The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-06
HE WAS A CHARACTER
Death of Poor Doc" Larkin at
Warm Springs Asylum.
BROODED OVER A MURDER
One of the Incidents in His Mining Life
in Butte-Made Several Fortunes
and Quickly Spent Them-Soft-
ening of the Brain.

Poor Doc Larkin is dead. Word
was received from Warm Springs yes
terday that HI had died in the asylum
the night before. He had been an in
mate of the asylum since the 5th of
January. 1895. and his death had long
been looked for. For some time he had
been unable to leave his bed. and for
two years or more reason had entirely
deserted him. Long ago he ceased to
recognize the friends that used to visit
him, and to all who spoke to him for
many months he gave the same plain
tive and pitiful reply. Hank is going
to take me out. Hank is going to take
me out in 10 days"
He referred to one of his old-time
friends, who long g had visited him
at the asylum during one OF the Few
and last periods in which Larkin had
lucid moments, n to console him
promised to take him from the asylum.
1t was the last bit of comfort the de-
mented man had. 1t fixed itself in his
decaying brain and he harped on 1t in
his gibbering moments.
James Larkin, better known as
Doc was a character in his way. AL
though he lived in Butte for 20 years,
there are few in the city who know
III III D'e hb
Years before coming to Butte, he
worked in the mines in Nevada. and
one day while working in the bottom
of a shaft the hosting bucket fell and
struck him on the head. Some of his
most intimate friends say he never
fully recovered from the injuries he
received at that time From Nevada
he went II Idaho and engaged in min
ing and was married there. He lived
with his wife only about five years. and
then they agreed to separate. She got
a divorce and then. with her child, a
daughter, went to California, where she
married again.
Doc" came to Butte and lived here
until he was sent to the asylum. In
1876, and for some time prior. and also
subsequent to that year, he was en-
gagged with several partners in placer
mining in German gulch. They had a
dispute with some other parties over
the ownership of some water fumes
and bitches. An old German who was
employed by the other faction was
killed one day, shot to death, during
one of the frequent quarrels over the
water right. One of Larkin's partners
was arrested for the murder. He had
a trial in Deer Lodge n was ac-
quilted. The murder weighed heavily
on the mind of Larkin, and there are
those who say that he never was alto
gether right in his mind after that
ven To his friends he often spoke
of the murder and exhibited every evil
dence that he was brooding oyer the
affair.
Subsequent to the mining he did in
German gulch, he devoted himself en-
tirely to quartz mining in Butte, ard
he made several fortunes in a day and
! spent them as quickly as he made them.
With the late william Mcnamara he
located the Never Sweat mine, now
probably the richest copper producer
i'm Butte, and sold it to the Anaconda
company. They also located the rich
Mountain View. which was sold to the
Boston e. Montana company. Among
the other big properties which Larkin
at one time owned or had big interests
in were the Micawber, Snohomish
and Tramway. The two last named
are the mines over which suits are
now pending in the United States court.
in which r. J. Watson, Larkin's guard
ian, is trying to regain possession of
them on the ground that Larkin was in
sane when he sold them to the Boston
& Montana. In 1887 Larkin sold one of
his mines for $50, 1000 and received the
cash for it. He Immediately started
out to see how soon he could spend it
and made such good time in it that in
a few months he had not a dollar left.
1t is doubtful If he saw a sober mo-
ment while his money lasted. 1t vas
through repeated sprees of that kin
that his mind finally collapsed. For
six months before a complaint charg-
ing him with insanity was lodged
against him, he was kept under re-
straint in a private hospital by his
friends His form of insanity was soft
ening of the brain, n he was at no
time violent. At the time he was com
mitted to. the asylum he was interested
in many mining claims, but few of
them had any value. The only prop
erty of any alu belonging to his es-
tate is the Tom Payne. located west
of the city. and valued chiefly for town
lot purposes. He had some interest in
the Black placer, which he acquired
through a compromise over a conflict
ing quartz location. He had similar
fighting interests in other properties,
but none of any great value.
Larkin's daughter was yesterday no.
titled of his death, and she will arrive
in Butte in a few days to attend to his
affairs. 1t is understood that the body
will be held until her arrival. The
court will probably be asked soon to
appoint an administrator to the es-
tate.