davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
MILLIONAIRE JIM MURRAY FOND OF
CINCH BETSs USED TO FRAME THEM

you win." said Enright. by gum
didn't think you knew it." !.
In the early days Murray did q lot OF
framing to win bets so that he could
boast about the bets he won.
81 wonder how many sticks of wood
that fellow has In that load" he pom
dered out loud one day as a wood hauler
stopped In front of McGovern's saloon to
rest his horses.
Bill Owsley allowed he could guess
closer than any n else. A thfee-cor-
nered bet was made of $50 each with
Silas King as the third party. Each
wrote his guess and put up the money
and the slip Of paper in a sealed en-
velope. Murray won, guessing the exact
number. A jury Of spectators watched
the counting with interest. The secret
was that early that morning Murray had
gone down to the Braund house, stopped
the wood hauler, bought him a couple OF
drinks and counted the logs. He then
gave the wood hauler IS to drive past
McGovern's saloon n rest his horses.
When the losers accused him of it he
laughed loud and said, Sure l did,
that's the way l trim suckers like you"
Meets His Waterloo
But he met his Waterloo In Philipsburg
and the man who took him was "Fat
Jack" Jones who later became Butte's
famed hack-driver. Jack was a barber
then.
Murray was looking for q victim and
was framing O cinch bet. Jack had come
to town from Pioneer. AS he approached
the loo of the saloon he saw Murray
with q tape measure, measuring the
length Of the legs of a table. Jack
backed away and said nothing. After
Murray retired, Jack, knowing Murray's
proclivities, told the saloon man about
it. With a handsaw they cut an inch off
each leg and the next day Murray began
specializing about the length of the table
legs. Fat Jack had only S1B9, so the
saloon man went in with him for 1911.
After the table legs were discussed some
time Murray allowed he could guess their
length closer than Jack. Jack led him
on until a $500 bet was arranged and
the money posted.
OF course Murray lost.
Il must be getting old" said Murray.
II thought they was "a inches when I
measured them yesterday but / guess my
eyesight is gettin' bad"
$50 you cleaned Jim Murray on q cinch
bet?" / remarked admiringly when Jack
told me the story.
you bet I did," said Jack proudly.
land it took him a whole week to win it
back from me with a marked deck"
When Murray died he left an estate Of
approximately $40, 900. 900 to be divided
among his heirs. In Justice to him 1t
must be said his desire to get the best of
a card game or q casual bet was more
prankishness than actual ~avarice. When
he owned Boulder and Hunter Hot
Springs, many of his former associates,
out Of luck, were his guests for unlim-
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

The coaches were contracted to carry the
mail. and If they carried passengers these
were Of secondary consideration. Ihey
were tolerated, and that was about all.
Mark Twain, in "Roughing It," has
given an accurate description OF traVel
by stage coach, and the stations along
the route. 1t may appear to those VINO
have never travelled by stage In the west
to be a gross exaggeratton. 1t was I'M
possible to overstate its discomforts, and
l have seen stations quite as bad as
those Mark Twain pictures.
If one paid the fare to go by stage, 1T
by no means followed that he would
make the entire journey in a coach. In
winter he was likely to travel by sledge.
and II the roads were extremely muddy,
he might be transferred to a sprlngless
wagon. 1t all depended on the weather
n the condition of the roads. The mail
must be taken through on time, and to
accomplish this the best conveyance for
the purpose was chosen.
Arrival Eagerly Awaited
In the mining camps here the arrival
of the coach was eagerly awaited. Not,
be 1t understood, because Of the passen-
gers they might have on board-these
were the objects Of momentary curiosity
on the part of the expectant crowd-but
it was the mail that was coveted.
from II luOSe living mere Bdlleo
knowledge of what had transpired in the
world outside two or three weeks earlier.
They also heard from their homes back
east, or wherever their homes CHANGED to
be. 1t may be imagined then, how our
pioneers felt when, on the 18th Of De-
cember. 1864, the Montana Post an
nounced:
I'VE are to receive from this on but
one mail per week for four months to
come. This is according to contract, the
mail service being tri-weekly for eight
months, and weekly during the remain
der of the year"
With no libraries, no book stores and
very few books, only one small paper
published weekly, how were the pioneers
to pass their time during the long win
ter evenings, when mail would be re-
ceived but once a week? Virginia City
alone, being the largest n most pro-
g~ressive community at that time in the
territory, had a theater just opened. OF
its initial performance the Post informs
us 1t was witnessed by a numerous
audience. The night was intensely cold,
but this did not prevent many Of the
fair sex taking their places, long before
the hour announce for commencing the
performance. The building is
comfortably seated on the inclined plane
principle SO that all can have a good
view OF the stage. Faint Heart Never
Won Fair Lady and the Spectre Bride
groom were the bill of fare, and under
all the circumstances we think highly OF
the performance"
Either o. this evening, or later at the
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

