Kendrick. and
subsequently, in company with General
Carlin reached Spokane.
"A few days later Mrs. Colgate.
heart-broken and hardly able to
stand up under her sad bereavement. !
arrived in that city to learn the story
OF her husbands untimely end from the
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