Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-03-15
~ ELNO

By ELMO
Caleb Perry was a deadbeat. He
was rather an obstinate cuss, too,
according TO the records. II re-
quired the action Of the whole min
ing camp to compel him TO pay his
debts, And then, the creditor had
TO dig the money out of the ground.
Gold dust was the medium of ex-
change in the early Montana min
ing camps. After fashion, when
a man needed some money all he
had to do was TO go out ON his
placer claim, pan some dirt, and he
was in ready funds.
But even with riches at the grass
roots, it seems there were men who
preferred to beat their creditors rath-
er than liquidate their debts with the
golden sweat from their brows.
The atmosphere Of the gold camps
was not conducive to thrift and strict
honesty. 1t was a lonely life. Home
and family life did not come readily
bored all the week up the gItlch, eat
ing his own Sourdough cooking. his
leisure hours we're rather drab. Com
partnership there was, Of course, OF men
among men But man does not live
by bread alone; neither does he thrive
upon purely masculine companionship
in drab shack in the wilderness.
Wanted Action
So the miners went to town. Men Of
staunch principles succumbed to the
allure of the saloons, honkytonks and
those spots where gold dust magically
disappeared upon the turn of card,
the click of a little ball, the rattle of
the little square dominOeS, Or-What
have you2 1t was the exceptional miner
who did not frequently greet Monday
mornings sun flat broke, except for. the
gold he could wash from the gravel on
his claim.
It mattered not how rich a mans
claim might be nor how industrious his
effort in working 1t. Be his weeks re-
ward a mere stipend or young for
tune, the dust flowed freely when 1t
was exposed to the bright lights of the
roaring camps. When a man reached a
certain point in his merry making he
was in no condition to detect a bar
tender in overlooking his gold scales
or IN taking an extra pinch OF the
dust from a customers pouch.
Honest men usually contrived to set
tie their obligations before seeking the
Joy spots But Caleb Perry was Of that
class who always intended to do better
next week, pay up and clear creditors
books and their own conscienceS, but
never quite got around to 1t.
Jury Made Rules
There were no professional bill col
lectors around the camps. The miners
courts were the only temples of justice,
wherein the whole camp served as
jury of final decision. 1t required a few
verdicts of the miners courts, enforced
under compulsion, to show debt evaderS
that bnating creditors was not popu-
lar pastime.
The records are not very clear, but
it is probable that few object lessons
were enough to assure the deadbeatS
that it was wiser to pay bills than to
incur the displeaSure of the whole COM
munity.
Caleb Perry's case was reported in
the Montana Post of Nov. S, 1864:
"At a meeting of miners OF Browns
District, Bevins Gulch, Madison coun-
ty Territory Of Montana; held at J. H.
Hughes saloon in Bagdad City, Oct.
80, 1864, for the purpose Of settling
dispute between w. P. Allen and Com
pany and Caleb Perry.
villa Huffaker was called to the
chair and N. T. Headley appointed
secretary. On motion, the chair APP
pointed Clitus Barbour, o. G. Stanley,
w. S. Ferris, w. l.. Britton, s. Mckee
and G.. G. Ford, a committee to try the
case and render a decision according
to the evidence and testimony advanced
before them. The committee brought
in the following verdict: That we
find Allen and Company entitled to
receive from Perry the sum Of $780,
The following resolutions were then
offered and adopted:
Defies Jury
Whereas, it is a notorious fact that
Caleb Perry will pay no debts unless
forced to do so; and whereas, after
having agreed to abide by the decision
of jury of six men, appointed to make
such decision, and then disputing the
right of such jury to try the case, and
refusing to make any settlement.
Resolved: That the miners of this