The herald., 1896-09-14
Charlie Jennings, an Ex.Deputy
Sheriff, Disappears
HEARD FROM AT LEADvILLE
Tried to Run q Bluff and Was CalIed
Down
Suspicion Of Foul Play. But Pred Dion Says
He Left Jennings All Right at the
Mountain Camp

Everyone in legal circles, and good
many others besides, knew Charlie Jen-
nings. The tall and rather handsome
deputy under Sheriff Kays' administra-
tion has had host of friends, and they
are now beginning to puzzle out what
has befallen their old time chum.
Since the 5th of August, when he left
the city for Colorado, no news other
than of a most unsatisfactory character
has been heard of or from him, and it
Is even questioned whether he Is dead
or alive.
Jennings had in carly years done con-
siderable miring in the state of Colo
RADIO, and had made one particular loca-
ton not far from Leadville that he
thought probably had never been re-
located by any one else. In the old days
when the claim had been located by
him there were no conveniences or
transport or Of milling, and so he never
opened up on the claim to any extent.
The prospect taking into consideration
the modern methods of reduction, was
a rich one, and on August 5th he and
Fred Dion, Canadian Frenchman who
runs boarding house in the city, start
ed for Denver to relocate and open up
on the old time claim. There was good
deal of blind luck about the scheme.
for sixteen years had elapsed since Jen-
nings had first discovered the ledge of
rock, that ran well up to $50 and $35 per
ton in gold. Nevertheless the start was
made, and from Denver the couple of
re-discovererS went on to Leadville, and
from there rode out to the point that
Jennings remembered as the scene of
his discovery long years ago. 1t is about
eighteen miles from Leadville land is
now known as Robinson's camp. Jen-
nings and his companion reached there
about 4 o'clock in the morning, and to
their disgust found about twenty men
working on a flume to carry water to
work a hydraulic plant almost on the
site of Jennings old claim.
So far the mems adventures are ex-
plicit enough but from thence on an air
of mystery envolops them 1t is claimed
that Jennings was so disappointed at
finding that his claim had been jumped
although in fact that is not the proper
term to apply-that he attempted to run
a bluff on the men working. Pulling
from his pocket a copy of his old loca-
tion notice, he told them to ''git up and
git" They laughed at him, and just
to keep up the bluff he pulled his pis-
tol. In that. If the story is correct, he
made mistake, for the mob of miners
set on him and beat the life almost out
of him. Fred Dion, when the onslaught
was made. took to his heels and made
for little way station on the line run
ming into Leadville. He had to wait
some time for train, but congratulated
himself on getting away with q whole
skin. He waited in Leadville for Jen-
nings, but when he did not turn up he
returned to Los Angeles, as the scheme
that attracted him to Colorado had been
tHvvc MI
Jennings trunk arrived in the city, but
no word whatsoever regarding its
owner.
The question now being asked is, What
has become of Jennings?
So far the details were circumstantial
enough and were, 1t is claimed, corrob-
Grated by Dion himself. To Herald
reporter, however, Fred Dion had
much simpler story to tell. He and Jen-
nings found that the ground around
Jennings old claim had been taken up
and hydraulic plant installed, and SO,
without hunting for any trouble, they
returned to Leadville. Dion has inter-
ests in this city and announced his in
tention Of returning. but Jennings said
he preferred to remain behind.
There's no money in Los Angeles"
he remarked, land there's a chance to
make stake here"
Inasmuch as he proposed starting on
be bothered with a big trunk, he offered
it to Dion. The latter refused to accept
on the ground that he did not want to
pay freight on it. But Jennings very
persistently reminded him that surely
the contents of the trunk were worth
the amount Of freight to Los Angeles.
Dion then accepted Jennings kit and
shipped it by freight train direct to
Los Angeles. Charlie Jennings, he says,
saw him off on the train to Los Ange-
les, and that is all there is to the story
of the trip to Colorado.
But there are those in the city who are
not content They say that the account
of the trouble rests on Just as good au-
thority as the bare word of Fred Dion,
and although attempts have been made
to open up communication with Charlie
Jennings, supposing him still to be alive
and at Leadville, all such efforts have
failed. He was not without acquaint-
ances in the mountain mining camp, and
it is claimed that if some evil had not
befallen him some one or other of them
would know of his whereabouts.
Meantime the disappearance of Char
lie Jennings is enveloped in more or
less of mystery.