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' YiaLE<'¥]MH¥EIESIIir¥- Bought with the income of the
William C. Egleston Fund
19\a

FRAINK iHEBiERT

40 Years
Prospecting and
Mining
in the
Black Hills
of
South Dakota

By FRANK HEBERT

HlB TBLliS INDIAIN! STOfRlllEiS, RiOAD AGENT STORIES,
BEAR iSrrOiRIEB, MOiTJiNTlAIN iUION STORIES, AND A
GHOST STORY. iLOiCATING COPPE(R MINEiS, GOiLiD'
MINEIS, MICA MINES AINID TIN MINES.

ff-™^

SS.GO

t

5

r^'

RAPID CITY DAILY JOUKNAIL
Rapid City, South Daikota

COPYRIGHTED 1921
By Frank Hebert

Never mind, Helen, your Uncle Prank
'is going to tell you a story about the
time he -was on a Government Survey in
-western Nebraska; also about some ot the
things he did land sa-w* while prospecting
and mining in the Black Hills of South
Daikota for forty years. There is no fic
tion about it, either, for every word is
true. iSo here goes:

ILLUSTRATIONS
FRANK HEBERT  Frontispiece
HORATIO N. ROSS
First Discoverer ot Gold in the Black Hills a;t 'Cluster
July 27, 1875.
H. C. McMACKIN
HELEN CLARiA BELLE CAMIP
ST ELMO PEAK
SILVER TIP FALLS

INDiEX

CHAPTER I. Page
Young Fortune Hunter Meets First Adventure  1
OHAiPTBiR II.
Boys Kick for Better Food and Get it  10
OHAPTE'R III.
Outfit Begin the Education ot an Easterner  21
CHAIFTEIR IV.
Eingineering OParty Made Acquaintance with
'Band of Indians  23
CHAPTER V.
Education of Easterner Clonbinued -with Zeal  3 4
CiHlAIPTHR, VI.
Young Seeker After Fortune Makes Start for New
Eldorado — ^Arrives in Blaclk Hills  39
CHAPTIEIR VII
Becomes Prospector — ^Visits Rapid City at Time
of Hanging Three Horse Thieves  46
CHAPTER VIII.
Road Agents Etiter Into Prospector's Story  52
CHAJPTEIR IX
Oap/ta(iii iJlack and the Sage Hen Eiiter the Scene
Wlith Gun Play  56
CHAPTER, X.
Prospector Catches Coyote at Great risk — ^Kas-
inger Comes Into the Story  62
CHAPTEK XI.
IHebert Meets up With Road Agents but Didn't
lask for Reward  74
OHAPTEIR XII
Mountain (Lions and Kasinger's Stories Make
Life Interesting  82
CHAiPTEiR XILI
Mountain Rats Nearly Cause Trouble Between Brothers  8S
CHAtPTER XIV.
Tobey "Wants a Bear, and Kasinger "Wants Barton's Wife  98

OHAIPTHR XV.
Celebrated Wind Cave Discovered and Attempt made
To Elxplore  106
CHAPTER XVI.
Lajme Johnny and Fly Speck Billy ODie "With Their Boots on. .113
CHAPTEIR X"VIII.
Hebert Makes a "Water Wheel and is Called
Benjamin Fl-anklim  122
OHAiPTBR XVIII
Etta Tin Mine Starts Business for Harney Peak
Mining Oompany  128
OHAIPTHR XIX.
Judge Roman Fails to Report but Gets Sixty
Thousand Dollars  137
OHAiPTBR XX.
Tenderfoot Lady Leaj-ns How to Wash Dishes  142

OHAIPTHR XXI
Dr. Anna Shaw (
Hebert to Elqual Suffrage  149

ISusan Bt. Anthon/y and IDr. Anna Shaw Convert
mw

OHAPTBR XXII.
'Harney Peak Company Spent Millions and Produced
— ^Suckers  157
CHAPTEIR XXni
A^r Wilson Went tlo England and Met Authorities
and Death  164
OHAPTER XXIV
Lithla Production Starts in Black IHills and Things
ILook Good  172
CHAPTER XXV.
Man in 'Charge of Clara Belle Receives IBatch of Wood
Three Different Times  ...179
' OHAPTER XX"VI.
E. C. Johnson Obtains Court Decree Title to Many
Harney Peak Company's Mines  186
CHAIPTEIR XX"VIII.
Bureau lot MJnes Sends Out Tin Experts But
Accomplish Nothing  j^gj^
CHAPTEIR XX"VIII.
.S/uinmlng up of Mining Possibilities in Richest 100
Square Miles on Earth  195

HELEOSr

CHAPTEE I.
YOUNG FOETUNE HUNTER MEETS FIRST ADVENTURE
In the year 1872 I left my home in Joliet, 111., to
try my fortunes in the west. I landed at Plattsmouth,
Nebraska. In the spring of the following year, while working
at my trade as a carpenter, a friend, who had signed
with Fred Dorrington to work on a government snr
vey in Western Nebraska, called on me to inquire if f
would join them and complete the party. I agreed to
go and upon asking when Ave would start was inform
ed that it would be the next moming. I called and saw
Mr. Dorrington and I think he liked my looks for he
said, "You will do, we start at ten o'clock tomorrow
morning, will you be ready?" I told him I would be
on hand. We equipped ourselves with blankets, six-shooters
and ammunition and started out as per schedule. Our
first stop was at Lincoln. The Capitol of Nebraska
had just been moved from Omaha and there was con
siderable building going on. We went through by way
of Seward, Grand Island, and finally North PRatte,
where we were to wait till the balance of our party ar
rived from Fall City and Nebraska City. North Platte
and Ogalala were about two of the hardest towns in
the west in those days, and were shipping points for
cattle that were driven from Texas on through to the
Union Pacific Eailroad. Cowboys predominated in
both places.
The next day there was a small circus in town and
as everyone seemed to be having a holiday, they were
pretty full before the circus started. I was walking
around taking in the sights and went into one of the
saloons. There was a table in a corner and I went and
sat down and picked up an Omaha Bee that happen-
to be l)dng there. I heard someone come and yell out.
"Come and have something". I paid no attention but

2 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
kept on reading. He spoke a couple of times more and
still I kept O'U reading (1 didn't want anything tO'
drink). Next thing I knew I saw him coming towards
me and yelling, "No- one ever refuses toi drink with
me." Then I was loo'king do"\Vn the barrel of his six-
sho'Oter and he says, "Will you drink?'' Of course I gO't
up and said, "Oh, I don't care if I do, I'm rather hard
of hearing and didn't think you were talking to- me."
That seemed to pacify him a little.
He was good and mad and the way he had of twist
ing that six shooter around on his finger was a caution.
So we walked up to the bar and he slamimed his gun
down and said, "Have you a tin cup?" and to* me, "You
will drink out of a tin cup and you will drink it good
and full." The bartender said there was no tin cup to
be had, but he brought out a big glass. I was supposed
to put it out and took a half a glass for myself and then
pushed the bottle over to him and he took a like amount.
He was cussing and S'wearing all the time that "No one
ever refused to- drink with me."
He was over six feet and must have weighed about
two hundred and twenty pounds, red headed and red
face. He was probably foreman of a big cattle outfll
and seemed to be in the habit of having his own way.
Just about that time some more men came in and I
made room for them between us. They did not need
any gun play to make them drink, but took to the bottle
right O'ff. As the big fellow . became engaged with them
he seemed to forget about me so I poured the balance
of the whiskey a"«''ay and ducked out. I made it a
point ever since not to have that kind of a
thing hap'pen again — never to refuse to drink "w'ith n
man when he was drunk and had a big six shooter in
his hand. When I came out of that place I found the streets
full of people. There was a man, Dave Perry I was
told, who owned one of the saloons, galloping up and

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS ;5
do"wn the street with three or four girls. The sheriff
stepped out and tried to stop them as they went by, but
they simply tried to run him down and he had to dndge
the horses. Bo'th doors of Perry's saloon were wide
open and they rode right in around the billiard tables
and up to the bar. The bartender would hand them a.
drink and out they would go whooping like Indians.
They seemed to be having the time of their lives.
I said to one of the townsmen, "How does it come
that they tried to run do"wn the Sheriff? Can't he get
anyone to help him? It looks like he ought to take. a
shot at some of tho'se fellows." "Well,'' he said, "Dave
Periy has a bigger follo-wlng than the sheriff. Every
one of those fellows you see with the chaps and sp'Ufs
would fight for' Perry. But there is an element in this
to-wn that is getting tired of that and there will be some
thing' doing one of. these days."
We were camping a little way out of town and T
went out to dinner so as to get back in time for the cir
cus. The show was about ready to start when I return
ed- and there did not seem to be room in that little tent
for one quarter of the people who were heading thai;
way. Pretty soon the band struck up and the crowd
rushed in and soon filled the tent.. I was outside with
probably a couple of hundred more men. Along about
then came Dave Perry and his girls. We made room
for them and Peri-y said lo the ticket collector: "Take
down the front of that tent." The collector said, "You
will have to see the boss about that.'' "You take a look at
the boss, I am the boss, you take it do-wn and do it pretty
quick, too," as he swung out Ms sixshO'O'ter. The CO'I-
lector went around and got some men and it wasn't long
before we were all able to view the show. Perry said
"I will pay for this crowd, now go on with the show.''
I remember a clO'Wn came out and sang a song.
It seemed to tickle Perry, as he ordered him back to
sing it several times more. Tho same way with some

4 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
of the other acts that were pertcinied. He kept them
perfonning as long as it) pleased him tmd there was no
telling how long he would have kept it up if he had not
got thirsty and made a bee line for the saloon. As quick
as he left the circus was over. I was told later ihat he
settled with those people satisfactorily, but they weren't
long in taking down their tent and moving.
After the circus a couple of my partners and I went
back to the bar room where I met the bad man. There
was a big crowd there and my big red faced man Was
among them. He said to one of his cowboys, •'•Go and
hold this card ( I think it was the five of hearts ) and I
will shoot the spot out of it.'' The shot missed the card
and went through the cowboy's hand. He "W'as immed
iately rushed to a doctor and the boss set the drinks up
for the house. That seemed to be satisfactory to all
parties. I was about the only tenderfoot in our party and
was kind of curious to go down that night and see the
doings. About nine o'clock we concluded to go down
and stick close together. We went into Dave Perry's
saloon and it was full. They were passing the drinks
over the bar as fast as they could. We stepped up and
got our beer, and it didn't cost us anything, either.
Buffalo Bill was there and it seemed as if he was
running the town that night as Dave Perry ran it dur
ing the day. He and his partners had their six shoot
ers working and just about shot the back bar and mir
rors full of holes. The bartender did not seem to be
afraid and when they shot he would just move his head
to one side or the other and they would shoot on al!
siges of him. Apparently they were after Dave Perry
for I heard Buffalo Bill say, "We will get him if he is
in town.'' Later on I heard some one had handed Per
ry an envelope "with a piece of hemp in it and it was
supposed he took the hint and left on the first train
out for Omaha. I also heard his man telegraph him at

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS .5
Omaha to duplicate his bar for Buffalo Bill had given
him a check to cover the cost of the damage.
Before we left the next day we took a trip to town
and it didn't seem as if the people were sobered up yet.
I saw Buffalo Bill and Ned Buntliug walking ahead of
me and as they had to- gO' down a step tO' ci-dss an alley
Buffalo Bill had to help Buntling, who sat right down
on the step and said, "I don't go another step." "Come
on,' said Buffalo Bill, "Let's go in and sit down on a
chair. '" "No," said Ned, "this is good! enough for me,'
"All right," said Buffalo Bill and left him. At tha:
time Buffalo Bill had a fine ranch out of town and
made his headquarters there.
That afternoon we filled up our party and moved on
towards Sidney. The country did not seem to be very
well settled west of North Platte, but once in a while
we would see a cow ranch. We followed the line of
the Union Pacific pretty close and the second night out,
the boys saw some cattle. Some of them Avere walking
on ahead of the party and came ou to these cattle. They
picked out a yearling, shot it and came back Avith the
report they shot a slow elk. and then loaded it on t(i the
wagon. There was a man named Sanger, AA^ho AA'as to have
charge of one of the units, that is a transit and four
men. Apparently he had a pull for he was a politician
from New York, a graduate of Harvard and seemed to
be about twenty-three or four years old. He AA'-as very
well educated and used good language at all times
Where he made his big mistake Avas in correcting our
language. He did not associate Avith us much, having
a tent of his own and in fact would hardly treat us ciA'-
illy. He would coop himself up in his little tent after
the day's travel and busy himself with some Avriting.
That night While we Avere eating supper, the nicest
kind of veal, Sanger said. "Do' you know who owned
these cattle?" The men said thev didn't. "Well, a'ou

6 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
may find out some day." "I suppose you AVill inform
on us" one of the fellows spoke up. "May be I Avill,
I don't like the idea of traveling with a lot of roAvdies.
hoodlums and cattle thieves. There are none of you
that can even talk English." "You can strike right out
and leave us, and if you keep this kind of talk up, you
may have to go before very long,'' one of the boys said.
He ansAvered, "I don't knoAV about that, I Avill gi) Avhen
I get ready," With that he Avent off to his tent to con
tinue his Avriting. Some of the boys remarked : "That
felloAV is a government spotter or something, and he is
Avith this party to keep track of AA^hat is going on. I
think AA^e aa^II make the party interesting for that duck
before he is through,'
H. C IMcMackin seemed to have charge of the out
fit till Ave reached Sidney. He Avas an old freightev
from Plattsmouth to Denver in Die early days, ;i
thorough AA^esterner and afraid of nothing. We AA^ere
to remain at Sidney till our escort AA-as ready to join
us. This Avas to be composed of tAventy soldiers under
command of Sergeant ^lolloy, Fred DoiTington.
George Fairfield and other parties joined us there.
It was there that I saAV PaAVnee Killer, a big Oga
lala Chief. In his party AA^ere the biggest Indians I cA'er
saw. Seven of them were being Aveighed and they AA^ent
from a hundred and seventy, the lightest, all the Avav
to two hundred and fifty pounds a piece.
A year or so before that a man by the name of
Bunk had a government survey contract along the Ee
publican river. This PaAA^nee Killer and his band
killed all of Buck's party. There AA^asn't one left to
tell the story. All that could be learned was AA^hat PaAV
nee Killer told the authorities at Sidney. He claimed
that his son and another chief's son ran onto the sur
veyors and were both killed. The Indians found out
what happened to the boys and reported the killing to
Pawnee Killer. He and his band went up to Buck and

40 YEAES IN THE BLA(Uv HILLS
demanded the surrender of the killer, or he Avould kill
every one of them. Of course they refused to give him
up and so the Indians AA'ijJed out the party and burned
their AA'agons.
The Buck party outfitted themselves at Plattsmouth
and in the party Avas a young fell<sw liv the name of
Levey. He made the remark sev(M-al times that be AA^as
going to kill the first Indian he siav. He had a big
dirk knife Avith his initials cut in the bone handle. This
Avas found in the grass close to the remains of the Avagon
all rusted Avith blood. What the Indians did Avith the
bodies no one knows.
George Fairfield <if our party, one of the oldest
surveyors in the State of Nebraska, avIio helped survey
the Avhole state from the ^lissouri river to the Wyoming
line (part of the time he had contract-, of his own and
other times Avorked for others) finished Buck's .ontract
and his boy found that knife and had it Avith him on this
trip. The swiftest dressmaker I ever saw was a s'luaw
who belonged to PaA\Tiee Killer's band. The Indians
would come to trade at the govemmcrt stoi-e. Sidney
was a fort in those days. I saAV her come ont of the
store and step off the platform with a piece of calico
all rolled up. I watched her as she commericed to un
roll the goods. She took one SAvitch around lier arm
and over her shoulder on the opposite side; tben
around her AA'aist, she seemed to be iiulling some pins
out of her old dress, she Avrapped the calico around her
thighs, and then put in three or four pins; then around
her waist and shoulders ; and then once more a little
lower doAvn. then some more pins. She walked off a
few steps, gave a couple of kicks and off came the old
dress and she walked away with the new one on.
"There,'' I said, "is the swiftest dressmaker I ev
er saw.''

8 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
She picked up her old dress, wrapped it up, tied
a string around it and the job was over.
In a feAV days our escort Avas ready and we struck
out in a northwestern direction. We AA^ent out thirty or
forty miles and finished a piece of work, AA'hich Ave
AA^ere at for about a month. We then were to go to the
Wyoming line, about thirty miles distant.
The Aveather got pretty hot and we Avere to go on
to LaAvrence's Fork to camp for the night. That year
was a very dry one and most of the water courses were
dried up, but there was supposed to be plenty of Avatc"
in Lawrence's Fork. We reached there about four-
o'clock. We were fortunate, too, as our mules Avere
about played out and refused to go any further, but,
to our great disappointment, Ave could find no Avatei-
In fact we did not knoAV where to g(> for Avater, anyhow.
We unhitched the mules and Dorrington and our
transit men, Fairfield, Wells and Sanger, Avho liad
charge of the three units of our party, and Serg, Mol-
loy went into consultation on Avhat to do.
Another voung felloAV and myself Avere lying under
a Avagon talking over the viuation, Avhich Avas .gettin.g
pretty trying. No Avater and the mules refusing to go
any further, I did not Ava.nt to chip in A\'it]i my vicAvs,
but said to my partner, "This stream runs Avater some
times and there must be some on bedrock noAV, it ma.v
be five feet and it may be tAA^enty feet, but Avhat do you
sa.A^ let's you and I go over and dig around iu the sau
and see if AA-e can't get a little Avater,'' He agrc.'d to gi-i
and Ave struck out Avith our spades, AVe Avorkcd for
about half an hour aud got down thric or f(nir feet.
The sand seemed to be getting quite AVet,
The rest of the party s])(>lted us about that time and
Dorrington and Sanger came over and Avanted to knoAA'
Avhait we were trying to do, I said, "Sometimes there
is water in this sand drain and there must be some
yet on bed rock,'' Serg. Molloy came over and they

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 9
talked the matter over and concluded the idea Avas all
right. As the soldiers had spades and Ave had several,
they gave orders for the whole outfit to come over ami
for three or four men to AA^ork in the hole at a time, and
Avhen they got tired more men Avere to jump in and dig
as fast as they could.
The Avay that sand flcAA^ for an hour or so AA^as a
caution. The hole Avhen completed AVas about fifteen
I'eet deep and A\'as tAA'enty feet across the top. AVe struck
a kind of chalky bed rock, partly di'composed on top
and there Avas a slim.v Avhite Avater coming in. Ily
punching into it Avith our spades A\'e made a pit abont
two feet deep. The Avater Avoukl keep coming about
as fast as Ave could pass it up for the mules to drink.
!The mules stood around in a circle at the top of the
pit and AA^atched us work. They seemed to smell the
water. By ten that night everyone seemed to have
about all the A\'ater they wanted. From that time on T
had a little more attention paid to me than before, as
thev gave me credit for the Water,

10 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE II.
BOYSi KICK FOR BETTER FOOD AND GET IT
We pulled out early next morning and by than
night found our comers at the Wyoming line. We
started to Avork north and sectionized for a while.
What transpired for, a month or so was of nO' import
ance, only this: One of the boys found a cabin close
to a little spring running out of the rock. There was
evidence tliat some one Avent there for water once in a
A\hile. AVe camped close by so as to us that AA^ater.
I'V^^r.v ofien we Av'i>rked Sundays just the same as any
other day, but this Sunday Ave did not.
As I Avas strolling around I came onto the cabin.
There Avere no Avindows in it, but some of the chink
ing Avas louse so I got a look in. I could see a fire place,
a coffee i»ot, a frying pan, some poles in a corner foi'
a bed and an old stool. As I AA'as leaving I came to a
hole Avhich seenied to lie about fcmr feet square. I
looked doAvn and saAv a rattlesnake all coiled up, I
slinuld jud.ge he Avas si.K or seven feet long and he did
not seem t<: mind my looking at him in the least, but
T just turned loose and let him have the six shots in my
pistol. It had' been Avarm for about a. Aveek and I Avas not
feeling quite Avell, I had been living pretty hard on
bacon, biscuits and coffee. Fat, greasy bacon, and
most cf the time hard bsicuits. The boys had been
kickiing for a month about the grub. They made all
kinds of threats Avhat thev AA'ould do, go on a strike,
etc., but tlicA' ncA^er d-d anything. There AA'as no excuse
for living that AVay for there AA'as plenty of game and
the outfit could have detailed a man to keep us in fresh
meat, or make arrangements Avith one of the sohliers
to do it. They figured that as long as no one kick'-d
that it Avas cheaper to feed that way.

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 11
Anyhow that morning I got up on the wrong side
to and my breakfast AA'as before me as usual, consist
ing of a piece of bacon sAvimniing in grease, tAvo bis
cuits on another tin plate and the coffee pot — I coull
help myself. I took one look at that mess and got mad,
tcM)k another and got madder. I Avas about ready to
go to AvOrk Avithout any breakfast. I had my six
shooter on and was ready to leave camp. Most of the
boys were a few rods aAvay getting read.v to strike off.
I AA'as certainly hungiy but couldn't eat that stuff
I saAV Fred Dorrington sitting in the shade of the
wagon consulting Avith AVells. Fairfield and Sanger. T
Avent right up to him and said, "Fred Dorrington, you
are a g(>sh bunied son of a gun ! ! ! ! .', etc., you have
a contract to do this surveying for the Government at
a good figure, and you are going to make lots of money
out of it. Here you are starving your men. I am no
kicker, but I don't do another tap of work till I get
something to eat." I was talking pretty loud and
turned around and saAV some of the boys standing right
behind me, I knew then I had good backing, so I con
tinued. "If .vou took this contract too cheap you are
a damned fool if you expect to take it out of the grub
you feed the men.'' He looked at the other boys, and
I noticed he Avas getting uneasy. He said, "Frank, come
here,'' as he Avalked around the wagon. "This is get'
ting pretty serious, this Avill put a stop to our AVork." I
said, "No, it Avon't, you get something to eat for the
men and they will work,'' He said, "I Avill do that,
but what am I going to do right now?'' I told him T
would fix that if he would see to it that Ave got better
grub. I went back to where the boys were gathered, ex
pecting to back me up if I needed it, and said to them,
"Boys, we have been working on this grub all summer
and we can do it a little longer, let's all go back to
work. I will guarantee that we will get better grui>

12 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
pretty soon, for Ave got them a going''. They all agreed
to gO' back to Avork.
AA^hen I got back to camp I found Dorrington
alone. "AA'hait did you do AAdth them," he said, "that
they are all going out to AVork?" I said, "Just told
them to go an dthat you AA^ould have better grub for
them just as soon as you could get it.'' Hie said, "I
Avill get your breakfast," but I told him it AA'-as not nee •
essary. But he said, "I have a fcAV cans of tomatoes,
a can of corn and a fcAV other things that I brought in
case of sickness, and I also have a little medicine if you
AA-ant any," Told him I Avonld get my oaa^u breakfast,
but asked to see the medicine. He came back with ;¦.
third of a tin cu]i of the best kind of Avhiskey. I drank
it and was ready to eat anything.
The soldiers Avere camped pretty close and Serg
Molloy came over about then, and seeing that I wasn t
working AA'anted to know Avhat Avas the trouble. Told
him I wasn't feeling well, that I Avas living on sowbelly
too long and it did not agree with me. He said, "Come
over Avith me and I will give you a piece of venison.''
Went with him and got a nice piece of fresh meat am
then came back and got my breakfast. By that time I
was feeling pretty gO'od.
Dorrington was very sociable, and I said to him,
"Fred, how can you do that, get a lot of men and
starve them to death to' save a few dollars? You don't
know how near you came to a good sized mutiny two or
three weeks ago, but the bunch didn't have the nerve
to go through with it. There is no occasion for this.
You can make arrangements with one of the soldiers
to keep us in fresh meat and AA^hen they .go to Sidney
after rations you can send for a few vegetables for us.
It does not take much to keep all hands in good humor."
"Well, he said, "tomorrow McMackin hitches u])
his mules and takes me to Sidney. I have some busi
ness at Plattsnumtli in the SurvevMu- General's office

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 13
and I will hurry right back and Ave Avill have plenty
of stuff" to eat. This is the first contract I ever took
and I left everything to George Fairfield. I thought
he had lots of experience, as you knoAV he surveyed all
over the State and I just ordered Avhat he told me to.'
I said, "Well, George Fairfield can live on bacon
and biscuits if he Avants to, but the rest of us have had
enough of it.''
He replied, "To tell the truth I am pretty tired of
it myself.'' McMackin and Dorrington started out bright and
early next morning and were back again in about four
days. Sanger had sent for three gallons of AA'hiskey for
himself. This arrived in a demijohn covered with
wicker. He immediately took it out of the AA'"agon and
transferred it to his tent and evidently sampled it right
off. He never was knoAvn to come and associate Avith us:;
at the camp fire, but this night he came out after suyi-
per and was very agreeable. Every once in a while he
AV'ould get up and go to his tent. After the third or
fourth trip he seemed to feel kind of drowsy, as he
cocked himself up on his elbow and AA^as soon asleep.
One of the boys Avent into his tent and came out
Av'ith the demijohn and hid it behind a rock. He came
to mje and said, "Come on, let's celebrate, too" They
had taken out about three quarts soi it was pretty hard
for me to get a drink. The hole was too big, I set the
bottle up on the rock and let it down to get some and
it splashed all over my face and came near strangling
me. The next time I made a better job of it and drank
all I could, and then went back to the camp fire.
Everyone was feeling pretty jolly. There was lots
of singing and by the time I had taken about three
drinks I felt like doing a little myself. In those days
I knew one song, and that was "Tim Flannigan's Wake",
and I started dancing around Sanger singing this song.
It seemed as if they all knew it for they joined in and

