The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-07-12
Golden
PhantOInS
FASCINATING TALES
OF LOST rs
OxN.u. Rm RAiahaL RlssAa
H MYSTERY

L in early days. and the soldiers of
that era were much like those Of today
Intensely interested in tho curious
happenings that came to their atten-
ton.
So, when an Irishman and a Dutch
man came to Fort Collins with a load
of gold and proceeded to go On a lively
spree, the soldiers noticed it, and when
this was repeated several times they
began to wish that they knew the
source Of all this wealth. They ever
went so far as to hire an Indian to
follow the pair on their next trip out.
One day the partners set out up the
Cache-la .l'oudre, and their red shadow
lurked behind just out Of sight. The
Indian had made one m~istake-he had
not figured ON a long journey. hence
had not taken much in the way Of pro-
visions with him. After three days.
the smell from his quarry's campfire
grew to be entirely too tantalizing; the
Indian took time out to hunt q deer
and prepare a square meal for himself.
and while he was following this new
trail a deep snow fell, blotting ont all
signs Of the two miners. He was un-
able to follow them farther.
On a later visit t Fort Collins. the
odd pair invested in a burrO to carry
their packs, and a little later they dis
posed of the small beast and bought
an OK. Apparently, business was good.
Then, one day, they came in on foot.
tired and disguised. and said that a
bear had killed the Ok.
1t was during this visit that the Irish
and Dutch temperaments began to pail
on each other. The two had quarreled
before. and had got over 1t, but now .
real battle took place. In the heat Of
the moment all past friendship was for
gotten, and each man tried to kill the
other. The Irishman was the stronger
Of the twO-the Dutchman went down.
and died as a result Of his wounds.
Now was a splendid chance for the
soldiers to satisfy their curiosity. and
they grasIied 1t eagerly. The Irishman
wal a murderer. and must be punished
unless he might be persuaded to tell
the secret source Of the gold. With
a rope around his neck. he was ha-
rangued by the men in uniform. Here
wal his only chance to live; would he
take it? Tell his secret and 60 free
or refuse, and be hung for murder!
Perhaps the prisoner felt that he
could out-blufr his captors. No, he
shouted. he would tell nothing! He
would die rather than let them know
the source of his gold!
Lets hang him a little, boys-give
him the feel Of the rope. Maybe that
will Loosen his tongue" was the sug-
gestion. and the unfortunate Irishman
wal hoisted into the air. Now let
him down." and the rope was slack
ened. But the experiment failed: x
element. fear. and rough handling had
proved too much, and the Irishman was
dead.
Billy Melins left Nebraska in 1889
and went to Fort Collins to haul lun-
Der for a sawmill on the Cache la Pou.
Dire. He often stopped at a mining camp.
halfway on his route. called Manhat-
tan. One Saturday night he heard that
some tourists were anxious about their
son., who had ridden away on his pony
and had not come back. Melins Joined
In an unsuccessful search. hut the lad
showed up e day. and he had q
strange story to tell.
He had become confused the after
o before, he said. and when his
pony started to follow an old trail near
nightfall. he was glad enough to give
the animal its head. The trail led to
a deserted cabin. where the bones Of
an OK lay before the door. and some
specimens Of ore sat on a shelf inside.
Melins was interested. This must be
the lost mine that the Irishman and
the Dutchman had worked. He found
an old prnspector, a ~half-crazy soul
whose mind had gone wandering out
into the mountains. and the two set
out to find the cabin. guided by the
boys story.
Sure enough. the cabin was there as
he had said. and a dim trail-evidently
the trail to the mine-led back up the
canyon. The old prOspector lost all
sanity at the sight He rushed up the
path, and Melins hurried after, In time
to see him dash into a tunnel and al
most Immediately dash out again. fol-
lowed by a hear! The crazy prospec-
tor was wild with rage. In his fury,
he leaped at Melins. and 1t was all
the Younger man could do to protect
himself and get the old fellow back to
camp. After that Melins made no
more trips In search of treasure.
Previous to this time there had been
a large number Of murders on the old
overland trail. Men returning from
california. bringing sacks Of gold Ito
show the folks back East" had been
waylaid and killed. and their v%aluables
taken. The criminals had been
caught.
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