The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-01
BILL FAIRwEATHER.

An Intaresting Heminisoenee In the LIE
OF the Old Timer
Famous old Alder eulch after yielding up
ia millions in gold is still rich In rsminis-
esnces which occasionally ara brought 70
public notice In these later mining days ni
some old timer. Ohe Of The most interest
ing chapters In the life Of Bill fsirwsather'
Who is inseparablY connf cted VIII Alder
cuich, IL furnished 1uE lNDFrrNDENr by
former we'll known Montanian now living
IN 81 Louis az the good old age o. elkny.
IL isa valuable contribution 10 MontahA
hietorv aud 10 nov printed fof the nrst tme
,nd heat told In she words OF ths man who
I'D the lie OF the discovefer OF Alder;
'In July and August. 1862, made "trip 20
Deer Lodge VALLEY. One daY !
friend Granville Stuart can tell OF
him. A Young man came staggering. up to
me and said. Captain, I'm naked ana
starving I've been robbed by road agents
Of everything / had ! got bin light
meal telling him he would set mo ai'eI
Rnsi ~ full meal would be dangerous IN
his starved condition. To revive him l
gave him little whisky until the food was
ready In n few hours he WAS awakened
ma more food given him, and In a DAY ne
was able TO tell his story. Al the time
ala not think he would live more than q
couple Of days al the most A wagon ain
~ ivsd soon after from Morgan oountv'
Illinois, where / ussd 90 live. knew =
good snnuv OF the reople In the train an 4
We " re very glad 20 meet aud had ernnu,
good time for DAY. Are, camp vas
made they askel me n had tonnI INV
cola. I told them thst had not aud hHl
been up Flint Cfeek who're The Indians had
informed Father DE Smst. there was heap
81 White man's aold.' l told them that the
. tunrt brothers had found gold few miles
D. low near Tom Dempsey cabin. Tue
u anger then spoke MP. and giVing nls
name as Bill Fairweather. said that u l
would give him clothes, ub and
tools he would show me the
richest eulch in Amerios. Tue
men booted al him and asked whv he did
not keen u for himself. He repeated his
story of being robbed and said, II you 90
not nud IL az / sSy you can hang nue. on the
nearest tree One OF the Illinois men told
Ftirveathsr he would take him In his
wagon. then said all right and told
Fairweather l would give him sn outnt but
promised faithfully. With tears 81 graft
tude he bade me goodbye and left with
a number OF the Illinois men. could not
90 along ns had two teams loAdsd Win
goods for which there was no market ~ the
time, and had to haul most OF them back
20 the store 10 Fort Benton, where had a
saw mill and q erist mill TO attend 90.
~ never heard from him or OF him until
/ happened 20 see in The INDEPENDENT a
notice Of the finding Of his gfave. IL IL
known how he disd. that is, did he die a
nAtuf al death or was be murderedi DID be
leave any money! ! would be glad TO know
more 81 him, as I thought he was an honest
man. l think he Was murdered, or be would
at least have written his preservsf.
1T you use my letter ! wish you would
send a copy OF ths paper TO Mrs. =. X.
Woodman, No. 4l3 Copp street San Fran
cisco. She IL my daughter and the frat
white woman TO see she great falls.
Tell Tom Cruise that NV pilot Joe
Facto. 10 still alive. paid him $1,000 per
month. lie and are all that's lett OF the
crews of both boats, except joseph La
Barge. am 50. which will account for bad
whiting. ] am known 10 quite number of
your early citizens Hoping 70 hsaF from
you, remain, etc,
JANIS HARKNEss.
No. Is North Compton ave, -. Louis, No.