14 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
all the poAA'-AVOAA's and Indian dances weren't in it Avith
us for about tAvo hours. We finally got tired of that and
sat doAATi to smoke,
I kncAV Avhere there Avas an empty pint bottle so
I got it and filled it and put it under Sanger's pillow.
Soon after we emptied the demijohn and picked up
Sanger and carried him to his bed. I said, "Here lies
the HarA'ard graduate, the hiAvyer and politician of
New York, here is what he has come to out in the AAald
AA'est. He Avill learn something after a Avhile. He did
not seem to know much when he joined us."
Before Ave moved camp I Avas getting Avater at the -
little spring and AVhen I stood up not two feet from me
sto((d the Avildest specimen of humanity I ever saw. He
reminded me uoaa^ of the pictures the cartoonists make
of the Bolshevists, I stepped back a couple of steps
and stared. "I could have scalped you if I liked'' he
said. I asked him Avliere he came from and he said.
"Oh, Pine Eidge is m.v home, but that little cabin down
there belongs to me.'' The place was out of the way
and the country rough. We had trouble getting in
there Avith our AA'agon, Undoubtedly he AVOuld steal
cattle along with his Indian .friends and drive them off
to Pine Eidge,
He came over to our camp that night and I told
him about the big snake I killed over by his cabin.
"Hell," he said, "did yon kill that snake? I had him all
summer and he was becoming a great pet.'' Told him
I was sorry liut he didn't seem to Avorry about it.
AA"e had a big black dog that one of the boys stole
from a settler's cabin soon after Ave left North Platte.
Next morning the dog was missing and the stranger
had found another pet to take the place of his snake.
Soon after that Ave moved our camp to a place
called jNIud Springs, It Avas on the old emigrant road
made by Brigham Young and party on their Avay to
Utah. The Oregon emigrants did considerable freight-

40 YKAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 1.-)
ing over it, too. These parties made deep ruts iu the
the road for about three hundred feet Ayide. In the
ruts the sunflowers started growing and yon could see
a row of them for miles up and dOAA'n that road and it
made a very nice looking strip of country.
At one time there had been a station house at that
point, AVe camped there for (juite a while as it wsiS
a nice location. One Sunday A\'e Avere to have a hor.se
race, or rather a horse and mule race. The finish was
to be close to Ayhere the (dd house stood. The old
building Avas pretty Avell Avashed dOAA^n Avith the excep
tion of one c(n-ner. The Axalls seemed to lie about tAv-o
feet thick and the bottom Avas all honeycombed. I AA'-as
leaning against it AA'atching the race and fcdt it give
AA'ith me. After the race I said to one of the boys, "Let' 5
push this corner over" Avhich Ave did. The base Avas
just full of rattle snakes. There AA^as a nest of them
two feet thick, their heads sticking out in every direc
tion. That Avas the aAA'fullest mess of snakes I ever saAV.
It AA'as dreadful and for months after I could see then,
every night in my sleep. A couple of the boys Avent
and got spades and wanted to chop them up and ask
ed me to join them, but I declined — my stomach would
not admit of it.
One time while AVith the party on survey we saAV
a nice looking peak ahead. The transit man of the
party said to me, "We pass close by that peak. Yon
can climb it if you Avant to, we will get along without
you.'' I AA'ent on ahead and got pretty close to the top
when I struck a trail. That is, it looked to me like a
trail, so I followed it up. I got to a point where it
shelved and there was a cave on it. I won't say hO'W
niany human bones; there Avere in it, but there Avere six
or eight skulls and I didn't stop to make sure of my
count either. The Whole floor seemed strewed with
bones. It looked as if the coyotes were devouring hu
mans there. Whether they were Indians or whites I
can't say.

16 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
Finally I reached the top and looking down on the
north side saAV some wild horses. They must have been
about a mile away and as it Avasn't necessary for me to
go on beyond that point till my party caught up I sat and
watched the horses. Finally I saAV one start on a trot
and commence to round up the bunch. In about ten
minutes he had them pretty well bunched up and
struck right out on a good stiff gait with them all fol-
loAving, There must have been several hundred in the
herd, I told the boys about the cave that night and sev
eral of them went over and got skulls. Young Fairfield
had one that AA'-as pretty AA^'ell preserved and he put a
little dirt in it and planted a cactus. After that he
made it a point to put that thing pretty close by my
place at the table. The ground served as a table with
a tarp spread for a tablecloth, I told him he had bet
ter keep that thing near his own place as I did not care
for it as an ornament.
The knife Fairfield had found belonging to the
Buck party had been stolen from him and he made a
lot of fuss as to Avho had the bloody thing. I made
the remailv that I wouldn't have it around me. They
kept stealing it from one another right along. The
next day McMackin said to me, "I had that knife
for a long time in the front of my Avagon box, between
the tool box in front and the wagon. Now it is gone.
keep an eye open and tell me Who has it.'' It seemed as
if everyone Avianted it. One night while digging down
in my AVar bag for something I ran across the knife and
scabbard. Evidently someone put it there figuring it
would be a safe place, as none of them would expect
me to have it after all I said. Well, I let it stay there.
At any rate it was supposed I had no use for the knife
or things like that, and so Fairfield would place the
skull there to get my goat. The next time he set it in
front of me I gave it a kick and knocked it to pieces.
That put an end to it and nothing was said, either.

H. C. MclMACKIN

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 17
AVe were camped pretty much towards the head
of Pumpkinseed Creek and 1 struck out one iiun-ning
on my line and stopped about noon for the party to
come up. We had our lunch and seemed to have a ]iTet
ty long trip in front of us. The main party Avas sup
posed to go along east and make a camp (ni the other
side of the ridge and We were to survey across and flnd
them on the other side. I AA^ent on ahead and about
four o'clock I was getting pretty Avell on the ridge. It
was pretty rough traveling and 1 mad(- no pretenses to
keep the line. I was supposed to get on top. It got
along to about five o'clock and when I got to the top
there was the darkest cloud I ever saAV. It seemed to
be whirling and to be coming straight for me. Tho
Avind was howling and it got dark very quick. It
didn't seem that a person could stand up to that hail and
rain that was coming, it looked fearful. So I started
on back the nearest way I thought to get to my party. It
AW'as getting very dark and I started at a pretty stiff
pace dOAvn the mountain, it seemed I could not stop but
kept jumping stiff-legged. Soon I came to a gully that
Avas fourteen or fifteen feet across. I could not clear
it, so had to jump doAVn. I stopped Avith a bump on
the other bank. By that time the rain and hail Avere
coming doAvn in torrents. On one side I found a kind
of protection so I made use of it. I thought it would
be a pretty bad place if the rain kept up very long. The
water started coming down, but it did not reach the
shelf I AVas on. After the storm let up I tried to ge:
out, but the walls were too steep at that point. I de
cided to walk up the gully a ways and finally found a
way out. I got back on the ridge again AA^hen the stars
came out.
It seemed to be pretty good walking Avest and as
our main camp had started Avith the soldiers they AA'ere
now supposed to be on the other side. I thought T
would take chances and go over on that side. I trav
eled along I suppose till about ten o'clock but thought

18 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
I Avas going too much Avest. I went on a little further
and soon saAV a light doAvn there. I figured it was the
soldiers and that our camp must be close by. I reason
ed that there was a light and I might be mistaken in
my direction, but there Avas no one else in the country
but the soldiers and our party, so I headed for the fire
I got doAvn pretty well to the foot of the ridge Avhen I
saw two lights. Didn't go much further when I saAV
three lights and I figured "Guess that is too manyjijghts.
but will go doAvn anyhoAV.'' It wasn't long till a dog
commenced barking and. then, th-ere seemed to be about
twenty more joining him. ¦Soon I heard Indians yell
ing and then they kicked out the fires. I started back
up that mountain and there is AA'-here I found I could
jump over boulders pretty good. A rock three or four
feet high, 1 did not gO' around but jumped over. There
was a great commotion doAvn there in camp. I don't
know hoAV big the party AA'as, but it AA'as big enough for
me. They didn't seem tO' be foUoAving as the dogs soon
ceased barking.
When I reached the top I figured I had been go
ing dead wrong along that ridge and as I traveled back
commenced to get pretty tired and hungry, I tried to
find the place Avhere I started on the ridge and kncAV
that if I went far enough east it Avould play out. I got
to a place Avhere it looked pretty good so Avent doAvn,
I knew I Avould find the AA^agon tracks some place
along the foot in daylight. Got down pretty close to
the foot of the ridge and built a small fire in a little
gulch. The Indians could not see my fire for I was out of
their range, so I huddled up against a big rock and
went to sleep. I froze out in the morning, built another
fire and Avarmed myself again.
When it got good and light I got un on the bank
and saAV Avhat must have been a herd of five or six hun
dred antelope close by. I only had three bullets in my
pistol so I figured I had better be saving with them, I

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 19
craAvled up on them as close as I could without fright
ening them. Got down in a low place and as I had a
red bandanna handkerchief, I put it on the end of my
pistol and Avaved it, then ducked down in the hole
again. I watched one of them come up to within
thirty feet to investigate the red bandanna. T took care
ful aim and .shot him right in the neck and down he
went — a lucky shot. It wasn't long till I cut ineu his
hams and had some slices of meat out, a fire going and
made out a pretty good breakfast. I cut out two or
three more pieces, cooked them and started doAvn tO'
look for wagon tracks. I found them all right and
struck out on the trail. Followed the tracks all day
and must have gone fifteen miles before I found the
camp. They told me there Avas a party out looking for
me and they had fires burning all night. Then I re
lated my experiences. We made tha:t a permanent
camp for about a week.
The next morning I struck out on my line again
and went north in the direction of the North Platte
river. Along about noon I stopped and waited for m^'^
transit man to come up and said "Bill, I have no water
and it don't look good to me in front, what are we go
ing to do?'' He said, "You can have some of mine.'' I
told him I didn't Av<ant to rob him of his but he said,
"Go ahead and drink, I don't need as much water as
you. Go as far as j^u can, for you know three or four
days ago one of the boys found water on one of those
buttes and they are not over four or five miles away. If
it comes to the worst you can go there, but I think we
might find some on the way.''
I started out again and kept on till about four
o'clock in the heat and sand and then stopped to Avait for
the chainman to come up. He did not know what to do
but when Billy Wells arrived he said, "I think we have
gone far enough with what provisions and water we
have, let's go back to camp." I said "Can you get back

20 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
to camp?" He thought he could, but I told him I
could not. Another of the men said the same, then I
said, "I am going over to that butte and get a drink, its
not over Uve miles. My lips are beginning to SAvell now."
I just started right out. I got about a quarter of .i
mile or so and looked back and saAV one of the others
coming. The others Avere still sitting and talking. I
traveled on five or ten minutes and again looked back
and saAV two of the men folloAving and the others start
ing back for the main camp. They had to go about
twenty miles I guess.
It Avas a nice evening, plent.A'' of stars and the deer
would jump up Avhen aa'C passed close by them and run
off. The other fellows caught up to me as I was tak
ing it easy, saving myself all I could. One of them
said, "You don't want to drink too much water.'' I
said, "I am aAvful dry.'' I didn't want to do much
talking and didn't Avant to spend my breath for any
thing. In course of time aa-c got there and waded right
in and got right do'wn on our hands and knees and
drank like horses. When I had my fill I filled the
canteen, and as it was a nice, starry night we conclud
ed we would start right back to camp. We reached
there in timie for breakfast and AA'ith an empty canteen.

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 21
CHAPTEE III.
OUTFIT BEGIN TUB EDUCATION OF AN BASTblXEU
About tAvo Aveeks after that on a Sunday Ave AA'ere
camped close to where there AAas Avater and Ave thought
it a gO'od time to do some Avashing. AA'hile Ave AVere at
the washing one of the boys remarked, "Don't you not
ice that Sanger does a lot of scratching, he must be
lousey.'' Another one said he A\'as going to find out
and Avent over to Sanger's tent tO' get one of his shirts
while he Avas aAvay. Sure enough it Avas full of lice and
nits. Pretty soon Sanger came in and they said to
him, "Why don't you Avash your clothes once in a
while like the rest of us? You are just as lousey as
you can be.'' He said it Avas a lie. One of the men
showed him some on his shirt and said, "If you don't
clean up like the rest of us it will go hard Avith you.''
Sanger said, "Who Avill make it go hard with me?" The
fellO'W said, "I will,'' and hauled off and gave him a
punch in the jaw, straightened him up \A'ith another
like it and the third time he hit him knocked him flat.
Dorrington aud Fairfield came over about then and
wanted to know what the trouble A\'as. The fellOAV told
him that Sanger was lousey, but denied it, and that
whenSanger called him a liar lie punched him in the
jaw and would do it again if he did not clean up like
the rest. When Sanger got straightened around again
Dorrington told him he had better clean up, Avhich he
did. That is he scalded his clothes and got rid of the
lice. I think some of the kinks were taken out of ^Ir.
Sanger right there.
While I was on ahead of the party the next dav
I heard a commotion right ahead of me and met a
horse. He did not stop till he was within three rods
of me on a little ridge. It seemed to startle him and
he commenced to paw the ground and edge towards

22 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
me. He was within thirty feet of me and still pawing
the ground and coming on so I took aim Avith my six
shooter and let him have it. I meant to crease him in
the neck but shot a little low and hit him on the
shoulder. He was a fine looking stallion and weighed
in the neighborhood of a thousand pounds. His mane
came to his knees. When I shot he started to spia
around in a circle and I had to get out of his way.
I did not intend to kill him, so let him go. He had got
away from a herd apparently. Well that horse was
seen dozens of timfes during the summer and the sol
diers tried to catch him, but they couldn't. He seemed
. to be lame Avhen they watched him through their glass
es, but when they got close to him he was not lame a
little bit and would lose them in no time
We started to move camp one afternoon and only-
got part way to our destination when we had to put
up for the night. I slept under a fly that we used to at
tach to the wagon and weight the other end doAvn. I
had my place near a front wheel whenever we camped.
McMackin's wagon was full and he threw out his bed
roll beside me, as we were pretty good friends.
Shortly afterwards Sanger came around with his
roll and said to me, "Whose bed is that?" I told him
McMackin's. He picked it up and threw it out of the
way.^ He said, "Damn McMackin, let him go and sleep
in his own wagon." I told him there would be trouble
McMackin came and saw his bed out there and asked,
"Whose bed is this, who threw my bed out?'' I told
him Sanger and he threw that bed out further than his
OAvn and put his back and again went aAvay. Sang
er came and found his bed on the outside and he said
"McMackin do that?" I told him he did and he said
"I will fix McMackin" and took the bed and was just
about to throw it out when McMackin came around
the wagon. He made a grab for Sanger and .started
choking him. He jerked away but McMackin cauo-ht

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 2.3
him again and gave him three or four good punches.
Sanger said, "You are bigger than I am, I can't fight
like a dog.'' McMackin said, "Go and get your gun
and fight like a man.'' Sanger did not have his gun on
and went to get it. He soon came back, gun in hand,
but McMackin was ready for him. Fred Dorrington
came up just then and I told him he had better put a
stop to that or he would have a killing. He got be
tween them and told them to quit. The other boys hur
ried up, too, and they soon had the fighters separated.
This showed that Sanger would fight, but he was no
match for McMackin. That also seemed to tame Mr.
Sanger for he remembered it later on.
One evening shortly after Dorrington said to me,
"Don't you Want to take a rest? We are tO' move camp
That is the fiour and heaA^ stuff. I don't want you to
go unless you volunteer as it is dangerous. I will want
a couple of more volunteers, too. We can finish the
-w^ork here with two crews and the others can go and
make camp and wait for us to join them,"
I agreed to go, but I knew the work was danger
ous as we had seen bands of Indians going backwards
and forwards all summer. There was hardly a day in
the past month but what we saw parties consisting of
twenty-five or thirty Indians going by. So two or
three fellows alone would not stand much of a show
if they wanted to kill usi and get our stuff. I Avould
chance it though and said I Avould go. He got two
more men. One of them named John Poland, who was
afraid of nothing. The other we called Flip, he was a,
great big fellow who could not be depended on for any
thing, but he had volunteered, so I was satisfied.
The next morning we loaded on the flour and a
few chests of ammunition, in fact pretty much every
thing they did not actually need and started out in a
southeasterly direction. We had a butte to go by,
called Court House Eock. We reached our destination

24 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
along in the afternoon. There Avasn't much running
Avater, but there Avas a beaver dam and the Avater stood
in holes along the creek bed, an ideal place to camp.
The fact of the matter A\'as though, that we Avere
right ou the Indian trails, and Ave camped on their
camp grounds. The sqnaAvs had gathered little piles
of pitch knots here and there Avhere they had camped.
So along about three o'clock the teamster went back.
We put up our tent, piling the flour around the edge,
joking that we Avould have fine breast Avorks if we were
attacked. There Avas a ravine in sight about a mile or
two off, Avhere the jack-pines Avere thick. We thought
that would be a good place to get a deer. This young
Flip, he AA-as a kind of laughing stock from the start.
said, "I will go and get a deer and we will have venison
for supper." AA^e had a transit belonging to our party and I set
it up. He had gone about a mile or so when I turned
the glass ou him and saAV him Avalking along with his
head doAA-n aud gun crossways of his back, both hand'-
over it. Eight beyond him I saAV an Indian coming
along on a trot. I said to Poland, "Come and look
here, aa'c will lose that damn fo(d today, he ain't got
sense enough to look where he is going." So he looked
throu.gh the glass, I tO'ok it again and saAv thev were
heading right for one another. Suddenly the Indian
put his horse on his haunches and turned around I
could see him kicking the horse in the ribs tryincv to
make him go as fast as he could in the opposite dfrec-
tion. My brave young Flip kept right on goin- appa'-.
ently not seeing him. From the way it looked through
the transit it did not seem as if they AA^ere more than
a_rod apart. I did not like that very much, for we were
ri.ght on the trail to the Pine Ridge country that had
been used all summer by the Indians .going south. 1
AVas thinking that Indian was the head of a party that
inltended making there that night and it might spell
trouble for us.

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 25
In due course of time our man Flip came back
with a faAvn and I said to him, ..Did you see that In
dian? "^^'hat Indian?" he asked. I told him, "If that
Indian Avanted your scalp he could have had it for he
was Avithin a feAV feet of you." We both told him the
same story and he seemed to to get rattled but Ave soon
forgot about that. We soon had the faA\'n prepared and
had our supper. AfterAA'ards Ave played cards for an
hour by the light of the camp fire.
AVe had a little black dog Avith us. Eyeryone call
ed him the fool dog as he did not seem to knoAv any
thing. He was lying in the tent Avhen all at once hc'
jumped up and commenced to howl and belloAV, run
ning out past the fire and looking up the creek. We
thought he smelled Indians so I jumped up and kicked
out the fire. After about five minutes I said to Poland,
"They are not very close to us right uoav as the dog has
stopped barking and come back to the tent Let's! take
an arm full of chips and some pitch across the creek
about five hundred feet and start a fire." AA''e told
Flip to stay in the tent, as he seemed pretty Avell scared,
Poland and me knew the Avatcn- holes so Ave could walk
between them and place our Avood Avhere we Avanted it,
I was to touch it off and Poland said to me, "Give me
your hand and we will make a run for it v.hen yon ge'„
it lit." I soon had it going and we ran back to camp,
AVe got close to the tent, and I let go of his hand. He
ducked in and just then Mr, Flip's gun Avent off. The
bullet didn't miss my .ear by more than an inch, as I
felt it bum. When I Avent in Poland had him by the;
hair of the head and Avas saying, "I have a good notion
to cut your throat." J'lip said, "It w-ent off accidental
ly, you startled me and I w'as expecting maybe the In
dians might come in." I said, "You kneAV well enough
we were out." But anyhow AVe knew he did not haAC
much sense and w-e let it go at that.

26 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE IV.
ENGINEERING PARTY MAKE ACQUAINTBNCE WITH
BAND OP INDIANS
By that time our fire was blazing in great style and
we could see a long way around. In fact a little too
much as it showed our tent. Just then we heard two
shots up the creek. I said, "Well that is a friendly call.
let's answer it.'' Poland said, "Let's wait till they give
two more shots, if it is a friendly call they Avill shoot
again.'' A couple of minutes afterwards there were two
more shots so I said, "There is one sure thing, they are
not very close so let's give them an answ'er.'' We gave
them two shots and they answered right away. We be
gan to think they Avere white men. We concluded we
had better build a fire in front of our tent, and as s'jon
as we had it going they gave us two more shots, which
we answered. It wasn't long before we heard the rattle
of a wagon and then I heard the teamster yell, "Daisy.''
I heard that name before and knew it was the lead mule
of the soldiers. They were on their way back to camp
after being to Sidney for rations and saw our light.
One of the soldiers said he didn't know what kind
of a trap he was getting into for the Indians were none
too peaceable those days. There were three soldiers in
the outfit and when they saw us they Wanted to sh ike
hands all around. We were just as glad to see them
and miay be more so. Next day they went on to the
main camp and we had to wait' about two weeks before
the main party arrived. From that base we operated
for a couple of weeks. We had noticed for three or four
days that the Indians were commencing to come back
in small parties, but they kept away from us.
This particular moming I started out on my line. I
knew about what point I had to make and was the first

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 27
to leave camp. I went about a quarter mile and saw an
Indian coming right towards me on a little jog trot. I
stood still and let him come. He came within ten rods
before he saw me. There was a little ridge between us
so he did not see me sooner. I had my gun pointed at
him and he threw up his hands and said, "How, how,
hoAV," and kept it up. I told him to come on and mo
tioned with my gun. He was fully five minutes coming
up to me, stopping every few feet and yelling "how,
hoAV.'' He was an old gray haired Indian and looked as if
he was half starved. He Wanted tO' shake hands with me
when he was a rod off. Finally I went and shook hands
and he said "Lakota'' and pointed east, and as he point
ed he said, "Wix Chiminie,'' opening and closing his
hands. He made it appear as if there were thousands
of Indians. I thought he was trying to throw a scare
into me and wanted me to know there were lots of In
dians in the country and that I had better lookout. He
pulled out an old bone pipe and AVanted some tobacc ¦
to smoke, putting his finger in the bowl as the sign. I
concluded he wanted to smoke so gave him tobacco and
lit a match for him. I lit my pipe, too, and we smoked
together. He kept saying "Lakota, Avix chiminie'' opening
and closing his hands and pointed east down Pumpkin-
seed valley and also south. As I looked over west abont
a mile I saw a bunch of them going north. I gave him
a few matches and a little tobacco and told him to go on
and started back to camp myself.
When I got back I stopped at Dorrhigton's tent and
said to him, "We are going to have our troubles today.
I ran onto an Indian and he made me understand there
were thousands of them coming right his way.'' Fre<l
said he Was expecting them and invited me in. He had
a little cask that seemed to hold about two or three gal ¦
Ions of booze. He poured out a tin cup full and it

28 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
kind of reminded me of my experience at North Platte,
but there Avas no gun play. I drank about half of it and
handed it back, he said, "Go ahead and finish it.'' I
said, "Great Scott, I will be drunk as a dog." "Might
as Avell be that AAay as any other now,' so I drank it all.
He did the same. Then Ave went out to where the cook
tent AA-as, as that seemed to be the headquarters for our
boys. The mules were unhitched and tied to the wagon
Avheels. Then the Indians commenced to come in. They
came pretty close to camp and some of them drove their
horses right in. Never said, "how" or anything, only
grunted. One of them kicked a pan of biscuits over but
the cook never objected, of course. They were getting
pretty thick among us.
One fellow AA-ho could talk a little bit of English
said he Avanted to see the chief. Dorrington went to him
and the Indian said "You give us everything you got
and A\'e won't kill you." Two or three of them were
talking and Ave thought AA'e had better have a con,sulta-
tion too. Dorrington said, "Boys, this is pretty serious,
if they take everything we have I can make the govern
ment replace it.'' There AA'as a fellow named George
Poysell in the outfit who had been an old freighter be
tween Plattsmouth and Denver and who was a man of
.some nerA'e, He said, "The government will never give
me back my mules and the Indians ain't going to get my
animals.'' Shortly after one of the Indians started to
untie Poysell's mules from the wa.gon. I took my gun
and gave that Indian a. punch in the ribs and said "'Get
aAv'ay from there or I will blow the top of your head
off.'' and pushed him back about ten feet. Fred said,
"Don't do that, Frank, you may start something,'' [
told him. "T heard you say that the Government would
make this good with you, I don't think the .government
will ever make anything good with us. If we give no