take q drink, saying he couldn't afford
to because he lost. AS a matter of fact.
McGovern didn't drink at all. Murray
didn't drink because the doctor told hin
not to, SO he would take a check. Some
times they would play for the drinks all
afternoon. Murray would have a pocket
full Of checks and neither would have
taken a drink. Then he would give hand
fuls of checks to the down-and-outs.
Barney Lavalle, city jailor, was a par
ticular friend of hIurray's. Once they
scooped in the pot. He had four aces
and Murray put up O roar.
You're crooked" roared Murray
You're crooked. That amt the hand /
dole you Which was true. While Muir
ray had turned around to talk to a man
who wanted to see him on business, Bar
ney had robbed the deck.
Speciality Was Cmches
Murray was a gambler at heart but his
speciality was cinches. They were the
apple Of his eye-the darling of his
heart. One afternoon he and Jack En-
right, the gambler, were protesting how
honest they were.
I'm more than honest" said Enright
I'm positively religious"
Religion" said Murray, lis my middle
name
bet you $780," said Enright. you
can't say the first 10 words OF the Lords
prayer"
The money was duly posted.
Murray rubbed his head. cleared his
throat and started off.
Now / lay me down to sleep,
i pray the Lord my soul to keep"
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

Charles Elliott Perkins, author of
1.-THE Pinto Horse" is a man of large
and important business affairs, n
time president of a railroad, and still
director of three ~ra1lrOads-the Bur-
lingtOn, the Northern Pacific, and the
Colorado and Southern-and owner OF
a ~10,000-acre ranch, "AlisaI," near
Santa Barbara, Calf, where he breeds
fine hunting horses.
Although not a professional writer
Mr.. Perkins cherished his memories o.
the old west SO dearly that he wanted
his son to share these memories of q van
ishing period of American life-perhapl
the most dramatic and most romantic
of all American history-the period Of
the cowboy and the range.
Early DAYS Rec0unted
That the boy might have a vivid pic
ture Of his fathers early life, MIR. Per-
kins related actual experiences of his
own early days in wyoming and Mon
tana, and the reader gains a sense OF the
wide. empty spaces Of the old west,
where the lonely cowboy spent day.
rounding up his horses with only an oc-
amusing bit about the indian of thai
day:
Strange Procession
"One morning as the horses were graz
ing near the mouth of the Cottonwood
where the stage o crosses q grassy
bench, there passed up the road on the
way from the reservation to the Billings
fair, five Grow bucks, mounted or theil
best ponies and decked out in the height
of indian gala dress. A hundred yards
behind the bucks, jingled a battered
hearse, driven by T~wo-Leggins' old and
wrinkled wife; while, lying down
inside. two younger wives gazed through
the glass sides on the passing scene. A
proud man was T~wo-Leggins. who had
bought the hearse the year before from
Taintor, the Billings livery man, and
proud were his three wives who thus
were going to the fair l nstyle, while
other squaws were left on the reserva-
Love of Old West
This book, just published by Wallace
Hebberd Of Santa Barbara, is illustrated
by Edward Borein. the famous etcher Of
life. Mr.. Borein was able to put
into his work Of illustrating The Pinto
all of the love for the old west
that Mr.. Perkins put into the telling of
story, for Mr.. Borein has lived the
life of the cowboy on the range himself
in his early days.
a foreword written by owen Wister, au-
of THE Virginian"-the finest and
truest story of cowboy life ever written
lin which Mr.. Wister says: This is the
best western story about a horse that i
have ever read" No higher praise of the
book could be added.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

