davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-03
CHAPTER XIV.
The SUNDAY Murder.

Banks posse, leaving Medicine Bend
before daybreak, headed northwest.
Their instructions were explicit: To
scatter after crossing the Frenchman,
watch the trails from the Goose river
country and through the Mission
mountains, and intercept everybody
riding north until the posse from
Sleepy Cat or Whispering Smith
should communicate with them from
the southwest. Nine men rode in the
party that crossed the Crawling Stone
Sunday morning at sunrise with Ed
Banks.
After leaving the river the three
white-capped Saddles of the Mission
range afforded a landmark for more
than 100 miles, and toward these the
party pressed steadily all day. The
southern pass of the Missions opens
on the north slope Of the range into
pretty valley known as Mission
Springs valley, and the springs are
the head-waters Of Deep creek. The
posse did not quite obey the instruc.
tons, and following a natural instinct
OF safety FIVE of them, after Banks
and his three deputies had scattered
punched again, and at dark crossed
Deep creek at some distance below the
springs. 1t was afterward known that
these five men had been seen entering
! the valley from the east at shutdown
Just as four Of the men they wanted
rode down South Mission pass toward
the springs. That they knew they
would soon be cut OF, or must cut
their way through the line which Ed
Banks, ahead Of them, was posting al
every gateway to Williams Cache, was
probably clear to them. -Four mel
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-03
CTo BE coNTINuED.)
Had Iaken Nntlne

It was while H. II. Rogers, the
Standard OIL magnate, was working at,
his first job. delivering the village
newspaper, that his Unborn capacity
became evident He brought in the
name OF a new subscriber, Isaiah
west. Mr.. Anthony, the publisher,
wrote down the name. Then he
turned to the boy: How do you spell
Isaiah, Henry?" he asked. isaiah
said Henry. You'll do" said Mr.. An
thony, with q chuckle. He told the
story to a skeptic neighbor. But how
did you know how to spell It, Henry
asked the neighbor. Il saw him write
It down." said Henry.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-03
CHAPTER XXlV.-contlnued.

.. Whispering Smiths brows rose pro-
testingly, but he spoke with perfect
amiability as he raised his finger to
bring the good eye his way. you
ought to change your hat when you
change your mind. l saw you driving
a bunch Of horses up that canyon a
few minutes ago. Now, Rockstro, do
you still drag your left leg?"
The rancher looked steadily at his
new inQuisitor, but blinked like
gopher at the sudden onslaught.
(which Of you fellows is Whispering
Smith," he demanded.
THE man with the dough is Wits
pering Smith every time" was the
answer from Smith himself. you have
about seven years to serve, Rockstro,
haven't you? Seven, l think. Now
what have / ever done to you that
you should turn q trick like this on
me? l knew yeu we're here, and you
knew knew you were here, and call
this pretty country; a little smooth
right around here, like the people, but
pretty. Have l ever bothered you?
Now tell me one thing-what did you
get for covering this trail? l stand
to give you two dollars for every one
you got last night for the job, If you'll
put US right on the game. Which way
did they go?"
What are you talking about?"
O. Get of your horse a minute" sug.
gested Smith, dismounting, "and step
over here toward the creek" The
man, afraid to refuse and unwilling to
go, walked haltingly after Smith.
What is it, Rockstro" asked his
tOrmentor. Don't you like this coun.
try? What do you want to go back to
the penitentiary for? Aren't you happy
here? Now tell me one thing-will you
give up the trail?"
Il don't know the trail"
81 believe you; we shouldn't follow
It anyway. Were you paid last night
or this morning?"
g 81 amt seen a man hereabouts fol
@ week."
Then you can't tell me whether
there were five men or six?"
You've got one eye as good as mine
and one whole lot better"
so it was fixed up for cash weel
ago."
Everything is cash in this country.
well, Rockstro. I'm sorry, but vel
have to take you back with US"
The rancher whipped out a revolver
Whispering Smith caught his wrist
The struggle lasted only an instant
Rockstro writhed, and the pistol fel
to the ground.
Nov, shall l break your arm?'
asked Smith, as the man cursed ant
resisted. "0r will you behave? W,
are going right back ai you'll hav,
to come with US. Well send som,
one down to round up your horses AMI
sell them, and you can serve out you
sfime-With allowances, Of course, 70
good conduct, which will cut 1t dowr
II had ever done you a mean turn
would not say q word. If you coul,
name friend Of yours had ever don
a mean turn to I would not say WORD
Can you name one? / guess not.
have left you as free as the wind herr
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-03

