Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1909-06-25
AN old SPORT
Tells ANOTHER
GOOD STORY

Talking about sports" said an
old knight of the layout who had
read the story in the Bonanza yester-
day morning" perhaps one of the
greatest men in his line who ever
dealt card in the west was Honest
Bill Gibson, who for many years
conducted saloon and gaming house
in Gold Hill, Nevada, in the boom
days of the Comstock. He was truly
one of natures noblemen. | have
known him on many occasions to
send to the wives of miners money
their husbands had lost in the house
on pay day. He invariably insisted
that nothing should be said of his
action.
bill was certainly character.
He was sent from Storey county to
the state senate in the early days of
Nevada's statehood. A bill of un-
usual Importance to what at this day
and time are called the interests
came up. To secure it's passage there
was money to be used freely. Be
cause he was a gambler, 1t was
thought he could be approached with
impunity, consequently one of the
agents of the crowd that was after
the passage of the bill, called on Glib
son and offered him snug sum to
stand in. Gibson listened to the oily
talk of the agent and when the latter
had concluded, Gibson answered, L
cannot do it, sir. Do you think |
would disgrace my profession like
that?'
Gibson was ever ready to help
anyone whom he thought needed as
sistance. There was a man about
Gold Hill, who had the reputation of
being absolutely the LATEST man in
those parts. He used to hang around
Gibson's place great deal and Bill
took a liking to him. If / am not
mistaken his name was Cook. One
day Gibson approached Cook and
told him that he had very unsav-
DRY reputation in the camp SO far as
working was concerned. What
want you to do, Cook, is to show
these people hereabouts that you are
not as lazy as you are painted l
have several large planks in the
back yard. You can get one of them
and l will pay you union wages to
carry the same through the streets of
Gold Hill. Cook was on. That day
he paraded the principal thorough
fares of the town with the scantling
upon his back. He ruined his repu-
tation as a loafer.
Il believe there was never before
and has not been since man of
Gibson's makeup. He was interest
ed in some games with another whose
name has slipped my memory. The
latter was very fond of the old lode,
and on many occasions expressed
desire that his body should find a
last resting place in the shadow of
Mt. Davidson. But, said he to Bill
one day, the place is devoid of vege-
tation. When | am dead and in my
grave | would kind O. like to have
some green to cover me. Well, said
Bill, if you die before l do I'll see
that you are buried in Virginia and
that there'll be green above you. 1t
was but the matter of few years
until the partner died. Gibson hired
a special car and went to Carson.
There he secured load of sod and
upto the time he himself was called
beyond the grave of his former part
ner was kept green.
Gibson was at one time the In
dian agent at Pyramid. He fell into
the habit of naming the redskins
after his friends. 1t is told that he
named one after Wells Drury, well
known newspaperman of the early
days of Nevada Upon hearing of
Gibsons action, Drury was much put
out. He wrote to Gibson and told
him that he was anything but pleas
ed with the honor conferred upon
him. Said he in his letter: Suppose
that when this Indian gets to be a
man he turns out to be horse thief.
Do you think it will look nice to see
the name of Wells Drury paraded in
the papers as horse thief. Gibson
answered the letter stating in his re-
ply that if naming an Indian after
Drury would probably make of him
horse thief he had perhaps made a
mistake.
Mine will be a small beer" said
the old sport as he and his friend
SOnohf tho har