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 2;i
everything we have Ave Avill be the easiest bunch killed
that they ever killed, and 1 am not in favor of giving up
anything,'' "Nor 1", said Poysell, "They don't get my mules."
Serg. Molloy Avas there and I said "Molloy, what do
you think about this?" He ansAvered, "The government
never sent me out here to give up anything to the Indians
and they Avill not get a thing that belongs to the govern
ment as long as I am alive.''
That seemed to decide things for the Indians were
Availing for their answer. They seemed to understand
what Ave AA'ere talking about. They Avere having a con
sultation, too, and Fred Avas to tell them that they could
not have anything. Someone said to McMackin, "You
talk a loit of Indian lin^o when there are no Indians
around, noAV you tell them they can have nothing.'' Mc
Mackin seemed to have forgotten Avhat he kncAv abouc
their language.
I looked doAvn Pumpkinseed Creek valley and it
seemed to be just swarming AA-ith Indians. There must
have been three or four hundred of them heading to-
Avards us on a dead run. I thought the jig was up for
ns. There were about tAvo hundred and fifty Indians in
and camp and there were three or four hundred more
coming in. I thought we would be wiped off the earth.
and felt thankful to Dorrington for that medicine he
gave me. I wasi kind of bewildered, but I can't say I
was scared. We concluded to bunch up anyhow. Serg
Molloy said, "Get together, boys.'' We all had Needle
guns and six-shooters, and forty men makes quite a
formidable bunch.
When the Indians in camp saw the others making
for us on a run some of them gave a Whoop and went to
their horses and rode out about twenty .vards, formed
a kind of half circle around us, turning their horses
towards us and pointing their guns. Then the leader of

30 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
the other Indians circled our camp and got in between
us and then seemed to be waiting for someone else. Sure
enough along came Little Wound, their head chief, in
full regalia and accompanied by a white man, a pretty
hard looking customer, too.
Little Wound passed close to our tent driving his
horse up close to the other Indian Chief, who I think
w'as Crazy Horse. That band was what were known as
"Dog Soldiers,'' renegrade Indians following the others
for what plunder they could get.
Three or four of the boys went over to interview the
white man. He didn't know any more English than the
Indians. I went up pretty close and he said to me, "Me
no knoAV.'' I thought I would try him out, he might be
French. I said, "You talk better French than English."
He threw out his arms and shook hands with me and
said, "Oiu oiu.'' He got off his horse and sat doAVn and
said in French, "You fellows are in pretty serious trou
ble here. Crazy Horse Indians have been killing and
looting everyone on the road. They have been robbing
and plundering settlers every place they found them.
They killed a section man yesterday on the U. P. Ijit-
tle Wound has instructions from the Government to
protect the surveying parties in here, that's Avhy he is
guarding you right now.'' Some of the men came up
to me and said, "AVhere did you learn to talk that lingo.
Frank, what does he say?" I said, "Where did you
learn the lingo you talk?'' Then I interpreted for them
and had a big bunch around.
The Frenchman told me that Little Wound had
killed tAA-o of Crazy Horse's band that morning and he
said, "He's liable to kill Crazy Horse right now the
way he is facing him,'' I looked over and they remind
ed me of tAvo dogs fighting, showing their teeth at one
another. Little Wound had his gun pointed at Craz^'
Horse's breast. Pretty soon Crazy Horse turned his

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 31
horse to the west, let a Avhoop out of him aud aAvay he
went with his band.
Little Wound came right into camp, got off his horso
and shook hands with anyone that Avanted to. He Avas a
fine looking Indian and had a necklace made of porcu
pine quills and bear claws, Avith eagle feathers in his war
bonnet. He looked pretty good. He Avas a Chief that.
AA-as respected by all the Indians,
The Government recognized Spotted Tail as a Chief,
because he Avas friendly to the Avhites, The logical
Head Chief of the Sioux should have been CroAv Dog.
as he Avas old Iron Shell's son, the Head Chief of all tlii
Sioux, but Crow Dog was more or less unruly, so they
reco'gnized Spotted Tail. The Indians called him a
squaw. Eed Cloud was Chief of a band of renegrade
Indians, but AA-as recognized by the Government.
Little AVound said he Avould camp close by that
night. Bv that time the Indians Avere coming up pretty
close. They seemed to have some system about the Avay
they were traA'eling, too. They AA'ent off about a hun
dred yards up the creek and started their camp. Pretty
much all the Indians I saAV had fresh scalps attached
to their belts.
AA"e did no work that day, but visited Avith these In
dians. They had thirteen Pawnee squaws with them that
they captured dOAvn on the Eepublican Eiver. We Avent
and saw them, but they did not seem to be Avorrying
much. They had picked the best looking ones and thev
said they had killed the balance of them. They had vir
tually annihilated the bigest part of the PaAAiiee tribe
that summer.
The Frenchman told me they went doAvn there in
small parties pretty close to the Pawnee camp and got
their horses together one night and staked out six or
eight of them on a ridge about tAvo miles from the PaAV-
n°e camp. The Pawnee was a considerable horse thief
and as soon as daylight came they spied these horses.

32 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
The Sioux Avere all prepared for them and the youngest
and be^t of the Pawnee men came to look up these
horses. They weren't even armed. They undertook to
drive the horses to their camp, but soon found they
were staked. Just then the Sioux charged them, killing
all that Avere in sight and then went and plundered their
camp. He said he had not been in the fight but when
the Sioux rounded up all the Pawnee horses they drove
them oA'er to Avhere he Avas camped. They brought al!
the si|uaAys along, too.
Crazy Horse's band did not have a hand in this.
but they Avere a source of great trouble to Little Wound,
as they ])Ut him in bad AA''ith the Government, for they
coiunrtiid considerable depredations among the settlers
AA'hen the.v traveled and along the line of the Union Pa
cific Eailroad,
That night Little AA'ound's band had a Avar dance
and Ave Avere invited over to it. It was some dance. I
saAV s line of the Indians fall dinvn exhausted and then
some of the others would drag them out of the way.
An Indian came over to me and offered me a scalp
and a plug of tobacco' for a six shooter I had. My six
shont'-r had a brass handle and I kept it polished up and
it shined very nice. It just took his fancy but I had no
use for the scalp so I did not trade.
The next day they came over to visit us, but their
purpose Avas to buy ammunition. It AA-as against the
law to sell an Indian any cartridges but McMackin had
some ammunition for a Spencer g'un he had and showed
an Indian the box. The Indian reached dwon in hii
shirt and pulled out a roll of bills tied up with a piece
of rag. .He slipped the band off and there was a five
dollar bill in sight. He took that out and offered it to
McMackin. McMackin shook his head no, as he caught
sight of a twenty under it. The Indian took back the
five and handed him tw-o twenties. It was all the same

BO'RATIO N. RjO'SS
First Discoverer of Gold In the Black Hills, at Custer
July 27, 1875

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 33
to him. McMackin took that and gave him the shells,
I "w'alked away as I did not want to be a A^^itness to that
kind of business. I don't know whether the Indian had
a Spencer gun or not, but they tried tO' get all the am
munition they could, and having plenty of money T
think they got some. AVe had three thousand rounds,
but it did not fit their guns, as ours were Needle, fifty
caliber. Dorrington thought it best to stay around camp for
tw'o or three days. Crazy Horse's band were not all gone
yet, some of them having been seen sneaking around.
Sanger seemed to think this was a good time tO' fin
ish his book, so he spent lots of time on it. One day
"wliile he was aWay someone broke into his box and got
out the manuscript — there was lots of it, too. Four or
five of the boys took it out of camp so as to read it. Of
all the roastings a man could get us fellows got it from
him. He might have gotten away with it if he had not
called us by name personally. It called us the scum of
creation, rowdies and thugs, in fact everything he could
think of. However, the boys said he had not mentioned
my name. The fact is I was supposed to be neutral, as
I had never sassed him and he really became friendly
enough to come and talk with me.
The men brought it back and showed it to Dorring
ton. He asked them what they were going to do with it
and one said "bum it up,'' which they did.
When Sanger showed up he noticed his box broken
into and he missed the manuscript. He immediately
'w'ent and reported it to Dorrington. Fred said "I can't
do anything, I suppose they read it, and found some
thing they did not like and they burned it. You ask
Poland.

34 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE V.
EDUCATION OF FASTENER CONTINUED WITH ZEAL
So that evening Sanger said to Poland, "What right
had you to break into my box and get my manuscript?''
P<>land said "I wanted tO' see Avhat you were writing
about, and I found you were calling me all kinds of
names, that we seemed to be a kind of a bunch of prize
fighters and rowdies. May be you are right about it, but
if you open your mouth again about that book I will put
a head on you and show you if you can AVrite such rod
about me.'' Sanger said, " I should have some protec
tion in this camp.'' Poland said, "You will get some
right noAV,'' and with that he hauls off and punches him
in the jaw. Slanger did his best They clinched and
rolled around quite a while. But he was no match for
Poland and we finally had to separate them or Poland
AVOuld have killed him. As it was Ave had to help him
to his tent and it took him a couple of days to recuperate.
The Frenchman, or squaw man, came to bid mc
good bye, and said "Hoav much do they OAA-e you on this
job? I will make it good with you and Avill give vou six
horses to start on if you will come Avith me. I would
like to have you in my camp. I w-ill teach you in a
short time to talk the Indian language. I have two
daughters and would like to have you around.'' "Oh,
yes,'' I said, "I would make a fine target for some of the
young bucks to take a shot at.'' "I will guarantee you
they won't,'' he said, "and that you AV'ould soon get in
Avith the Indian Agent at Pine Eidge and make lots of
money. "I told him I had other prospects in sight and
would not gO'. What a great chance I had to become a
squaw man, but my stomach Was not strong enough. He
seemed to be very much disappointed over losing such .-i.
prospective son-in-law anyhow.

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 35
Finally the Indians bid us good bye and away they
went and we finished our work.
Sanger was very mild now. No more kinks in him.
Our lang-uage was now all right and he never criticized
or complained. Along about the first of October we were pretty
well do'ue. The soldiers bid us goodbye and told us
there would be no more trouble as Crazy Horse's band
was out of the district and a few days afterwards Ave
followed them. We were through.
Nothing much happened afterwards so I will take
this bunch home as soon as I can. We struck out for
the Sidney road and when we reached it some of the
boys danced with glee. They were tickled to see some
signs of civilization again. We were walking along in
a group, Sanger and I being close together, when a fel
low came along and gave him a slap on the back as
hard as he could and said, "Sanger, you old son of a
gun, how do you like this crowd?'' He said, "They are
not so bad, some pretty good boys in the lot.'' My, what
a difference in th.'ii man in six months. He had learned
more in those six months than he did in all the time at
Harvard about the ways of the world, and the book.
which he undoubtedly Avrote afterwards, might have been
pretty good. The last I heard of him he A\'as principal
of a high school in a town in southern Nebraska,
We arrived at Sidney about three o'clock in the
afternoon and Dorrington made arrangements for two
cars to take our stuff down to Omaha. We were to dis
mantle the wagons and leave that night. He called me
to one side and gave me two ten dollar bills and said, "I
will loan you thih' you might need it before you get
through.'' I too]: it. McMackin w-as supposed to be
in charge of the party as Billy Wells, George Fairfield.
Sanger and Donington tO'ok the first passenger train
east and left us at Sidney. There was hardly any money

36 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
among the boys AVe camped close to the railroad and
the bunch went (If down tOAVli. They would all go in
a place and order drinks, but never pay for them'. The
bartenders would size them up, fourteen of them and
each carrying a Kjx-shooter, hard looking customers at
that, and of cour.>-e would not force them to make pay
ment. , We met Serg. Molloy there and he told us we were
a fine lot of boys. McMackin did not drink anything
and with Av'hat lielp he could get started to take down
the wagons and load them on the cars. We were to
leave about ten o'clock that night on a freight train
We got our supper for those that were eating (some
were only drinking). The ones around the depot were
George Poysell, McMackin and myself. When it got
close to startin,g lime McMackin commenced to round
up the boys.
He would bring in two and go back for more. AVhen
he came back A^-ith two more the first two would be
gone. He was getting pretty well Aviorried about them
and so asked Po.>'sell and me to help. Poysell was a
fighter and between us we managed to induce most of
them to come doAvn to the cars. Fifteen or twenty min
utes before train time we had them all except Poland.
He was over by a wood pile along the side track and
would not move for any of us. He wanted to fight ev
eryone that came along. McMackin said to me, "Can't
you do anything ->vith him?'' Told him I AA'Ould try. I
had a pint bottle and Went over to keep an eye on him.
He was fighting drunk. I said, "Come on, John, let's
get ready." "Who are you," he said and with that haul
ed off as if he was going to kill me, but I ducked to one
side and he fell doAvU. He said, "That will do.'' I said,
"Come on, sit up and take a drink..'' I held the bottle
for him and he took three good drinks. He then tried
to get up but couldn't make it and I let him lie there. I

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 37
knew the drinks would work on him soon and he would
fall asleep. I Avent and told McMackin to get a couple
of boys and we would carry him in.
They were all lined up then and I just happened
to think I did not bid Serg. iMolloy goodbye. As I kncAV
he was down in a saloon I Avent to do it. We shook
hands and he said, "You had better stay with us and
have a goot time'', but I declined. All the soldiers Avere
feeling pretty good and when the train pulled out there
was so much noise in the room that I didn't hear it. It
left AVith ten or tAN-'elve of the boys in the caboose and
the rest of them in a hog car. A soldier came to me
and asked if I wasn't going on the train and told me it
had gone. Molloy and I went out and he said, "Why,
the train is coming back.'' So Ave walked down to the
depot and sure enough the freight was backing up, 1
heard some one calling my name when the caboose go<
to the platform. I boarded it and motioned them to go
ahead. The boys told me that after leaving they counted
noses and missed me.
We traveled all night and the next moming the
train pulled intoi Fremont. It was going to be there
quite a while and the train crew told us it would be a
good place to get breakfast. I guess the boys had the
train crew pretty well terrorized for they seemed glad
that we got O'ff there for a short time, anyhow.
McMackin went into a restaurant and asked the
proprieter how much he wanted to feed us — forty cents
a man. That seemed reasonable so we went in and
took seats. As fast as the ¦w'aitress could bring on the
food it was devoured. I saw these people would never
be able to feed the outfit so I went across the street to
another place and asked him if he could feed fourteen
hungry mien and do it quick. He said he could and
started in. I let him get a little start and then went
back for the gang. When I brought them in the tables

38 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
were piled high with food and the boys sure did go into
it. It cost me seven dollars. The boys wanted to know
where I got the money and I told them that Dorring
ton had furnished it.
We pulled out of Fremont before they got drunk
and reachel Omaha that night, unloaded our mules and
stuff and camped across from the depot. That night the
boys scattered around and by good luck they kept out
of jail. They all showed up in the moming, though,
ready to start. We crossed the river to Council Bluffs
and went down to East Plattsmouth, where we ferried
across on a boat called the President and landed at the
foot of Main Street. We all got in the Aviagons and
pulled off the boat. The mules seemed to know they
were home for of all the hee-hawing I ever heard they
did the best.

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 39
CHAPTEE VI.
YOUNG SEEKER AFTER FORTUNE MAKES START FOR NEW
ELDORADO — ARRIVES IN BLACK HILLS
During the summer Serg. Molloy seemed to be
AVell posted about army maneuvers and told me that
General Custer was at Cheyenne and that it was his in
tention to explore the Black Hills country to the north,
as it Avas reported that there was any amO'unt of gold
there. It was his, Molloy's, intention to go Avith Cus
ter. So along in the spring of '77 when the treaty was
signed with the Indians at Eine Eidge throwing open
the Black Hills for settlement I decided to go in as soon
as I could. A friend of mine, a cigar maker named
Fred Kohler, had accumulated about a AA-agon load of
cigars and thought the Hills would be a good place to
dispose of them. As the load was light I made ar
rangements tO' go with him.
We started out from Plattsmouth and got as far as
Fort Kearney Where we came up with a party from
western Missouri. They were waiting to get as large
a party as possible together before they started. We
organized a company of about eighty men, elected of
ficers and struck out for Sidney. From there Ave S'trucii
out north toi Fort Eobinson at Pine Eidge. From that
point we had to watch our mules pretty close to keep the
Indians from stealing them. The Cheyenne Eiver was
low at the time and We had no trouble in crossing and
soon pulled into Eapid City. ,
Eapid City was not much of a place at the time,
William Gramberg had a grocery store. Micky Mc-
Guire was running the International Hotel. The Amer
ican House was headquarters for the stage with .Tohn
Brennan in charge. There were Allen's and Pat Mur-

40 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
phy's saloon, and a few other places that I can't re
member. We pulled on towards Crook City in the vicinity
of where Whitewood now is. About ten miles before
we reached Crook we saw a wagon near the road and
after Ave arrived we found that there had been a party
out to that wagon and just brought in the bodies of a
man and woman. The Indians had killed them the ni.gh!
before and ran off with their stock.
After that we camped at Centinnial Prairie a few
miles north of DeadAVOod for a couple of Aveeks, AA'e
would walk into Deadwocd and see how things were go
ing on. There AA-ere about six thousand people there
at the time and about five thousand coming in and go
ing out each day. Placer mining AA-as in full swing on
DeadAVOod Creek, between there and Central.
Soon afterAvards Ave found a place on Sherman
Street, in the neighborhood of Avhere the Hospital i^
now. The gulch was covered Avith spruce AAhere we
made our camp. The place was full of campers, Sonr-
of them built their little tepees out of spruce bows. So
Ave had things much handier there than at Centennial
Prairie. I forget just how long it was before that that Wild
Bill was killed in the Melodian saloon, or just Avhen
it was that a Mexican brought in an Indian's head and
offered it for sale. Anyhow this had occurred before
I arrived. There was a preacher named Smith Avho
used to walk down from Deadwood to Crook on Sun
days to hold services. The Indians killed him one day
Anyhow a big crowd went out to the scene of the murdei'
and came back with the Indian's head,
I became acquainted with a man from Alissonn
who had driven bull teams from leavenwo'rth to Den
ver and he told me he was well acquainted Avith AA^'ild
Bill and how he got his name.

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 41
He said Wild Bill was a big overgrown boy when
he hired out to drive bull teams between Leavenworth
and Denver. The Indians were pretty troulilesome a'.
the time. Thej AA-ere along the Platte Eiver .about r.
hundred and fifty miles from Denver AA-hen lliey came
to a stage station and saw a Avagon there A\-ith a man,
woman and Iavo children in it. They seemed to Ite in
distress, as the Indians had driven away their cattle and
left them stranded. AA'ild Bill's outfit had cattle enough
to yoke up their train, but Avould not take this party
along. Well, anyhoAV, the big outfit camped close that
night and their emigrants tried to make arrangements
Avith the boss to train their Avagon in to Denver, but he
refused to do it.
The next morning the boss bullAvhacker gave oi-d-
ers to yoke up and pull out. AVild Bull kind of iiung
back near the emigrant's AVagon and the boss Ayent over
and told him to get a move on. Bill said, "Do you iu
tend to leave these people here, when you can just af?
well take them as not?'' The boss said, "I am pulling
freight, not emigrants, and you get a move on yourself
and start your cattle.'' Some of the other bull whackers
came up and Bill said, "You say these people will stay
here till they get some one else to move them, and you,
you big overgrown bully, it is you that will stay^'" and
out came his six-shooter and he put three shots in him.
So the others got together and placed Bill in charge of
the train and he gave orders to bury the ex-boss and
told the emigrants to get ready as he Avould take them
along. They drove into Denver and unloaded their good=
and Bill took the train back to Leavenworth. The par
ties that owned the outfit hired him to make another
trip, which he did. That kind of life was too slow for
Bill after that. He came to the Black Hills during the

42 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
gold; excitement and was quite popular. He wlas play
ing cards in the Melodian saloon one day, his back turn
ed towards the door, when McOall stepped in and shot
him. McCall was arrested and some of the men wanted
to hang him right off, but they finally decided to have
a meeting the next day to hear what he had to say.
McCall said that was the way Wild Bill had killed his
brother, that he ncA'er gave him a chance tO' defend him
self, and that he had made up his mind to kill Wild Bill
the same Avay. He put up quite a talk so they conclud
ed to let him go, but told him to get out of town. He
Avent to Laramie and Cheyenne and boasted of what he
had done. Mrs. Lake, the show woman who married
Wild Bill, offered a large reward for him. He was ar
rested and taken to Yankton, then the capitol of Dako
ta Territory where he was tried and in due season hung.
At that time it took a person quite a while to get
his mail in Deadwood. There wa'; one time I was in line
several hours before I could get up to the window. Aiv
oth'^r time while in line I siood behind a yoimg feiliAV
A\ho I thought I knew, but con'd not pbfe 'li^n A:rev
stud;' ing him for about an h^ni 1 asked if his naiiK! Avas
not Allen. He said it was, and "i!iat he A\'f. > from Joliet,
111. I told him my name and then he remembered me.
We used to go to school together. His sister was in-.'
teacher. His coat was all mud where he had fallen
doAvn and he was not any too sober either. I never had
much to do Avith him when I was a boy, as I did not
like him. He used to have his hair done up in cork screw-
curls like a girl and we called him a "sissy". Now the
boy had undoubtedly been well raised and here he was
in Deadwood looking pretty tough. He was expecting
money to go home with but he got no letter.
He had been prospecting on Box Elder Creek and
borrowed a horse from one of his friends, and that day

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 43
sold the horse to get money toi go home. That night I
went into John Manning's saloon, a big long building
lined with faro tables on each side. "The first thing I
heard on going in was "weigh in six hundred dollars,
weigh out four.'' I never was in a place where people
seemed so anxious to get rid of their money. I saw
miners in overalls after they got pretty full take our
sacks of gold dust containing five or six ounces and
give it to the bartender to set up drinks for the house.
AnyhoAA' I found my friend Allen in there staggerin.g
around against people, so I took him by the arm and
led him to a corner in the back part of the place. I set;
him doAA-n on a box and left him. As I looked back I
wondered Avhat his sister would say if she could see him
looking like that.
In those days Central City was the main camp in
the Hills. They had put up a ten stamp quartz mill on
the cement beds in the vicinity. It was free milling and
I understood it Avent about forty dollars to the ton. I
think it AA-as the Pinney Mill. Between cement beds and
placer mining things AVere pretty lively there. I work
ed a few days in the Hidden Treasure mine and about a
week in the DeSmet, as I wanted to post myself about
gold mining. I did not learn much, but it started me on
enough to spoil me.
From their camps in Deadwood the prospectors
would go out in every direction and come back and
pound rock till midnight. The country seemed to be
pretty well staked around Central and Lead, so I WenC
out towards Bald mountain considerable. I prospected
-with A. D. Clark (he had the Steward mine at the
time) but I could not get any free gold. All the ore^
around there seemed to be refractory so I let all the
claims I had go. Finally I went into a cabin A\-ith a
friend, which was quite an improvement over Spnice
Avenue, as we had a fire place, and a fireplace to
mle makes things more cheerful and homelike.

44 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
About that time provisions became very scarce in
Deadwood. The Cheyenne Eiver was too high for the
freighters to cross and everyone seemed to be afraid of
a famine. Flour went up to forty dollars a hundred
and Avte could get only a little in a paper sack at a time
I got a chance to buy five po'unds of corn meal at
thirty-five cents a pound and took it, but I Was not out
of flour. One Sunday I invited three or four of my neighborsi
to come and have dinner. I was just learning to cook
then, as you will see. I intended to make a com cake.
I had baking powder and soda and put a whole lot of
each in it, then a little bacon grease and stirred the mess
up and put it into a dutch oven. As it turned out it
looked nice, but smielled pretty strong. I called the
boys for dinner and they started in. They broke off a
piece of the cake as I was getting the coffee ready. They
took a bite and spit it out. "Great Scott,'' one fellow said
"What have you got in this?'' After they moved around
a while I concluded to bake a batch of hot cakes and
have dinner anyway. I threw the corn cake out doors
and "W'e had our dinner. The next morning the ground
was stewed with dead chipmunks around that cake.
They tried it to their grief.
One of the boys had been to Galena on a prospecting
trip and said there was a place called Strawberry Gulch
that Was riet., and w'anted me to go back with him a,na
try it. We made a rocker, put all our stuff in it and
started out on a nine mile tramp- on the trail leading to
Galena, carrying the rocker. On that trip where we
stopped for dinner I know I stuck my knife that I had
inherited from the survey trip in the ground and went
off and left it. I guess it is still there as I never could
find it.
We made camp and started to rock, but all we
could get was about a dollar and a half a day. We

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 45
finally made arrangements to get some boards and built
a sluice box. This would go about a dollar and a half
a day, too, and that seemed to be the best we could do'.
Now I know why we did not do better, our riffles were
not right, and we did not clean up often enough. The
riffles would fill up with heavy sand and rubies and as
the gold wa:s pretty flat it would flow right off on us.
So that would not do and we went back fo DeadAvo^i.
There were more people in Deadwood then than at
any other time I know of. I got pretty well acquainted
with a man on the trip coming into the country and he
seemed to be a pretty hard character. He had kept a
saloon in Springfield, Mo., and seemed to be like one of
those fellows who always had things their own way. I
met him one day just as he came back from Sand Creek,
where there had been quite a bit of excitement. He had
been drinking some and said, "Come on over and take
something with me." I forget the name of the place,
but it was right across the street from the Belle ^Jnion
Theater. We made our way to the bar, the place wa!>
full of people. He let a howl out of him like an In
dian and said, "I am a wolf, and its my turn to howl.
give us something to drink," and he got that yell off a
couple of times more. There was a small sized man
sitting down at the end of the bar close to the side Avalk.
I saw him get up and pick up something and start
around tOAViards us. He came right up to the big Mis
sourian and put his six-shooter up to his face and said,
"You howl once more and it will be your last hOAvl, and
put up that gun right away.'' That seemed to sober the
big m'an and he put up his gun. It seemed to tame him
for he walked out more like a sheep than a wolf. He
saw then he wasn't in Springfield, Mo.

