The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-04-08

Many old timers of Neihart will
remember Charlie Murch, who was
employed in the Moulton mine of
that camp in the early 7Os. Murch
was born in Cornwall but went to
California with his parents as a
baby. Before going to Neihart he
had worked in nearly every mining
camp in the west and was consid-
cred an all-around miner.
Murch drifted to Australia and
from there to South Africa. When
the Boer war broke out, Murch
threw his lot with the Dutch repub-
lie, and was killed in the battle OF
Lugersfontein, just before the war
came to an end.
Sad Experience
A rather grisly experience once be-
fell Murch in New Mexico. AS he
told the story to the editor of the
Neihart Mining News, he was but a
boy at the time and had been work.
ing at a little mine up in the noun
tains near Ration. Getting restless
with a longing to see the bright
lights again he had quit and started
out to walk to the railroad, some
thing over 100 miles away. With his
pay and what he had saved he had
between $500 and $500 on his per-
son, and was light hearted and happy
even with the hundred-mile walk
ahead of him. Anyway he was pretty
apt to catch a ride with some freight
outfit or rancher who might be 60
ing his way. Sure enough, soon after
he struck the main road a Mexican
rancher came along with a team of
mules and a light load of sheep pelts
that he was taking to town, expect
ing to bring home a load of provi-
sions. The Mexican could talk a
little English and Murch could I'M
derstand a little Spanish, and a bar
gain for the ride to town was made.
The town the rancher was headed
for was not on the railroad, but as
it was within Is miles of Murch's
destination it didn't matter much, for
he could make the last lap easily
enough afoot.
Mexican Accidentally Killed
They made camp that night and
the next at water holes and the third
night at a creek a few miles from
the Mexican's destination. They had
noticed some grouse near the creek
as they watered the mules, and the
Mexican said they would have a fine
He went to the wagon,
reached under the pile of sheep pelts
and started to pull out a shotgun.
He never finished, the gun being ac-
discharged, the full load
entering the breast and killing him
almost instantly. The most cursory
examination convinced Charlie that
the Mexican was dead and what to
do was the next question. He was so
with horror that for a time
the seriousness of his own position
not dawn upon him. The next
town, a few miles away, was wholly
Mexican, as he knew. He did not
dare drive there with the body as he
knew that he could not make the
understand his story. If he
abandoned the outfit and tried to
his escape it would fix the guilt
more surely Upon him if caught, as
hey had met other people on the
while travelling together. He
lid not have the courage to attempt
drive direct through the first
own to the railroad, where he knew
were white men to whom he
could tell his story, as he was afraid
hat some of the Mexicans would rec
)gnize the outfit. BY great exertion,
had got the body of the Mexican
nto the wagon, covered it with pelts
removed the traces of the trag-
,dy as much as possible, then sat by
he campfire all night and studied
he problem.
Murch Proves His Innocence
Early the next morning he hitched
lip the mules and, leaving the trail,
a detour into the hills far to
ne side of the Mexican town, made
dry camp that night, with a few
'eans and an onion for supper and
made the railroad and a town late
he next night, where he told his
tory to the authorities, and after
eing held a few days, was allowed
o go. There was no great love be-
the Mexicans and whites at
hat time. AS it happened, the dead
IAN, who was a rancher of some sub
lance, did not have a dollar on his
erson, but Charlie easily proved the
ource of his own wealth, as the
brennan of the mine CHANGED to ar
I've in the railroad town the next
ay after Charlie brought in the
rules and the body of the Mexican.
He often wondered what those
.exicans would have done to him IL
ley had got the first chance to in
estigate the affair.