The Butte inter mountain., 1902-11-12
He THINKS He IS
A STAMP MILL.
JAMES SPlLLAM iNDULGES IN QUEER
FREAK OF FANCY IN THE BOX
CAR AT THE COUNTY JAIL.

With his reason tottering on its shalsy
throne and wheels buzzing in his unhappy
head, James Spillam spent last night in
the commodous box car" in the county
Jail, booked on charge of raising a
rough house in the saloon of Alderman
Dan O'Brien ON upper Main street. ~
1t was fancy drunk in which Spill
lam INDUCED. Mixed drinks formed the
bulk of his cargo, and when he was de-
livcred into the keeping of Jailcr Pat May
his brain was smoking with frequent po-
tations and his powers Of locomotion pref
ty badly shot to pieces. At first Spill
man was wild and truculent. but gradGl
ally he settled down to a firm conviction
that he was n well-ordered machine and
the wheels in his head were turning out
glittering particles Of gold at the rate Of
thousands Of dollars . minute.
OBrien's place is on North Main street,
under Miners Union hall. Spillam was
taken in tow by Officer O'Br1kn about 10
o'clock in the evening and escorted to the
city Jail, from which place he was switched
to the county bastile for safe keeping.
Through the still watches of the night
he did turn as a crazy man that the
JaiNi ONtT any performance
he ever witnessed.
Spillam thought he was a stamp mill.
He secured some water and cup from
Jailer May OH the plea that his throa
was parched with the bitter thirst that
follows a prolonged debauch, and with
this equipment and the aid OF his sur
charged imagination he cut pretty figure
as quartz mill
He Was Working Hard.
Standing in the center of his cell Spill
lam pounded the floor with his No. II fee.
and ever and anon squirted water through
his teeth in imitation OF ten-stamp mill
under full head of steam. He secured
quantity of gravel from one of his coat
pockets which had become filled with
part OF the paving of Main street, and
this substance he poured down the back
of his neck. Treading heavily in a circle
he worked industrousy all night long
and squrted water with tense kissing
noise as he worked.
lie ran out of water toward morning
and secured new supply from Jailcr
May. The mill runs a horse lighter
when | have plenty Of water" was his
explanation to the accommodating jailer
when he took the tin cup and the wheels
OF his improvised stamp mill went whiz-
zing round again.
The gold is running over the plates"
said Spillam, in doleful tones when Taller
May asked him what he expected to make
out ot the cleanup when the mill h,
smut down. Il am working on low-grade
ore and 1t is full of tale and arsenic" he
walled, treading heavily OH the floor to
emphasize the difficulties of his situa-
tion. Never mind" he said bravely, well
make fortune yet. Shovel in the ore
boys, shovel in the ore."
When Sweet Sleep Came.
About daylight something snapped in
the head of the mechanical genius and
the mill stopped. Spilam was bathed in
perspiration and was limp as a mon m
the third day Of house cleaning when he
went OFT shift His reason. however, was
saved from the wreck. The exertion of
running under full force all night had
worked Oft the effects of the whisky and
the booze soaked through his skin at the
pores. relieving his fevercd body of the
terrible strain of Butte frewater. Auto
matically he had administered an antido
IN the form of violent exercise, and after
shutting down his mill he lay on the floor
ana slept as peacefully as a child.
That's the first time | ever k,.,
stamp NM to be set up in this jail" sai,.
oa'ler May. Pay dirt is pretty plentiful
IN this section Of the state, but never unti,
last night was there bonanza struck i,
the county jail.