46 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE VII.
BECOMES PROSPECTOR — VISITS RAPID CITY AT TIME OF
HANGING THREE HORSE THIEVES
I got sick soon after that and figured the water did
not agree with me. My friend McMackin was freight
ing in those days from Sidney to Deadwood and I
thought I would go doAvn to Eapid with him, thinking
the change would benefit me.
I got there a few days before a hanging took place,
where three horse thieves were hung. The next day after
my arrival there was a party seen out no'rth, about in
the neighborhood of where North Eapid now is. A
posse was organized, headed by John Brennan and
Bill Steele, who rounded them up and brought them in.
There were three men, one no- more than a boy, and
they were found with horses belonging to the stage com
pany. Some said the boy was innocent, that he had got
ten in with them at Sturgis and was trying to get back
home. However, he got his by being in bad company
They were put in a log cabin, and that night a gang
broke in, took them out and hung them.
I slept in Gramberg's store, as he was a friend T
had known, at Plattsmouth. I did not know there was
to' be a hanging till I was invited to go over to y\ hat was
afterwards known as Hangsman Hill, but T dcoUiK^d
the invitation with thanks.
The water from Clegho'rn Springs seeme:! to do me
good and so I stayed there a while.
I Avitnessed the greatest fist fight I ever saw lie-
iween two big men during my stay in R-a[ id. A man
had put up a tent close by and intended to ,='ta,y in Eapid
fcir a while, Hfe said he was from Chicago One morn-
i"g I saw him, and he asked, "Do you ovr any hogs?*'
I told him no. He said "I am going to find the man

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 47
that 0'A\-ns hogs in this town,'' and then came into my
tent, tore open a sack of flour and in fact just about de
stroyed all my grub. "I am going to make the man that
OAVns hogs pay for that," he said. He went into Mc
Guire's place and took a drink and went on doAvn the
street. Everyone he met he asked about the hogs. He
had been going around for about an hour when I saw
him again and asked, "Have you found him yet?'' "No,''
but I am on his tracks,'' he said.
We went in and got another drink, aud as Ave came
out saw a man crossing the street. My Chicago man
went out to him and asked, "Do you oaa'ii any hogs?"
He said, "No, but what's that to you if I do?'' He said,
"I am going to lick the first man I find in this tOAvn tlmt
ever owned a hog." Then the other man said, " I own
ed lots of them, start in on me." AA''alking over to whei*e
I stood the Chicago man handed me his coat and hat
and they AA-ent at it. Biff-bang, give and take, two men
that weighed OA-er Iavo hundred each, hitting one another
in the face Avith their big fists. They fought for AA-hat
seemed to me like fifteen minutes Avhen finally my man
stepped off the sidewalk backAvards and fell flat on his
back Avith the other man on top of him. He did not hit
him but said, "Get up and fight.'' The Chicago man
got up and said "You are a fair fighter, anyhow,'' and
they went at it again and of all the slugging I ever saw
they did it. Again the same thing occurred, he stepped
off the sidewalk and fell down, Avith the other fellow on
top. He said,- "Have you got enough?" "Well, it
seems I ain't making much headAvay so I will call it
enough." He got up and the other man AA-alked away
yelling like an Indian as he rounded the comer. The
Chicago man said "I think I found the man that OA\-ned
the hogs.'' He went in the saloon and washed the blood
from himself and in course of fif^e^n or twenty minuter
he got cleaned up and took another drink. He seemed

48 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
to be pretty sober, too. I think he left next morning for
leadwood. There was considerable mining goint:' on around
Eockerville and up on Eapid and Spring Creeks. I soon
got in with a party that had intentions of sinking a
shaft on bed rock a couple of miles north of .Eocker
ville on Spring Creek. I went with them and we es
tablished a camp and started in.
About seven or eight feet down we struck nice
looking gravel which went about five or ten cents to
the pan, and thought it would get better as we reached
bed rock. The waiter started coming in then and it
made it very difficult sinking. The gravel was not get
ting any better as we went doyvn. I did the panning as
the gravel came out and Av'hen we struck bed rock T
could not raise a color. So I said, "You fellows can
have my interest if you want it, I am through.'' I saw
that the bed rock was smooth and that the wash had
been too great and scooped everything out. On the high
bars there were some pretty good spots, but not enough
to justify much work. So I pulled out and w-ent to
Etockerville to try the dry diggings.
Eockerville was a lively little camp of about four
or five hundred men, all taking out a little dust, but
nothing very big anywhere. I have known the McGuire
boys, though, to take out ninety seven dollars to the
Avagon load. A man by the name of Coulsen had the
best I knew of, but I don't think he took out over six
or seven thousand dollars worth.
There was considerable prospecting done on the ce
ment beds that laid under the limestone, similar to the
ores alt Central. At one place there -w'as about four
inches of the bed rock that seemed to be pretty good:
but the balance of it was not of much account. But at
the time it was supposed that Eockerville was going to
be a great mining camp and so I located some cement

SI'LAIBR TIP FAlLLiS

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 49
claims, but never did much work on them as I did not
think it was hardly rich enough to pay.
In the meantime my friend McMackin bought the
ranch Avhere the Stage station AA-as located on Spring
Creek, twelve miles south of Eapid. He Avould very
often co'me up to see how I Avas getting along and I
would go down to his ranch quite frequently, I Avas
pretty young at the time and enjoyed visiting AA'ith my
old friends. I got pretty well posted on the diff'erent ores around
that camp and it was the reason of my saving McT^Iack-
in fifteen hundred dollars and one of his mule teams.
A party had some cement claims further north of
Bockeiwille and as McMackin was very enthusiastic
about mining, this party tried to- sell him an interest in
the mine. He shoAved McMackin some cement Avith free
gold in it and got him excited, but he thought he would
come and see me before he closed the deal. He brought
over some of the rock and I recognized it right off as
coming from a mine known as the Mineral Hill. They
had him pretty well salted and he did not Avant to be
lieve me. I said, "You come with me and I will shoAv
you where that rock came from," and he did. "Now,"
I said, "you can go over to that property and take sam
ples for yourself and you will have your troubles find
ing a color.'' That put him to situdying so he AA-ent over
and the party that wanted to sell gave him more rock,
but when he saw his chance he took some ore that they
did not see and came back to my camp.
Next morning we pounded up some of that rock
and never got a color, but the ore they handed him was
good. It seems they had taken a wagon load of rock
a while before from the Mineral Bill, so they had him
pretty Well salted. He said to me, "You saved me fif
teen hundred dollars, four mules and a wagon." That
did not hurt my friendship with McMackin any.

50 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
I did considerable prospeoting around Eockerville,
but could find nothing that I could make better w-ages
at, and that did not satisfy me. They were going to put
up a mill on the Mineral Hill, some men, named Doc.
Lapham, Judge Brown and others. Captain Jack was
supposed to own the spring around which there was so
much work going on. Lapham thought he would put his
mill there. Captain Jack w'as the discoverer of gold in
Eockerville and everyone conceded him' the right to that
little gulch and spring.
Doc. Lapham seemed to be a kind of overbearing
sort of a man and thought he could run things to suit
himself. When he started work on the foundation for
the mill Captain Jack told him that was his ground.
Lapham told him he owned the ground as much as Cap
tain Jack, and said, "You have no title and you have
not even recorded it, I will build my mill there whether
you like it or not.''
There AA-as considerable agitation going on for a
couple of days and the miners concluded to ha,ve a meet
ing and settle the question. Finally about three hun
dred men got around a box one night and the meeting
started by Doc. Lapham making a speech. He quoted
some of the mining laws and said he had a perfect right
to build the mill there and was going to build it whether
the miners liked it or not.
Captain Jack did not have any one to take his part,
but finally Bill Eoy got up on the box and said to Doc.
Lapham. "You talk about titles. Who has a better title
than old Captain Jack, over eighty years old, the man
that discovered gold at Eockerville, and who washed
out the first gold at this spring? Everyone in camp ap
parently but you recognizes his rights and I see you are
anxious to handle your six-shooter, and it seems as if il
is your intention to bulldoze the old man, and I am right
here to take his part. I will tell you that if you build

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 51.
a mill where you are planning you will have to settle
with Captain Jack and at any time you want to make
any six-shooter play you can make it Avith me.' All the
miners cheered and there was considerable talk .going
on among them. I saw Pat McCarthy having a kind of
little side meeting of his own close by, but they all
teemed to back up Bill Eoy. Lapham saw that if he
was to build a mill he would have to settle with Captain
Jack, and eventually did settle with him and built the
mill. There had been one term of court at Sheridan and
the next Was to be at Eapid City with Judge Moody on
the bench and Edwin Van Cise as state's attorney. I
was subpoenied on the grand jury, but did not Avant to
go down as I was sinking a hole for a placer about a
mile south of Eockerville. I did not think Bill Steele
the deputy sheriff, would find me and Would get some
one else. Apparently 'that did not work, for he came
over where I Was and told me I had better go, that the
court had already waited a day for me and I had better
get a hustle on or I would get into trouble. I got a ride
to Eapid with Steele and Av^ent right up to the court room
over the saloon in McGuire's building.
Judge Moody was pretty mad and asked me if 1
considered myself an honorable citizen of Pennington
.county. Told him I thought I w'as as good as any one
else, and then he said, "Then why do you refuse to
serve as a juror?" I told him, "Your warrants are only
worth two or three cents on the dollar and I understand
you are going to do business for Custer county and they
are bankrupt and I don't think I can afford the time."
He called Attorney Van Oise and asked if that was S3.
Van Cise said it was. That seemed to cool the judge off
and he let me down.

52 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE VIII.
ROAD AGENTS ENTER INTO PROSPECTOR'S S'TORY
The road agents held up a stage on the Cheyenne
road at Cold Springs in which, if I remember right, a
couple of men were killed. The Judge instructed us
to put a stop to that. I know I thought at the time
he had better go and catch them himself. These road
agents had pased Avithin five miles of Eapid City a
night or two before and a posse from DeadAvood and
Eapid caught up with them a few miles east of Eapid
and thought they had them surrounded, but next morn
ing the robbers were gone. I understood that Doc.
Whitfeld found a can full of gold dust which contain
ed about twelve thousand dollars worth that they had
thrown in the brush before they left camp. It was sup
posed that so'ine of them were Avounded, but they got
away all right. I heard that Whitfield got tAA'elve hun
dred dollars from the stage company for finding the
gold. The Custer county seat trouble came up before the
grand jury. The case was about moving the county seat
away from Custer to Hayward, which Avas afterwards
found to be not in Custer county at all. The records
were put in the postoffice. It Avas supposed that no
one would dare take them out of there, but Doc. Flick
and others came and took them back to Custer. The in
tentions were to haA-e Flick indicted. Ely, the sheriff
of Custer county, did not seem to have the nerve to go
and arrest him in Custer. There were underground
wires in those days and Flick' knew he was coming So
when the bad looking man stepped to Flick's house and
opened the door he ran up against a gun. Flick said,
"Put your gun on the floor, what do you want?" "T
came to put you under arrest." "Well you don't ar-

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 53
rest me. You go back to Hayward and tell Ely to come-i
and arrest me himself, and if I see you around and
your hair is not cut I will cut it for you Avith a knife."
He shoved him to' the door and told him to go. We
found no bill against Flick, but the bad man Avas there
as a witness. He had his hair cut, though. I made hiin
tell what Flick told him about his hair, for I heard Avhat
happened before. Doc. Peirce, the Black Hills humor
ist, was on the jury and he and I took quite a bit of fun
out of the case. According to my motion a man who
can't laugh don't amount to much.
Doc. Flick was quite a politician and took a hand in
most everything going on. I believe he was the firs.'
representative from the southern hills to the legislature.
He was knoAvn to be quite a poker player and I think
he was a pretty hard man to bluff.
I did quite a bit of prospecting that fall around
Eockerville and used to haul dirt with a yoke of cattle
that belonged to McMackin. A good many people would
get off the stage at McMackin's to go to Eockerville and
HayAA-ard as it was closer than Eapid. I remembei'
taking over two women at different times, a Mrs. Bord -
man and a Mrs. Engle. They Avere told I might take
them over as there was no stage or any other way to gel
there. One morning I yoked up the cattle and drove over
to the house to get one of them. "My goo'dness,'' she
said, "do I have to ride in that rig?" I said, "No, you
can stay here as long as you please, but this rig is go
ing to Eockerville and to accommodate you I might take
you to Hayw-ard AA-here your husband is, but I am not
carrying passengers as a rule." She said she would
go. I had the steers well broke so Ave started out on a
fourteen mile drive. It was about ten o'clock then and
I had to hustle to get to Eockerville that night, so f
made the cattle trot. "Oh, my,'' she said, "they will

54 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
run away.'' I said, "I hope they do, we wiill get there
so much quicker." She kicked all the way and I saw
something had to be done with her, so when I caine to
a hill where I knew I would have to A^^alk I told her she
had better get out and walk for a while, too. Slhe said
"I don't think I can walk in that rough road." I said,
"I think it advisable for yoii to get out as the w^agon is
liable to tip over mating the turns." She got scared
and decided to get out. She must have walked a couple
of miles and the roads were in a pretty bummy eondi
tion, too.
"I wouldn't live in this country,'' she said, "if you
gave me all the gold in it." I said, "You will get there
after a while. You are too high toned. You are ashamed
to ride in this rig that is all. When- we get clO'Se to town
T will fix it all right." "What will you do?" "Why, I
will get on one of the steers and ride, they will think
you are a great lady coming to to'w'n.'' When Ave got
close to tOAvn I got out on the tongue and mounted one
of the animals. Of all the begging I ever heard she did
it for me to get off, which I did when we came to town.
She was sitting in the wagon box and it Avas about dusk
when I drove up. I stopped and inquired for her hus-
hand. Apparently he had been Watching for her for
he went up to the woman, recognized her, lifted her out
and commenced to kiss her. I walked up to him with
my whip and said, "Hold on, what are you doing?" He
said, "It's all right, this is my wife.''
The other woman made about the same kind of a
fuss. So I had a night drive of about eight miles to
Eockerville. McMackin spent part of the time with his
freighting and part of the time on the ranch. He had
the mining fever pretty bad so I told him if he would
come over we would go and try a new place. He came
with his nephew, Joe Fairfield, (the same boy who was
on the survey) and a couple of other boys. We went

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 55
out a few miles west of Eockerville and started a hole.
We got dowji to where the water commenced to bother
us that night. I did not think we would be able t^fln-
ish it on account of the water.
I told Joe Fairfield that night that I did not think
much of it. He said, "Let'si salt Mac and have some
fun.' I told him I could do that easy.
We started to work next moming and got down to
where the Water came in too fast. I had some gold dust
left that I got at DeadAV^ood. It was retort gold. They
Wlould smash up the retort into fine gold and pass it for
monev I put a small piece in my mouth, about a dol
lar's worth and as I was panning I spit it into the gravel
I was Washing. McMackin got a sight of it while I
was panning and said, "Why, there is lots of gold in
there.'' I said, "I guess not,'' but he said he saw it
and I had to hurry and pan it dovvn. Sure thing, there
it was. The other boys all knew about it. He was sure
ly excited and I felt sorry for him, but I could not very
well say anything as I promised Joe that we would have
some fun wtih him.
They went on home that night and next moming
McMackin was back bright and early and said, "Did
you salt me?" I Said, "Any man that will be salted
¦with retort gold in working a placer deserves to be salt
ed and the sooner it happens the better, w-hile it is cheap.
You know the other dose you came near getting. You
don't know enough to invest in mines.'' "But,'' he said,
"it cost me twenty dollars. I bet Joe that much that
you -would not salt me,'' I told him that was cheap for
the experience.

56 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE IX.
CAPTAIN JACK AND THE SAGE HEN ENTER THE SCENE
AVITH GUN PLAY
There Avas a new strike made a few miles north of
Eockerville, which was knoAvn as the Mclntyre diggings
on Deadman's Gulch. I thought I would go over and
see how things looked. There were eight or ten parties
digging in the dry gTilch. I know there was a woman
who had a little child about three years old. She was
taking out dirt and rocking it. HIer husband had a
yoke of cattle and he would haul dirt for the other peo
ple. One day a man showed up in camp Avith his red
hair braided down his back. He said his name was
Captain Jack from California. He started in to tell
some wonderful stories about being a great shot. While
he Avas eating his lunch near the camp fire I saw a
hawk light on a dead limb about a hundred and fifty
yards off and I said to him, "If you are such a crack
shot let's see you kill that hawk." He took his gun,
sA\ting around a little and shot, paying no attention
whether he killed it or not (but he knocked it dead),
and went right on with his story and seemed to ignore
me entirely. He told us there were lots of bear around and that
he was going to get one that afternoon and said I could
go along if I cared to. I had no gun but an army Colt
six-shooter, but he said he would kill it. We went oif
about a half mile and sure enough A\'e saAV a big bear
coming down the side hill right tOAvards us. There AA-as
a big dead snag close by, pretty rotten at the butt, so
we couldn't get behind that. Finally he shot and the
bear stood up on his hind legs and communed to o-o
around in a circle. Be shot again and glazed the bear

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 57
in the head and apparently he saw Avhere Ave Avere and
started for us. He would faU dOAvn, turn a somer
sault and keep coming. Meantime Captain Jack gaA'e
him another shot and the bear got as far as the snag
and knocked it over and the way he made the splinters
fly Avas a caution. He died claAving the snag.
We Avent back to camp and got a yoke of cattle and
brought him in. All the Captain Avanted Avas the hide.
1 Avas to get a quarter and the balance Wias to be divided
up among the others. Captain Jack was a great bloAS'-
heart, but made good just the same.
I did not find anything good at Mclntyre's and so
went back to Eockerville.
One time I went down the gulch that led through
Ei.ckerville and sunk a hole. When about six feet down
I thought I had bed rcok and all I could get was about
ten or fifteen cents to the pan.. That would not do. I
thought it Avas strange anyhOAV that it was so shallow.
I AAias right on a big slab of limestone laying flat, so I
thought I must be on bed rock and quit it.
Later on an old man named Counts showed up at
Eockerville looking for a place to prospect and told me
that H. B. Leonard and some one else had outfitted hira
to prospect around there. He said he was an old Cal
ifomia miner, but I could see that he did not know any
thing at all about mining. He could not handle a pan
of dirt. I made him tell that he was raising potatoes in
California. Anyhow he went down and got into that hole I
sunk and drifted off towards the channel and sank it
doAVn further, and it was rich. He took a pan of dirt
and in shaking it around he got the gold on top and
picked it off, but he got excited and told all about it at
Eockerville that night. I heard about it, but would not
believe it.
Next day some of the other boys went down am^

58 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
saw that it was so. One fellow said to me, "Come on
down and get a claim, it sure is good, I saw it.'' So the
next day I went down. Counts was there beside his hole
and I asked him if I could have a pan of dirt. Hte said,
"Certainly." There Was some water' close by and I went
and panned it doAVn. It went about a dollar and a half
and looked as if it might be rich in the gulch. I thought
I had better go down and take a claim.
I started on down thinking as I went it did not pay
to be too smart, for I could have had a claim right be
low him if I went down right away. I went along about
a half mile and staked off a claim. I met dozens of
men going doAvn to stake claims below on my way back.
Next day I went doAvn to sink a hole, but felt pretty
cheap. I started in and AA-ent down about two feet. An
old man came along just then and said, "It is too bad
I have got to go a mile below here before I can get a
claim." I said, "No, you don't, you have a claim right
here,'' and I threw out my pick and shovel, rubbed my
name off the notice and put his on and said, "This is
your ground. A few weeks after that he sold it for two
hundred dollars. That is what I got for being too
smart. I had another claim south of town close to the
Avagon road between Eockerville and Hayward and I
started in to take out a few loads of dirt.
One day while working a peddler was going by
selling butter and eggs and was on his Aviay back to Ne
braska. He did not finish selling all his stuff, so I got
out of the hole and asked what he had. Said he wanr
ed a dollar a dozen for eggs and a dollar a pound for
butter. I told him I had nothing but gold dust to pay
him and that I could guess it out if he was satisfied. He
said, "All right, I will take it as T want to take some
gold back home." I tore a leaf out of a book I had and
put in about a dollar and a half worth of dust and said

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 59
I would take two pounds of butter and two dozen eggs.
He asked how much I thought I had there and I told
kirn about four dollars worth. He took it and drove oft".
I allowed I paid him enough for the goods any
how. I put the butter in the breast of my shirt and
distributed the eggs in my different pockets. I was
pretty well loaded, but wanted to take my pick and
shovel home. They AVere leaning against the back of
the pit and I had undermined the side, so when I reach
ed over to pull them out, doAvn I went head over heals
to the bottom with my load of butter and eggs. Talk
about your mess, I was right in it. I got out again
and started for my cabin. I found I had a dozen good
eggs yet and though the butter was pretty well smashed,
it did not hurt any. I said to myself, "That's what
you get for trying to beat people. You got paid back
before the man was out of sight.''
I was interested with two other men in a quartz
claim, but we could not get a color. The hole was down
ten or twelve feet, but the other boys thought it would
get good as we went deeper. One old miner told us,
"The gold may be fine and you don't save it, so get
some quicksilver and put a few drops in while you are
panning and then put the pan on a slow fire and evapor-
at the quick silver and you may get something."
Sure enough when we tried it with the quicksilver
the pan was yellow around where it had evaporated off.
The boys got excited about it and wanted to do some
Avork on it right away. It did not look right to me
though. They kept bothering me for a week or so to go
lo work and sink a shaft deeper. One day I put in some!
quicksilver -without any pulp at all and got the same
kind of a prospect. I saw that the gold came from the
quicksilver. It had been used before and was charged
Avith gold. VThen they asked me to go to work again I

60 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
told them that they could have my interest. I finally
tfdd them the gold came out of the quicksilver.
I got word from McMackin to come down to the
ranch as he av anted to see me. There were a couple of
young fellows there that night, AA-ho had their own team,
and told about a Avoman down on Battle Creek about ten
miles south of the Sidney Eoad. She threatened to kill
them because they would not eat what she had cooked
for them. AnyhoAV they were joking one another con
siderable about it. I heard the next day just Avhat hap
pened. Dave Madison was freighting between Sidney and
Eapid and had a women we called the Sage Hen who
used to go along with him. She would generally stay
down on Battle Creek till he unloaded at Eapid and
then go back with him.
She Avas at Battle Creek this day and didn't have
i'U over supply of provisions when these tAVO' fellows
came in and ordered dinner. She had a piece of bacon
boiling and said she did not have much, but they agreed
to take whatever she had. She went out towards the
bam to get some greens, what we called lamb's quart
ers. She put them in the pot with the bacon and made
some coffee. The two young fellows were poking fun
at her all the time. Finally she announced dinner.
I'hey went up to the table and drank the coffee, but said
ihey would not eat the greens. She had a big six-
shooter under her apron and said, "You will eat those
greens and you Avill eat every bit of them,'' as she pulled
the gun out,'' and don't delay much about it, either, as
I got no time to fool with smart alecks." She walked
backwards and forwards and it seemed to be her turn
to do the talking. They finally went after the greens
and cleaned them all up and told her they had eaten
everything. She said, "Now you pay me a dollar a
piece and the next time don't be so fresh when you

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 61
come to a stranger's house to eat.'' They got out as
quick as they could, I AA'as told.
That fall the Cheyenne Indians broke away from
tJjeir reservation. The soldiers rounded them up at
Fort Eobinson, but they were so unruly that they could
not hold them. One night they broke out and started
north. In trying to round them up again the soldiers
killed over a hundred and fifty of them a few miles out
(;f Fort Eobinson, but the balance of them got away
They Avere finally rounded up in Wyoming in tb(^
neighborhood of the Custer Battlefield and when they
brought them back they came by way of Eapid City,
They were hard to manage as they were a thieving and
dangerous lot. They were supposed to make camp on
Spring Creek.'
I happened to be going to McMackin's that day and
got down pretty well in the foot hills> when I heard
.'¦omeone talking on the other side of a little ridge. I
crawled up on my hands and knees and peeked over. I
saw five or six Indians and pulled in my head like a
mud turtle, and in looking around again saAV several
small parties that seemed to be coming right for me. I
started in the opposite direction and got into a thicket
and in so doing seemed to have stirred up about a mil
lion mosquitoes that were in there. They swarmed
around my head. I tied my hcindkerchief around, but
that did not seem to dO' any good. After ten or fifteen
minutes I concluded I would just as leave have the In
dians take my scalp as to be eaten alive by mosquitoes,
so I struck out for the high ground. When I looked
back I could see several small bands of Indians in the
neighborhood of McMackin's ranch so I went back to
i-lockerville.

