Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-14
RIvERsIDERs KNOW SCOTT
He Came Into Town With Hundred
Pound Bag of Gold


Special to The Herald.
RIVERSIDE, July 13.-Walter Scott,
the man of mystery from Death val
ley, is known to number of River
siders and has been here several times.
His last visit to the city was two
years ago, when he remained for a fort
night, living quietly in private board
ing house. But Scott could not refrain
from a few spectacular demonstra-
tions. He blew into town one day with
his wife and big bag girt about with
chains and sealed with a couple Of
padlocks. This bag weighed quite a
bit over 100 pounds and when Scott
marched up Main street with the bag
on his back the spectacle aroused not
q little interest and speculation. Scott
marched straight in Chris Franzen's
hardware store and threw the bag on
the floor.
Hello, the house! I want to leave
this stuff here" was Scott's introduc-
ton.
That's all right if it isn't dynamite"
was the reply.
IL LOOh uyldllllle W get II, WAS lil
that Scott at that time vouchsafed.
Bag Held Thousands
The peculiar looking bag remained Il,
an obscure corner for several days.
Then Scott came in and told the hard
ware man that the bag contained gold.
He then opened the bag and showed
quantity of amalgam in exactly the
condition that it had been when 1t
was scraped from, the plates in the
mill. There's $12,SOO worth there" de-
clared Scott. Having taken Franzen
into his confidence, Scott next toted
the sack down to the First National
bank. 1t was placed in a vault and a
receipt given for 1t. Scott took a
fancy to Cashier Castleman and told
him a good deal about his Death valley
mines. According to Scott's tales he
made up pack train at Barstow, sew
eral mules and burrows being re-
quired. Water had to be carried for
ten days. and Scott declared that no
body but himself and two or three
trusted employees knew the way. In
cluded in the cavalcade were a couple
of pigeons, two bobcats, a rattlesnake
and shepherd dog, all making a
family as happy as it was unique. Ac-
cording to Scott a Gordon of armed
men surrounded the camp and no
stranger was ever allowed to set foot
in the mystic mine.
Scott spent money freely here, but
a UiohlU ha I,fe sfosc
room while the landlady was present
and, throwing roll of bills as big as
a giant firecracker into her lap told
her to go out and have hi of a good
time. She did not go.
Worked for BIandy
F. I. Blandy, well-known mining
man of the southwest, is spending the
summer in Riverside and he tells some
interesting stories about the Croesus of
the desert. Shortly before Scott came
to Riverside he showed up at the Echo
mine in MoJave, of which BIandy was
foreman. He had string of burros
with him which he had arranged to
pasture out for time. He asked for
work. and was put on the night shift.
He proved to be a good miner, and was
soon the life of the camp. He made
occasional illusions to his rich hold
ings in Death valley, but little credit
was placed in his tales. He told Blandy
that he was broke because mining
deal In which he was interested had
not gone through, and that he wanted
10
been working about month when a
we'll dressed stranger showed up and
inquired for him.
The visitor wore kid gloves. a tall
hat and Immaculate linen. but he was
ioontinued On Paes Thres.l