Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-07-09
MAY BE RUSSIAN CHARLEY
Strange Discovery Of Miners
Clothes and Effects.

A sensational find was made this
week ON the head of Stratton creek,
small tributary OF Rogue river COM
ing in from the north side a short dis.
tance above Galice. Two young men
of Merlin found sack of clothes and
other effects, apparently of some
miner. The discovery was telephoned
to Grants Pass and Sheriff Lewis and
Constable Randle went out ON Tues.
day to investigate the case. The
articles in question were found high
up on the mountain between Leland
and Galice, in one of the steepest and
toughest regions in Southern Oregon.
They were far from any trail, indicat-
ing that the owner was probably lost
when he brought them there. From
the position of the articles and the
conformation of the ground, il was
possible to deduce theory as to the
manner in which they happened to
be left there. 1t appeared as though
the man had sat down ON the side
hill with his back against tree, the
shape of the ground suggesting this
idea. The sack was deposited at his
feet, against another tree. At his left
hand lay his pipe and tobacco and ON
the other side a cane and newspaper,
J a San Francisco Chronicle dated in
, September, 1901. This was the po-
sition in which the articles lay, but
no body could be found, though tile
officers made diligent search far and
near. His hat, also, was found lying
on the ground and an empty whisky
bottle lay near. A revolver was
found on the right hand side and "a
few feet down the hill. One chamber
was empty. 1t lay as though it might
have been hastily dropped or thrown
from the hand of the man sitting on
the hillside. The sack was found to
contain suit of underclothes, an
overshirt, piece of sole leather.
three pairs of socks, pair Of gloves,
two cans Of sardines and an unopened
bottle OF whiskey. At the time they
were left there, the goods were
evidently new, just out of the store,
but had been lying there for many
months.
1t is thought that the man, having
wandered from the trail, perhaps
under the influence of the liquor
which the empty bottle shows him
to have been drinking, and sat down
on the hillside to rest and smoke. He
is then supposed to have shot himself,
perhaps accidentally, with the re-
volver, with not Immediately fatal
effect. and to have got up and gone
some distance before he died. He
might perhaps have fallen over one
of the many PERCEPTIONS cliffs with
which the region abounds.
The officers, with the boys who &C.
companied them, after having made
a thorough search of the surrounding
territory without success, went on
over the mountains to Leland, one OF
the hardest trips in their experience.
1t is thought in Leland that the
effects are those of Russian Charley
who disappeared in the fall of 1901
and has never since been seen. "Kus
sian Charley" had mining claim on
the south side Of Rogue river Just
below the mouth Of Whiskey creek
and Leland was his trading point, He
had been in Leland, made some pur
chases, and had started home, but
never reached 1t. Some Of the Whis-
key creek miners would be able to tel
whether or not the pipe found belong
ed to Russian Charley and IL they
identify II as his IL will throw som,
light ON the mystery
!
Circuit court for Josephine county
| July term, will, convene noxt Monday