The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-11-20
DEATH OF COYOTE BILL
4 TALE OF ALDER GUlcH
EARLY DAY TRAGEDY IN WHICH
vENTuREsoME PROSPECT.
OR Persisted.

stunned mountain trail, the way was
paved for the discovery of one of the
many rich gold deposits of Montana.
But coyote Bill did not claim the
reward. Some say he was frightened
TO death, says the Anaconda Stand
ard.
The old Highland trail ran between
Alder gulch and Silver Bow, and it
served as an artery for the stream of
~goldseekers and trade that passed
between these spots when Highland
guleh attained prominence as a gold
camp, soon after Alder became fam
Gus as a producer. Today among the
old timers and their descendants the
Highland trail is not thought of as
one OF the early avenues of travel: ii
stands out as a gloomy mountain
corner where many black murders
were committed, and where swift ven
geance overlook many outlaws.
The trail traversed hills and valleys
and passed through gorges and clefts,
attaining lofty elevations and Their
dropping through dense forests under
frowning rocky peaks. 1t was in one
of these woods that a series OF bru-
tai murders was committed. Here the
vigilance committee met in secret
conclave, and here murderers expiat-
ed their crimes. SO black was the
history of this trail that a cut off was
built and travellers stunned the old
passes. Worst of all was the spot
called Bone Ridge.
John Estliner, who o became
known as coyote Bill" came with
the crowd that crossed the plains from
Mississippi in 1871. He went to Vir-
ginia City. His ~prospector friends
tackled his nickname to him because
they insisted. he didn't mine as a
white man should, but bored into the
ground coyote fashion, Coyote Bill'
had his own ideas about mining. He
never put in timber props in his tun-
nels.
Coyote Bill" got to studying over
the situation in Montana as time roll
ed on and he failed to make a strike,
n he decided that the reason gold
had never been found on the High
land trail a that no one ever went
his friends in joining him in a pros
pecting expedition to Bone Ridge. One
day he disappeared. He never came
back.
Tom Benjamin, his partner, became
uneasy after a time and rode over TO
Moose creek to make inquiries. Find
ing no information, he set about to
organize a rescue party. 1t was hard
work. AS soon as volunteers learne
thai the party was to search for Coy
ote Bill on Bone Ridge, they resign
ed. Finally Benjamin and 'Brockey
Jake" the only men who stuck. went
into the hills and hunted for weeks, A
few joined them for a time, but when
winter drove them to shelter Coyote
BilP was given up for lost,
The following summer a party of
prospectors pitched camp on the old
Highland trail at Upper fork SO
called by reason of the abandonment
of the Bone Ridge trail at this point
and the intersection with it Of the cut
off.
One of the party had found indica-
tons of a lead just below the tall cliff
that casts a shadow across the mar
row gulch at this point, and the 9TH
ers agreed to remain a few days to
try their luck in following the float
rock" to the lead.
Two of the number, James Thues-
del n Ike Parker, benz their ener-
gies in the direction of the cliff, and
by slow stages worked their way
through brush and boulders to the
of the sentinel mound, and there
they discovered Coyote Bills" body.
1t was in a sitting position, braced
against a tree, face towards the base
of the rock. In front of the closed
was a heap of human bones, in
three skulls. 1t was the YER
dict Of the jury that Bill had met his
death in fright.
Lets get the other boys and Wen
bury poor old Bill right here said
rhuesdel, and his partner agreed. Ac-
,ordingly the men set TO work dig
cling a grave, intending to bury the
of the other unfortunates with :
Rilrs body. II
The men worked in relays and soon I
down to bedrock. !
What's that?" cried Parker, who n
picked up a piece of rock thrown out I
i the hole.
The work ceased that all hands :.
inspect Parker's discovery. II @
vas a piece Of quartz literally pep e
with gold. Another piece was n
'icked up and another. Forgetful oil =
he melancholy duty they had begun, fl
he men rave ven to their exuberance
nd shouted in joy, for they had
struck it."
The hole was driven down in the :
ich groupings of a gold lead, one OF r
richest ever discovered in Mon
the records of the county clerk
.esignating it as the Bone Ridge
uartz lode claim"
Coyote Bill" rests under a marble
1aft in the cemetery at Virginia City.