The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-11
LIVED LIKE A PRINCE.
The Wide Swath a Helena Barber
Cut in the Sound
Country.
Fine Clothing, Precious Stones,
Elegant Apartments and 4
Good limo.
nut "Craps" Proved Too Much for Him
and Now He u Back OF tho Chair
Again.

Helena people will remember John Dry
mt. the oolored barber who WOE $4,000 In
a Louisiana lottery drawing over = year
,co, just about the time Bryant made the
ginning he WINS arrested by the Helena
rolice on suspicion Of being a man wanted
In st. Paul. The st. Paul offender WAS ao-
sused OF stabbinR a waiter. bfs"h'
rroved not to be the party. and at ons time
threatened 10 sue Marshal Calvin for IL
legal arrest, but nothing came OF u. Leav-
ing Helena, Bryant e to the Puget
Sound c3untry. The Seattle Press-Iimes,
referring TO his career there, says:
John b Want was one OF the most noted
characters that ever struck the Sound. lie
would attract attention anywhere. Z. A.
Rideout, the colorsd attorney. who has
known him for many years, says that
twenty states might be travelled over be-
lore n finer specimen OF ply sioal manhood
could be found. He was tall. straight, we'll
proportioned. a shade darker than olive
and always faultlessly dressed. just about
a year ago Bryant was o barber
IN Helena, Mont. He invested in a
lottery ticket and drew a $500 prize. He
gave ny his trade. came to Semitic and pur-
chased the Blue Front saloon. on jackson
street. He reaped a golden harvest In his
saloon. Money was no ohjsct TO him. lie
purchased everything that struck his fancy.
The finest clothes. made by tho most fash
ionablo t~ailors. were none too good for the
colored Crusus. Suits running from $40
90 1926 were the order Of the day.
His shoes we, 9 made to order in the east.
and il they cost less than S15 = pair were
yeemed unworthy TO be worn. lie fancled
beaver hats at go az iece. silk underwesr nt
$40 a suit, shirts at $50 q dozen, necktles,
X d and dogskin gloves and silk hose by tue
dozen. His canes w-re numbered by the
all OF the ~cos,liest make. He paid
S25 for a silk umbrella.
He had q gold watch male to order IN
Chicago at a cost of $500, and on his COSTLY
watch chain hung u diamond horseshoe
fastened to a gold book costing $500. His
diamond stud cost $500 and his sleeve bnt'
tons 5000. he paid $500 TO, the solitaire
on his hnRer and sao apiece tor ms fonr
diamond collar buttons. He titteA up a
suite OF rooms in Oriental magnitioence.
In those rooms he kept n score of brands OF
the finest liquors aud chamnsRnes and
boxes Of the c~ostliest cigars. he paid q
carriage by the hour to stand in font OF
his saloon 20 that when he wanted to go
anywhere he would not have to wait, walk
or take tho street car.
But tho fascination OF games of hazard
proved his ruin. "~craps" being his favorite.
He would 60 into ths Peoples md bet 800
ut a crack. If he lost he would double the
bet and double it again and AGAIN as long
as allowed to do 30. He lost 81. 800 in one
night in Tacoma. In fact he never won
nnFwhe e. He was a pigeon plucked by
everybody.
The end came finally and Bryant left
Seattle broke-minus diamouds, jewelry.
fine clothes, etc. He is now back at his
trade again in Livingston. Mont.