62 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE X.
Prospector catches Coyote at great risk — Kas
inger COMES INTO THE STORY
I was uneasy about McMackin and Avent down in
a few days. The Indians were gone. Those Indian,
A\ere a bad lot and seemed to have a chip on their
shoulder, always looking for trouble. They took all the
canned goods and Avhat few groceries McAIackin had in
sight, but he had his whiskey hid so they did not get
any of that. He told me that one of the officers paid
for everything the Indians took. Some of the Indians
had big rolls of bills Avhich I suppose they had taken
from the settlers.
AA^inter was coming on and there was something do
ing all the time. The Indians were particularly bad
The big freight outfits like Pratt & Ferris, Evans & Hor-
nick, drove ten mule teams and teams made up of ten
yoke of cattle, with outriders on each side as they travel
ed. One man Avho was traveling alone came along with
a six mule team. McMackin was gone and Joe Fair
field and myself were running the place. As this man
got about two miles away we heard quite a bit of shoot-
ijig. There Avas a couple of Indians laying down be
side the road and they started in shooting at the lone
freighter. They shot down one of the mules and sm
the man got out of the wagon he was shot in the shoul
der. He got back in the Wagon as quick as he could but
could not use his gun. Joe and another man who was
with us, rode out to AV'here the shooting was going on.
This man saw them coming and thought they were more
Indians. AH he could do was to swing his gun around
with his good hand, and he said afterwards that if he

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 63
could he wiould have shot them for Indians, as he was
pretty well rattled at the time.
Fairfield rode into Eapid for assistance, but he got
into a poker game with Bradley, the road agent, and
vtthers and forgot to come back. That afternoon Frank
xMoulton, the sheriff of Pennington comity, and Bill
Steele, his deputy, came over to the ranch and told me
^Jiat I had better move into Eapid and that they would
send a rig after the woman who Avas cooking, as she had
a baby about a year old and was aAVfuUy scared. I told
them to send for the AVoman, but that I did not intend
t(.i go, as McMackin had about two hundred tons of hay
and quite a little stock of goods that I did not intend to
go off and leave. Then they Avent back.
Several small bands of Indians hovered around east
of the ranch at the time. Late in the afternoon I looked
off to the north in the direction of Eapid and saw three
Indians standing on the edge of a bluff. The Indians
teemed to have their hands over their eyes looking
tOAvards the ranch. I looked pretty close and saw
three horses coming right for the place with bundles
tied on their saddles. To me it looked as if the Indians
Ayere laying for them so I thought I would commence
operations. I got out my gun. It yyas a big Eeming
ton with a Hawkins barrel, weighing about sixteen
pounds and shot one hundred and twenty grains of pow
der. I took rest on the comer of the house and aimed
six inches above the middle Indian's head. They were
standing close tO'gether and I let go.
The woman was walking around carrying her baby
looking on. She said, "Why, you killed all three of
them.'' They all dropped, anyhow. The bullets must
have gone pretty close.
The horses by that time were quite close and as T
did not see any Indians I went and opened the corral
gate. They were coming right on and I tried to head

64 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
them off so they would go in, but they struck a lope and
went on right by. Shortly afterwards a party came
from Eapid to take the woman. He wanted me to go,
too, but I wasn't scared then, so I would not go. But
there was a time during the night when I wished I had
gone. The stocktender had strict orders to stay in the
iiarn and Avatch the horses. He was off about two hun
dred yards from the ranch building close to the corral
There was one window' looking out on the road from
the main room so I made a shutter, and put it on the
outside so that no one could see a light inside. As it got
late T commenced to get pretty uneasy myself.
It AA-as a nice, still night and I could hear things
quite a distance. I walked the floor till about eleven
o'clock trying my best to scare myself, thinking the In
dians would slip up and set fire to the hav and when
I w-ent out of the house they would get me. for I knew
Ihey were not very far off.
Many a night before that freighters would come up
and camp close by, but this night none showed up. I
thought I would lay down and loosened mv belt of
cartridges, put my g'un handy by and my six-shooter in
my holster on the bed. I must have lain there about an
hour expecting something to happen every minute. I
then thought I heard the hoofs of horses walking on the
road close by and as I listened the sound became clear
er. Shortly afterwards I heard voices at the door and
just about the time I Avas sure there was someone there
my heart commenced to beat so loud that I could not
hear a thing and I couldn't get up either. After a bit
I made a supreme effort tO' sit up in bed and I think my
heart went back to its right place. I got up, tightened
my belt, took my gun and walked towards the door.
There I listened.
Sure enough there was talking, but I couldn't un-

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 65
derstand a word. I stood there about two minutes and
then heard a noise in the kitchen, probably a mouse
knocked down a tin plate from the table or some such
thing. Well, I thought that they were getting in from
the kitchen and I concluded to fight my way out the
front door.
The key was in the lock and as my gun had a set
trigger I would sure get one of them as I w-ent out. I
turned the key and pulled the door wide open and
pushed my gun out against the breast of one of them.
The color of his hair and his whiskers were the only
things that saved his Ufe. I said, "Come in here," and
marched him over to the fire place and said, "Sit down
and blow them coals.'' He got down and soon had a fire
blazing. I went out and marched the other one in. By
that time I had some light and said, "What in hell are
you fellows doing here at a man's door in the middle of
the night when the country around is full of Indians?"
One of them answered. "Oh, please, mister, don't shoot.
we lost our cattle and are camped five or six miles doAvn
the road We thought they came this way and that you
might have seen them." I said, "Don't you know that
the country is full of Indians?'' He said, "We thought
maybe they stole them.''
Well, I was greatly relieved and felt myself to be
four or five inches taller than a few minutes before and
I gave them a good piece of my mind. They wanted to
stay for the night so I told them to put their horses in
the corral. I never wanted company so bad as I did
that night.
They started out next moming and found their cat
tle. They drove up to the ranch and stayed another
night. They were Swedes I think and could not talk
very good English. One of them said, "I never was so
badly scared in my life as when you punched me with

66 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
that gTin. ' "Well, 1 said, "I felt a bit uncomforta.ble
myself about that time.''
Shortly after that I think I did the most foolish
thing I ever did. A party was there from Eapid and
Eockerville and gambled all night. Joe Pairtield Avas
supposed to have charge of the ranch at the time but
i was up all night, too. Along in the morning we heard
a coyote howling out by the corral where they were eat
ing on a dead mule. We set a trap and caught one by
the front foot. One of the boys went over and caoie
back and spoke about it.
I had got acquainted Avith a squaw man, a half-
breed French and Indian, some time before, and he
told me that if you took a switch and gave the coyote a
good beating, you could pick him up and Avalk off with
him. I told the boys about that and they gay > me the
laugh. One of them said, "I will bet you f v^ dollars
you can't do it." Told him I thought I cou'd, and he
said, "I'll give you ten to five that you can't d > it." He
spoke in a slurring way and it made me mad ' > I said.
"C'Ome on with your money and put it in t ;g paj^^.
field's hand.'' I put on my overcoat and gloyi's and told
them to get their rope ready. I cut a good s yitch and
about seven or eight of us AA-alked over, a^:;! ^ ¦.>ave the
coyote a good licking. "Now,'' I told Fairfiil-1, "You
put your foot on the trap when I pick him up and un
loosen him." I was afraid he would bite me in the
face but kept my head pretty close to his sh tulder. He
was cringing when I reached around him and Fairfield
let him out of the trap and I walked off with him. I
took him to the house and put a dog collar and chain on
him and tied a rope to the chain. One of the boys took
hold of the rope and We all walked out to the middle of
the road where I threw him down.
The fellow that made the bet with me got in the

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 67
way of the coyote and when he started to run he lost a
cJiunk out of the seat of his pants. I was kind of glad
of it, too. We tied the coyote to the corner of the house
Avith about five feet of rope and I went and got my
money. The coyote was fed fresh meat and was given wat
er, but he would not touch either and starved himself to
death. I also got pretty well acquainted with a man there
by the name of Andy Kasinger. He worked around
considerably for Mac putting up hay. He said he was
from Texas. I will have more to say about him later.
He told me he would not pick up that animal for love
or money. The same squayv man who told me about the coy
ote told me that he had seen about a half bushel of free
gold specimens about as big as his fist and the gold was
in a white quartz with particles as big as peas and some
as big as lima beans. That must have been immensely
rich. He said the Indians told him it came out of a
small ledge of quartz in the southern hills. There was
a range of mountains running kind of east and west
Avith a small stream running north. As this stream
emerged from the granite it came through a gorge in
which there were three falls. One of about seventy to
a hundred feet, and then a kind of rapids and fall of
about thirty feet. He told me if I could find that place
I wouldn't have any tro'uble' in locating the white quartz
ledge. I fO'und it later and will tell about it in due
time. The road agents were taking in the stage right
along, sometimes they would operate on the Cheyenne
road and the next night at some point on the Sidney
road. I remember one time a stage pulled in and a big

68 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
fat man and his boy got out. The fat man took off his
coat and vest and started to strip. The boy ran his
hand up his father's back and pulled out a good big roU
of bills that the old man had concealed in the fat of his
back between his shoulders. I know the smallest bill he
had was a twenty for I changed it for him. They had
a pretty good laugh on the road agent as he had taken
everything else they had. They were pretty well fixed
with that roll, though.
One afternoon shortly after that we thought w-e
would have some fun Avith the new stock tender, and
Fairfield said "Let's hang a man. I will fix him up and
you can go and tell the new man to come over to see
the road agent we hung.'' So he stuffed a pair of over
alls with some hay and got a blouse which he stuffed
too, he tied them both together and fastened on a pair
of overshoes to the legs of the overalls. He fixed it up
f'o that it looked pretty good. We tied it up to the log
that went across from wall to wall at the ceiling abou"
seven feet high. After we got it hung it looked like the
real thing.
The stage did not run very regular in those days
^Jid it was liable to come in at any time. So while wa
Avere standing there looking at our "man'' the stage
came in with a whiz and passed the window about a
Imndred yards and stopped. Two or three men jump
ed out and rushed to the ranch. I jumped up on a
chair and cut the effigy down. The fellows saw us do
it through the window and I kicked it under the bed,
l)Ut the overshoes stuck out. AVhen they came in to get
a drink they saw the overshoes sticking out. Then they
A\-ent out to the stage and rounded up the whole buncli
to come in and see what we had. Anyhow we took in a
i few dollars out of that crowd and they all got to see
what was supposed to be a dead mam under the bed.
They went on to Eapid and told about it.

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 69
I was well acquainted Avith Frank Moulton and
Bill Steele, the sheriff and deputy. They came over the
next day to the Spring Creek ranch. One of them en
tertained us while the other Avent looking around the
ranch for the grave. I thought I Avould tell ^Moulton
about the joke but did not at the time. So they Avent
back. The next day or so I saw Steele in Eapid and he
said, "How about you fellows getting a road agent
doAvn there?'' I said, "We haven't got any yet", and he
told me what he heard. I said, "Why didn't you talk
when you were down the other day and I would have
told you all about it." So I thought we had a good
joke on Moulton and Steele, too.
One day while I was in Eapid my friend, Fred
Herman, told me that he was going down to Platts
mouth. At the time he was clerking in Gramberg He
Schnasse's store and I thought he represented Sichnasse
?s he was not there at the time. He shoAved me a nice
revolver he had just bought and said, "Where Avould
you put it to keep the road agents from getting it?'' I
said, "AA-hat in blazes did you buy it for if you are
afraid they are going to take it aAvay from you. Leave
it here and I will send it to you by mail." "Well," he
said, "I have something else that bothers me more than
ihat. I have four or five ounces of gold dust and some
nice nuggets I want to take home,'' I thought if he
scattered them around loose in his pockets he might get
away with it, as I thought they were after pocketbooks.
He said he Would try it. He decided to go by Avay of
Cheyenne as he did not think the agents took in those
coaches as often as they did on the Sidney road. The
next day he left.
I saw him a year or so afterwards and asked how
he made the trip. He said, "Things went along all right
till we got to a place called Indian Creek between the

70 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
Cheyenne Eiver and Eawhide Butte, then the road
agents held us up. There were two women in the stage,
but the agents did not have much trouble with them as
they seemed to have all their valuables in their hand
bags and it was easy to pass them right over. They
said to me, "Here, young fellow, dig up, you carry a
pocketbook?' I didn't have much money in it but they
got it, next went m'y watch and they seemed to like my
hat. One of them put his hand doAvn my coat pocket
and came up against some of the nuggets. Then he
ordered me to take the coat off. He thought he liked
the looks of my boots, and then they went — his six
-shooter Avas not very far from my head at any time,
either. I stood there bare footed. Then he put his hand
in my vest pocket (and I blame you for that), and I
had some fine dust in there and then he ordered me to
take that off. He put his hand in my pants pocket and
found more gold. I thought, 'Here goes my pants,' bu^:
he let me keep them. The women gave me the laugh, I
know. They then ordered us back into the stage and
told us to move on. There were four in the bunch. We
went on to Fort Laramie and the officers dressed me up
a little. Gave me a pair of army shoes, a hat and coat.
From there we Went on tO' Cheyenne. At the stage sta
tion they bought me a new suit of clothes and gave me
a ticket to Plattsmouth, so I did not lose so very much,
but I hated to see the nuggets go.''
Not long after that McMackin got back to his ranch
and concluded he would stay the balance of the winter
and I went back to Eockerville. One day I thought I
Avould go down and get a deer. Usually when I would
get one he would haul it up to Eockerville A\-ith his
team. T did not have much luck on the way down and
decided to stay all night and go dOAvn the valley the
next day. McMackin warned me to look out as the In-

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 71
dians were troublesome and some had been seen prowl
ing around in the lower country.
In spite of McMackin's Avaming I started out in
the morning. When about two and a half miles down
the creek I saw something that looked like a buffalo.
Thinking I could sneak up on it I started down a dry
coulee. AVhen I thought I was far enough I found a
bend in the draAv and moved sloAvly and carefully along
Avith my gam ready. As I came out of the bend I saAV
a clump of bushes right ahead of me. Something
seemed to tell me to look out. Eaising my gun and
pointing it straight at the bushes I advanced. When
within fifty feet of the clump a big, burly Indian rose
and his blanket slipped partly off his shoulders, expos
ing his naked breast. He stared at me like a Avooden
man and held his rifle across his body, but not in my
direction. I began to think they had an animal as a
lure to trap me. So with my gun covering the Indian I
started to back away from him, giving him to under
stand that I would not start trouble if he Avas not looking
for it He did not move I backed up un'" I go.t be
hind a riise in the g'-ound sufficiently high to jirotect
me from fire and then turned and ran. I tell you I did
s; me tall luiini-'ag for a AA-hile,
When ' liad nut ^ good distanc<' iie vyeeii us and got
on high ground I looked around and saAV four Indians
in the act of putting their Jim CroAV saddles on their
horses. It was eAddent they intended to follow me, so
I took for the roughest ground and Avhere I could run,
you bet I ran. It wasn't long before the bullets com
menced coming from both sides, I didn't think they
could hit me but I didn't dare delay for I kneAV McMack
in was hard of hearing and might not hear the shooting
so I made every effort to get back to the ranch. When
ever I slackened up my pace to get my wind, the whiz
of the bullets urged me to move on. I loosed my collar

72 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
and Avith my belt loaded with cartridges and my fifteen
pound gun growing heavier and heavier and my wind
less and less, I made on towards the ranch.
Finally as I staggered up the brow of the hill, my
tongue swollen and dry and my breath coming in puffs
the buildings of the ranch came into view. McMackin
Av-as out Avith a field glass looking the country over try
ing to locate me. When I started down the hill he spot
ted me. He afterwards told me there were two Indians
on horseback on my right and tAVO more on my left. He
picked up his gun and in his excitement endeavoring to
throw out a shell he wedged it in the extractor makin.g
the gun useless. He came just the same swinging the
gun over his head and shouting for me to come on. But
I Avas out of breath and couldn't come any further.
When he came up to me he grabbed me and urged me
AA-ith great excitement to come on, but I told him I
was all in. His urging made me mad, and I said, "Why
in thunder did you come out here if you are afraid?''
My remark cut him like the sting of a Avhip. When I
got to the ranch the first thing I did was to go behind
the bar and take three big drinks of whiskey. They did
not affect me any more than so much water. McMack
in, after a few moments' silence while I AV-as regaining
my wind, remarked in a voice of injured friendship,
"You as good as called me a coAvard out there, just look
at this gun." He showed me the rifle With the shell
Wedged in it. I then said, "You are no coward, and I
know it,'' so we shook hands and the incident was clos
ed. For some time after my escape and Avhile I Avas
recovering from my exertion he AA-atched the Indians
ifhrough the field glass. They prowled around for a
while and occasionally came in the open and took a look
at the stage station and finally rode away.
McMackin kept a good watch for Indians on Spring

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 73
Creek and one day shortly after my foot race he decided
lie Avould go doAvn and see hOAV things were. The stage
company had a grey horse that Avas supposed to be fast
and he borrowed it to make the trip. He went about
four miles where there Avas a butte standing in the mid
dle of the valley. He tied his horse to some brush and
¦went up with his field glasses to look the country over.
Eight at the foot of the hill to the south,, he saw an In
dian headed tOAVards the ranch. He said to himself,
"Here's where I get you noAV." He shot and seemed to
liit the Indian in the chest. He dropped off his horse,
and the animal turned and ran back. McMackin ran
doAvn to where the Indian lay and put his hand on his
liead, as he intended to scalp him. The Indian jumped
up and let out an unearthly yell and blcAV blood all
over McMackin's face and shirt and then fell dead.
Mac looked down the creek and saAV a bunch of Indiaui
coming on a dead run so he hurried for his horse and
started home as fast as he could. They chased him a
teAV miles but could not keep up Avith him. When he
got to the ranch he washed his face and saddled another-
horse. and started for Eockerville to see me. He rode
up kind of excited and said, "I got one of those Indians
that gave you the chase, but the others gave me a good
chase, too,' and told me just what happened, I saAv his
shirt was all blood and asked why he hadn't changed
it. He said, "I did not think you wo'uld believe me if
did not show- you the blood." It was not the first In
dian blood that McMackin saw for he belonged to a
'Nebraska regiment that had seen lotsi of trouble with
the Indians during the war. He said to me as he was
getting ready to go back, "Frank. I never want to hear
another veil like that Indian gave.''

74 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE XI.
hebert meets up -with, party of road agents, but
didn-'t ask for reward
Along about that time the road, agents were pretty
active in the vicinity of McMackin's ranch. One Satur
day afternoon I decided to go doWn and spend Sunday
and see how things were going and figured I would
make a circle to the south and try for a deer. I was
t rave ling I'ight in the foot hills near a place called Eed
I]arth and was traveling for a butte that stood in there
As I looked up I saw a man rise and disappear on the
other side, I knew he saw me and thought that it might
be a road agent so figured I had better go and show my
self. " ]
Sure enough there was a party of four of them.
'^rheir horses were picketed out and they were all sit
ting around a fire. I did not like the looks of things
at all and thought I Avas heading right into trouble. I
knew the.v were expecting people to spy on them as
there was a big rew-ard for their capture. I walked
right up to them with a "Hello." They did not seem to
be very sociable but I sat dOAvn, anyhow. Finally one
of them said, "Where are you going?'' Told him to
McMackin's about four miles off. Then, "AVhere did
you come from?" "Eockerville." "What are you do
ing there?" "Placer mining.'' Making anything?"
"Oh, pretty fair." Got any gold dust with you?"
"Some." "Let's see it." So I took out a sack that had
about an ounce and a half in it. They poured some out
into their hands and examined it, but put it back and
Iianded it tO' me with the remark, "Have you got any
tobacco?" I happened to have two-thirds of a plug and
told them if they Avere out they could keep it as I could
get plenty where I was going.

40 YEAEiS IN THE BLACK HILLS 75
I thought it was up to me to make a pretty good
talk for it would not be much trouble to kill me and no
one would ever be the Aviser, so I tried to convince them
the best I could that I was all right. I stayed about a
half hour talking like a Dutch uncle and I saw that they
Al ere getting uneasy so I made up my mind to start. I
got up and said, "If you fellows are prospecting and you
come up to Eockerville I will try to put you on to some
good diggings where you can do pretty well, and if you
are out of anything in the grub line just come right ov
er to AIcAlackin's and you can get it there."
I felt a little safer after that for they did not seem
CO Avant me, sO' I thought I had better get a move on be
fore they changed their minds and said, "Well, I must
go now, I Avant to get there for supper, good bye", and
away I went. They never said a word and I never look
ed back, either, and did not feel safe till I had some
rought country between us.
, When 1 got to the ranch I told McMackin about it.
"Great Scott," he said, "We can get them, just see the
reward that is out for them,'' I told him he could get
ihem if he Avanted to, but I didn't. He said he would
try and went out to the corral and saddled his horse
A\'Jth the intention of going tO' Eapid. I told him, "You
are working this just right to get me killed. You try
to round them up right aAvay and they Avill know that I
put you on.' But nothing would do, he must go to Eap
id. Along in the night a big posse came out and som;
Avent with the stage and watched the road pretty close
betAveen there and Buffalo Gap. The road agents would
have gotten a reception that night had they taken in the
stage, but they did not attempt it.
McMackin went back to Eockerville AA-ith me next
day. He did not seem to think there would be any dan
ger but I was afraid they might take a shot at me.
There was a man in Eapid named Bradley, who did
not seem to do anything but gamble, and the common

76 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
talk was that he was an agent, but I never heard anyone
charge him with it. So one day when I had charge of
the ranch a freighting outfit came along from Eapid
and Bradley was along. He came in and ordered a
([uart of whiskey and said, "I have no change with me
to pay for this but I have a log chain in the wagon that
J will leave till I come back, that will pay for the whis
key." I said, "I don't want the chain, you are good for
a quart.'' I remember he urged me to take the chain,
but I would not.
He drove away and apparently left the train be
fore it reached Buffalo Gap and got in with the road
agents that night and held up the stage. Old Bradley
was bossing the job. Ed Cook, the superintendent of
the stage line, AA-'as on Bradley said, "Eoll out!'' A
few of them got out so he hollored again, "Eoll out'' !
and shot through the stage and took a piece off Cook's
ear. Cook jumped out ,and said, "Can't you give a man
time to get into his boots?" Bradley said, "AVhen I say,
'roll out!' roll out, I am Captain. Cook said, "Yes,
Bradley, I know that, I have knoAvn it for some tiuie."'
1'hey got a pretty good haul that time so I heard, and
that was the last time to my knowledge that the stage
Ayas taken in north of Buffalo Gap.
To the best of my knowledge Bradley was never
caught, but they got some of the others. I saw Fly
Speck Billy shortly afterwards when they were bringing
him in, but he lived long enough to be hung in roister.
Soon after I went up to see how things Avere at
Eockerville and returned to the ranch in about a week.
ilcMackin was gone and left his two nephews in charge.
I heard loud talking before I reached the house and
when I went in I found they were having trouble. One
of the boys said, "Here is the boss now.'' I saA\- a great
big fellow over six feet tall swinging his arms and want
ing to fight. There was a club behind the bar and I

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 77
got a hold of it and told him he had better get out. He
Ai-ent out into the road and said, "Now you fellows come
out here and I will clean up all three of }-ou.'' He had
two six shooters in his belt and as I did not see the ne
cessity of killing anyone for a few drinks I told him
that I would not go, but that he was not to come in. I
Avas brandishing the club in the doorway. He stayed
around outside for a half hour or so inviting us three
to come and fight any way we chose, with, guns, fists or
clubs. I thought it best not to accept the challenge, but
we guarded the door pretty close. Finally he went over
to his wagon and must have fallen asleep for we did
not see him again till morning. He came over with a
log chain that he had stolen from the station at Battle
Creek. He threw it down on the floor and said "This is
all I got, but I must have a drink.'' I thought that a
man got pretty desperate the next morning after a big
drunk, so the best way to get rid of him wa'' to gne him
a drink. I gave him a half pint and told him to clear
out. The next day I had occasion to go to Eapid on the
stage. I got in late and in those days we had our beds
t)n the floor wherever we could find room. That night
I went into the American House — ^the stage station. I
I)assed close to a man laying on the floor and recognized
my bad man. His face seemed beaten to a pulp. Evi
dently he found what he was looking for.
It was getting on to spring in '78 and I was watch
ing Eockerville pretty close, as Lapham was about
ready to start his gold mill on the cement. I was very
anxious to know whether or not they could make it pay.
They ran two or three weeks, but the reports I heard
about it were not very favorable. Finally A\-hen they
cleaned up it became known that it was a failure and so
I concluded to pull out and go to Eochford, as there was
a considerable stir there.
Apparently they had a rich prospect at Meyers-

