Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-09-15
Letter from N. E. sIaymaker.

---Ne
Letter from N. e. slaymaker.
o.
Detroit. Mich, August 2. 1904.
Mr.. d. e. Newcomb, President San
Juan Pioneers Association.
La Jara, Colorado.
Dear Old-Timer: shall not be able
to attend the meeting at Alamosa.
wish I could. certainly would IKE
to talk with the old boys. and the
old girls. God bless them. 1t is now
inward OF fifteen years since left
Silverton. and have seen very lew
Colorado friends since, but | have not
forgotten them nor the pioneer days
of the San Juan. There is certain
lone-legged, raw-boned old gaioot
named Snowden. that ! would IKE 10
see once more, to settle some old
scores. Maybe you do not know him,
hut Adair Wilson does. And that re-
minds me that | have graudge
against Adair also. Judge Hackett
and were enjoying a monopoly oil
the law business in the San Juan
then La Plata county-in 1874 until
Wilson and Taylor butted in. we
were the only resident lawyers in the
county. and when they arrived, the
profession was too crowded for the
Judge and he disappeared, apparent
ly from the face of the earth ana
never saw or heard OF him afterwards
The first case tried in the county was
before Judge S. H.. Jones. The entire
bar was represented, ilackett being on
one side and | on the other | tell
Won our services were in much re
quest. They simply had to have us
and we were mighty independent, too
If theside we were first retained on
did not suit us or large inducements
were held out we switched to the
other side. This did actually happen
in one case.
Hackett began the suit and subse-
auently. as attorney for the deien-
dant. demurred to the sufliciency OF
the complaint which he had himself
prepared. 1t was demurrable all right.
too. so that the judge knew what he
was about. Neither of us however, ap-
peared on both sides of a case at the
same time--the biggest liar amongst
us and there were some able-bodied
ones amongst us in those days
would not accuse us of that-neither
did we appear on the same side OF a
case. This would have been an equal
ly serious breach of professional eth-
les and would have left one side at
the mercy of the other, which would
not only have done violence to our
sense of propriety, but would nave
been less profitable. We certainly DID
enjoy an extensive and lucrative prac-
tice that season until the aforesaid
Wilson and Taylor appeared ON the
scene. had seen Wilson try a re-
plevin case about a span of mules at
Del Norte in the fall of 1873 when /
passed through that village on my
way to the Animas valley TO engage
in placer mining, and recognized that
he was going TO be a formidable rival,
and that the trust was doomed. And
as for John Taylor, his reputation mad
proceeded him. II i was sure John
would meet with you, l would be
tempted to make a sacrifice to be
present, to hear him tell stories in his
inimitable and delightful way, and
especially the one about the Indian
raid in the Animas valley which oc-
CURED think, in 1876. But | must
not make this letter too long.
Thinking of those old times and
old friends makes me long to be with
you to talk over the many scenes ana
incidents OF the pioneer days, in
which some one or more of us took
part. and to pay tribute to those
"who have gone over the range. =
Dempsey Reese, Mickey Breen. jim
Robin, Dick Charley. Cap. Stanley
Judge Montague and many other dear
friends.
Remember me kindly to those who
will meet with you and who may re-
II Mrs. Earle, Mrs. Cotton and Misses
Houngsworth are there desire to be
particularly remembered TO them.
How l would like once more to
shake foot with Mrs. Cotton. who
was the lightest footed dancer | ever
knew, and have no doubt is yet.
| see by your letter that Thomas
Walsh is one of those who is expect
ed to be present. | never knew Mr..
Walsh personally. but he at one time
leased one of my mining claims and
i think 1t pretty shabby that he did
not find the gold In that claim in
stead of in the Camp Bird.
L,rnYnrno1Iu Nnurg