The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1903-12-24
Federal Inspectors Enter
the Michael Dewitt
Through Rarus.
CUTTING THE CLAIM
H. V. Winchell Says Heinze
Men Are Looting Con-
tents of Mine.

That miners in the employ of F. A.
Heinze are cutting the Michael Dewitt
claim of its stores of rich ore, in open
defiance of the orders of the United
States court and contrary TO the pro
visions of the injunction protecting this
ore from mining, was made certain today
by the inspection made through the Rarus
workings.
The board OF inspectors and surveyors
spent about three and one-half hours
underground, being admitted through the
Rarus shaft under the order of Judge
Beatty made recently at Helena. Seeing
that it was no longer possible to keep out
the inspectors without incurring penalty,
Heinze and his subordinates interposed
no objections to the party going under
ground today.
On emerging from the shaft soon after
o'clock this afternoon, ii. V. Winchell,
one Of the inspectors said:
Caught at Work.
1--WE found miners from the Rarus at
work in several slopes i'll the Michael
Dewitt claim between the 500 and the
6oo-foot levels and IS to 100 feet within
the Dewitt lines, that is, that distance
from the Rarus line. They were working
in plain and open defiance OF the injunc-
tion. From the evidences we found it
is readily to be seen that the work of
lootng the Michael Dewitt has been going
on for some time. We found at least IS
men at work in these slopes.
Il took some samples of the ore they
are taking out 1t is close to being the
richest ore in the camp 1t certainly is
80 or DO per cent ore.
Did Not Care.
"The men are equipped with air drills.
Practically no effort was made to conceal
them from us, though at first Frank and
Trerise tried to lead us to believe that
no slopes were being worked there but
when they found they were determined
to go in, they made no resistance. They
were jocular and careless about it, and
seemed not particularly averse to letting
lis see they were getting the ore
The inspectors found many evidences of
the gigantic blasting that was done 50 re-
Gently in the Rarus in an effort to make
the work OF the inspectors impossible.
The so-called secret cross-cut, of course,
was obliterated, but it was no longer neces-
sary as means of working as a straight
cross-cut, not a devious one like the secret
through it the rich ore has been taken.
All the evidences found support the
theory that Heinze's men have been at
work looting the claim as fast as possible
before his agencies could be stopped, and
the ore which he does not own protected
from him.
"This," said one of the inspectors, hand
ling a sample OF the rock taken from the
stopes in the Dewitt, evidently is some OF
the rich Cora ore we have heard SO much
about being treated at the Hcinze smeter.
We knew the Cora didn't have the rich
ore described, but this evidently is it.
Attempted Deceit.
When the inspectors first entered
Heinze's representatives, Frank and Ire
rise attempted to deceive them about the
workings. For instance, they told the in
spectors that there was no work going on
below the 8oo-foot level. Mr.. Winchell
about that time, picked up a board on the
floor of the 8oo-foot level, revealing work
ings below, and then descended two floors
through the hole.
The denial that there was stoping going
on in the Dewitt was made about the first
thing, but when the inspectors came upon
the miners, Frank and Trerise laughed
Their attitude said as plainly as words
There we are, getting the ore; as rich
ore as we can get anywhere. Now, what
are you going to do abort it = The atti-
tude of the late but unlamented Boss
Tweed on a somewhat similar occasion
was well reproduced by the gentlemen who
direct operations for Heinze.
Frank and Trerise, when the party
started down, told them they need not
take miners along, as proposed These
for of
away the Instructions to the secret cross
cut, so that the inspectors might get into
the place where the Rarus men had beer
taking Dewitt ore.
On arriving underground it was found
that Frank and Trerise had spoken by the
card. There was no need for the men
The newer crosscut had no conccalment
though plainly leading into the Dewitt.
The inspectors will make additional i'll
spections going down perhaps tomorrow
There is some work to be done under
their directions to reveal the full exten
of the thcfts of ore. A raise below thu
800 is to be cleaned out of the filling pu
in it and several other things are to b.
done.
It is probable, however, that the atten
ton of the federal court will be draw
in the very near future to the fact tha
the original injunction covering the lootee
ore has been and is now being violated.
At exactly 10 :32 by the clock this morn
ing, the officials Of the Montana Ore Pur
chasing company complied with the orde
made by Judge Beatty of Idaho in th'
United States court at Helena, that thu
representatives of the Butte & Bostor
company be lowered through the Raru
shaft and allowed to inspect all the work