spurs, took the candle from the table,
pushed aside the curtain, and entered
the bedroom.
The little boy was lying on his face,
with his arm around his fathers neck,
talking to him. Whispering Smith bent
a moment over the bed, and, setting
the candle on the table, put his hand
on the boys shoulder. He disengaged
the hand from the cold neck, and sit
ting down took 1t in his own. Talking
low to the little fellow, he got his
attention after much patient effort and
got him to speak. He made him,
though struggling with terror, to un.
derstand that he had come to be his
friend, and after the child had sobbed
his grief into strange heart he ceased
to tremble, and told his name and his
story, and described the two horse.
men and the horses they had left.
Smith listened quietly. Have you had
any supper, Dannie? No? You must
have something to eat. Can't you eat
anything? But there is a nice pan OF
fresh milk In the kitchen"
A burst Of tears interrupted him.
"Daddie Just brought in the milk, and
l was frying the ham, and heard
them shooting"
See how he took care Of you till
the last minute, and left something
for you after he was gone. Suppose
he could speak now, don't you think
he would want you to do as say?
am your next friend now, for you are
going to be railroad man and have q
big engine"
Dannie looked up. Dad wasn't
afraid Of those men"
Wasn't he, Daimler?
He said we would be all right and
not to be afraid"
Did he?"
He said Whispering Smith was
coming"
my poor boy"
He is coming, don't be afraid. d.
you know Whispering Smith? He Is
coming. The men tonight all said he
was coming"
The little fellow for a long time
could not be coaxed away from hil
father, but his companion at length
got him to the kitchen. When they
came back to the bedroom the strange
man was talking TO him once more
about his father. I'VE must try Il
think how he would like things dont
now, mustn't we? All Of US felt so baC
when we rode in and had so much t
do we couldn't attend to taking car,
Of your father. Did you know therl
are two men out at the crossing now
guarding 1t with rifles? But II you ant
keep real quiet we can do somethin,
for him while the men are asleep
they have to ride all day tomorrow
We must wash his face and hands
don't you think so? And brush hi
hair and his beard. II you could Jus
find the basin and some water and
towel-you couldn't find brush, coul
you? Could you honestly? Well!
call that good boy-we shall have +
have you on the railroad, sure. w
must try to find some fresh clothes
these are cut and stained; then | wi
change his clothes, and we shall a
feel better. Don't disturb the men
they are tired"
They worked together by the candl,
light. When they had done, the DO
had a violent crying spell, but whispel
ing Smith got him to lie down besid
him on a blanket spread on the foo
where Smith got his back against tn
sod wall and took the boys head in hi
arm. He waited patiently for the DO
} to go to sleep, but Dan was afraid tn
: murderers would come back. Once b
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-03
CHAPTER XVI.
Williams Cache.

