Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-11-21
ON fortunes PATH
BUTTNER PRIED LOOSE FROM L
PAYING PROPOSITION.
FORMER ABERDEEN ATTORNE%
ARRESTED IN WEAVERVlLLE,.
CAL, DECLARES TO HAVE BEEN
IN POSITION TO CLEAN UP FOR.
TUNE IF PERMITTED TO RE-
MAIN,

Wilson Buttner is in Aberdeen hay
ing been released from custody lasE
Saturday morning upon the furnish
ing OF bail in the sum of ST 900 The
bail bond was signed by 10 promi-
'nent Aberdeen men. Buttner is max
ing arrangements for the conduct of
his own defense on the grand jury
charge of grand larceny preferred by
Mrs. Ethel OBrien, of Hoquiam. and.
is confident OF his ability to acquie
himself. he says. He declares that
had he been permitted to go on with
his work in Trinity county, Cal, he.
would have succeeded in earning
enough money to have paid off alb
his obligations in this city by the
last of February. He says that he
has owned some mining claims near
Weaverville for several years and has
been obliged to spend 5000 per year
for assessment work on them. Fol-
lowing his Indictment by the grand
jury, Buttner says he realized that
| it would be useless for him to at
tempt to continue the practice of law
in Aberdeen and after waiting four
days he telephoned to Sheriff Pay
ette and to Prosecuting Attorney
Campbell, asking if warrant had
DSSiA iSSuSO ltl illS dlIcSl. he says.
he was told that no such warrant
had been issued. He then and there
determined to leave the city, go to-
Mexico or to California and develop,
his mining property. Hopelessly in
debt and with the grand jury indict-.
ment hanging over him, he believed
| that his only course was to leave the
city and make new start in anoth-
err community. Going directly to.
Trinity county he at once began work
on his claims and, within a week
he says he struck pay dirt and was.
making about s25 day when arrest
ed. He says every prospect showed,
that the mine would increase in pay
dirt and in few weeks have paid at
least 500 per day.
| Nabbed just as his plans were per-
fected for the making of fortune.
he says, Wilson Buttner, former Alb
erdeen attorney under indictment by
the grand jury on charge of grand
larceny, is now in a cell in the coun--
ty Jail awaiting a hearing on the
charge. He declares that he will
prove his innocence of any criminal
intent and will conduct his own de-
fense. Buttner has talked freely of
his sudden flight from Aberdeen and
! of his doings in California and ex-.
presses the belief that he would, in
few days, have made good his g,
debts and paid up every claim against
him. Leaving his family in Seattle
Buttner started south with Mexico
as his ultimate destination. On the
way, however. he became acquainted
with a man named COurtnay who
owns extensive mining prospects in
Trinity county. California, and in the
end Buttner was employed to develop
the property, his knowledge of placer
mining standing him in good stead
in this work.
Buttner went to Weaverville and at
once began the work of developing
the property, working in the mine
himself and directing operations. He
says that the mine was taking out an
average of from s18 to $25 per day
and indications showed that shortly
he would be able to take out an
average of 500 daily.
Buttner deplores his arrest, not be-
cause of any fear of the outcome of
the investigation because he express
es the utmost confidence in his abiJ- e.
ity to clear himself Of the charge, but
because it has left his wife and
daughter destitute in Seattle. Form
Ter Aberdeen friends of the family
will be asked to come to their relief
Buttner's story in regard to his
operations in the Trinity county mine
and its prospects, is vouched for by
Deputy Sheriff Schiel Matthews who
went to Weaverville and brought
Buttner north. There appears to be
disposition on the part Of many per-
sons to believe that if allowed to go
ahead with his mining work, Buttner
would eventually have paid out.