The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1902-12-27
1t Is Alleged Whal6n Has
Already Jumped the Prop
0rty Is Times.
vensiiation and Inside History OF the
Business Affairs OF the Various NTH.
ing Companies Operating Near Al.
pha. Eureka county.

Copper Mining Company OF Alpha, published
a card ITO the Public" in the issue of De-
cember 6. in which he gave his reasons for
relocating the claims of the company stu
ated about seven miles from Alpha station.
In the same article he also detailed many Of
the business affairs Of the company.
The SENTINEL, knowing that the things
that have been transporting in the ~neighbor-
hood of the claims of the company for the
past week have created considerable comment
and curiosity in this community as to "what
it is all about" interviewed G. Lay, one Of
the stockholders Of the Whalen Company, re-
gsrding the matter. Mr.. Lay, in the follow
ing article, goes into more minute details Of
the affairs of the company, past and present,
than did Mr.. Whslen, and as the latter has
already given his side to the public, we here
with present Mr.. Lays version.
Mr.. Lay, on being asked if he would answer
a few questions regarding the situation, re-
piled 1:
I shall be glad to answer all questions as
far as 1 am able, but the answers must be
from memory, as all my papers are in Chi
cago, Illinois.
/ was first introduced to VIM. Whalen by
Robert Linn of Chicago, who said Mr.. Wha-
len had valuable mines in Nevada, and Mr..
Whalen asked permission to come to the no.
tel where l was stopping and explain to me
his condition and needs. He came the same
evening and spent several hours and was in
troduced by me to T. c. Stephens, and we all
three went with Whalen the next day to AL.
bert Barnum tthe son Of Judge Bsrnum, who
had been Whalen's attorney where a contract
was formed between Whalen, Stephens and
myself. Whalen was furnished with clothes
and money to come to Nevada and secure
from T. r. Whelan, James Dougherty and
Thomas Kaney the mining claims which they
had kept alive while Whalen was in the Mis-
souri, penitentiary. In about a week he (Wha-
len) telegraphed all 80. K" and came back
to Chicago.
As the Whalen stock in the Whalen Con-
solidated Copper Mining Company had been
placed by him in the st. Peters Mining Com.
pany, and both the St. Peters and the Wha-
len Company had failed by lapse of time. it
was necessary by publication of thirty days
to renew the charter of both companies. The
meeting was first called in the name of the
st. Peters Company, the proper officers elect
ed, and they for q consideration turned over
the seventy odd thousand shares of the Whs.
len stock, this being used as a basis. The old
Whalen Consolidated Copper Mining Com
pany was revived and T. G. Stephens elected
President, VIM. Whalen e-President and
myself Secretary, the joint stock to be held in
lens former attorney.
Soon after the new organization had been
completed, we commenced selling stock, and
early in 1898 we sold 800 shares for $40, 900 to
Frank H. Cooper (of Seigel, Cooper & Col Of
Chicago, who agreed to put in another 8 o..
900. But like all good business men he first
wanted to come and see the promised land,
and at a meeting Of the Board Of Directors ii
was thought best that the board should come
out in a body, bringing Mr.. Cooper as the
said: eff m y friend Hortemyer, an expert
from California, pronounces the property all
right / shall be glad, if worked under the su.
pervision of Mr.. Hortemyer, to furnish all
the money that may be needed"
We wired Mr.. Whalen Of our coming and
he met US at the Alpha depot. A madden
man never was seen, and he said he would not
let US or any Of US 1.-THE Board of Directors)
go to the mines. Such conduct at once not
only surprised ALL, but made the big investor
suspicious that his money had gone 'where the
woodbine twineth." He (Whalen) refused to
have anything to do with us, and when one of
Nevada's noblest citizens, Mrs. Winzell, asked
Whalen how we were going to reach the
mines he was very curt in his reply to her, but
finally introduced me. and she at once said:
"As you gentlemen are strangers here and
seem to have no conveyance by which to 60 to
the mines, 1 will come in the morning with
the proper c~onaeyances to enable you all to
60" which she did.
One of Whalen's great sayings is: ''There
are few 'damometists, " and when asked for an
explanation he said: LEARN all the other
fellow knows and keep your knowledge Of
things to yourself" OF course he meant a
diplomatic" He certainly acted on that
principle that day. for on leaving us at noon
he rel as quickly as possible to the mines,
and as Mr.. Schendel, the former superintend-
ent, afterwards admitted, covered up some Of
the prominent workings, so that no senderfoot
investors could ind anthing at all Of q salts.
factory nature on which longer to push the
work. But after Mr.. Hortemyer had talked
the matttr over with Mr.. Cooper he (Mr.
Cooper decided to stay in and help push the
matter. but early next morning Whalen came
to Alpha station to attend a directors
meeting, when be at once commenced to abuse
Mr.. Cooper and the latter gentlemen decided
to quit. On the way back to Chicago Mr..
Cooper said nothing about his intentions.
but on his arrival had his attorney. Judge
Sboupe, get ready to put the affairs of the
company in the hands Of a receiver, which,
was presented by the Board Of Directors.
who made a satisfactory settlement with Mr..
Coo,.r khra Laaxfr.o .k 81 Al $500.