The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-27

Railroad, for a town near what is now
known as Haley, in the Wood river coun-
try, Idaho Territory, a distance OF about S9O
miles. In the late fall Of that year l was
obliged to make the trio TO investigate
some mining interests beyond the town OF
Haley. The camp was then ike ali new
mining places. gambling and drinking
houses predominating, many OF these es-
adjustments being conducted in old-fash-
Toned army tents; in fact, il was a rare
thing TO find anything else in a new mining
camp at that time.
Among a motley gathering were a half
dozen abandoned women, who had followed
in the rush for gold and were running an
establishment, the leader and proprletress
OF which was known as English Mary.
She was a terror and her place the scene
of terrible brawls, frequently ending with
lively pistol practice. Sandy Murray, "A
devil-may-care, good-natured miner, while
a guest at her establishment, in some man
ner became involved in a row, and in the
fight was shot and instantly killed. His
friends, claiming that English Mary hred
the fatal shot, demanded that she be
lynched; she, however, although very
drunk, denied it, claiming that in the melee
he had been accidentally shot by his own
pistol, and as her face had been badly cut
by the butt of the pistol. this gave some
credit to her assertion. The vigilantes were
hurriedly called together and decided, in
their anger. that she must hang at day
break as a warning to her class, and notice
was given to the tough element in the town,
then in the ascendency, that in future dras-
tic measures would be dealt out TO all Of
tenders.
at is a well-known fact that there are no
more chivalrous class of men in the world,
as far as women and children are con-
cerned, than miners. 1t is evident that this
sentiment prevailed, and though she was
ordered to prepare for death, however, by
morning the idea of hanging a woman be
came so unpopular il was decided to Danish
her from the camp and Territory, and with
the understanding that if she ever returned
that death was to be her punishment. AS
1t unfortunately happened, l was the only
other passenger to go out that morning by
the stage or this long journey of nearly
400 miles. The weather was bitter cold,
reaching zero; and L felt very indignant at
having English Mary (who was even drunk
on that morning) my sole travelling COM
paniOn for the many days / had to spend
making the trip. L protested, but to no use.
l GOULD not spare the time to wait for the
next stage departure, and also feared snow
storms and ~blockades, and finally yielded.
For the first five miles of the journey L
heard nothing but terrible blasphemy, as
the woman. had not got over her drunken
frenzy, and that, in connection with the
brutality Of the men in driving her away,
made her almost a maniac. She appealed
to me for a little liquor, nowin from the
habits Of the frontier that l must have
some In my grip. L finally gave her a
drink TO quiet her and she tried 20 sleep,
but complained so much of the cold that
j loaned her one of my wraps, beside put
as she had departed in light clothing L
finally feared that she would freeze to
have some of my clothing when we ar
rived at the next stopping place, which
was twenty miles distant, for in those
days on well-established stage lines the
relays were taken UP at about every TWEEN
ty miles, and where passengers obtained
their refreshments (such as they were.)
H HAND THAT HELPS
o arriving at the station, 1 asked the
men to keep her for the next stage; they
also refused. Finally they erected a
blanket in a corner of a cabin, behind
which she went to make the necessary
4lo--. - 49, D1F0ro Nh1 .--t -,
ton was reached l feared she would have
delirium tremens. as she begged all the
time most pitecrsly, for another drink,
which l finally gave her. By the next day
she was sober. but very sick. At the relay
place they gave her a good meal and she
commenced n m to pick up an,oI the next ext Day she
seemed to realize her terrible position.
When 1 saw her in tears l was encour-
aged to talk with her about her future
and she stated that she would take the
train at Kelton for San Francisco and
continue her old life, as it was all that
was left for her, as she had sacrificed her
entire future and could never again be adj
mitted to respectable circles-that she was
beyond redemption.
City, where l agreed to interest people in
her; she finally consented to this. The next
afternoon, when the train arrived at Salt
Lake City, l called on a lady whom l knew
very well-the wife Of a prominent Judge
and told her the story. She became much
interested; had the poor woman admitted
10 the HOSDlldlg MUtI SIT ltlldAllCu lOl ii
couple of weeks, then found a place for
her with a family about fifty miles out.
"A few days after my return to New
York 1 received a package by express con-
tanning the clothing L had loaned her and
a brief note thanking me for my interest,
stating that she had turned over a new
leaf, and with the help of Divine Provi.
dence she would succeed.
Three years later, while in London. /
was dining with the family of a distin-
guished engineer, and after dinner the
hostess stated that she was chairwoman of
the board of pstronesses of a Magdalene
establishment on a side street, off from
oxford street, near Hyde Park; that the
matron of Ii was unusually successful
endeavoring TO reclaim, and 1t was sug-
gested that our entire dinner party go
around and visit the home, which, in Eng
land, is a polite way of obtaining subscrip-
lions of not less than from a sovereign to
e5 each from visitors who happen to accept
the invitation. However, L went with the
party, and imagine my surprise, on being
presented TO the matron, 10 find that she
was none other than English Mary, my
unwelcome travelling companion from
Wood river to Kelton. Her hair had be-
come gray, her features and manners re-
fined and the last person on earth one
would have thought could have been under
the influence of liquor, much less the ban
of the vigilantes of those terrible days in
carrying TO her grave the respect Of all
who knew her in her faithful work.
Il afterward learned that she was the
daughter of a clergyman, had eloped with
a young mar while at boarding school, go
ing with him to America, and a year later
he deserted her. In her distress she fell
into evil ways, finally drifting to the min
ing camnS. with the result as ahOvp