Ed Banks had been recalled before
daybreak from the middle pass. Two
Of the men wanted were now known
to have crossed the creek, which
meant they must work out Of the coun-
try through Williams Cache.
III you will take your best two men,
Ed" said Whispering Smith, sitting
down with Banks at breakfast, and
strike straight for Canadian pass to
help Gene and Bob Johnson, I'll under.
take to ride in and talk to Rebstock
while Kennedy and Bob Scott watch
Deep creek. The boy gives a good de-
scription, and the two men that did
the Job here are Du Sang and Flat
Nose. Did | tell you how We picked
up the trail yesterday? Magpies. They
shot a scrub horse that gave out on
them and skinned the brand It
fastened the banquet, but we got there
before the birds were all seated. Great
luck, wasn't it? And 1t gave us a,
beautiful trail One OF the party
crossed the Goose river at American
fork, and Brill Young and Reed fol.
lowed him. Four came through the
Mission mountains; that is a cinch and
they are In the Cache-and II they get
out 1t is our fault personally, Ed, and
not the Lords" !;
Williams Cache lies in the form of
great horn, with a narrow entrance
at the lower end known as the Door
and a rock assure at the upper end
leading into Canadian pass; but this
assure Is so narrow that a man with
a rifle could withstand a regiment For
lOO miles east and west rise the gran
lite walls Of the Mission range. broken
nowhere save by the formation known
as the Cache. Even this does not pen-s
crate the range; It is a pocket and
runs not over halfway into it and out
again. But no man really knows the
Cache; the most that may be said is
that the main valley is known, and Il
is known as the toughest mountain
insure between the Spanish sinks and
the Mantrap country. Williams Cache
lies between walls 1000 feet high and
within 1t is small labyrinth of cam
yons. A generation ago, when MediI
cine Bend for one winter was the
terminus Of the overland railroad. vigil
lantes mercilessly cleaned out the
town, and the few outlaws that es-
capped the shotgun and the moose at
Medicine Bend found refuge in q far
away and unknown mountain gorge
once named by French. trappers the
Cache. Years after these outcasts had
come to infest 1t came one desperate
more ferocious than all that had gone
before. He made frontier retreat OF
the Cache, and left to 1t the legacy Of
his evil name, Williams. Since his
day 1t has served, as II served before.
Tor the haunt Of outlawed men. No
honest man lives in Williams Cache.
and few men Of any sort live there
long, since their lives are lives Of yios
lence; neither the law nor a woman
crosses Deep creek. But from the day.
OF Williams to this day the Cache has
had Its ruler. and when Whienarino
Smith rode with a little party through,
the Door into the Cache the morning
after the murder In Mission valley he.
sent an envoy to Rebstock, whose sue.
cess as a cattle thief had brought its
inevitable penalty. 1t had made
Rebstock a man Of consequence and
of property and a man subject to the
anxieties and annoyances of such re-
sponsibility.
CTo BE CONTINUED)
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-03
"Now Shall Break Your Armf"

the chute, made a helter-skelter run
for Sleepy Cat. At three o'clock they
struck north for the Mission noun.
tains.
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29
MINES IN TONOPAH SUBURBS
ARE AGAIN GETTING BUSY

Tonopah, May 27.-Without making
any noise, or in any manner heralding
their movements, the claim owners OF
Gold Mountain are all getting very
busy. They are purchasing their sup
plies in Tonopah and are hiring their
miners here, whenever it is possible to
find idle miners that come up to the
standard.
Gold Mountain is a suburb OF Tono-
pah. It is situated three miles from
town in a southeasterly direction. In
the early days there was considerable
activity there, but it was soon discov-
cred that the veins, while well de-
fined and of goodly extent, were not
quite high enough grade to ship ore
under the conditions then prevailing.
For half a dozen years or more the
properties lay idle, except for assess
ment work, and sometimes even that
was not done and ownership changed
by the mere sticking up of location
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29
LEAsERS ARE GETTING IN
AT RICH NATIONAL MINES

That things have started moving at
National, the rich mining camp IN
northern Humboldt county, is evidenced
by the fact that during the past few
DAYS a number of leases have been let
on properties and that extensive opera
tions will soon be in progress there.
Harry Cresswell, a prominent San
Francisco attorney, together with G. l..
Tobin and w. H. Meade of Reno, who
were at the camp Friday with S. w.
Gundaker, president of the National
Mining company, secured valuable
leases. The first block of ground was
taken by Mr.. Cresswell, block No. ? by
C. l.. Tobin and associates n NO. . by
H. ii. Meade. All the leases are on the
Birthday claim. The property is the
south extension Of the National Mining
e~ompany's ground on Charleston hill,
and adjoins the ground from which the
f~abulously rich gold ore is being ex'
traeted by the Stall brothers at the
present time. The leases cover 0 feet
of the same vein.
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29
GOLD REEF PROMISES
A BIG MILLING CAMP

Active operations have been started
bv the Goldfeld Mining and Ore Reduc-
tion company on its property at Gold
Reef. Manager Marvin Arnold has gone
out to camp with a force of men to
erect buildings and get ready for work
on an extensive scale.
A 25-h. p. hoist and an air compressor
are to be installed, and the shaft sent
down to 800 feet depth as soon as pos
sibie. Large bodies of milling ore have
been exposed in the development that
has already been done, and the company
figures that they have a splendid mill
ing proposition which will make Gold
Reef an important producing camp.
eve do not expect anything above
good milling values" said Mr.. Arnold,
''but we know that We have a world of
ore that will pay a good profit with a
mill. When We get the mine developed
in shape for a good production, we in
tend to build a mill
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29
GOOD ADVERTIsING FOE
OWENS VALLEY COUNTRY

