The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-24
were PEPPERED
With GOLD DUST.
A MONTREAL MAN CLAIMS THAT
THE MINES He PURCHASED
WERE Sailed"
THE HISTORY OF A SWINDLE.
TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR
BOND.

Dougal Graham of Montreal, Canada
has begun suit in the Circuit Court, through
his attorneys, Delmas & Shortridge, against
A. .. Viertong and wife for $4,000, the
amount of bond which he deposited on
the purchase of a group of sailed mines.
The group is located in Tuolumne County,
California, and is known as the Viertong
mines, consisting of the John Donkey,
War Eagle, Free Coinage, King Solomon's
Ophir. Coarse Gold and the mill site.
The complaint alleges that for same time
prior to the year 1894 the defendants were
the owners of certain group of mines in
Tuolumne County, California, and known
as the Viertong Mines and that from as
says made of ore taken from the mines the
defendants knew that they were of little or
no value; that in order to sell the property
they sailed it and represented it through
John Griffin and F. w. Spencer, the latter
living at San Rafael, as being of great
value. j. Y. Brooks, purporting to be a
mining expert, made false report of the
mines, and although he claimed to be disin-
terested at the time he has since admitted
that he was not.
1t is charged that the mines were sailed
with gold in dust or in solution, or both,
in parts of the tunnels the rock appeared
in place while fragments were broken from
the lodges and mixed with the earth in
such manner as to mislead an intending
purchaser. Cold in this form was scat
tered over the surface of the mines that the
observer readily concluded that it came
from the rock of the mines
J. V. Brooks made an elaborate report on
the mines on March 5, 1894, and sent it to
+. w. Spencer, whom he described as
prominent merchant doing business at III
Market street, San Francisco. Griffin who
made the proposition to Graham for sale
of the mines, was referred to DR.. n. ]. Bird,
friend of the plaintiff, living in this city,
who, along with Benjamin Peart, made an
examination OF the mines. The samples
of ore which they brought to the city
were so skillfully ''doctored" that the
Selby Company, who made the assay, re-
ported a. total value of SLAP II in gold per
ton of ore and $6 in silver. Other assays
were made by ex-State Geologist Henry G..
Hanks and others, and the ore was shown
to be very rich. Sulphurets from the John
Donkey mine ran as high as $2435 II in
yield of gold to the ton.
DR.. Bird fastened to Montreal and in
duced his friend, Graham, to come to Cali
lorna and purchase the property. He
acted in good faith in the matter. Expert
Peart also made favorable report. As a
result Gfanam came TO California In June,
1894, and in company with Professor ]. T..
Donald, mining engineer, visited the
Viertong mines. Viertong accompanied
them through the tunnels and fraudu-
lently pointed out the alleged vein and its
richest part. He PANIED out fifteen pounds
of the .'salted' ore and it showed very
rich prospects in free gold. This examina-
ton was made in the king Solomon S
Ophir" tunnel. AT the "John Donkey"
mine like experiments and representations
were made. The samples were all sailed"
showing SAL "a per ton, of which $37 Sc
was free gold.
The plaintiff alleges that, relying on the
false and fraudulent representations made
to himself and his agents, and relying on
the false and fraudulent ore, mill-runs pam
tests, etc., Graham entered into an agree
ment with Viertong and his wife for the
purchase of the mines, and on July 8, 1894,
bonded the property for $4,000. 1t was
further agreed that the purchaser should
pay $75, 900 in three different installments
of $4,000 each.
Graham took possession of the mines on
August IL, 1894. Men were engaged and
drifts were run north and south in each of
the tunnels. In the liking Solomon" tons
of rock or quartz were taken out and
scientifically assayed and carefully milled.
The results showed that the rock was bar
rem and worthless. The "John Donkey"
was also showed to be barren.
The defendant asks for Judgment for
$4,000, which he paid on account on Au-
date, also for the costs of suit.