ding of the team recovered itself, but
not before one of the passengers fell out
and sprained his ankle" What if he did
The mail came through all right, and we
may be very sure the injured passenger
collected no damages from the stage
company.
During the interim Of a month from
the time OF this accident, there is no spe-
cial mention In the Post of stage hap
penings until on February ii we read
that Overland brings in 1000 letters
two days ahead Of time" This instance
of rapid transit was unusual enough to
roads between Salt Lake and Virginia
attract attention, and indicated that the
City were In good condition. This state
of affairs did not long continue for April
/ comes the information:
'The Overland on the other side of
Portneuf canyon passed through a lake
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

that there were none of the flair sex"
among the passengers when this coach
was. struggling through the water on that
cold, dark night. Little girls of that
period often wore boots with beautiful
red tops, but women did not. Undoubt-
edly the feet of the men were wet be-
fore they took off their boots, and we
may be sure they rode in cold and gen.
eral discomfort until the breakfast sta
ton was reached, when they could chose
between going hungry or partly drying
their feet. We can safely wager they did
not lose a meal.
Spring, Spring, gentle Spring" had
arrived and brought with it snow, rain
and resulting mud. The roads, never
good from the modern standpoint, were
almost impossible in places. There were
no more coaches coming in two days
ahead of time. On the contrary they
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

theater, Mrs. Flora Carver sang Annie
Laurie and Mr.. James Miller gave WI
likens and His Dinah' by way OF inter-
lude. and both were encored."
From this 1t will be seen there was
other amusement in Alder gulch than
that furnished. by saloons. dance nasls
and the like. Virginia City was evolut-
ing, and was in a better condition to en-
dure deprivation of the mails than were
the other mining cities. 1t not only had
a theater, it heard lectures.
OF one of the stages weekly trips, two
or three weeks later, we n noted. THE
mail coach coming up last Saturday
started to upset. but by the careful han
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

More than 1000 game animals have
the protection of the bison reserve in
the Lower Flathead valley. The range
covering 1850 acres, was established
by the United States Biological survey
10 years ago. The range was set aside
and Enclosed to conserve the Wild life
of the west.
Buffalo, elks, deer, mountain sheep and
beaver have the protection Of the ranges
while a duck reserve within the confines
of the reserve is q place where the water
fowl Is safe from the hunters gunshots.
Buffalo were almost extinct in the west
when h range was established. h
animals which were placed OF the range
started increasing in number until they
became too many for the feed that the
grass Of the hillsides gave. Several times
numbers of the buffalo have been slaugh-
tered to keep the herd down to a size
that the range could accommodate.
The same measures were carried out
regarding the elks on the range as they
too were becoming numerous. Steps
have been taken to reduce the number
of both buffalo and elks on the reserve
this month.
1t is understood that 100 elks and
about $50 buffalo of the range will be
killed off. w. S. Custer Of Missoula re-
Gently negotiated a contract with the
government to take the animals They
will be used for meat. In reducing hi
number of animals on the reserve the
warden has supervision of the work and
picks the animals. The removal OF the
animals is carried out under q plan
which prevents the number increasing
beyond the resources Of the ang
Five Hundred Buffalo
At the present time there are more
500 buffalo on the range and be-
tween $50 and 400 elk. There are 65
mountain sheep and nearly 200 deer. 1t
is said there is no need for reducing the
deer, because SO many of them escape
during the year that there is no excess
sive number.
In the past buffalo and elk have been
sold by the government. Several sales
been made to zoos, parks and to
owners of private game preserves. &C
to Major f. A Goldman. In
charge of the national bird n game
who recently visited the reserve.
Frank H.. Rose Is warden Of the bison
reserve In the Flathead valley.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

to anchor to; yet knowing pioneers as I
did. / feel safe in saying not one of those
who took this primitive Joy ride ven-
tured to complain.
Sleep On the Floor
The mail was going through all right,
and they considered themselves fortunate
in accompanying it instead of being left
behind at a stage station to await bet
ter roads or a coach that could surmount
or pillow through the drifts. Here they
would sleep on the uncovered board floor
and eat the unchanging fare provided,
and entertain themselves as best they
might with storytelling and watching
for the rescuing coach. A patient lot,
those pioneers.
Travel by stage was regarded as first
class, and those who could afford it were
the aristocrats of western travellers. The
fare was high and 40 tramps could ride
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
~ CA--- ~ -. In Mommas Early Days Was Anwm But, m
MN \T4OA i I1X('101nO Pleasure mmt Especially in the Winter and KD
w 0NV6O Early Spring PrnrpdO bmt Was to the w
i Mail THROUGH and hePnS@ngnsR edL MeA Attention. Interestingly MsI Items from heP Post i

