The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-09-17
A HUMAN SKELETON.

1
the purpose of investigation. The,
also brought the skull down to their
cabin on Cardenaer creek. The
''declaration of intention" was so far
decayed as to be almost impossible
to handle. But it has been pasted
together upon sheet of strong pa
per, and sent to the clerk of the dis
trict court of Silver Bow county for
comparison with the records and
possible Identification. No word has
been received from it.
The other papers were carefully
arranged upon table, in a strong
light and submitted to Il microscopic
inspection, The evidence was frap.
mentary. The leaves were black
with aget and the ink had become
pale. But enough was learned to
satisfy curiosity and to enlighten the
subject. VIM. Mueller who reads
French lent valuable assistance in
the trans lation. The paper was a
certificate of Identification of
VICTOR EMILE GIRARDIN
issued by the council of citizenship,
Canton de l5erne, Switzerland, and
signed by the prafect or police com
missioner. 1t states that he was born
in 1868, in the district branches
Montague, and that he is legitim-
ate son of JOS. Gustav and Cecile
G'rardin. He was baptized in Bes-
ancon, France on the 20th of some
month in 1863. The paper was is
sued in 1884, and said something
about ''if ever the bearer was caught
broke, and anyone should give him a
gentle lift, the charitable individual
could charge it up to Canton de
Berne, Confederation Suisse"
Many people about Neihart re-
member Emile Girardin He was of
ruddy complexion and stout. Not
withstanding his sanguine phlegmat.
ic temperament, he was nervous, en-
citable and inclined to what they
call "nutty." He came to Nehart
in 1887, and worked about camp till
SO, principally on the concentrator
and tramway of the Hudson Mining
company. He also worked on the
long tunnel of the 'SS mine. He did
considerable work also for Robert
Barker. This gentleman describes
him as genial, cheerful, industrious,
and honest as priest Of Buddha.
Later he went home, but returned in
1891, accompanied by sister and
brother in law whose names we can
not now recall. Together they lived
at Jericho, and Emile worked in the
mines. He was musician and blew
a horn in the first brass band ever
organized at this place. His rela-
tivcs returned to the old country,
without learning five words of En-.
glish, but Emile still clung to Nei-
hart.
He had once been cheerful and
companionable to degree extreme.
He never drank, nor wasted his
money, but some one buncoed him
and took all he had. After that he
grew morose, and petulant He
was less and less companionable, and
his closing years here, '9l and '92,
found him generally by himself.
Those who have a picture of the
| Neihart brass band taken in the fall
of ] $50 will see Emile Girardin
holding d cornet, standing the third
man from the left of the picture, be-
tween Philip Leveille and George
Beattie. The picture hangs in the
postofiice for public inspection.
In the fall of '93, William Muell-
er then in Chicago, received letter
from Girardin's sister in Geneva,
Switzerland, asking as to his where
abouts. Mr.. Mueller referred the
letter to Daniel Lenny who reported
that Emile had lately started for
Gilt Edge on the mining excite
ment, and that is all the information
he could give. Evidently this was
the fatal trip. He hal started for
somewhere in the mountains and
lost the trail. Or maybe was taken
sick and was unable to come out Of
the bills, Or maybe he committed
suicide.
| WANTED--sEyERAL TRUSTWORTHY
w uprgnns in this state to inana0p Our