Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-25
pUsKY DUDES AT THE MINES.
Brought to Montana by n Negro Husf-
Ter Who Calls himself a Mi1liOnaire.


Charles Porter Grove. who styles himself
the Montana millionaire mine owner" 10
the most widely advertised colored man in
the far west. says the Anaconda Standard
lie sprang into prominence not very long
ago, at Lexington. KY. by marrying .
wealthy colored belle OF that city. The
wedding was an exceedingly swell affair.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Lexing-
ton papers pronounced Grove fraud and
adventurer. Invitations to the wedding
were sent to all the high-toned colored peo-
pie of the town. and more than 200 guests
assembled at the marriage fete. Indeed.
Grove created such a sensation that press
dispatches contained an extended reference
to him and his marriage. kilograms were
also sent TO the principal cities in Mon
tana asking if Grove was known In this
state and If he was what he claimed TO be-
No one seemed to know much about him.
excepting that a colored man by the name
of Grove had been In Helena several times
during the past ten years and claimed 10
be interested in mining matters. Several
of the state papers contained references
to the pseudo Montana millionaire. but
very few could place the man. IL has re-
Gently transpired. however. that Charles
Porter Grove is quite well known at Rad
ersburg. a mining camp eight miles from
Toston in Jefferson county. and also in sew
era1 other mining camps OF the state, but
very few knew him by that name. He was
always called and signed himself Charles
Portergrove running his middle given name
and surname together. He owns two mines.
or rather prospects. at Radersburg. on what
the miners Of that camp have SUCCESSFULLY
christened Coon Ridge.
Some time ago Grove stocked these two
properties for S.oO0Oo0 and s2,e0.Oo0. re-
spectlvely. He then went TO Kentucky.
spent money like a prince and soon had the
colored population of Lexington bowling
and scraping at his feet and tmportuning
him TO sell them some OF his mining stock.
The scheme worked to perfection. He could
not write out stock certificates fast enough
to supply the demand, and soon found him.
self the pOssessor OF more money than he
had ever noped TO acquire. The Coon Ridge
mines may be all that he claims for them.
but IL they should prove to be worthless
therell be some fun around Radersburg.
Grove arrived at that camp with his bride
and a colony OF Kentucky cOl0red men. The
arrival OF the party created considerable
excitement in the camp and no little
amcrnt Of snort. The sixteen imported de-
srendants Of Ham were attired in Prince
Alherts. creased trousers. silk shirts with
frilled bnsons. silk tiles and patent leather
shoes while each dude sported a gold watch
and a slender gold-headed cane Each one.
also was possessed OF mammoth Sara
toEa trunk filed fun OF fine clothes. When
> sked what he intended doing with the
dude colored delegation Grove said the
gentlemen had been sent out by the pur-
chasers Of his whining stock TO work the
mines on Coon Ridge This statement was
greeted with hearty burst OF LAUGHTER
from the old-time miners and even Grove
himself had all he could do TO keep his
face straight II Is reasonable TO suppose
that when the Montana millionaire mine
owner gets through bleeding his colored
pretty dearly for their wildcat mining exc
Derience.