The Owens Valley Chamber of Com
merce is one of the liveliest organiza-
tions Of the kind in the west and seems
to be backed by the entire business In
terests of that fertile and resourcefui
section, as it gets out an abundance OF
printed matter much Of which 10 of tae
highest class, involving great expense.
In a recent mail The News received a
splendid pamphlet descriptive of the
varied resources of Owens valley, pro-
fuscly illustrated and handsomely print
ed, with illuminated cover, the work OF
the Owens Valley Print Shop at Bishop.
The energy which the farmers, business
men and miners Of Inyo county are dis
playing in setting forth the resources
of that section, win most assuredly be
productive Of well-merited results.
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29
Must Show Books.
GOLDFIELD WILL HAVE
FINE MINERAL EXHIBIT

A conference had between the local
executive committee of the American
Mining congress and E. E. Stuart, state
mining inspector, has resulted in plans
by which it is expected that Goldfeld
this fall will show the largest and
most elaborate collection of mining ex-
hibits in the history of the United
States. Exhibits from all of the camps
of Nevada will be shown, with data
relative to the locality from which it
came. 1t is understood that all of the
mining sections throughout the state
have promised specimens.
Preparations for the approaching
mining congress were discussed thor
oughly, and these will result in an elab-
crate reception to the visiting delegates.
1t is said that the Guggenheim com
pany, operating at Ely, will furnish a
large exhibit for the mineral display,
consisting chiefly of copper ores, with a
complete analysis in detail. Another
meeting will be held Sunday noon, when
further arrangements will be made.
The mining commission is composed
of Thomas d. Murphy, Milton M. Detch
and H. C. Schmide, the latter OF Ton
opah. Mr.. Murphy has been elected
chairman of the committee, and MI.
Detch secretary. The committee is
empowered to appoint someone to have
charge of the mineral display, who will
be required to furnish a bond OF $2o,-
900, to guarantee the safe return OF the
exhibits. State Mining Inspector Stuart
will issue a pamphlet describing each
camp in detail, with a complete anal
ysis of each specimen in the exhibit.
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29
HAMPTON VISITS HIS OLD
FRIENDS IN GRASS VALLEY

Elisha Hampton, who formerly re-
sided in Nevada county, but who mas
been superintendent of the Goldheid
Consolidated mine for the last year
or more, is spending a day or two IN
Grass Valley meeting old acqualnt-
ances and looking over the different
mines of the district, says the Nevad
City Transcript. He spent today at
the Pennsylvania mine going through
that property in company with one OF
the officials. He is enjoying his visit
back among his old friends and hopes
that his affairs may be shaped that
he will not have to hurry away.
Mr.. Hampton was superintendent of
the Oneida mine at Jackson when he
was called to Goldfeld to taxi charge
of the Consolidated. He was extremely
fortunate in his work there and I'M
covered the largest gold deposit that
has ever been found in any mine in the
WOTlu. III SldtCo
ports concerning that famous property
have not been in the least overdrawn
and that there are untold millions IN
the confines of the group OF claims that
will go to the stockholders OF that IA
nous property. A recent newspaper
report stated that during March more
than 5000, 900 was taken from the
Hampton stope and that If the deposit
which is thirty feet wide, continued In
richness at the same values all the way
to the surface there were at least
twenty millions deposited there. inns
statement Mr.. Hampton does not con.
firm, as he has no knowledge what may
be above the present level, but ne does
know that there is unparalleled rich
ness in the Consolidated.
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29
MopH STRIKES REPORTED
nv LUCKY BOY LEASERS