78 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
ville and were working full force on the Stand By mine
and were talking about putting up a big mill. A. J.
Simmons was superintendent and told me the S'and By
Avas all right, so I located at Eochford. Also got good
reports from the mine they called the Montana arid -n-
other known as the Minnesota a few miles north on Sil
ver Creek. I prospected around there five or six weeks.
One evening a man came to me and said, "You are
here I see. You gave me a great old chase last winter
going from Eockerville to Spring Creek. I was a Gov
ernment agent and thought it was you who kept the
road agents informed, but I found you were all right."
AVe had a great laugh as I told him about the time I didi
find the agents. I said I did not give them much in
formation, but AA'as willing to tell them all I knew for
my visit with them might have turned out serious.
I met Kasinger there. He had taken up a ranch
on Silver Creek right close to the Minnesota mine. He
had a friend with him on the ranch named Barton, who
had come from Texas AA-ith him. They seemed very
friendly at the time.
Kasinger said, "Let's go into partnership, I got a
team and saddle horse and a wagon and we can go from
one place to another. You prospect and I will put up
all expenses and we will go halves.'' I agreed.
We heard of a strike being made on Box Elder in
the neighborhood of GreenAvood, Bob Flormann had a
crew of men working there. So I had Kasinger drive
me over Avith my outfit and told him to come back in
about a week. I went out and examined all the pros
pects and started working towards the south. The ore
on the surface showed up good in fine gold in a granu
lated formation. It seemed the deeper I went the poor
er it got, but at the time I did not examine it very close-

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 7;)
About four or five days after that while prospect-
ign to the south I was on a side hill looking down on
South Box Elder and saAV a ledge cropping out. I broke
off six or seven pounds here and there. I saw pyrites
in it but it Avas a fine looking quartz. I went back to
camp and pounded up that rock.
Next morning when I panned it I had about a tea
spoon full of metal, but I kncAV it could not be gold for
it did not look just right. In testing the) metal I dilut
ed a little nitric acid and left it in my pan all night over
the concentrate. I worked it dOAvn next morning to
-\vhere I Avas sa.tisfied it had some gold. When Kasing
er came I had him go and have some of it assayed. It
went three per cent copper and twenty-two dollars in
gold. I thought that Avas pretty good,
I concluded to move my camp down on South Box
Elder to be close to the mine. There Avas no Avay to get
in Avith a wagon, as the country was very rough with
down timber in every direction, but we got to the top of
the hill above it. I had a half barrel made into a tub
and got that down to camp so I could put my stuff in it.
It was a good thing I had it or I never could haA-e kept:
any grub. Kasinger helped me to make camp. AVe
threw some poles against a cliff and stopped up one end
cf it with logs, the other looking towards the creek we
left open. It was about the wildest country I ever saw.
Kasinger went away and said he Avould be back in
about a w-eek and he would hire some men to come and
help me. I busied myself the balance of the afternoon
making a bunk in one corner and in getting things
straightened out. As night came on I thought I saw
some pretty big animjals walking on the opposite side
of the creek, but when I got up to take a good look at
them they disappeared in the brush.
There was plenty of wood and I made a good fire,
fcr I knew there were plenty of mountain lions around
there. I also knew they were a cowardly animal and

80 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
did not think they would come and take me out of my
shack. I got some pine needles handy so as to make a
quick fire if anything happened. I went to bed, but
kept hearing them off in the brush. I must have had
something on my nerve for in the night I know that my
whole body raised up to what seemed about a foot and
down I came and woke up. I heard the brush crack
mighty close so I got up and got a good blaze going. I
thought to myself that Kasinger could not get that man
any too soon to suit me, for I didn't know just how
much of that kind of a life I could stand. I put in a
miserable night, but next morning when the sun came
out things looked better, so' I started to work. The
lu-ospect looked good and I felt first rate.
I came doAvn to dinner. The reef of rocks pro
jected out so I could not see the camp till I got pretty
close and then found a mountain lion in the shack. The
first jump must have been twenty feet and the next
took him out into the brush. Well, I figured I had
neighbors anyhow and they seemed tO' be afraid of me.
However, when I came back to camp that night, I made
it a point to move around and make so'me noise as I did
not want to surprise anything in the camp. I think iti
AA'orked all right.
That night I got two big logs and put them end to
end and built a fire between them so that it would burn
longer. Howevc T did not have any pleasant dreams
that night either, for I heard brush cracking and some
growling not many rods off. That was about the most
miserable week I ever put in, but after that I got used to
it and when Kasinger came back he had a good laugh
on me. He said he could not get a man but would bring
one out as soon as he could. We staked off several
claims. He stayed a few days and seemed to take a
great liking to me.
He took a trip to Eochford and while he was gone
I went off to make a little discovery on one of the

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 81
claims and saw that someone had knocked my notice
doAvn and put up another. In fact they had jumped
two claims. I knew the parties that did it. The.y
Avere both working for Flormann. When Kasinger
came back I told him about it.
After Ave had lunch he took his gun and started off
and I asked him where he was) going. He said, "I am
on my w-ay to kill two Dutchmen right noAV." I told him
that would not do and talked for maybe fifteen minutes
and finally said, "You are not entitled to do it, you don't
OAvn all the ground.'' "Well," he said "You are not go
ing to do any killing as long as I am with 3-ou." I told
him I did not want him to do any, either, while I was
around, unless it was absolutely necessary, and "You
stay here and I will go and tell them felloAVs to knock
their stakes doAvn and put ours back. If they don't do
the right thing I will come back and you can go and do
whatever you please,''
He cooled off by that time and I noticed that his
eyes when he was excited were red, they seemed to
dance in his head. I knew then that he had done some
thing in his life out of the common. I Avent off and told
those mem finally, "You can do as you like, but there
will be a couple of dead Dutchmen around pretty soon
if you don't go and take those notices and stakes doAA-n,"
They did not say much, but followed me as I went
away. I went by the place later and heard them knock
the notices off, so that settled that matter.

82 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
CHAPTEE XII.
mountain lions and kasinger's stories make life
interesting
Kasinger had a habit of getting up in the night,,
smoking and then going back to bed. One night t
thought I would get up and smoke with him. He laugh
ed and said, "Now what's the matter with you?" I said
"Oh, I killed a man, too'', and started in to light my
pipe. He must have laughed five minutes and I said to
him, "It's funny how it disturbs a man even after
years." Be said, "That's so, but there is only one man
that disturbs me, and that is the first one I killed. I
never told anyone about it before, but I Avould tell you
anything. "I was Avith a band of bushwhackers in Southern
Jlissouri (I forget whether he said it was Mosby or
Quandrille). There Avas a farm at the foot of a big
hill, with a small stream running between the hill and
the house. Tavo of us were ordered tO' go to that farm
and get all the grub Ave could. We kneAV there was a
regiment of soldiers camped close by and that they kept
guard. There was a party and dance on that night for
the soldiers at the farm,. We knew just what rounds the
guard made, from the smoke house to the corner of the
fence, and they would meet at the smoke house. We got
up close to the smoke house and of course dared not
make any noise. We had it understood we would work
together. I Waited till my man got close, then I reach
ed out and got hold of him and cut his throat from ear
to ear. My partner did the same without making much
noise. I went into the smo'ke house and loaded up Avith
hams and bacon. I Was to wait for my partner at the
creek. He went into the kitchen and found the table
piled high Avith cake, pie and sandwiches. He took the

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK BILLS 83
four corners of the table cloth and threw it over his
shoulder and came on and we struck on towards the
brush and finally got to camp and had a feast that night.
That's the only one that bothers me at all. You seem
tc be interested and I will tell you some more tomorroAV
night." Next morning I said to him, "You will have to go
and kill me a deer for this bacon is not very good." Be)
said, "You are a queer duck, some people live good on
Avhat you got. There are plenty of greens around and
you can boil some with the bacon.. Do you know there
is plenty of fish in that stream?" I told him to get the
lifeh if he thought he could.
Be took a fuse, a cap and about a third of a stick
of giant powder and Ave started up the creek a little
piece to where there was a beaver dam. Be tied a rock
to the powder, lit it and threw it into the dam and as it
exploded pulled away some of the dam so as to bring
the current his way. Sure enough Ave got twenty or
thirty. I forget now whether they were chubs or suck
ers. Anyhow they made good eating.
I was anxious for the next night to come but he did
not say anything and I did not want to press him. I
Avas glad to have him with me at night as I made him
sleep on the outside of the bed, so I felt safe and could
get a good sleep. The next night I was more anxious,
and when he got up to smoke I got up, too. Be laughed
good and hearty again and seemed to enjoy telling what
he had to say:
"As I was prowling around one day getting pointers
on the soldiers three of them rode right onto me and
started shooting. I turned three or four somersaults in
the thick hazel brush and lay down. I heard one of
<hem say, 'We got him,' but they did not come over to
fee whether they did or not. I was shot in the fleshy
part of the hip and it took a chunk out of the bone, T

84 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
lay there till it got dark and dragged myself down to
the creek. I was getting good and hungry by then. We
used to carry parched com in our pockets, in fact that
is what we lived on, most of the time, but I had eaten all
I had the, day before. Next morning when it was light
enough I unraveled some of my shirt and got some
1 bread. I found a pin of which I made a hook. There
Avere plenty of grubs and bugs along the creek and [
baited the hook. It wasn't long before I caught some
of those little fish, about three or four inches long. I
ate them just as they were.
"I then decided I Avould take chances and craAvl up
to Avhere I thought some of our boys were liable to pass
and kept a good watch. Finally I saw one of them and
Avhistled at him. He knew my call and came over. He
leaded me on his horse and we traveled along about
three miles to a cabin in a clearing in the back woods.
The clearing was about three or four acres and that was
about as big a farm as any one wanted in those days.
"The man who OA^-ned the place, was one of our
bunch and he had a wife and grown daughter. The
girl would parch corn most of the time for the boys.
They started to doctor me up. The girl took a great
liking to me after I had been there about a Week. She
had a lover, though, who was in our party and he got
jealous right off. He told the! girl, 'I don't like that
Kasinger, I want him to get well and get out of here',
but she took my part. I was getting along fine with my
wound, but to tell the truth I was in no huri-y to go. In
a couple of weeks I was well enough to go. Ber lover
told the girl that if I was there when he came back he
Avas going to kill me. The girl told me about it and so
I made up my mind it was either him or me. I saw him
riding across the clearing one day and went out with
my gun to meet him. Be started in shooting as soon as
he saw me, but his horse was plunging and he missed

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 85
me, but when I shot I got him. Be did not need any
one to take care of him either for he was dead. I AA-ent
and rounded up a party of our people and in course of
time we buried him."
I asked him if he married the girl, and he said "No,
1 got in with my party and never went back. I killed
eleven more besides those fellows, but it was just com
mon killing and I don't quite remember hoAV some of
them occurred."
"Well" I said, "That makes thirteen." He said"That
is how many I know I got before the war was over.
After the war I did not think it would be safe for me to
go back home, so a party of us went to Texas, and AA-hen
the Black Hills excitement started some of us came
up here.'' He wouldn't talk much about how he was raised,
but his mother died when he was young and his sister
kept house. Tavo or three acres was all they had and
that was all they Avanted. One time he said, "I Avas
hunting squirrels and went up to one of the neighbors
Avho I found loading everything he had in a Avagon. I
asked him why he was moving and he said, "There is no
more pine knots around here, I couldn't find one in a
half mile. Two miles away I found a place with good
Avater and plenty of pitch, so I move there."
I said to Kasinger one time, "You have been in
some dangerous places, AVhere did you get the worst
scare of your life?'' Be laughed and said, 'It was a
dead man that scared me the worst, and I never even
saw him. I' will tell you about it :
"After the war, as I said, we went to Texas There
was quite a rush of people going down there looking up
land. Lots of speculators and some of them were re
ported to have large sums of money on them.
"At the place I was staying there was a man killed
and buried close) by. He was supposed to hav" lots of

86 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
money on his person, but those that buried him said
they had not searched hun. After he had been buried
a few days some one came from' another settlement and
said that the man had lots of money in his clothes. Some
of the men around concluded to dig him. up and get
the money. The party AVanted me to help but I refus
ed. They AVanted to keep the matter quiet, too, so a
party went out at night with lanterns and started in to
dig. They got the top dirt off all right but when they
got down about a foot things commenced to go wrong.
A man would dig a little and quit and they could not
make any headway. There were four in the party and
each would say to the others, 'You dig'. Finally one
got in and started to work, but jumped right out and
started for toAvn. The others started after him and
Avanted to know what was the trouble. 'If you fellows
Avant to dig that man up go to it, I don't'. So they
left their tools and hurried to town.
"There Was considerable talk about it the next day
and some one said to me 'Kasinger, you go dig him up.
The chances are there is lots of money on him'. Some
one asked me if I was afraid and I told him I was not,
but did not like that kind of business. Several of the
men tried tO' make me drink more than I wanted that
evening. A friend came to me and said 'Let's go and
dig him up, .the whole bunch is scared and they say you
are afraid, too, I will go with you and we will show up
the cowardly bunch.' I did not like it, but said I would
go. "About ten o'clock my friend came over after me.
I noticed he had been drinking considerable and acted
pretty brave. When we arrived at the grave my friend
jumped right in and started to dig. He worked good
for a few minutes and then commenced to stamp his
feet, and said, 'Lie still, there'. He worked and stamp
ed quite a few times. Then the firstj thing I knew he was

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 87
standing right beside me. By the light of the lantern
he looked pale. He stuttered and said, 'You dig.' I
jumped in and commenced to shovel out the dirt. It is
a fact there was something thumping the ground under
my feet. I felt my legs getting numb and the first thing
I knew I either jumped or was throAvn out bodily.'' My
friend told me later he was throAvn out.
I told him that it was his nerves, that when a man
was dead he was dead. Kasinger was a man that had no
education whatever and I suppose the more ignorant a
man is the more superstitious.
He answered, "Have it your own way, I told you
my worst scare, but I got anO'ther that was almost as
bad. "One time I wasi out scouting and didn't find my
parties that night so slept in the woods alone. I lay
doAvn my back. I waited till I was well awake and
littlel from my body. I was very sleepy, but a big rat
tle snake crawled along and coiled up in the crook of
my arm, near my face. I didn't dare stir as I felt him
fixing himself. The cold chills were chasing up and
own my back. I waited till I was well awake and
when I got ready I made the swiftest move I ever made.
jumped up so quick the snake did not have time to
strike. I went and slept in another place and the next
moming went back, found the snake and killed him. He
was over four feet long."
Kasinger concluded to go to Deadwood to see if he
could not get a man to take his place. That was in July
of the year '78.

88 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
CBAPTEE XIII.
mountain eats nearly cause trouble bet-ween
brothers
There were some parties located about three miles
from Avhere I was and they invited me to come and
spend the 4th Avith them. I lost track of the days of the
month and it was the morning of the 6th that I got there,
thinking it was the 4th. South Dakota had not gone
dry yet so they said they would have plenty of wet goods
if I came over to dinner. They were running a tunnel
to tap a ledge about seventy five feet. The ore on top
was considerably oxidized and the prospect looked good
AVhen they got to the ledge the ore was hard, with a
greenish caste and full of iron. It was hard tO' see a
color of free gold in it. They were working when I got
there and wanted to know why I didn't come on the
4th. I said, "I am here, ain't I?'' They told me it was
the 6th. We had a good laugh over it and they said they
would go back and celebrate anyhow.
In talking during the afternoon one of the boy.-^
said, "Bave you got any mountain rats over your way?"
I said, "Lots of them. I got a box I put my trap in
without baiting it. The mountain rats get in and keep
thumping around till they hit the paddle and then it is
all off Avith them.'' Well, he said, "Do you know they
will steal?" I told him I did, and he said, "I know one;
that came near making trouble for three boys over near
Galena. They were placer mining and put all their
gold in one sack. There were two brothers and another
fellow. They had four or five ounces in the sack which
represented about all the money they had. One day tho
sack was missing and it seemed as if the brothers sus
pected the other boy and he knew it and felt pretty bad
about it. It made a cool feeling for quite a while around
that camp. One day it stormed and they were out of

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK HILLS 89
wood. They Avent out to an old dead log close by and
chopped into it. It was hollow and the mountain rat
had a nest in it. They found their sack of gold, knives,
forks, spoons and some other things they had missed
from time to time, so that made them all feel pretty
glad. These men were also Avorking in the side of a hill
running an open cut to tap a silver ledge they thought
Avas there. They got in about forty feet wrh a thirty
foot face in front. Tavo of them decided to go t" Dead
Avood one day and the other then.<?ht he Avould do a Ut
ile work in the mine. He did not AA-ork bug Avheu he
looked back in the neck of the cnr and sa>, a uionntain
lion watching him. He AA-ent back a little piece and
shook his pick at it and hollered, "Shoo," but he would
not "shoo' worth a cent. In fifteen or tAA-enty minutes
he commenced to get uneasy, so he Avent up towards the
lion as far as he dared and started to pick the side of the
cut down, made a fcAV steps and got out and started for
home. The lion followed him about half way. Be AA-ent
and got his gun, but could not find the lion when he
went back. We had our celebration anyhoAV, and I
went on home.
I had a friend in Lead working in the big Eome-
stake stamp mill. Be had met a man by the name of
Bayward and told him about my strike on Box Elder.
As he wanted to see it they came down one day. Bay-
wood was Avell pleased with my prospect. Be seemed
to be an all around good miner.
That night he told me of an experience he had in
Mexico a short time before coming to the Bills. Be
said he had a partner who was anxious to go doAvn
there. I forget the name he gave for the places. They
heard of an old Spaniard who had a rich gold mine on
his grant and they went to see him. They found him.
a well educated and fine old gentleman. Be had a wife
and two daughters and ten or fifteen Mexicans working

90 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
for him around the place. They went to examine the
mine and found it was a small ledge, but very rich in
free gold. In running along the ledge would pinch out
and leave a streak about as thick as a man's hand for
six or eight feet and then open up again sometimes as
wide as two feet. It is what is called a lenticular vein.
They made arrangements with the old gentleman to
give him twenty-five per cent of what they took out and
being good men they built a roaster so they could treat
three or four tons a day. As the ore went about forty
dollars they had a good thing. There was considerable
ore left in the old stopes and they got it out easy enough
The old gentleman would drive them to the nearest
town and the bank would handle their small retort.
After they had been working three or four months
they discovered they were being watched pretty close by
the Mexicans, and of course Bayward and his partner
fell in love Avith the daughters, as the girls had been ed
ucated in the United States and the men were good look
ing, the Mexicans became jealous of them.
Bayward hurt himself somehow in the mine and
could not work for several days and his partner thought
it would be a good time to take the gold to town. The
old Spaniard ordered one of his men to take him in. Ee
had about fifteen or eighteen hundred dollars. On the
way back they had to cross a sandy stretch and were
held up and his partner was killed. AVhen the Mexi
can got back he told about what happened, but
could not or would not explain what they did with the
body, and he never was able to find it. Bayward found
that the gold was deposited at the bank and got it later.
He said he would have taken the girl wtih him but was
afraid they would get killed before they reached the line.
The old gentleman let him keep all the clean up and he
promised that later he would come back. At that

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 91
time he was talking of going back. Apparently he seem
ed to think a lot of that Spanish girl.
The young fellow who was with Hayv/ard on the
trip to my mine was an old friend from Plattsmouth.
When he went back to Lead he went to AVork at his job
in the mill. His clothes got caught in a belt somehow
and he was thrown pretty close to the roof and the fall
killed him. I heard about it a couple of months after-
w'ards, but that is how some young fellows disappear as
no one knew anything about his folks. I knew he had
a sister back east, but could never locate her.
They were having what they called a "Water Elec
tion'' at Deadwood at the time. There was a contention
between the Homestake and De Smet companies as to
who would furnish Deadwood with water. Both parties
came right out openly and offered money for votes. I
know some of the boys sold their votes to both sides and
even after they voted they accepted money.
I know a young fellow who came into the Hills from
Nebraska without a dollar. He started out from Bill
City on foot to go to Deadwood and got there in time
to vote. The next day it Avas rumored around that all
those who sold their votes were to be arrested and they
told what they were going to do with them. It scared
that boy and he told Kasinger he wanted to get away
from there. So Kasinger hired him and brought him
down to work with me. Be told him it was a fine kind
of a place, and the next day they arrived. Kasinger
went back and left the young fellow with me.
We called him Tobey. Be Was a great big boy
about nineteen or twenty years old and did not seem to
have much sand. I made it as pleasant as I could for
him that evening and he told me about walking to
Deadwood from Bill City. Be did most of his walking
at night. He got out ten or fifteen miles from Hill City
and saw a big St. Bernard dog traveling alongside of

92 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS
the road. Shortly afterwards another dog showed up
on the other side. He said they escorted him two or
three miles along the road. They would rub their backs
against the trees as they trotted along. He said he
thought they came from a ranch not far off.
Well, I knew the kind of dogs they Avere, but did
not Avant to scare him, for he looked pretty nervous. We
got ready for bed. I asked him which side he wanted
to sleep on and he said any side would do. I told him I
would take inside. He saAV me put my six-shooter under
my head and wanted to know if there w-as any danger
I told him there was not and I thought I would have a
good night's sleep anyhow.
Next morning I woke up pretty early and was kind
of glad to know there was someone with .me. I enjoyed
a good rest. Tobey was restless, he commenced to move,
his feet began to AA-iggle and he raised up cm his elbow
and seemed to be catching his breath. Be said, "Just
look at those animals across the creek.'' Be made quite
a commotion and the mountain lions walked aAvay. I
know at several different times they watched me get up
from the creek. AA^ell, I let him talk and he said, "I am
going to get out of here as quick as I can. I would not
stay in a place like this for anything with animals like
that around." Be busied himself making the fire and
I did not want to get up right aAvay or until he cooled
off somewhat. I AA-as determined to keep him if I could.
When I got up I said to him, "What are you afraid
of?'' "Why didn't you see those animals?" he said. "I
have seen them lots of times.'' "And you stay here
alone." "Yes.'' "Well, I don't stay here for anything."
I started in getting breakfast but was in no hurry to go
to Work. I said, "What way are you going to go from
here?'' Be said he did not know and I said, "If you
don't know you are liable to not get anywhere. You
stay right here and in a few days I A^ill take you to

40 YEAES IN THE BLACK HILLS 93
Eochford. But if you go alone and you think those an
imals might get you, why they might." I did the best
talking I could to induce him to stay and said: "I have
been living right among them for six weeks or more and
they are afraid of me. To show you there is no danger
from a mountain lion I Will just refer you to what you
told me last night about seeing the St. Bernard dogs
coming from a ranch this side of Bill City. There isn't
a St. Bernard dog in the country. There isn't a ranch
betAA-een here and Bill City. The animals that followed
you AA'ere mountain lions." Be said if he had known
that he Avould have dropped dead in his tracks. I said,
"Furthermore I Avill agree to deliver you at Eochford
good and safe and to make it good and safe for you here I
will sleep in the front of the bed. If you find they are
eating me up you can take my six-shooter and defend
yourself.'' So when he commenced to laugh I knew T
had him.
We stayed around camp and talked till noon. The
sun Avas shining nice and warm and most anyone could
be brave then. I took him up and started to work that
afternoon. Be seemed to have forgotten about his scare.
We went down to camp I made considerable noise be
fore we reached the camp so as to give the lions a shoAV
to get out if they were in there, because if Tobey saw
one coming out that would certainly settle it.
We worked right along and he concluded he would
stay till Kasinger got back. AVhen Kasinger did come
the boy was getting braver and he agreed to stay a,
month. That suited me all right for I certainly need
ed company. After that he was willing to stay as long
as Kasinger Wanted him.
I remember I came pretty near getting killed that
summer. I had a shaft down about thirty feet and the
rock was awful hard. There were great cracks in places
and I would put powder in and it would throw rock out
as though from a cannon. This time I did not have

94 40 YEAES IN THE BLACK BILLS
very much fuse and I was saving it. T left a couple of
inches sticking out and would bull da little fire over it.
Sometimes I would have to wait five minutes before I
could set it off Avith my fire and this time I tried it and
it was the last, too. I was clown in the hole. Tobey was
going to Avindlass me up after I started my fire. I lit
it and the fuse spit right away. I fumbled around get
ting into the bucket and he fumbled around starting me.
I yelled, "Boist quick'', and started to climb the rope.
As I got to the collar of the shaft I threw myself out.
The shot Avent off Avhile the bucket was six or seven feet
down in the hole. It smashed the bucket to pieces but
I was up on my feet and able to dodge the rocks.
Soon after that Kasinger came over one day and
said, "I think you felloAvs better have a rest for a while,
let's go on a hunt. There's lots of game including deer,
elk and bear over around Eed Lake and I know where
Tobey can get a fine gun cheap. I will buy it for him.''
Tobey said, "You bet, I want to kill a bear.'' Be was
getting brave those days. I could see that we were not
going to do anything there for some time so we loaded
on all our tools and camp equipment and went on to
Eochford. Kasinger looked to me as if he was in trouble. Sev
eral times he was going to tell me something, but Tobey
would be in the way. So finally we drove up to his
ranch. Barton came out but never said a word. Be
had always been very friendly with me before that and
when I said, "Bello, Barton," he did not answer. So that
put me on my guard. Tobey and Kasinger put up the
team and I went in. The little woman, Mrs. Barton,
was very friendly, but I thought I could detect that she
was uneasy about something. I might as well tell right
now that Barton had planned to kill Kasinger that night
and that he had two boys from Deadwood in an adjoin
ing cabin at the time to help him carry out the deed, as
I figured it, but I didn't know it then.

