Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-08-13
CRIPPLE CREEKS
FINDER IS DEAD
BOB" WOMACK, MODERN ALADDIN,
GOES ON LAST PROSPECT
ACROSS DIVIDE.
TURNED PASTURE INTO MINT
Sold the Famous FL Paso Mine for $500
and Spent His Last Days Prac-
tically Penniless.
HOW MINING CAMP WAS NAMED

COLORADO SPRINGS. Colo. Aug.
11.-Robert NJ. Womack, Familiarity
known as Bob" Womack. the discover
er of Cripple Creek. is dead. The range
rider who rubbed with the finger of faith
the lamp of Aladdin aud flooded the
world with gold has gone on the last
prospect tour, into the sunset.
The man who turned a COW pasture
into 4 mint when he sunk the first shaft
in the great gold camp and thus sent
S2J0OO0.OO0 into the markets of the
world, who gave the secret of his find
to others. died dependent ON the charity
and gratitude of those he had enriched.
Womack died of broken heart. The
death of his niece, Dorsey Womac&. TWO
weeks ago FASTENED the end. He had
been feeble for four years and gave up
the struggle when the 4-year-old relative
passed out of life.
Bob Womack was born siXty-SiX years
ago. He began riding the ReQua C,u,ch
range for a cattle company late i'll the
sos. The bold fever burned i'll his veins
as he raversed the ground which the
owners believed almost worthless.
Honeycombed Country.
In 1891 Womack did his first prospect
digging Finally the foreman of the range
sent complaints to the Denver mort&a-
gees that Womack was wasting his time
honeycombing the country with prospect
holes into which the cattle fell and Grip
pied themselves.
An investigation was made. W0mack,
the gold hunters look blazing in MS
eyes, the gold digger'S Stoop bending his
shoulders, listened patiently to the order
to stop digging. But the spell was upon
him. He gave Il sack to w r. Myers
| trl-,
some mischance the test was never made.
but the ranger kept on neglecting his
cattle for the shaft until one day going
into Colorado Springs with load Of
rock, he came back thrilled because he
had struck pay dirt.
Wen give YOU $500 for the claim, -
said one Of the m:llionaires Of the fu-
ture. Womack's eyes popped out He
had never had so much money us that
| before and he closed the deal That
piece of land turned out to be the fa-
NOUS El PasG mine, one of the richest
| III the district.
Sold All for a Song
He prospected thirty other claims and
| every one of them he gave away or sold
| for Il song before half their richness had
| been revealed. His was the craving of
discovery not of possession.
Winfield Scott Stratton was one of his
| companions and wanted him to follow
| him when the mysterious call came from
another part of the camp. Womack hest
| tated, but StrattOn went on and discov-
cred the Independence, which he sold for
| S10,OOO.OOO.
| The story of the returns from assays
on Womack's claims started a rush TO
| the district later called Cripple Greek
from the cattle crippled in Womack' S
prospect holes.
AS other fortunes increased, Womack' 5
failed. Then he heard what was doing up
on the hills as he split kindling for the
fires of his sisters boarding house,
washed dishes or did chores about the
place, but his only comment was, L
| knew | was right; couldn't fool me-
! SO Bob Womack lived III poverty until
! he became helpless. He always believed
he would tap another vein of gold.