Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-04-21
A LOVE TRAGEDY,

plOycd on the famous Dominqucz ranch
in the section of the San Joaquin valley
now known as MERGED county noticed a
newly built rough cabin near the bank of
the river.
The cowboys looked into the matter
and found the owner of the establishment
to be a man whose appearance was in
thorough harmony with his surroundings.
The man was dirty, unkcmpt, dressed
in the crudest of clothing, rough and
scant of speech. But he gave the cattle
men welcome that they appreciated in
the form of fried bacon, hapjacks and
brandy.
In those days men were not too curious
concerning their neighbOrs' histories, and
so, when the host impaired the informal
ton that his name was Blakesley, that
he had been mining lin the hills" and
had "squattcd" by the river bank be-
cause he wanted to, the visitors asked no
more.
Thereafter, however, Jasper Blakes-
legs cabin became a haven for herders
and travellers.
lie always had n blanket and some
thing to eat for any one who came to his
door.
liz WIS ElOVItc HldH,
apparently caring little for the society Of
his kind. spending most of his time in
hunting and fishing and occasionally WIS.,
iting the nearest town for supplies. He
rarely drank. but when he did drank
hard and long.
This life continued for Is years.
Early in 1871 Blakesley so far broke
from his accustomed habits of solitary
life as to make one of a party of four
men on an expedition to Tulare lake.
After an absence of two months three
of the quartet returned to their homes.
Jasper Blakcslcy was missing.
His companions said little about the
trip and less about BlakeSley. Gradual
ly, however. it became known that the
old hunter had disappeared.
Those who knew him best visited the
little cabin by the San Joaquin and
searched the surrounding country dill
gently for some trace Of the missing
man, but with no result.
1t had been thought that he had been
waylaid and murdered by bandits. or. as
some believed. he had left the country
suddenly in as eccentric a manner as
that of his arrival. But the majority
stood by the murder theory.
Among old Blakcsleys most frequent
visitors had been John Ordell. New
Hampshire man.
Finding they were natives of the same
state. Blakcslcy became more commune
cative with him. and by degrees the two
became mutual confdants.
One night Ordell grew reminiscent and
told why he had come west. 1t was be-
cause of a woman.
He told a rather commonplace love
in ,,-h;nb hn hn Wbila
he continued Blakesley took frequent
pulls at the brandy jug and finally told
his own history.
Here it is. as related by Ordell. while
still living in the southern part Of Mer-
ced county. Cal:
Until he was % Jasper Rlakesley lived
and worked on his fathers New Hamp-
shire farm. lie was bright and ambi-
tious. but poorly educated and without
any we'll defined aim. 1t was for love to
give him an object in life.
The woman in the case was a belle Of
Boston. Her father was rich and his
only daughter had enjoyed every advan-
tage. of education. Ruth was beautiful
and accomplished.
One summer spent in the society Of
this girl proved the undoing of BlakPs-
ley. His ardent courtship resulted in
her promise to be his wife-with condi-
tons. He must make a man of himself.
must study. work and save money. She
would wait for him. Vows were ex-
changed. and they parted.
During the five years following they
saw little of each other. She was in
Boston, he was reading law. Then he
was admitted to the bar. passed exam
nation brilliantly and began the practice
of his profession.
Another five years slipped by. The
lawyer won a reputation. During this
entire period Jasper Blakesey held
| steadfaSt in his mind the thought that
the girl who had so changed the cur
rents of his life should be his greatest
reward for the years passed in daily la
Dor and nightly study. Her letters to
him were full OF sympathy. encourage
ment and tenderness.
Then came the awakening from this
dream of n decade. Following closely on
letter from Ruth full of endcaring OK
presSonS an d protestations of fidelity
was Il card from the girls aunt.
The paStrbuard announced that the
writer's niece would be married ten days
later.
The name of the groom meant moth
ing to Rlakesley. He did not reveal il
in his talk with Ordcll But this much
was evident: His Ruth. the girl he had
been toiling for, waiting for all these
years. was false.
For a time the blow shattered his rea
son. The events of the succeeding days
he could recall only family.
But he remembered standing. with
smoking dcrringer. n few PAGES away
from the PROSTATE form of young man
and the white. scared face of Ruth
bending over his rival. whose head she
held clasped in her arms.
Then the advice of friends made him
hasten away out of the country. since
the laws of Massachusetts forbade duel
ing
He remembered going on ship, and
after awhile he knew he was bound for
San Francisco. Friends had paid his
passage and his wallet was well filled.
In the office of District Attorney Os-
trandcr of MERGED county lie today the
skull and few other bones of what is
generally believed to be the skeleton of
Jasper Rlakesley.
In the frontal bone of the skull are
three round holes. evidently bullet holes.
proving violent death.-Philadc!ph
Press.