The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-26
He CANE FROM MON TAbh
James D. Grant Died in a San
Francisco Poorhouse.
WAS A VICTIM OF LIQUOR
Didn't Draw a Sober Breath for Five
Years Pen urious and Thrifty Bs-
fore He Made HIS
Money.

Great Falls, Dec. pa sad story Is
the San Francisco almshouse on the
9Th inst, and whose case is reported
by the Examiner Of the 18th. Grant
was formerly OF this portion of Mon
tana. and was interested with William
Cowan in the sheep business on Armels
creek, in Fergus county. In 1899 or '99
the firm sold out their interests to Will
liam Fergus & Sons of the same county.
Cowan Is still in business al4ng the line
of the Great Northern in Valley county.
Grant had snug sum in cash--about
s25, 000-Which he took with him to Salt
Lake. and shortly after to San Fran
cisco, whence comes the sad tale Of
his downfall and final end in the poor
house, friendless and hemeless-all due
to drink 1t Is number of years since
anything had been heard from Grant
by his friends in this section, and as
he was most careful and even penuri-
GUS in his habits and business, the
story Of the prodigal spending CT his
later days seems almost Impossible
Grants story of trouble with Ind ans
jured up. by his liquor fevered brain.
Grant has lived in San Francisco for
the past five years, according to the
Examiner, during which time he had
been heavy drinker, one saloon man
who was interviewed saying that he
did not believe he had been sober for 80
consecutive days In the past five years.
He spent money lavishly. frequently ex-
pending 800 in champagne treat for
the house. Though reticent as to his
income he seemed to be able to COM
mand frequent remittances from the
Ainsworth bank In Portland This sum
E1er his funds had become exhausted
and he lived on the bounty of his
friends.
Nov rs he was picked up by the po-
lice and sent to the city prison, the in
tention of the authorities being to have
him removed to the alras1cuse on the
following Monday, Through the care
iessness of the desk sergeant at the
prison, Grant was overlooked or Mon
day, and there having been no charge
entered on the register against him,
he was practically lost in the prison
for two weeks. On Dec. 6 a trusty in
the jail reported that man was sick
In cell No. 6, and it was with difficulty
that it was ascertained who the unfor-
tunate man was, his case having been
entirely forgotten. Grant was at once
sent to the receiving hospital and short
1y after died.
The matter Of his being left in the Jail
when he should have been sent to the
almshouse Is causing much comment
among the superior peace officers and
will be investigated.
Iittls aAppears to be known In San
Francia1o of the deces sed. but from
one Con Kelly. special policeman, who
knew Grant we'll. the Examiner report
err learned thatThe had come from Mon
tana and had told Kelly that he had
been in the sheep business, but had to
leave that state on account of some
trouble he had with Il dians When he
left he said he owned large flocks Of
sheep With his partner, Hon. James
Fergus of Fort Marinris, Montana
Grant had asked Kelly to write to Mr..
Fergus, and he had prom sed to do SO
Grant never was a partner Of Mr.
Fergus, but had worked fer him for
a whila. and, as stated sold his sheen
interests to him when he finally left
Montana.
All his life careful. thrifty and even
penurious to degree in his efforts TO
secure a competency, his final death in
the poorhousa from causes brought
about by his own profligacy, is particu-
larly sad.
Deceased leaves no relatives in this
portion Of the state nor does any one
here know aught of his relatives in
other states.