The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1894-01-22
WHERE'S BRE'R GROVE
Anxious Inquiry For hontana's Black
HilliOnair, Einar.
SOLD BUSHELS OF STOCK
Weeping and Crashing OF Teeth
SLICK Operations in illi-
noIs and kentucky.
Special Dispatch to tho Standard


co.ored men from Chicago-four of whom
arc in Helena, while the other nine are
stranded out in the hills somewhere-are
looking for Charles Porter Grove, hotter
known throughout Montana as "Blue
Dick Hundreds of other colored poo-
pie in Ken, ucky and Chicago are doab;-
less wishing to learn OF the whereabouts
OF Charles Porter Grove, colored, known
to the coiorcd people of Kentucky
! and Illinois as the president Of the Mon-
tana & Illinois Gold Mining company.
Something like year ago Grove, Dr. Nor.
man Croker OF Chicago. and Francis
Brooks. whose residence is unknown, or
ganized, under the laws os Montana. the
Montana d illinois Gold Mining com.
pany. The capital stock was placed al
Sj,0J0,O0J. divided into 10000 al - each.
Beyond the fact OF its incorporation and
Groves somewhat notorious reputation
nothing was known OF the company or OF
its properly. Grove was known 10 be the
owner of half dozen or more prospects
in jefferson county, near Radersburg. Sit
ua,ed on what is known as Coon Ii!ge.
The name was given the ridge by the min
ers OF the district, owing 10 the fact that
Grove is q colorel man. Some Two months
alter the organization OF the company
Grove left Montana. The next heard OF
him was early in November, 1898, when
numerous inquiries were received in Hell
ena regarding Grove, who was posing in
Louisville, n.y., as a millionaire Montan-
an and the president of the aforesaid
mining chmpany,
1t transpired that Grove had won the az
fartiona ~ not,ra1 RI p1 N a.
dence Of numerous colored people of both
sexes on the strength of his alleged rich
mining properties. He married the girl
| and sold the conflding brothers and sis.
tiers large blocks of the stock at the uni
form price Of S. per share-the par value.
Leaving Louisville with his bride after
swell wedding that stirred Kentucky col
ored society TO its depths, "Blue Dick"
journeyed TO Chicago. While in Kentucky
he found that the most lucrative field in
which to dispose of mining stock was in
church circles. In the windy city, there
fore, he huntcd up the pastors and the
pillars of tho colcred churches. Blue
Dick, despite his lack of educa-
ton, is very smooth and convincing
| talker, especially on mining propositions
| as numerous white men in Helena can
testify, TO their financial loss. Grove had
little difficulty in arranging for meetings
at The churches, where he could deliver
addresses on the subject of the great for
tune that would come TO those who would
invest in shares of the Montana and ILL.,
nois Gold Mining company. As a result
of these meetings he sold in Chicago sew
cral thousand shares at the regular price.
IS per share. BY this time Blue Dick and
his scheme had been puifed quite extern
slvely by the eastern papers and pur-
chasers of stock began TO inquire as TO
when dividends might be cx-
pectcd. just at this point another
bright idea struck Blue Dick.
He called another meeting and
made proposition 10 the colorcd men in
attendance 10 the effect that he was now
ready 10 operate the mines belonging to
the company; and that if there were any
! in the audience who would like to 60 out
! 10 Montana and work on the mine, IL they
would each purchase one share of stock in
the company he would employ them, pay
ing them Si0j a month. The proposition
was eagerly accepted and Blue Dick made
another clean up. A few days afterwaId
he selected u o. these men to go 10 the
mines. These men paid their own fare
and accompanic,l by Blue Dick and his
wife, and his wife's brother, William How.
ard. the party came 10 Montana, Three
of the men we're told ,ha, they would be
located IN Helena where one of them would
have an Office. and the other two would
work on n gold mine he had in the city
limits. This alleged mine is a claim that
Blue Dick located some two years ago on
Rodney street, near State. He sunk a
shat; on II. reporting while doing this.
rich strikes of gold ore, and finally sold an
interest in il to a white man for n small
| sum. To this he has 10 title and, it is al.
legged by mining men who have inspcc,el
II 70 have no value as a mining proposi-
tion.
While on the trim Grove told his men
that instead of part OF the force going TO
Helena thev would nil proceed TO Coon
rides. and ,bither they went. while their
trunks c,me on 10 Helena. Gcovo had
pronised to nut the men who had never
seen n mine IN CHARGE of a practical mn.
| inc man. instead of thls he installed
| William uoworl. uho had never bccn
wss, Of Chicngo. a, MANAGER of the prop.