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 95
We had supper, but no one seemed to have any
thing to say. I was to sleep in Kasinger's bed, not far
from the fire place. After a while I took off my six-shoot
er and put it under my pillow and was Avondering what
the trouble was. I had no more than done that till Bar
ton picked up a boot jack and slammed Kasinger over
the head with it before he could make a move. I thought
that blow was enough to- kill an ox, but Kasinger got up
and started for him, staggering like. Be told me after
wards he could not see a thing at all and did not know
which way he was going. Barton had a gun hanging
over the door and I followed him up. Be got the gun
by that time and turned around with it right up against
Kasinger. I grabbed it and the hammer came down on
my thumb and took a piece out of it. I made a couple
of lunges and got it away from him. By that time Kas
inger recovered somcAvhat and be got Mr. Barton by the
throat and it looked like he was choking him, as I could
see his eyes pop out, but I didn't care whether he did or
not. Just then I saw those tAvo Kaiser boys come in and
Tobey with them. Tobey did not have an inkling of
what was going on. I understood when I saw them Avhat
the play was to be and I turned loose and read them the
riot act. I was the only man in the room with a gun in
his hand and I said, "You fellows get out of here and
don't let me see you any more, either." They left and
after a while Tobey came in and told me they were gone.
Barton waa subdued and was snickering in the corner.
Be and his wife had a room partitioned off Avith a quilt
hanging up, so he went in there. I asked Kasinger if
he thought he had a gun in there. Be said, "No I Avill
keep an eye on him tonight, you go to sleep ''
Next day I asked Kasinger Avhen Ave were going
hunting and he said, "I will have to go to Deadwood
first, and I want to get that gun for Tobey. We A\-ill go
in a week or ten days. You rest up. You want to go

96 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
to Eochford any how, there is a saddle horse out
there you can use.'' Barton spoke to me that moming
and seemed as if he had changed his mind about killing
Kasinger so I might as well act friendly.
Kasinger went to Deadwood and I stayed around
the ranch a good part of the time. One day Mrs. Bar
ton said, "Bave you any tobacco?'' Told her I had, and
then she said, "I have an awful toothache and tobacco
always does me good.'' I said, "Why do you want to tell
stories like that for anyhOAV, Avhy don't you say you are
out? I know you chew and whenever you are out just
sav so and I will give you some." I told her I could
tell by the color of her teeth. She seemed to have lots
of fun over it.
Later I said to her, "What is all this trouble about
betAveen Kasinger and Barton? They have known one
anothei'' pretty near all their lives?" She said. "Barton
is jealous and I don't care. One time in Texas I had
the smallpox and they took me to some kind of a pest
house. Barton did not seem to care whether I lived or
died and he was always making love to the nurses
right before my eyes.'' I said "If you don't like him
why do you live with him?" She said, "If I left him
he Avould sure kill me and the children, that's why I
live with him." She had a little red headed boy about
two years old, and I said, "That boy looks just like Bar
ton." But Barton had black hair, while Kasinger's was
red. She laughed and I said, "The color of that kid's
hair is liable to be the cause of his scrap." "Well, she
said, "Barton has no kick coming. When we were com
ing into the Bills We didn't have much of anything.
Kasinger kept us in fresh meat, venison, rabbit and
prairie chickens. While in Deadwood Barton couldn't
make a living with his little ponies as feed AVas so dear.
Kasinger saw that we had plenty to eat and then he
brought us to this ranch, and we might have made pret
ty good if we hadn't been hailed out. Now Barton wants

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 97
to go to Leadville right away thinking that Kasinger
won't follow, but he is coming just the same. I tell
you Barton has nine lives like a cat. I saw nine bul
let wounds in his body, each one enough to kill an ordin
ary man.' I said, "Wliy did you marry him?" "Well, he
wouldn't let any one else come to see me so I thought I
would marry him so I wouldn't be the cause of any
killing." I said, "Bave you got enough money to see
you through?" "Yes, Kasinger gave me some and he said
he would see me through."
When Kasinger came back he had the gun for To
bey and a double barrel shot gun for me with plenty of
buck shot. We started off for our hunt at Eed Lake
at the head of Castle Creek. I rode in the back of the
wagon on some bedding, the other two were on the
spring seat. We came near tipping over three times and
I kept hollering, "Look out!'' Pretty soon I felt the
wagon going over so I jumped and as I did so I threw
the gun out of the back of the wagon. I struck the
ground and turned three or four somersaults and then
landed in the creek, but wasn't hurt a bit. The gun was
loaded and I was afraid it would go off when it hit the
ground, but it did not. I got up and went over to the
wagon.

98 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS

CBAPTEE XIV.
TOBEY wants A BE.4R AND K.-A-SINGEE AVANTS BARTON'?
WIFE
One of the horses was on its back and Kasigner
went under it. Tobey AVas under the wagon. Botli
were yelling for me to hurry and help them out. I
sized up which was in the worst fix and decided it was
To'bey. I picked up a long hand spike and raised the
box off and he crawled out. The harness on the horse
was so tight that I could not unhitch the tugs, so had
to cut one of the breast straps and then loosened the
tugs, and then the horse rolled off Kasinger. I picked
him up, but he did not seem to be very badly hurt, and
after a while I said, "You smart alecks wanted to scare
me and got the worst of it yourselves, it serves you
right'' It was not long before we were all laughing and
in an hour or so got the wagon straightened out and
Avent on our Avay.
We got pretty close to Eed Lake and decided to
make camp. From there we could shoot any game that
might be around the lake.
It seemed that Tobey wanted to get a bear w-orse
than anything. Next morning Kasinger Avas up early
and he saw a big bear close to the edge of the pond and
he came back and wanted Tobey to go and shoot it. So
all three of us sneaked up and sure enough there was
the bear. Tobey would get on one knee and take sight
and then change his mind and get on the other knee and
I finally said, "For goodness sake, why don't you
shoot?" I had the shot gun and if the bear started for
us I was going to give him both barrels and head for
the wagon, but no, the bear kept on going till he got
some brush between us. I said, "Kasinger why didn't
you take a shot at him?" but he said he wanted Tobev to

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 9U
get it. AVell, I said, "Tobey don't look to me to be much
of a bear hunter."
We went to where the bear disappeared. The thick
et was about a quarter mile long of quaking asp. I took
'Command and said, "Tobey, you go on this side of the
thicket, and Kasinger, you go on the other and walk on,
I am going throught the middle. There is no danger
with the shot gun and the chances are if he sees me com
ing he will duck out and you Avill get a shot at him."
Kasinger shook his head at me not to do it. I told
them to go on and never mind me. So they started off.
They walked right along on the outside of the thicket
while I went in a piece on the bear's tracks. AVhen
things did not look right I got out and followed Tobey.
The thicket was getting thin again and I walked in and
took my time, then came to the end of it. They were
both there waiting for me and I said, "You are nice fel-
loAvs to let that bear get away, I didn't get to see him.''
AVell, I got my bluff in on them and was having fun all
to myself. You don't catch me chasing bear out of brush,
but they thought I did.
There were some elk around the country and Tobe.v
ran into a bunch of them. Be thought they \yere mules
till they started off on a trot. Be shot into the bunch
and said he hit one in the foot and it went off lame. But
we did not get any of them.
The next moming we were determined tO' get a
deer. At about ten o'clock while a foAV n-iiles otit I
heard a shot close by and went over to investigate. Kas
inger had killed a deer. Ee asked, "Are yon huugvy?"
Told him I was. "Make a fire," he said and s^tarted in
on the deer and in a few minutes had a couple of nice
ribs out and then "Just toast them and go to eating.'' I
saw that he knew just how to make a meal aAvfnlly
quick after a killing. In a week's time we loaded the
wagon and went back. Kasinger got most of them. We

100 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
sold a few in Eochford and bought flour for what they
brought. Then we went back to the ranch.
Barton was gone. There Avas a cabin on Silver
Creek, a mile or so away and he moved there. I suppose
it was his intention to get away fro'm Kasinger, but Mis.
Barton pleaded sick and refused to go.
About then they were building the Minnesota Mill
and as they were paying good wages and carpenters
were scarce (That was the time of the Deadwood fire) 1
decided to work a little while. Before I started at the
mill Kasinger thought it would be best to do some as
sessment work on a ridge about a mile or so from the
ranch. We could move up in a little cabin. I agreed
to go and do the work as he made me a half owner in it.
Be drove us up one evening about dusk. There Avas
a flre place in the cabin and I said tO' Tobey, "Whicli
work do you want to do, get the wood and water, or do
the cooking?" Be decided to get in the wood and water
Down the draAV a short piece there was a spring that
broke out among some Avillows. There were plenty of
mountain lions around and they would go and drink
there. Tobey walked on with his head down and ran
onto a lion drinking. The lion was so surprised that it
growled and stood up on its hind legs (so he said). I
looked on down the draw and saw him coming. Be had
a small bucket in each hand and his arms stood out at
right angles and he was jumping over brush that seem
ed to be two and three feet high. Ee certainly was run
ning. Ee rushed into the house and threw the buckets
down and said, "You get the wood and water.'' It was
quite a while before I could get him to teH just what
happened? I knew the mountain lion was scared as bad
as he was and probably was a half mile off by that time.
So I went doAvn and got the water. Ee said, "I won't
stay here if that window is not stopped up.'' I said.
"That's all right. We will tack a sack over it." Ee said,
"Them things will get me yet if I don't look out.

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 101
I worked a couple of days and in prospecting the
ore that came out of the bottom of the thirty foot hole
all I could get was some miserable little colors. I would
almost have to have a microscope to see some of them.
The third day I went up, got all the tools out and thrcAV
the windlass down the shaft. I figured I didn't want
any more to do with that. I kncAV I was losing five dol
lars a day so I went back to Kasinger's ranch and told
him we would quit. Ee was agreeable and so I went
to work at the mill.
Kasinger kept Tobey employed after that.
Barton wanted to go on but his Avife would not go
Avith him, saying she was not well enough to go. In the
course of a few Aveeks they finally left. Before they
went. I bid her good bye and asked if she had every
tiling she wanted. "Oh yes," she said, "I got a neAV
wrapper for two dollars and a half, and new shoes and
a hat. I must have spent fifteen dollars. Kasinger gave
me the money. So I have everything I need.'' I Avent
away thinking how little it takes to make some people
happy. After payday Kasinger said to me, "You give me
fifty dollars and if I don't come back in a year you lo
cate me out on the Anna mine on Box Elder. I sold
my team and the ranch and gave Mrs. Barton a little
money." Be was expecting to get his pay for the
ranch and could not go for several days, but he finally
bid me good bye and said he would catch up to the Bar
tons before they reached Cheyenne. The little woman
was the magnet and he followed on. I was pretty sure
that he would kill Barton or Barton would kill him be
fore long. They were headed for Leadville as there
was a big boom on there at the time.
I worked till the mill was completed and helped
make a few small runs. I learned all I could about
milling the ore and amalgamation, which came in handy
afterwards. It did not seem to pay and they shut down.

102 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
This was the Enos Mill on the Minnesota mine. I w-ent
to Eochford, as I was part owner in a cabin there.
AVhile there I saAV some boys trying to have fun with
a preacher. Be used to come down from Galena to
preach. There was an empty building that had been
used for a saloon and he would do his talking there.
There Avas a tough bunch from Lead around at the time
I remember one of them Avhose name Avas McCafferty.
AnyhoAV they arranged among themselves tO' make a
large contribution and everyone was to throw in a
dollar, with the understanding they were to get it back.
It seemed a good many of them Avent into- the .scheme
for Avhen McCafferty passed the hat everyone seemel
to be throwing in a dollar.
The preacher could not help but see that lots of
money was coming in. McCafferty put the hat on a
stand not far from an open window and stood betAveen
it and the preacher while another fellow stole the hat.
Things Avent on all right till the preacher got through
with his sermon and AA-as looking around for the con
tribution. McCafferty said, "I put it right here and
someone stole it," They talked quite a while over it
and then invited the preacher down to a place where they
could get a drink. They treated him three or four
times and got him feeling pretty good and he finally
said, "That was a dirty trick, and I can lick the son-of-
a-gun that stole the contribution.'' I came aAvay after
that and don't know how the thing ended.
A few evenings later I went down the street and
stepped in Dave Madison's place. It was just about
dark. As I went in I saw two fello'ws standing at the
bar, one of them with a six-shooter in, his hand, and
reaching over he put it u]) to Dave's head. They had
some drinks and would not pay for them and Dave did
not care to give them any more. As I came in Dave
said, "Bold on, here is the fellow that owtis this place."
As they turned to look at me he slipped away. I went

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 103
behind the bar and said, "What do you men want?''
They wanted whiskey, of course. I set out a bottle and
they helped themselves and said, "That bartender of
yours is no good." I invited them to take a couple more
8,nd said, "Say, you felloAvs are going to .get pretty
drunk if you don't go and eat something, Bere is a pint
to take along with you." One of them said, "A"ou are
the right kind of a man," They wanted to shake hands.
Well they turned out to be horse thieves and went
down towards Custer, The next evening they camped
close to Custer and the people down there were Avatch-
ing pretty close for such fellows. In the night these
thieves started to round up some horses and were
caught in the act. They were hung a mile or so out of
toAvn. A man came up from there a few days after
wards and described them, so I kncAv it Avas the same
fellows. I stayed there till things commenced to close doAvn
and I saw Eochford Avas on the decline. The reports
were that the Stand By mine did not amount to much
and the Minnesota mill was shut down. So along in the
spring of '79 I went back to Eockerville as they AA'ere
putting in a flume from Spring Creek, over near Sher
idan to Eockerville. It was supposed that Eockerville
would be a pretty lively camp that summer, and it Avas
ruomred that A^anderbilt was to put up floO.OOO and that
Captain West was to do the work. It AA'as not very
long after the flume was completed that it proved a fail
ure. There did not seem to be anyone at the head of
the enterprize after Captain West left, so the miners
around there kept it in repair and used the water. Some
of them made good money.
About that time I was getting letters from Mc
Mackin that he wanted me to come down to Custer, as
he had bought a mica mine and wanted me to help him.
I packed up my belongings on a horse and started out.
I remember going through Bill City and saAA- only one

104 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
man. That was John Nisson. Ete had a little store
there. Bill City had been quite a place before, but they
all moved aAvay but him. The Mica mine was situated
about two and a half miles northwest of Custer in what
we called the Park, and I had no trouble in fiufliug it.
When I got there I saw McMackin just coming from
Custer and he was mad all over. Be asked, "AA^'hat is
a whittier?" Told him I didn't knoAV. "Well I have
been all over tOAvn looking for a Avhittler. They laughed
at me every place I inquired. Anyhow now that you are
here I will go and fire that man right off." I asked him
about the whittier before he left and said, "You Avant
a draw knife don't you to peel these logs?" Be admitted
that was what he wanted, but ^NfcMackin fired the man
anyway. There had never been a pound of mica taken out of
the Black Bills up to that time and Mac started me and
a couple other men to Avork. Be said he would go to
Cleveland and see if he could not find a market fox the
product. Meantime he AA-ould get some machines tO'
trim it. Be left and took the stage from Custer.
Judge Sprague and his family ( Mrs. Sprague was
a McMackin) were running the boarding house and
after we got equipped A\'e started in. The ledge cropped
out about six to ten feet above the ground for a distance
of fifty feet or more and the mica Avas very thick next
to the wall. I started to put in a row of shots in the
wall. I put them in Iavo or three feet and got all the
mica out of the streak and left the balance stand. So aa-c
took mica out pretty fast.
When McMackin got back he told me he had made
arrangements with the Co-operative Stove Company of
Cleveland to take the product. They would take
nothing smaller than two by three inches, but there were
lots of large sized mica in it. That mine has never been
equalled by any other that Avas afterAvards worked in
the Bills. We kept tAVO machines running trimming

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 105
some thirty to forty pounds a day, all nice, clear mica
of large size. We worked during the winter of '79 and
'80 with quite a force of men. McMackin was still run
ning his freighting teams and he Would take the mica
doAVn to Sidney and ship it from there on the Union
Pacific Eailroad.

106 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
CBAPTEE XV.
CELEBRATED WIND CAVE DISCOVERED AND ATTEMPT MADl-'
TO EXPLORE
That fall while talking with Charlie Crary in Ous
ter he told me about a hole in the ground where the
Avind came out screeching. It had been found by Jesse
Bingham about fifteen or twenty miles south of Custer.
Crary said he had been in there and explored it some
and left a ball of tAA-ine unstrung along his route. As a
party of us Avere going doAvn in that country after
plums I concluded I would go and investigate it. I
found Jesse Bingham and he told us as near as he
could Avhere to find it, but it took us all the next day to
locate it. One of the party Avalking down the gulch
heard the wind. The next morning we drove over with
the intention of exploring the cave. Jesse Girelle, his
wife, the C(de girls, Mayme Sprague and myself made
up the party.
I Avas supposed to lead. We had to jump down a
hole, that I could just about squeeze through, six or
seven feet. I started doAvn with my lantern. Bad to
crawl on hands and knees facing a terrible wind for
about fifty feet and then the main hole seemed to be go
ing down at right angles and very steep, but it gave a
good foot hold. I AA-aited for some time and yelled for
the others to come, but the only one who answered me
was IMayme Sprague. She said she thought they Avere
coming. I found the tAvine that Crary left and made my
way down. Explored the Avails as we went and saw
places that were scalloped and looked like post office
boxes. We kept on going dOAvn and yelled once in a
while but got no ansAver.
After we had been there for quite a while I saw an
opening off to the right and dropped the string with the
intentions of exploring that a little. I went in I sup-

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 107
pose thirty or forty feet and saAV a hole looking down
about five or six feet to the bottom, and then another
opening down there. While I was looking down I
thought I heard water, and as I Avas beginning to feel
thirsty and Mayme said she would like to have a drink
I decided to go doAVn and see if I could locate any Avater,
for I thought I was pretty well on the bed rock of that
cave. I jumped down and in some of those little caves
on the Ava.A' Avere some of the finest kinds of stalagmites
and stalactites, but I could not find any water sn starr
ed to go back. It was a little further than I thought to
the top, so I had to make three or four tries to jum])
up to get a hold and told thei girl to catch me by thq
back of the neck and pull Well she pulled quite a
while and I Avas wiggling up, but I had a cold chisel in
my hip pocket and it got stuck in the wall. After
struggling several minutes I concluded that 1 had bet
ter get doAA'n and try it again, but first I removed the
chisel. I had time to realize how foolish a thing it was "O'
do but was determined to get out of there. Mayme
said, "I will try to get back and tell the others to come
and help you out.''. I said, "You won't be able tofi nd
the string, and if you do you won't know which way to
go. You will go prowling around and get lost, for it's
^ 'fmye thing you can't find your way. I Avill tiy it
again and if I can't make it will direct you how to get
the string and be sure to follow it right back.'' I was
satisfied that she could not have found it. I made my
best jump and held on. The girl caught me by the back
of the neck and pulled. Finally I wiggled out In dO'
ing so I cut my hands and arms badly and tore the el-
boAvs out of my clothes. We started on back, found the
string and followed it. Those on top helped to pull us
up. They went down as far as where the main part
turned down, got scared and went back. I have been
dOAvn there two or three times since but could not lo-

108 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
cate the places that I had explored. The ground was
afterwards taken up as a mining claim and another
party located over it with a homestead. These Iavo
parties laAved for five years and finally the govern
ment took it aAvay fiom both of <hem and established
the ^Vind Cave National Park of several thousand
acres, making one of the finest kinds of game preserve,
AA-hich is stocked Avith buffalo, antelope, elk and deer
and at the present time thousands of peoytie visit the
place during the summer.
A fcAV miles north and close to Custer on the Har
ney Eange the State of South Dakota also has a game
preserve. It has recently bought the Sylvan Lake
property and is adding to the hotel and building bunga-
loes. This Park is Avell stocked with a large herd of
elk, buffalo and deer. The State is constructing miles
of fine highways in all directions and it will certainly
make one of the finest summer resorts in the United
States. One time I went on a prospecting trip with the two
Sprague boys. We started from m,y mica prospect on
French Creek, the Window Light, five or six miles be
low Custer, right across the roughest part of the coun
try for Barney Peak. We had a small pony on Avhich
we packed our grub, bed, gold pan, pick and shovel.
Many a time we w'ould have to lift the horse up in
front, push him over onto a rock, one would hold his
tail and the others push him over it. Places that we
could not pass any other way.
While up in that country on the trip I saw a nice
looking hill (what we call a blow-out) composed of
quartz, feldspar and some mica in sight. I wanted to
stop and prospect it, but one of the boys said, "Oh there
is nothing there. Let's go on.'' Be did that several
times. There is one sure thing that fellow would never
strike anything.
So we went on. We traveled all dav in that

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 109
rough country and as it was getting dark we started on
the north branch of Sunday Gulch. It got too dark for
us and we had to camp. We made our bed and put our
canvas on top. Then it started to snow. I felt it pretty
heavy on me once or twice during the night but did not
move much. We slept on till we got tired Avith the
heavy weight on us and when we peaked out found we
had over a foot of snoW on us. Then it was a question
as to Avto would get up first. I had my boots under my
coat that I used as a pillow, so I wiggled them on and
got out. There was a pitch pine stump close by and it
wasn't long till I had a roaring fire and by kicking
some of the snow away things were not so bad. After
breakfast . we packed the horse that had been eating
brush all night, Av'ent north and finally drifting along
the side hill we landed close to where the Grizzley Bear
mine Was at the head of Palmer Gulch. It was plain
sailing from there on down to my cabin on Bear Gulch,
two miles east of where 0 reville is.
I concluded not to go prospecting with those boys
again and I worried about that good looking hill many
a time. Several times later while working my placer
ground I dropped my pick and shovel, went home, got
a lunch and struck out for where I thought it was, but
never could find it. I told other people about it and
they looked with the same result.
That alsO' reminds me of another place I found that
I wanted to investigate later. Johnny Foster and Eobert
Eichardson were out to my place and we decided we
would go and look for that hill, and in doing so we
crossed over a mountain that is due west of Sylvan
Lake. We were scattered Walking several rods apart.
I came to a place where I saw a little white quartz and
followed it up and found a ledge. It was brown look
ing ore and I picked up some of it. It was very heavy,
too heavy for ordinary iron and I concluded it was
tungsten. I had a sack along and put a fair sample in.

110 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
I looked around and thought I could find the place
again if I ever wanted to. I hurried and caught up tO'
the others. I know Ave had lunch in the gap where the
Sylvan Lake dam was built afterwards. We spoke of
the lake that could be made there by damming up the
narrow gap, which Spencer and his party did after
wards. We did not find that place and I never tried
the heavy ore, but when the price of tungsten went up
to over a hundred dollars a unit I got my mind working
on that prospect. I went up six or seven times during
those times but could not find it. I think there is tung
sten there all right and someone will stumble on it some
day. I hated to give up my Anna Mine on South Box
Elder so I went up a few times to relocate it. I know
this time I went around by Eapid and up Box Elder
Creek to AA^here South Box Elder runs into the main
creek. It Avas about evening Avhen I got there. I saAV
a new cabin and Avent over and told the man I had a
mine close by that I wanted to go to, and Avould like to
stay with him all night. They had no accomodations at
all, but said they would do the best they could. The
woman told me she had not seen a soul for tAvo months
and Avas glad of company, for she was very lonesome.
The cabin Avas not completed and they had a blanket,
in the doorway. Along about nine o'clock while I Avas
sitting near the door in jumped a big black-tail deer
right beside me. It kind of startled me- for a bit, but
the woman said, "That is our pet, he comes visiting
pretty near every night and that is about all the com
pany I haA-e.'' I started out next morning pretty early
for I thought I might have trouble in finding the place,
as there were dozens of places on the side of the bluff
that looked just like it. I finally found it, put up my
notice and started for Deadwood about twenty or twen-
t)--five miles off.
I left Deadwood the next day, but got a late start

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 111
as I met several friends. I thought I would make
Eochford anyhow and it did not make much difference
to me whether I traveled by day or night, I had not
gone far out of DeadAvood Avhen it started to storm In
fact a terrible blizzard was setting in. I thou.ght I
could get as far as the Bull Dog ranch, twelve or fif
teen miles out.
After I traveled about an hour or so the blizzard
got worse, and I remember letting my horse go ahead
as I thought he could folloAv the road. The clearest
road was a wood trail going up into the timber to the
east of the main road. I saw I Avas off the main road
as parts of this road Avere too steep, but I could see
only ten feet or so ahead of me. I let the horse go and
he got up. to a dyke and stopped. I got off and peeked
around to see hoAv the country lay. There was a crevice
in the dyke I should judge about five or six feet AA-idc
and the suoav had built up over part of it and I started
to go and look in there when I stepped right off. It be
ing narrow, I was throAvn from one side to the other,
which checked my fall someAvhat, but I must have fallen
forty feet, anyhow. There was a pile of sand and loose
stone AA-here I lit and that also' helped to break the fall.
Anyway it knocked me senseless and that is the nearest
dead I ever was, and how long I lay there I don't know.
probably an hour or so.
When I came to I was nearly frozen, but I had on
lots of clothes. There Avas some grunting around there
for a while I'll tell you. Then it all came to me AA-hat
happened. The blizzard was raging in great shape. I
had to hunt around quite a piece before I could find a
jilace Avhere I could get up on the ridge. I came on
back facing the storm and ran right into the horse
standing there. Things looked pretty serious. I led
the horse on down to a place where several tree tops
had been blown together and as it was sheltered a little
from the storm I decided to build a fire. Both my

112 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
hands were pretty well bunged up and I must have been
half an hour lighting a match, but finally the pine
needles started and made quite a blaze and Av'anned
things up. By pulling the tops together once in a while
I had a great fire. I remember I would freeze on one
side and bum on the other, so it kept me spinning
around pretty much all the time.
When dayHght finally came the snow let up a lit
tle, about a foot had fallen. I led my horse up to a
•stump and then got on it myself. I was pretty sore and
stiff, but the horse stood still and I managed to wiggle
on him. I let him go down the AVood road till I struck
the main road to Eochford. About seven or eight
o'clcok I reached the BuU Dog ranch. Tim Coleman
came out and said, "You are pretty early." I said,
said, "You help me off this horse,'' and then told him
w-hat happened. Ee took me into the house and said he
would take care of the horse. Ee had some of the
right kind of medicine and I was not long in recuperat
ing, as I had no bones broken. I had no trouble in get
ting back to the McMackin mine where I was staying
at the time.

