The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-26
A NOTABLE CHARACTER
Death of Capt. q. M. Lyons From
Fneurp onia.
FAMOUS HESPERUS LODE
He Had Many Enemies and Many
Observation-Disclosures His Right to
Evict Whom He Saw Fit
From the Strip.

Capt. G. M. Lyons died yesterday
his cabin on the famous Hesperus lode
claim. He was i'll only two days.
Here death removed one of the most
notable characters Butte has known.
Gregory Lyons was an old timer in
Butte. having resided here fer the past
20 or rs years. He was an old miner
and prospector and this inclination led
him into more trouble than usually
falls to the lot of the average citizen.
In the Hesperus he had a prolific
source Of contention. On this famous
piece of property he performed some
of the most startling acts of his ca
reer. He stoutly maintained his rights
to evict any and all persons who pre-
sumed to settle upon the strip, and in
many instances he took the law into
his own hands and carried his desires
into effect. Many and varied are the
stories told Of his doings. and some of
them are recorded on the pages of the
court records.
These spells of self-constituted SUI
premacy possessed him once in about
every three months, and then he set
about to evict those settlers on the
Hesperus for whom he held the most
pronounced contempt; then war would
be declared, which terminated only to
be revived whenever the spell came
over him again. 1t was only a few
weeks ago that he assumed the task
Of ousting a block or two Of settlers,
and in this instance he actually pulled
the roof of a cabin off in order to i'm
press the occupant that he was mas
ter Of all he looked upon.
While the old man had many enc
mics, still he had his friends. He also
hoI fheCa
are considered to the exclusion of
whatever shortcomings an erratic ma
ture fostered. He was an old soldier,
but did not belong to the G. A. r. Re-
| ferring to the captains deeds of kind
ness, j. B. Glover, past commander of
| the local post of the G. A. r., said:
"Never did an old soldier call upon
| Captain Lyons for assistance in vain.
| He never refused to give aid to an old
| comrade. I have known him to send
a disabled soldier to California to be
| treated for an incurable affiiction. |
| know Of instances where he paid the
| entire expense of the funeral of a COM
rade. I never heard of him refusing
| to assist in financial way any charit-
| able cause when he was called upon
| for assistance. He had his faults, but
| in times Of distress he was %remost
among those to offer aid. These COM
| mendable traits in the man will live
| longer in the memory of his enemies
| than will the acts which are charged
| against him."
Captain Lyons was born in Canada
| 50 years ago, and so far as known has
no relatives in this state. He has a
sister living somewhere in the East,
and it is understood that he had willed
all his property to her.tf He was not
a wealthy man, neither'was he pau
| per. His prospects were in the bal
| ance, as it We're. He was a party to
a number Of lawsuits in which the
ownership of valuable mining property
is involved. His affairs, it is under
stood, are being attended to by George
| Casey, who was an old time acquaint-
| ance and friend.