The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-13
At the Moment He Had Struck
His Fortune.
HIS LIFE CRUSHED OUT
william A Waller Killed In the 81 yer
King Mine-He Was Ascending
the ehaft-His Head Struck
Rafter.

IN Ddth0 W tAat III udIlt VI ltAs
came to q sudden and terrible death
last evening about 8 O'Clock in the shaft
OF the Silver King mine. which he was
working on a lease and in which he had
just struck his fortune. While ascend
ing the shaft after a trip Of inspection
through the mine. his head struck
against a roller. knocking him senseiess.
In an instant his life was crushed out.
On the 18th OF asst July Waller and
NJ. II. sanders formed a partnership
and secured a lease on the Silver King
mine owned by James A. Murray and
Silas King. The shaft is located be-
tween Copper and Quartz street. a few
rod west OF where Crystal street would
be II 1t ran through from Quartz to
Copper. About six weeks ago the les
sees struck pay ore, which In the last
few days a turned out very rich.
Day before yesterday they began STOP
ing on the ore. and yesterday Waller
had some samples assayed. The ore
went $50 ounces In silver and S27 In
gold. Waller was exhibiting the ore
about the streets yesterday afternoon.
To some friends he made the remark:
Il have all the money now / will ever
want in this world"
In a very few hours he was dead.
Waller felt SO Jubilant over his good
fortune that he was treating his
friends very freely and became very
much intoxicated. About a quarter af-
ter 8 O'Clock last evening he appeared
at the mine and asked his brother-in-
law, Barney Coll. who vas his foreman.
to go below with him. Coll. noting
Walters condition, tried to talk him
out OF going below. but he insisted. and
Coll, thinking his brother-in-law would
not go without him, fatty refused to
go. Waller. however. was in the mood
that he wanted to loo at the rich ore.
and decided to go down alone. He
a v Engineer Il. NJ. Lindsay instruc-
tions to lower him and o into the
bucket n went down.
The shaft Is perpendicular TO a dis
lance of about 40 feet. where II starts
on an incline to the south. As In neces-
sary in such shafts. the rope passes
under a roller at the point where the
incline begins. n in hosting. when
the bucket reaches the end OF the in
cline IL swings out into the vertical sec
ton and fs from there hoisted straight
up. When a man Is ascending the
in the bucket IL becomes neccs-
sary to duck his lei under the roller
to avoid coming in contact with II.
Waller went through the mine. and at
10 minutes of 5 o'clock went to the sta
tion and signifed his intention of go-
ing on top to Fred Alien. a young man
who was working there. Allen saw him
get into the bucket m ring three bells
TO hoist.
Engineer Lindsay. when ne got the
signal, as he stated when seen last
evening, surmised Waller was coming
up. and knowing his condition. com
menced hosting very carefully. The
rope is marked 10 show when the buck
ct has reached the end of the incline,
and when this mark came into view
Engineer Lindsay put o N the brake n
slowed up. intending. he said. to TAX
the bucket into the vertical shaft as
carefully as possible for fear of an ac-
oident. AS the bucket reached the roller
Lindsay felt a jar and instantly the
bucket stopped. Surprising the bucket
had caught, as IL sometimes does at
that point. Lindsay shut down his en-
CINE and went to the shaft and called
down to Waller to inquire what was the
rouble. Getting no response. and feel
ing certain Waller was I'm the bucket.
he went back TO the engine and got a
candle and went and looked down the
shaft. He could see Waller I'm the
bucket. lying back against a guide.
found his employer was dead. His
head a struck against the roller and
thrown the bucket In such a position
that IL had caught. pressing his body
up against the roller. Lindsay called
TO the men below, and Robert Seifert,
who was working in the stope. Allen
and another miner assembled the ladder
and helped get the bucket In position
again, and Lindsay went on top and
hoisted the body to the surface. Think
ing some life might possibly be left,
DIR. Freund was hastily summoned. but
he found the unfortunate man beyond
assistance.
Deputy Roy Alley viewed the remains
for the coroner. after which the body
was removed to Duggan's Undertaking
rooms. where an inquest will be held
this evening at 8 o'clock. Deputy Mine
Inspector Hunter was notified and in
vestigated the accident.
Tex" Waller a been In the camp
of and on for II years. and there were
probably few men in Butte who were
better known. He was Sc years of age
and born In Texas. which gave him the
eobriquet by which he was so famIl-
iarly known. He came to Butte II years
ago and ~prospected and mined through
out the section. During the Mantle ad-
ministration in 1890 and 1891 he war a
member Of the police force. Later he
ran a saloon, and still later went to
Whitehall and went into the same bust
ness. He also engaged In prospecting
while at Whitehall and was one Of the
original owners in the Mayfiower No.
2. He had considerable litigation with
the Clarks over the property. the suit
eliminating in his getting So. 900 for
his share. After this he returned to
Butte about a year ago. He lost his
wife last May. and in this there was a
c~ommingling Of good and bad fortune
In his lot. He had but just received
the 81. 900. which ne made over TO his
wife. and congratulated himself ne
was on the road to prosperity when
In a few days the wife sickened and
died very suddenly. Brooding over this
misfortune. Waller had Of late grown.
to say the least, very erratic. and yes
terday while ~tubilating over his re-
newed good fortune his actions were
almost deiirious, and Il raj remarked
by a number OF his friends that they
believed his mind was becoming unbal-
anced. His death Is thought 10 have