~tinuously rich in ore for a distance of
over a mile. Approximate values of the
ore as it breaks down, are stated to be
between $500 and $500 per ton.
eddie Lease a Winner.
The ground, which is being operated
by Senator T. l.. eddie of Tonopah and
which adjoins the Spencer and McCor-
mack leases, is coming to the front as
one of the winning cards. In the
mineral deck on the hill. Mr.. Oddie has
had a number of men at work trenching
and cutting in order to fully lay out
the surface formation before sinking
commenced, and they have uncovered a
vein system that places this territory
in the front rank of the mineralized
zone. Next week will see three shifts
started on a large compartment shaft,
and with the unlimited capital Senator
Oddie has at his command for develop
ment of the ground, it will not be
many moons before the 200 mark is
reached. And he will get the ore long
before then-at least every one here
believes and hopes so.
Ingalls, rodigan Lease.
The ingalls, Brodigan lease has in adj
dition to the two Goldfeld men the
lease is named after, Johnnie Miller
and his brother, Alvie Miller, watching
it's destinies. 1t lays just below the
Randall lease and is considered the best
timbered shaft in the camp. A new
25-h. p. Fairbanks Morse hoist has just
started to do its share toward making
the lease the next shipper on the hill.
This lease also has shipping ore, and
depth is now being attained that will
permit its blocking out. An early ship
ment can b. looked for from this lease.
Mccormack Sacking Ore.
The Randall lease, now the property
of J.. C. Mccormack of Goldfield, is busy
sacking ore and will make a shipment
in the next few days of about 80 tons,
having an average value OF @lzo per
ton.
With the trend and values of the
Lucky Boy vein being more clearly es-
tablished as each lease on the vein gets
into the ore, a great deal of interest is
being taken in the adjoining estate
which lays lower down the hills from
the Lucky Boy group. This is known
as the Otis group and has already beer
proven to have the vein and ore, and 1T
is known that a number of offers have
recently been made to purchase the
ground. The owners are quietly prose
cutting their sinking and refusing such
insignificant sums as $4,000 for their
land. This group is going to make a
mine without a doubt.
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29

The citizens of Esmeralda county
composing the present inquisitorial
body which is inquiring into the alleged
system of grating from county funds,
in Rawhide, and also the bullion tax
cases, are as follows:
J.. II. Miller, foreman, mining man,
Hawthorne; w. H. Aubrey, merchant,
Columbia; George Bruce, merchant,
Hawthorne; Frank W. Champion, brok-
err, Goldfeld; II. Cornielson, mining
man, Old Camp; c. c. Crowley, hotel
proprietor, G~oldfeld; A. II. Dutton,
artist, Goldfeld; II. L.. Gleason,
mining man, Rawhide; w. b. Hamilton,
banker, Goldfeld; Frank p. Hobbs,
merchant, Goldfeld; John f. Mitchell,
mining man, Lucky Boy; B. E. Mccoy,
mining man, Rawhide; Michael Maher,
merchant, Goldfeld; Walter C. Stone,
merchant, Goldfeld; M. j. Sullivan,
merchant, Goldfeld; w. II. Weishar,
barber, Goldfeld; George Woodruff,
merchant, Sodaville.
The Florence Goldfeld and Pittsburg-
Silver Peak mines and their officials are
likely to find themselves in hot water
before long, should the investigation OF
the grand jury into the bullion tax
statements, which has been ordered
by District Judge Peter j.. Som
ers, be productive of any indictments,
as may possibly happen.
Judge Somers on Monday instruct
ed the grand jury to investigate the
official statements of mining companies,
relative to bullion taxes, and should
they find any of the officials making
the statements have perjured them
selves, to return indictments and so
bring the offenders to justice.
Some time ago, State License and
Bullion Tax Collector j. F. Haley visit
ed Goldfeld and made his official in
ve~stigation of the statements of the
Florence Goldfeld and of the Pittsburg-
Silver Peak properties, declaring at
that time that the Florence Goldfeld
has been the most persistent in its
seeming efforts to avoid the bullion tax,
and recommending that an investiga-
ton be made to determine the correct
state of affairs. His action was taken
in accordance with the sherif's office,
whose deputies had been astonished for
some time at the little bullion tax paid
by the Florence and the Pittsburg-
Silver Peak. Afterwards, the Florence
fled a statement purporting to show
that the mine had been operated at a
net loss of more thar $4,000 during
the last quarter. An arbitrary assess
ment has been made by the sheriff on
the gross production of both the Flor
ence and the Pittsburg-Silver Peak.
Must Show Books.
The investigation by the grand jury
will include the subpoenaeing OF the
prominent officials of the mining COM
panies to be inquired into, and, II ne
cessary, the bringing of the books OF
the companies before the grand jury,
The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-05-29

to be examined by the members of that
bodv nersonallv