were retarded to such an extent that
the Post records that word is sent along
the stage line to push the mails at all
cost. When a mule gets of the track he
Us dug out, but when the road is lost or
the coach jammed in a drift, it is left
there, the bags are tied together, the
passengers sit on them and they are
hauled over the snow"
This highly original mode of travelling
was not without its element of danger
unless the mules that furnished the mo-
tive power were carefully handled. Nor
could 1t have been altogether pleasant
perched upon lumpy mai bags. to have
been whisked over the snow with nothing
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

four miles long and breast deep. The
mules lost their footing, coach and team
taking q two miles swim. To enhance
the pleasure of the situation. the night
was as dark as pitch and as cold as
charity without relief. The passengers
took of their boots ready for a dive, but
the mules struck ground before they were
ready. The mail was a curiosity, frozen,
torn, dirtied. n mixed up in every
conceivable form. After being thawed 1t
was distributed as nearly in accordance
with the wishes of the senders as the
case permitted"
No Women Along
We may infer from the above letter
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

on the bumpers. I do not recall, If I
ever heard, what the fare was from Bar
nack or Virginia City TO Salt Lake City
and eastern points. The Boise News of
Aug. 20, 1864, announced that the fare
from Boise to Salt Lake was SIS in gold
which was then at a premium. n $3.50
from there to Omaha and Atchison. Pas
sengers were allowed % pounds OF bag
gage.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

seconds, switching the cut or dealing off
the bottom or otherwise running up a
hand" the old man vanity was APP
parent.
He used to laugh and say, There isn't
any honest money in the world. I've
got $4,000, 900 n If / had an honest
dollar in the bank roll I'd throw 1t
away"
Among other peculiarities, Murray
would not eat where there was a colored
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

tied lengths of time without ever paying
a cent. He had Fat Jacks note for
$1,000 and gave it back to him for haul
ing him up from the N. P. depot.
Wanted His so Cents
II don't want that note" grumbled
Jack, TITS no good to me-what / want
is my so cents"
When the gan around Jim Mccoy
ern's saloon-his only loafing place in
recent years-accused him of dealing
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

waiter or cook. AS a result when he
travelled on the train he carried his
lunch. This gave him the reputation Of
being penurious, whereas he lived in
rather p~rincely style. He always travelled
in a stateroom, with a hamper of sand
wiches and splits" Of champagne and
ate his meals in solitary grandeur. After
a partial stroke, he withdrew from pub
lie life and lived quietly for 10 years in
California.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
lBy n Z. COONEY)

70 MAN who amassed a large for
M tune in Montana loved to win a
~ bet like Jim Murray, Montana pio-
neer and one time Butte banker.
Not only that, but Murray would stop
at nothing to outwit his contender
whether the amount was the price of
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

the drinks or hum
e Of dollars. 1t
was not avarice on
Murray's part, be-
cause among his
associates he was
charitable. Towards
the close of his life
when he was in
Butte he used to
love to spend an
hour around Jim
McGovern's saloon
playing cards with
his cronies Moth
ing pleased Murray
better than to deal
himself an ace OH
the bottom when
he was playing
with McGovern.
After he had won
the bet McGovern
would refuse to
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
Too Cold for FIYlng

Howard and Albert Royston have left
Moore for Eugene, Ore, where they will
spend the winter. The boys had antici-
pated flying across the mountains In their
new plane, but the weather. conditions
forbade 1T, so they banked their plane
for the winter. or until their return,
April /.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

l have often tried
1t in the White
mountains"
Possibly stage
coaching is differ
ent there" I sug-
gested. IT do not
fancy you will find
Montana s a 8 e
coaching can be
demo m | a t G d a
pleasure 1aunt.
And 1t was not.
Those who came
here from the east
or elsewhere, and
wished to make a
quick trip. Travelled
by stage. II they
expected comfort
- At. -~& o1f
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
N. P. is TO LAY
HEAVIER STEEL
REBALLAsTING OF ROADBED FROM
ST. PAUL TO SEATTLE ALSO
is PLANNED

Appropriation of 5000, 600 Has Been
Made for Work in 1928 According to
General Manager It.. H.. Lantry, Who
Announced Program During Visit
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
(By MRS. M. f. PLASsMANN)

w yHEN / came to Montana In 1876
\N/ as O bride, / decided to remain
w In Ogden until my husband had
made his calling and election
sure as principal of the Helena schools,
as l did not care to take the stage jour-
ney twice.
why notP" asked my husband. Stage
coaching is rather pleasant. 1 know. for
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30

