Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-03-22
(For the Courier by A. ]. HoweIn

IN January lbOb JOhn SpurgeOn
went hunting on the Althouse divide,
killing a large grizzly bear on the
head OF Elder creek Returning to
camp a party of eight or ten miners
was organized and next day went with
Spurgeon after the bear meat. Di-
yiding It In packs all hands started
with 1t for camp. Snow was deep and
becoming soft in places they broke
through badly and soon became so
tired that the meat was left in the
snow and every man tried for camp.
John SDurgeon was a small man
and was giving out One man was
left with him to help him in while
the rest scrambled onward. Spur
geon soon collapsed and could go no
further. His escort seated him by a
tree within mile OF camp aud went
for help. Returning, the relief party
found Surgeons lifeless body several
feet from the tree under which he
had sat. He was carried to the creek
and rolled In the water and every ef-
fort possible was made without avail
TO resuscitate him. His brother, who
was clerking for Pete Peyeler on In
dian creek was sent for and attended
the funeral. The body lies buried on
Althouse.
Prior to his death, while mining
near me, Spurgeon buried $1,000 in
gold dust in tin can just below the
forks Of Althouse and the gold is,
doubtless, there yet.
In 1854 two miners, whose names
cant recall, while mining just be-
low Grassyflat on Althouse, quarreled
over failing dump. One called the
other a vile name, duplicating his
mother, whereupon the insulted man
went into his cabin, got a shotgun,
and shot the man dead, declaring as
he did so that his mother was a good
woman. This was the first miner
killed on Althouse by white man.
The slayer was not caught
In October 1855 two brothers
named Wiley and a man named John
son were mining three and half
miles above Browntown. They went
to their cabin for dinner. After din
ner johnson got glimpse Of an In
dian lodging into the brush on
point of a hill, and he spoke to the
two men about It. They passed the
matter In joking way, but took the
precautlon to take two rifles two re-
volyers and thousand dollars in
dust to their workings, laying them
down on the ground nearby. The
younger Wiley had occasion to 20
down to the flume Looking up he
saw indians on the bank and within
80 feet Of his companions. He yelled.
but too late. The elder Wiley was
shot through the back, falling dead.
Johnson ran but received bullet In
the hip, which passed through his
body and another through the flesh
of his arm, Wiley helped him to
tunnel where he secreted him and
then fled down the creek for aid. re-
ceiving as he ran a wound in the
hand.
Young Wiley soon returned with
relief party, Of whom the writer
was one, but the Indians had taken
the dust and the guns and had
robbed and burned the cabin. John
son was carried to a Mr. Miler's at
Browntown, DR. Watkins attending
him, Subsequently he was carried
TO George IL, Briggs. where he died
OF his wounds. While carrying him
from the scene OF the shooting he re.
marked that II the Wiley boys mad
listened to his warning this would
not have happened"
About this time man whom the
miners dubbed Shorty" went hunt
ing for meat In the creek bottom be-
tween the Althouse and the east
fork OF the Illinois river. Returning
In the evening he said
that he got two fine
bucks" that day, meaning Indians.
Nothing was said about II and but
little was known Of IT,
In 1853 man named McCloud
was accused by drinking miner OF
rohbing him OF about five hundred
dollars. Excitement ran high. Me
Cloud was tied by the hands 70 an
overhanging tree and 80 lashes laid
upon his naked body with a rope
In the hands OF one Jack nrlscoll.
the writer being witness Me
Cloud stoutly maintained innocence
About this time Captain Bob" vii
liams rode into camp with his gun
across the saddle AZ the sirht of