The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-26
TOM CAN'T Be FOUND
An Expedition Party Searching TO-
Maxwell, the Missing Miner.
CLEANING OUT THE SHAFT
Two willing Workers Remain at the
Lonely Cabin to Renew Iheir
Efforts Early This Morning.
The Worst is Feared.

The fate of Tom Maxwell is still un-
known, IL, as feared, his BODY lays al
the bottom of his prospect shaft on the
Twin Tree claim. If, as Is hopeo' inc
genial fellow still lives and has for
some cause deserted his prospect uh-
expectedly there will be many good
laugh and hearty thanksgiving when
he shows up.
The expedition which went out yes
terday morning 10 ascertain IL he had
been caught by the cave were unapie
TO learn anything hopeful; all the indi-
cations were to verify their fears Inc
party was composed of j. Nj. kennedy,
u. ]. Maloney, George Burt anu MAI
Parkinson, and william and c. w.
Haynes, under the guidance OF Henry
Caspar who made the report on FRIDAY
night.
All went out as volunteers. There
was not a dollar in sight and the IN
vestigation was made purely on
grounds of humanity, which deserves
the highest commentator. The most
important men of the party probably
were the two miners. big Matt Perkin-
son and George Burtt. who were not
even acquaintances, but when they
heard of the circumstances Burt salu:
I've been in the hills, boys, myself
] know its dangers and II there's u poor
fellow out there at the bottom OF that
shaft I'll be one to help dig him out.
I'm another" said Big Matt, and
both men were promptly on hand with
tools and ropes when the expedition
started yesterday morning.
When the party arrived at the shaft
about noon the work devolved upon
them and down the shaft they went,
though the shelving rock looked as
though Il might come down upon them
hal hot IL
ed in a practical way, but the time
was limited and they were unable to
extend opera tons so as to satisfy
themselves or others whether or not
a body lay beneath the mass of debris.
BE that as it may. their heroism Is
none the less. and is equal to that OF
any man ever chronicled in song or
story.
The situation at the mine is this. A
shaft had been sunk 20 or 25 feet In
depth, of unusual width. 1t had been
timbered with small poles about the
top. Maxwell had made a lader and a
windlass. Scattered about the top were
a saw, Ratchet and square Near the
ladder lay a hat In the bottom of the
shaft was six feet Of earth, big stones
and timbers which plainly had dropped
from the top leaving the windlass
with crumbling support. The miners
dug TO the foot of the ladder and found
nothing, but on the other side OF the
shaft was mass of timbers inclined
against the wall which resisted attack
until the hour was too late to investi-
gate further at that time. Burt and
Parkinson refused point blank TO come
home. but said they proposed to stay
until the question was solved, and fol
the night camped at the old cabin.
In the cabin was found Maxwell's
overcoat, his shotgun, revolver and un-
der his pillow a memorandum evident
ly kept each day. in which the last en-
try was made January q What further
adds to the belief that Maxwell has met
with death is that If he was living and
in Butte or elsewhere he would have
read of the anxiety of his friends and
have made some report of himself.
The coowners in the claim are r. II
Burke and Josiah Trevise. Maxwell
also has interests in placers i'm the Big
Hole country and worked last summer
i'm French gulch with Leo LaSalle and
William Ahern. He came to Montana
from California and has brother In
Ohio. Acting Coroner Kennedy tool
charge of his effects at the cabin, but
will gladly turn them over TO the own.
er IL he will claim them. All of the
expedition except Burt and PerkinsoT
returned to Anaconda last night.