Veteran Tailor Dies
Michael c.. Murphy. II. Butte city jail
er for the past "a years, passed away
here following a lingering illness.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
INDIANS USED
HEARSE Ash
TWO LEGGINS, CROW CHIEF, BOUGHT
III FOR HIS WIVES AS
CARRYALL

Charles Elliot Perkins in His Book, "The
1.-THE Pinto Horse" is a man of large
En- Route from Reservation to Billings
Fair In Early DAYS
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-30
BISON RESERVE
IS contested
MORE THAN 1000 GAME ANIMALS NOW
HAVE PROTECTION THERE
1T is STATED

Buffalo, Elks, Mountain Sheep n Bea-
yer Have Closed Season There as Also
Do Waterfowl on Preserve Established
for Them; 100 Buffalo to be Removed
Evening star., 1927-05-21
REV. !. H. M|ERS
WILL Be HONORED
Pastor of Fourth Presbyte-
rian Church to Receive De-
gree From Institute.

The degree of doctor of divinity will
he conferred on Rev. James II. AIiers.
pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian
Church. by the Seminary and Collegi-
ate Bible Institute next Friday night
4 the church.
This ceremony will take place in
connection with the graduation exer-
cises of the institute.
Arrangements have been made for
a tea by the Women's Missionary So
ciety to be held Wednesday at $50
o'clock in the church parlor Specill
guests will be Mrs. Wallace Radcliffe,
synodical president; Mrs. Fl. S. Irwin,
Presbyterian president, and Mrs. K.
Fl. Evans. missionary from Africa.
Mrs. Colin II. Livingston and Mrs.
Fl rvey E. Gram will preside at the
tea table.
Rev. Mr.. Miers will have for his sub.
jeCt tomorrow morning "A Last Look
at Matthew 5" and at the evening
service THE Claiming of the Devil
Arrangements have been made by
the Christian Endeavor Society for a
moving picture, The Stream of Life. "
to he presented Monday at s pm. in
the church parlor.
Evening star., 1927-05-21
DR.. PIERCE TO PREACH
ON "MERRY HEART"
First Congregational Pastor to At
tend Sessions of National
Council.

Rev. DIR, Jason Noble Pierce will
preach tomorrow morning at the
service of the First Congregations |
Church. which will be held at II
O'Clock in Metropolitan Theater
Tenth and F streets. His subject will
be Secret of Merry Heart"
The Young Peoples Societies will
meet at $50 pm, the Y. p. S. c. f.
at iii Tenth street and the S. ). c. T.
in the parish house. 93S Grant place
Dr. Pierce will be out of the city
from May % until June in attend
ance upon the meetings of the Ma
tional Council of Congregational
Churches in Omaha
Rev. Don Ivan Patch, who has been
the associate minister of First Church,
and began his pastorate at the Con
gregational Church, Westfield. n. j.,
a week ago, will return here Monday
to take care of the activities of Firs.
Congregational Church while DIR.
Pierce is in Omaha. Mr.. Patch will
be the preacher May %.
The Women's Society will hold a
strawberry and ice cream festival on
the lawn Of the church next Wednes.
day. from to 10 pm.
Evening star., 1927-05-21
CHURCH ASSEMBLY
CONvENES TUESDAY
PreSbyterians From All Parts
of Country to Attend 69th
General Sessions.

The siXtyninth assembly Of the
United Presbyterian Church of North
America will convene next Tuesday
for a session to last through May 81
at the Wallace Memorial United
Presbyterian Church, Randolph street
and New Hampshire avenue. 1t is
one of the most important religious
gatherings held in this country.
Delegates and visitors TO the as
sembly will come here from all parts
of the country, and arrangements
have been made for residents in the
neighborhood to house many of them.
Rev. DR.. r. a. Hutchison, the re-
tiring moderator. is general secretary
of the Board of Home Missions, q po-
Sition which he has held for 20 years.
He will preach the opening sermon for
the assembly. 1t was due to his efforts
that it was finally decided to establish
a United Presbyterian Church in
Washington.
Rev. c. +. Hawthorne, the pastor
Of the local church, has completed ar
rangements for the meetings.