The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-04-09

\ proved .His' Innocence to tie Au-
thorities; Met Death Fighting for
Il Dom. Paula 10 Eon slha
--st-3 sa6
\ 'toMany oIdafifnersa OF Neihart will
remember Charlie Afurch, who was
employed in the pNoulton mine of
that camp in the early 7Os. Murch
1 WAS born In CORNWALL but went to
I California With his parents as a
Fobaby. Before going. to-, Neihart he
1istd worked IN nearly every, mining
1lcamp in the west and was consid-
'F'eered an. a1l4afoInd ininer.e.
Mprch', drifted ITO Australiaagand
from there Ito Southj sAfRicasc When
threw his lot with the Dutch9repub-
Lugersfontein, just before the war
came to amend.
Sad Experience !.
A rather grisiy 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 dL -slAAt l0 DllDo Np III tuG luOuu-
tains near RateR. Getting restless
With a longingirto 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-
soR,. and, was light hearted and happy
even with fhet hundred mile walk
ahead of him. Anyway he was pretty
aptrto catcfra ride with some freight
outfit or rancher who might be go
ing his way Sure enough, soon after
he struck thelmain road "a Mexican
rancher cameialohg With a team of
mules and aslight load of sheep pe1ts
that he was taking to town, expect
ing toiibring Home a load of provi-
siensyc The Mexican could talk, "a
little English and Murch could un-
1erstand 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
t was within 10 miles of Murch's
destination it didn't matter much, for
ne could make the last lap easily
enough afoot.-~r r. go -
Mexican Accidentally Killed
They made camp that night and
he next at water holes and the third
light at a creek a few miles from
he Mexican's destination. They had
noticed some grouse near the creek
Is they watered the mules, and the
Mexican said they would have asfine
upper. He went to the wagon,
cached under the pile of sheep pelts
md started to pull out shotguR
lie never finished, the gun being &C.
discharged, the full load
the breast and killing hint
lmost instantly. The most cursorF
convinced Charlie that
he Mexican was dead and what to
o was the next question. He was SO
vercome with horror that for time
he seriousness of his own position
id not dawn upon him. The next
own, few miles away, was wholly
Iexican, as he knew. He did nos
are drive there with the body as he
new that he could not make the
atives understand his story. If he
bandoned the outfit and tried t0
lake his escape it would fix the guilt
lore surely upon him if caught, as
hey had met other people on the
Jdu WILLIE lldfOlllS IOBCLnCi-
id not have the courage to attempt
, drive direct through the first
)wn to the railroad, where he knew
lere were white men to whom mel
)uld tell his. story, as he was afraid,
lat some of the Mexicans would rec1
gnize the outfit. By great exertion,.
g had got the body of the Mexican;
ito the wagon, covered it with pelts,
nd removed the traces of the trag-
ly as much as possible, then sat by
lie campfire all night and studied
lie problem.
Murch Proves His Innocence
Early the next morning he hitched
, the mules. and, leaving the trail,
ade a detour into the hills far to
lie side of the Mexican town, made
dry camp that night, with a few
ans ana an onion for supper and
ade the railroad and a town late
q next night, where he told his
Dry to the authorities, and after
ing held few days, was allowed
sgo. There was no great love bes~
Cen the Mexicans and whites at
at time AS it happened, the dead
anu who was asrancher of some sub
lnce, did not have dollar on hig
rson, but Charlie easily proved the
URGE of his own wealth, as the
'eman of the mine CHANGED to arr
re in the railroad town the next
y after Charlie brought in the
lies and the body of the Mexican
He often wondered what those-
xicans would have done to him if
~ had got the first chance to i'm
'tigate the affair.