Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-01-13
SENSATIONAL TELEGRAM.

70 nnu the ioiiowing absurd tel
egr am in the Salt Lake Tribune q
the 10th, from Boise. 1t is a pretty
GOO scheme to advertise the Bona.
par e property, though devoid Of all
trut h regarding the disappearance
OF lamented Billy McKim. The
dispatch reads:
What promises to be one of the
biggest sensations of the season in
Idaho is developing in connection
with the death Of VIM. McKim, at
one time superintendent Of the Bo-
naparte mine. a prominent property
near Rocky Bar.
lh 1887 McKim mysterionsly dis
appeared and it was thought at the
time that he had absconded, taking
with him money belonging 10 the
company. Some time ago skele-
ton was found in the South Boise
rive !. which, from some articles
four I'd on 1t, was identified as being
that Of the missing superintendent,
In addition a witness " as produced
who said he saw McKim drown.
i he Bonaparte mine lie a splendid
property, but since McKim disap-
pear ed 1t has not been worked.
Owners Of the mine now here doubt
whet Their the skeleton found was ac-
tually McKim's. II is charged that
other miners in Rocky Bar have
beer taking ore from the mine by
working below and that it has de-
veloped into great richness. Parties
here are trying TO bond the mine
and others are endeavoring to lease.
1t is broadly limited now that Nc
Kim became cognizant of the un-
dergFound work and that parties
killed him and then threw him into
the river on the theory that dead
men tell no tales" Detectives are
ut work on the case, but are very
reticent. though it has leaked out
that evidence has been unearthed
which will bring matters TO the
criminal courts.
This is the first intimation we
have heard that "McKim mysteri-
ously disappeared" or that he was
"mur dered and his body thrown
into the river" On May 20, 1890,
McKim attempted to cross the river
in q basket attached to q cable,
which was used for that purpose by
footn zen, he being in search of an
estray horse. The river was unu-
sually high and when the middle
of the stream was reached his
weight and the slack of the rope
caused the basket to dip water and
rende red it impossible for him TO
proceed or return. He cried out
for help and attracted the attention
Of a boy who was herding a few beef
cattle near by. Approaching the
bank of the river the boy soon dis
covered that it was impossible for
him 10 render assistance and ad-
vised McKim to let 60 of the rope
and swim ashore. But he held on
until be became exhauste d and then
his body shot down the raging tor
rent and was soon out Of sight. The
boy mounted his horse and quickly
notified the people in the neighbor-
hood Of the occurrence. A search
ing party was formed Immediately
and after many days they aban-
doned the idea Of ever finding the
remains.
On October 80, 1892, McKim's
remains were found in a sand-bank
by Mute Nichols, several miles be-
low where the accident occurred.
They were positively identified and
brought to Mountain Home for in
terment, where his widow and chill.
dren now reside.
The Bonaparte mine had not
been worked for a year or more be
fore McKim's drowning, and, we are
informed, has not been worked since
his de- th. He was merely employed
to watch the property. As to sur.
reptitipus work going on in the mine
at any time, ii is all bosh. That il
is a good gold mine has already
been demonstrated, and it would be
far better for the owners to work it
than ID attempt to boom it by sen.
sational dispatches to the associated
press,