The Washington herald., 1908-02-23
They Include ex- Senators
Stewart and Jones, of Ne
pada; Senator'S Perkins
and Teller, of California
and Colorado, Respective
Ly; and Joaquin Miller,
"Poet of the SierraS."
By DEXTER MARSHALL.

OF the handful Of pioneers who are
still with us, none--not even excepting
the inimitiable Joaquin Miller-has had
a more adventurous or picturesque career
than William NJ Stewart, some time sill
YER Senator from Nevada, and now, hale
and hearty in his eighty-thIrd year, enjoy
ing the third fortune he has accumulated
since the gold fever of '49 carried him
from Yale to California. where he arrived
in 1850 with the equivalent of a ten dollar
bill in his pockets.
Each Of Stewards fortunes has been
earned in the Silver State, and each had
for its basis lawyers fees derived from
litigious men obessed with the idea OF
snatching riches from the earth's bowels
Though he began as miner, and as such
accumulated $soOO in the short space of
three months, Stewart realized before he
had been gold hunter six months that
the safest road 70 wealth was not by
the pick and spade. So he studied law
at nights when others gambled and
drank. and two years after going West,
secured admission 20 the bar
AS miner he had been popular with
the boys-he was brawny, fearless, op-
timistic. and a fascinating talker AS a
lawyer his gift OF CAB seemingly hypno-
tized Jurors as effectively as It had his
fellow-miners- At any rate. he had re-
markable success winning cases right
from the start; it speedy became
proYerb that a case was three-fOurths
won with Bill" Stewart retained and
many a race Of rivals took place to his
Office 10 see who would retain him first
Asks Large Fees.
'Bill'' Stewart, hard-headed Scotch
American that he has always been, dis
played no hesitancy in asking large fees.
and It frequently happened that when a
victorious client came TO balance up his
worldly possessions he found that his
lawyer owned most of the property un-
der litigation Thus, the first fortune was
won by the time Nevada came into the
Union, and Stewart was sent to Washing
ton as one of its first Senators.
lie was in the Senate twelve years.
At the expiration of his second term he
was all but broke" by bad speculations.
He had ~made fortune as a mining
lawyer; he would turn the golden trick
again. Returning to Nevada, he once more
hung out his shingle. Fortunately for
Stewart this event occurred at the time
when the famous Comstock lode was a
matter OF fierce litigation. the principal
point at issue being whether the claims
extended the width OF the lode or only A
certain number OF feet Stewart took
the ground that they extended the width
OF the lode, this view was upheld by the
courts. and at one stroke he secured a
fortune of half million dollars
When he was returned TO the United
States Senate in 1875. Stewart was sev-
erai times a millionaire when he left
in 1905 he was dead broke financially
bad speculations again-but not in spirit.
gray-headeG patriarch OF seventy
eight he packed up his old standby-his
law library-took il with him to Bull Frog
then a newly opened mining camp. and
for the third time of his life hung out
his shinglc, this time in front OF a tent.
once again his legal services wer> in de-
mand. and by the time he got a friendly
tip on stocks that turned out exceedingly
well he accumulated quite a few thou
sands c. dust" To-day he Is in no
danger Of becoming the VOLTS victim.
Had Many Experiences.
Stewards piOneer-day experiences would
fill the traditional book
While he was swinging pick in the
big camp Of Washoe. a fellow-miner one
day came running into camp and shout
ing eXcitedly. "Petticoats, Petticoats."
Now, most Of the miners had not seen a
woman for months. and as one man they
dropped their implements, their hotties,
and their cards. and started out TO seek
the woman.
Pretty soon they espied a prairie schoon-
er driven along the trail toward the
camp by a lank individual who subse-
Quently turned out TO be from Missouri.
She's in there" shouted the excited
miner who had given the alarm. Quicker
than il takes TO tell IT, the wagon was sur
rounded and the driver begged to trot out
his woman He was willing but the lady
was not. After waiting patiently for fif-
teen minutes for 10 change her mind Gn-
nocent fellows. they wereD the miners
retired TO make the air blue in their dis
appointment.
When the 'cussing' had become superb
ly picturesque. young "Bill" Stewart hove
In sight The trouble was explained to
him.
Say boys" he shouted. mounting
position Of vantage. "the woman's shy:
what lady wouldn't be. with so many
strange whiskers about? We've got to
coax her out. Let's raise little purse,
just TO show our good intentions"
Hat Full of Gold Dust.
The miners fairly mobbed Stewart in
their efforts 10 deposit gold dust in his
slOuch hat When it was filed he was
told off as spokesman for the crowd. and
the miners once more moved on the land
schooner. They had formed in a hollow
space around it, and Stewart fired off
speech. First, he assured the man that
the boys meant no harm to him or his
launced into an eloquent and tear-moving
plea TO the lady 10 show herself. and
sprung as his peroratiOn the news that
the boys had made UP a little gift for
her, in order 10 show their appreciation
Of her visit-and-and would she not do
them the honor of accepting the gift in
person.
The man in the wagon seat caught the
CLINT Of gold In the old hat.
'Salr' he shouted, in a thoroughly
business-like tone.
A moment later, as the canvas flaps
parted and a none too prepossessiRg and
scared looking woman was framed In
them. a mighty cheer rent the atmos-
phere. and Bill" Stewart CALAMITY
stepped forward and placed s3,OOO worth
of gold dust in the hands OF the first
woman ever to make Washoe.
One of Stewart's many close calls came
to him one day in 1850. when he was driv-
Ing from DOwnieville. Cal. 10 Carson
City, with his law library slowed away
IN cart.
His four mules were clipping off about
eight miles an hour when an armed In
dian emerged from the sage brush ahead