Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-01-24
A WEST VIRGINIAN'S
Many Adventures and Expert
ences in South America.

CnSCS III oOulf1 america.
More than Usually Falls TO Mans
Lot Mr.. Charles N. Simpson of
Moundsville GiYes Some Interesting
Details OF a Long Trip.
Chas, r. Simpson, of Moundsville,
w. Va, a bronzed mining prospector
who passed through here to-day at
noon for his old home, on the steamer
! Queen City, says the Parkershurg
Sentinel of Monday. has had more ex-
/ periences and more adventures within
the past year than usually fall to a
man in life time. Mr.. Simpson has
i travelled through South America, has
gone afoot over the Andes Mountains,
has been arrested as spy In Chile,
/ has shipped as a sailor on a German
trading vessel from Valparaiso to San
Diego, and is now on his way home to
see his children and relatives and to
try to get on his financial feet again
On March 5, 1900, Mr. Simpson left
Moundsville on tour OF adventure.
| He took about 81, 500 with him and
expected TO increase the pile ere he
returned. Hewent first TO Buffalo,
then TO New York City and sailed on
the Germanie, of the White Star
Line, for Liverpool, He remained in
/ England but few weeks, when he
took passage from Southampton, for
Buenos Ayres, Argentine. His object
! IN going TO South America was
to prospect for gold among the noun
tains Of the west coast, and his stay
in Buenos Ayres was therefore very
brief. With companion, who had
joined him in Southampton. he start.
ed for the Andes Mountains and trav-
eled by rail TO Mendoza, small city
| on the east coast of the Andes, where
civilization has not made many in
/ roads. Mr.. Simpson remained there
/ for about three weeks, getting a
camping outfit ready, and early in
May began journey over the noun
| tains.
Before he reached the Chilean bound
airy he was arrested by secret service
men employed by the Argentine Re
public and thrown into jail as spy.
He tried in vain TO prove his limo
cence Of the charge and was in danger
Of being tried aud executed as a spy
/ when a Catholic missionary came to
! his rescue aud and succeeded Ia con-
vincing the authorities that Simpson
was an American citizen bent on find
ing gold. A hotel bill made out TO
Simpson by the splendid" Hotel Of
Buenos Ayres In which Simpson is
charged $3.50 for one days lodging
and meals, was bit Of evidence that
| finally convinced the government
East and not from the Chilean border.
1t was terribly cold in the noun
tains and the travellers endured hard
ships that threatened to end their ex-
istence many times, but after weeks
OF suffering they reached Valparaiso
and secured the friendly assistance OF
United States Consul John w. Caples,
who interested himself In their case
to the extent of securing passage on
the steamer Scraps for them. Smp.
son left the ship at San Diego, and
has since been working his way home.
He arrived in Cincinnati Saturday,
| bought some new clothes out of what
money he had left and took passage
on the Queen City for Wheeling.
ave had enough of South An,eri-
ca he said. sit is a good country
to stay away from. | started out
with plenty OF money, as ! thought,
but it didn't go far down there. And
as for prospecting, there is no use try.
ing. A man Is hampered in so many
ways by the Government spies and Sc
cret service men, the cost Of living is
so high and the transportation facili-
ties are go meager thai it requires a
/ fortune to get started. I've had
| enough"
! Mr.. Simpson was formerly in the
sand business at Wheeling and is well
known there and Moundsville. He is
a man Of more than average intelli
gence, and is most interesting con-
yersationaIist. He was employed in
Cincinnati as a tin worker In his
earlier DAYS.