The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1895-11-23
ARE RUMoRs OF BlooDsHED
Gallant Gun Fighter Gives Up His Claim
to ForlOrn Widow With
Large Family.

office force handled the first days bust
ness in recording locations on the Nez
Perce reservation with satisfaction to |
all. There was q line stretching around |
the large hall in front Of the Office and |
doubling back around the head Of the |
stair. Perfect order prevailed. The
men who rushed in to file were all
strangers in the city Those who had
the counsel of the officers were not in
a rush to go upon record. preferring
to depend upon the act Of settlement.
The land office will have no difficulty
in handling the business.
Rumors of bloodshed are going the
rounds and there is little room for
doubt that at least two men were shot
near the Holes yesterday afternoon.
The latest arrivals from that section
report great confusion and a humber
of people are in a fever Of excitement.
Reports are also spread Of another
shooting ARRAY with serious results
near Big Eddy, on the Clearwater over
a mining location. The officers, how
ever, have not been summoned to either
place.
Well informed citizens report that the
rush has been SO confined to central
points that there are good opportunities
for securing land in favored portions
of the reservation. In the Cold Springs
district about the Holes and on Cot
tonwood creek there are from two to
five men for each desirable quarter Sec
ton. The people went upon the land
in squads and they have moved about
in platoons to the neglect Of better OPP
portunities.
A GALLANT GUN FIGHTER.
In the thickest Of the fray, four miles
from Cold Springs in a westerly direc-
ton, a desperate man held down
claim for two days and up to the hour
of opening, with a gun. He was consid-
cred as dangerous as lunatic by those
who came in contact with him and
was never molested by land hunters
until woman and two children came
through in an old wagon drawn by
half starved ponies. Men of more civil
bearing allowed them to pass land
less,' while they sat upon their "foun-
dation." The bad man with the gun
called to her and when she halted ques-
toned her. She told sad tale OF pow
erty and troubles. The gun was thrown
upon the ground and the man whom
everybody feared gave up his claim to
the needy widow, helped her spread her
tent and build fire and then departed
10 hunt another claim, with the part
ing assurance that the gun was ready
to defend the rights Of the widow.
Late yesterday evening it was re-
ported that the original Nez Perces
city Is a verify lively corpse. Six hun
cred people have pinned their faith &c
the plat first selected and a municipa
organization is in process of perfection
Ihis new city starts out with a live
newspaper, a bank, two general mer
chandise stores, an implement house
livery stable and blacksmith shop
The field for a journalistic venture Il
bright one. The publication OF min
eral, stone and timber entries are sour
ces OF assured revenue. They must
under the law be published in the pa
per nearest the land and the pay IS 81
each. This publication immediatel'
follows the entries, hence the hast
IN occupying the field.
Inc rich quartz ledge Of which men
.ion was made in this correspondent
mas been located The exact point !
Eckert's Butte, Is miles from Cotton
wood, Idaho county. There was des
perate race for these mines, for Tn
value Of the lodges was we'll known Z
.,ilnlng men. The rock is said to be s
,icn that stories are told of good stake
ICING made by packing clippings OF Tn
groupings off in sacks under cover Q
1,asht IN years past. Bonuses have bee
oAered for permission from the depar'
1nent 10 work these lodges. The cholc
- the Lodges was secured by J. L. Eek