ST. E'LMG PEAK

40 yeaes in tbe black bills 113
ceaPtee xvi.
LAME JOHNNY AND FLY SPECK BILLY DIE WITH THEIR
BOOTS ON
Jesse Girelle, Avho was then freighting from Sid
ney to the Bills, Avas visiting some of his relatives at
the mine and told me that he had seen Lame Johiin.v
hanging by the neck, on Avhat is uoav Lame .lohnny
Creek. I don't think Lame Johnny A\-as a road agent,
but he undoubtedly associated AA-ith them. I think he
was a natural born horse thief. Be had been caught
some place down in Nebraska and they AA-ere taking him
up to Deadwood for trial. When the stage pulled into
Buffalo Gap they stopped for supper. A posse AA-ent
on ahead and Avhen the stage came along to the Creek
they took him out and hung him. Girelle said that an
other teamster, who was with him, stopped Avhen they
saw the man hanging and went over to' take a look at
him. Be said, "Lame -Johnny, that is just the fix I ex
pected to find you in some day, and you've got your
boots on, too. That job should have been done several
years ago.''
I remember going into Custer the day after thev
hung Fly Speck Billy. A man named Barnes, AA'ho
had a freighting outfit, Avas coming up the road from
Buffalo Gap when Fly Speck Billy shoyved up and
wanted to borroAV Barnes' six-shooter. Be thouglit he
AVould be safer if he had one. During the day he had
several drinks around town and started in to get bad, I
know he walked John Shaeffer up and down the street
a couple of times with the si.x-shooter pointed at him.
and finally went into the saloon Avhere Barnes was play
ing billiards. Apparently Barnes Avas the only friend he
had. Be was feeding him. anyhow. Be snapped the
gun at Barnes once, but it didn't go off and no one paid
any attention to him for they thought the gun was emp-

114 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
ty. The next time the gun did go off and killed Barnes.
They arrested Fly Speck Billy, but as there was no jail
in Custer they put him in a log cabin for the night. Lat
er a band of men broke in and put a rope around his
neck and started of for the hill across from where the de-
l>ot now is. I heard he ]3leaded Avith them to let him take
off his boots, as he did not Avant to die Avith them on.
I was not there and don't know Avhether he did or not. I
did not think much of him anyhow, as he A\-as one of the
parties Avho intervicAved me one time.
We did not run the mine very regular for it took
so long to get returns. It Avould be three or four Aveeks
before Ave could get an.SAvers to' letters so AA-hen. Ave AVere
shut doAyn I put in my time prospecting. I made one
location close to Avhere Oreville is uoav, in the summer
of '80 and built a cabin there. The railroad uoav runs
within ten feet of where my fireplace Avas, I never
thought we Avould have a railroad in the Hills at that
time. They had made efforts to run the Penobscot
Mill, about five or six miles from Custer, but failed. Al
so at the Grand Junction they Avere shutting doAvii, and
also at Four Alile they Avere not doing much. I think
they AA-ere putting up a mill at the time on the Old
Charlie Mine, Billy Olds' property, but in a general Avay
there was not much doing and things AA'ere pretty hard
for those that did not have much money. To make
matters worse in the spring the Cheyenne river was
high and the freighters could not cross. They were out
of flour in Custer and had very little in DeadAvood.
Some people with families were pretty badl.v scared. T
remember one man who was freighting, Charlie Sager,
who was on the south side of the river with his outfit
and couldn't cross. Benry Albien, Bill Krause and
Charlie Sager had a store in Custer at the time, Al
bien and Krause went down to the river and Sager took
a sack of flour under each arm and Avaded throush the
ice and loaded a spring wagon for them.

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 115
Judge Sprague's family Avere at the McAIackin
mine at the time and just about out of flour. The Avom
an was pretty uneasy. I said I Avould go aud see Avhat
I could do at Bill City. AA-ent up to Johu Nisson s lit
tle store, but he said he had no flour. We talked quite
a while and he kept his eye on a nugget that I Avore on
a pin in my tie. There Avas probably five or six penny
weights in it and he wanted to buy it. Told him the
only thing that would take it was a sack of flour Final
ly he said, "I Avill take it. I have some flour at my
house, but it is the last I have. Drive your horse out
back so no one Avill see you and Ave will put it in a
gunny sack and I Avill help yon tie it on and you can
get out without being seen.'' I did as he said, and left
part of it at my cabin at Oreville and took the balance
over to Mrs. Sprague. The kids were so happy they
danced Avith glee.
Things continued tO' be hard and Ave only ran tlie
mine by spells. They were working at the Grand
Junction and made a failure of it. They had a tAventy
stamp mill up. George Kimball, a man who had con
siderable experience in mining and milling in' Alontana,
was the first amalgamator in the De Smet mill in the
spring of '77, and was a good all-aro'und man, Avas talk
ing with Charlie Crary, one of the owners of the Gran.l
Junction. Crary told him if he thought he could make
it pay he could take the ore and run it through if he
wanted to.
As there was nothing doing Kamball came and
wanted to know if I would go in with him and hel])
sample the mine. I agreed and went right over and
started in. The mine Was pretty AVell developed at the
time. They had a tunnel in, also ore shoots tapping the
body of ore. So we went into this big chamber they
made and started in on one wall. Took a good samph?
as we went. We pounded it up and panned it anoL
worked all day. I found that the prospects were good

116 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
for about four feet next to the hanging wall and then
there was a body of about eight feet, as near as I can
remember of slabby ore out of Avhich we could get
nothing but iron, then for three or four feet on the foot
wall the ore was good. So, I told George that the slab-
by ore was AA'hat spoiled the whole thing and he agreed
with me. I asked if he would go on AVith it and he said
he would. McAIackin had some teams up at the time
and I had no trouble in getting anything he had.
AA^e picked up a few boys here and there and start
ed in. We took that good ore on the hanging wall and
when we came to the slabby ore Ave fired it over the
dump. It was not long till the mill started up, Kim
ball being a first-class amalgamator, it was not long be
fore we knew everything Avas all right. One night he
said, "Can you keep sending that kind of ore up?'' I an-
SAvered, "Sure, and after a while I Avill send you some
better." I put in all my time sampling. I made a ladder and
went up to the top of the stope and found the higher up
I took samples the better the prospect. But we had
some good ore that Ave could get out easy at the bot
tom and made one run. It made a nice little retort, but
it looked pretty white and it proved to be worth about
fifteen dollars an ounce, as it carried quite a bit of silver
Kimball had a partner, Os Elliott, who was amal
gamating on the opposite shift. Charlie Crary and
Kimball went up to Central to dispose of the retort. The
bankers handled it and it made quite an excitement up
there. We figured Avhat the expenses were and there
Avas a little left for Charlie. When aa-c started the next
run I put in some upper shots and knocked down better
ore. Finally I got up on top and started a shaft. 1
only had about tAventy feet to break through so put in
some big shots and broke through. The ore Was oxidiz
ed and- easy to get. A man could stand on top with a
long pole and punch down the side and hundreds of

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 117
pounds would fall. We sorted out the Avhite boulders
to some extent and soon Avere paying fine. The next
clean up was big. Meantime some party had been in
vestigating and tried to bargain Avith Crary. That must
be a great mine they thought, for it was paying good. It
was reported around a lot of coAA^boys Avere running the
mine, in fact a bunch of tenderfeet and were makin.g
it pay. One of our boys helped that story along Avhen
some one asked him what he was doing at the mine and
he said, "I am hauling stones down to the mill." Anyone
that talks that way won't make much of a reputation as
a miner. That Avas the last run Ave made. Crary and
his partners sold out. A man named Elliot took charge.
Be was supposed to be an expert. I fired myself and'
stayed fired.
I remember later on, after they had spent sixty or
seventy thousand dollars putting up a iicav mill, I AA-ant-
ed to see a boy A\'ho was AVorking in the mine. The
superintendent took me in. A^'hen I came to the slabby
ore, that AA'as full of iron, I asked him Avhat that stuti:
AA-ent. Be said it was all alike, a Ioav grade proposi
tion. I knew then that he Avould make a failure, Avhich
he did. I mention this to show that ignorance is the
cause of most of the failures made in mining. They
spent a good many thousand dollars but never could
make it pay. Bad management had something to do
w-ith it.
Judge Sprague and I were interested in a mica
mine about six miles east of Custer on French Creek. I
concluded I would go down there and open it up that
fall and winter. I built a shO'Ot and cabin and started
in with the Sprague boys. After working about a month
I saw that the mica was aAvful dark and that it Avas go
ing to be hard to dispose of. In fact I was kind of sick
of it, but missed a sale by talking too much.
A man named Baight came down with the inten
tion of buying. We got dinner for him and while he

118 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
was inquiring about mica in the country I started in
by telling that McMackin's was a whole lot the best
proposition that had ever been found. It was before
the days of the Lost Bonanza, the White Sipar or the
Climax. I told him that the windows in the shop at
McMackin's AVere made of mica in place of glass, that
I had put in some ten by twelve inches. That is hard to
beat anywhere for clear mica. I told him what we
shipped. In fact I got him excited about it and he said
he would go and see McMackin and try to get an inter
est. By blowing up other people's prO'perty I lost a sale
of my own. Be bought a two third interest in McMack
in's mine for sixteen thousand dollars and started in
working it.
While I was on French Creek that winter, George
Gundlack, who lived on a ranch about a half mile off,
went down the creek a piece one day hunting deer. Be
went into a thicket where a mountain lioness with two
cubs were eating on the carcass of a deer. The lioness
jumped up on her hind legs, opened her mouth wide
and scared Mr. Gundlack half to death. Be started to
back up and in so doing his gun w-ent off accidentally.
The bullet struck the lioness in the mouth and came out
the top of her head, so that relieved him. Be caught
the two cubs and took them home. After skinning the
lioness he had a nice hide. I measured it from the tip
of its nose to the tip of its tail and it went over eight and
a half feet. Be put the cubs in a box with slats over ir
and fed them milk and meat, but they would not touch
anything and finally starved to death.
I was in Custer one day shortly after and was tell
ing the story to a traveling man. Be wanted to knoAV
if he could buy the hide. I told him to go down and
see. Be went and in interviewing Mr. Gundlack heard
the story first-hand. Be offered to buy the hide but
Gundlack would not set a price on it. Be took out a
book and pencil and asked his name, age, how many

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 119
other wonderful things he did and said he was going to
write him up. George thought he was going to' appear in
some magazine as a great hero. So when the fellow
said, "I will give you fifty dollars for the hide, but
can't pay till I get to Deadwood, as I will have money
in the bank by then and I AVill come back this way and
pay you and have you tell me some more yarns." George
let him have it and that is the last he saw of him or the
hide. The next summer old man Baight did considerable
work on the mica mine While McMackin was freighting,
but could not miake it pay. Be was a very poor miner,
Ee had mn coal mines in Iowa, but did not know how tO'
break this rock at all, which made matters that much
worse. Then he would not let any one else do things
right. In '82 there was considerable mica mining go
ing on, especially at the Lost Bonanza, oWned by a
Chicago company, so I worked a little that fall for
Baight. Be finally shut down for the winter. Ee
bought a gold prospect on Spring Creek, four or five
miles from Oreville. Be asked me if I would help him
as he wanted someone who could sharpen his tools and
work with him on the prospect. Be had a little streak
of ore, about seven or eight feet one way and about
three feet thick in the middle that dipped right into the
hill at an angle of about forty-five degrees. It was very
rich so We worked in there for about a month and then
ran right into a big body of white quartz and stopj-e'l
prospecting. Be concluded to go on the other side of
the hill and run in a tunnel to tap the big body at a
depth. After we worked a while he would hold the drill
Avith one hand and pour water with the other and nev
er say 'mud'. As I kept the comers of the drill sharp
it did not stick. I kno-w( I put down holes over a foot)
with out mudding once Ee kept that up right along. I
was young at the time and could hit a drill good, but T

120 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
did my best to stick it. One morning I was not feeling
any too Avell. I would go and AA-ork a while, Avliile he
w^ashed the dishes. I figured that there Avas thirty-
eight dollars coming to me and that w-as enough tO' w-in-
ter on with Avhat I had, so I thought if he does that
again I will smash him. This was Friday. We Avould
go to toAvn Saturday and I could get my pay. Ee came
and said, "AVhere will aac put in the hole?" I pointed
to a place Avhere aa-c would have something to break to.
Be was too contrary to say it was all right, but said, "We
Avill put it over here.'' Ee started with his drill putting
it on the rock and by the time he had it adjusted it was
right where I wanted it. I thought to myself, "Mr.
Baight, you had better look out.'' I started in and
slammed as hard as I could. Ee poured Avater with
one hand and turned the drill Avith the other till we got
down about eight or nine inches. I didn't have the nerve
to hit him with my eyes open, so I shut them and let the
hammer go as hard as I could a little to one side of the
drill. Be doubled up like a jack knife and walked out
of the tunnel. I followed him up and said. "I's a won
der I didn't hit you before, you'd never saA' 'mud.' you
make a man strike till he is blind,'' Be walked away
and I finished the shift alone. After dinner he told me
to get all the tools ont for we would go to Custer the
next day and wouldn't do anything for a while. I got
my money and load of grub and went out to my cabin
where I had a mica prospect near Oreville,
Brad Woods, who used to be on the police force at
Central, and his partner, Bishop, were prospecting in
the vicinity. They would come and loo'k at my pros
pects, but never invite me over to where they were
working. One day I decided to go and look them up. I struck
out over the mountain towards St. Elmo peak, for I
knew they were Av'orking somewhere around there. It
was only two and a half miles from where I was, but

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 121
the only roads AA-'ere game trails. They would pack their
grub in with horses, AA'ell, I got on their trail and saw
where they had been washing out dirt. They Ayould
load it in sacks and have the horses pack it down io the
creek. In looking at the gravel I found several pieces
which showed free gold, so I thought they must have it
pretty rich.
I followed up the trail to Avhere they Avere workin.g.
They were down on hands and knees, one picking at the
root of a tree. Be had about two feet of a face and
rock was pretty well broken up. Be w-ould pick the
rock and hand it to the other who would br-ush off the
dirt. Of all the specimens a man ever saw, they had
them. They had a couple of soap boxes full of them
almost covered with coarse gold, the size of a pea and
even larger. I figured they must have had over five
hundred dollars in the boxes. They kept on working
and I stood only a few feet behind them and they did not
see me. Finally I said, "You are getting there.'' They
looked at me and seemed to be about ready to faint for
I scared them. I said, "I thought you fellows had
something over here.'' I had some claims close by, and
they said, "We were looking at your ground one day and
came up here on the side hill and happened to strike
this spot, which is awful rich, but we haven't found the
ledge and thought it best not to take any chances by
talking about it.'' They did not have their stakes up on
their side and I told them; "You'd better put your
stakes wherever you Avant them and I am going to stake
mine, for there might be a good many people prowling
around here as soon as it is found out," They .showed
me as far as they Avanted so I put up my stakes.

122 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
CEAPTEE XVII.
HEBERT MAKES A WATER WHEEL AND IS CALLED BEN
JAMIN FRANKLIN
I had a claim I called the Golden Center, which I
afterwards located as the Matchless, and afterwards lo
cated the Clara Belle. One fellow said, "You must have
a girl by that name.'' "No, when I wrote out the notice
I was running short of names. I had a Kansas City Star
on the table and saw the name, 'Clara Belle'. Some
girl that wrote for the paper and I thought that Avould
do for a name.''
Woods and Bishop continued to work and there is
no telling how much money they took out, but they did
not feel like looking for the ledge. They had out quite
a pile of rock, that was not so rich, and while talking
with George Kimball and Os Elliott, they sold the St.
Elmo. Kimball saw there was enough gold in sight tO'
pay the price they asked.
There was a mill at the Junction they called the
Brady Mill, ten stamps, and after fixing the roads a
little they hauled the rock to that mill and ran it -
through, that is the rock Woods and Bishop took out.
I think they got their money back and a little more.
Kimball and Elliott started prospecting to find the ledge
and Bill Jewett, who claimed to be one of the best min
ers in the United States at the time, told them he would
find it for a third interest. They agreed and went to
work. Woods and Bishop were gone by that time so
they moved into their cabin, but Woods and Bishop
gave me that cabin before they left.
Along towards the spring of '83 they struck a small
stringer of ore from six to ten inches thick. I remember
Bill Jewett saying it went a dollar a pound. Anyhow
they pounded out enough gold to keep the grub up.
George Kimball knew of a small mill at Galena that had

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 123
been run with a water wheel, so in describing it to me
he asked if I thought I could rig it up. Told him I
thought I could so he found he could get it for twelve
hundred dollars or such a matter. I remember him
telling me that he borroAV'ed the money at the bank at
three per cent a month, so they had to hurry up and put
the mill up to pay it off. I agreed to help them put it
up I thought I could build a water wheel. I had seen
some pictures in a magazine and thought I could make
one like it. They w-ent and got the mill at Galena and
brought it down on Sunday Gulch.
While they were gone I told them I would surve,v
the ditch. So I took a sixteen foot board and trued it
up with an old jack plane and then fastened a thresh
ing machine level on top of it. I tacked a leg on each
end of the board, about fourteen inches long and got
it so it would reverse, then I tacked a quarter-inch sliver
under one end and I was ready to survey. I started in
with my long rig to where I wanted the Avater to come
and went up the creek hugging the side hill for five or
six hundred yards, driving pegs along under the legs. We
would dig the ditch about fourteen inches below the
top of the peg. We came to a beaver dam which was
just in the right place and then started to dig the ditch.
They soon got back with the mill, as it Avas only a,
light affair, the stamps weighing only two hundred and
fifty pounds. We started in and cut doAvn a big tree
and took a sixteen foot length, hewed on tAvo sides. We
had a pit dug and found heavy boulders and solid clay,
so we bedded that big timber down and put the morter
light in the center. They had brought the battery post
and the pulley was on the cam shaft. I hewed out the
other timibers for the balance of the building.
Finally it came to the wheel. I was to make a
twelve foot wheel. We hauled the lumber from Custer
and I made the wheel the best I could and then fasten-

124 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
ed on a shaft about eight inches square. We had an old
mining Avar and cut the axles off and drove them in the
end with a spindle, then I built a pulley about five feet
in diameter in line with the other pulley. We had a
copper plate and after I made the table Ave were ready
lo start. There Avere several people on hand tO' see us start,
including Cook and Eogers from the Grizzley Bear,
Matt Daly and several others. Even Bill Jewett was
Avith them, three or four rods aAvay from the mill. All
said it would not work, it could not run. George Kim
ball would look at me and I AVOuld look at him and we
would say, "It must.'' But to tell the truth I AA-as a
little shaky, but the Avheel was wide and the buckets
deep and Ave had a good flow of water and thought it
ought to run. Bowever, tO' have a half dozen men
prophesying failure was not very encouraging. So
George and 1 put on the belt, and I went and let the
Avater in. It would raise one stamp and then slip, then
finally another and slip. We let it run that Avay for
about five minutes so the croakers could enjoy them
selves. But George understood it all right. If he had
not I would have quit right there. We took off the
belt and cut off tAvo inches and put it on again. That
time it did a little better, three or four stamps Avould
raise all right and then slip, AA"e let it run a AA-hile that
way and felt we were improving. The belt Avas ncAV
and would stretch. The next time we took off two inch
es more and had considerable trouble getting it on.
When it was pretty near on I put the water on and then
pushed till we got it on all right. Then the way those
little stamps worked made George and myself smile.
Ee put some quartz under the stamps and the lit
tle mill was singing fine. I know that I put my hands
in my pockets to keep from shaking with Bill Jewett.
"Benjaihin Franlilin," he said, "You are the stuff.''
The little mill worked like a clock after that. Bill

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 12.5
JeAvett told me that Cook had said he saAV several of
them little Jim Crow Avheels and they never were a
success. That is what made him think it Avouldn't
work. I Avas ready to go home then, but helped to make
some shelter over the mill. They had good ore and it
Avasn't long till you could see the amalgam on the table.
They were not long in paying off the twelve hundred
dollars, for they Avere taking out a couple hundred dol
lars a day. I took possession of Woods and Bishop's
cabin about then and prospected around the country.
Going up Bear Creek I found those falls the squaAV man
told about. They AA-ere just as he described them, and
he gave me such a good description that I knew the gold
ledge must be close by. There was considerable quartz
cropping out, but I never could find the kind of speci
mens the Indians had, or where they came from. My
niece, Laura, named them the Silver Tip Falls and I
thought that a good name. I don't suppose more than
thirty people ever saw them, but those that did said it
Avas about the most romantic spot they ever saw. They
are situated about two miles from Oreville on Bear
Creek, about a half mile from my Tremain mill. AA''hen
the tourists come I hope one of them will find that gold
mine, for it might be close by,
A party composed of Carter, his boy. Doc Dalton
and Charley Eoland were camped close to my cabin.
About three hundred yards across they had struck it
rich and were taking out any amount of fine specimens.
They never said a w-ord to- me about it, but they could
not find where the rich ore came from. They found a
ledge close by but it did not prospect any. Carter was
about ready tO' leave. That was about one of the wet
test spring we ever had. Bridges were washed out and
in fact even Deadwood came near washing away. There
came a big snow and this party was living in a tent.
Close by was a tree leading their Avay. So much snow
had fallen and accumulated on the tree top that it came

126 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
down and the top brushed the tent. That seemed to be
the straw that broke the camel's back for old man Car
ter. Be came over to the cabin that morning and I never
heard such swearing and cussing in my time. I was told
he sang in a choir in Deadwood and was supposed to be
very religious, but losing the ledge and the tree falling
caused him to break out. Be and Doc Dalton went
aAvay and Eoland and Mell Carter helped at the St. El
mo mill and mine. This prospect is close to the falls,
but in their bunch of quartz the gold was fine. I lo
cated the ground afterwards and called ifc the D'elusion,
for the ledge never Avas found that produced those
specimens. The ground uoaa- belongs to the Clara
Belle Company. Shorth- after that I became a million
aire for about ten days. Doc Dalton helped me do a
little work on Avhat is now the Matchless and we got out
some ver.y fne ore. I made some arrangements Avitli
him to do the work for an interest, but he did not stay
and we never finished the bargain. So I started in
alone. I struck about six inches of oxidized ledge
matter and it was awful rich. I could take out up to a
third of a pan and there was some fine free gold speci
mens in the rock. Well, I Avould take a dab of dirt and
go down to the house and pan it and get about a dollar.
I would say, "I wonder if I have it?' So I w-ould" go
and get some more and get as much again, I would
light my pipe, cock my heels up on the table and say.
"If it stays like that any length of time I Avill have all
the gold I want.''
Next day I did a little work and panned out about
an ounce and that evening built a few little castles. I
know now they were in the air. Well, I took out about
ten ounces and the rock turned to white quartz and the
quartz and the prospect got down to about five or six
dollar ore. I got down off my high horse Avithont get-
tap it at a greater depth, but there being so much water
in the ground it drove me out. Eaving so many other

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 127
things on my hands there never Avas any more work
done there.
Along about in July the Avater got lighter and as
the St. Elmo people had most of their rich rock run
through they shut doAvn and the camp became desert
ed but for myself. I had struck some pretty good
placer ground close by and Avas doing Avell. I did not
AVork at that continually, though, but kept on prospect
ing. That summer a man named Franklin and others
AA-hile working on a mica prospect near Keystone en
countered some very rich tin ore. The.A- shoAved some
of it to A. J. Simmons and he had it assayed and it
proA-ed very rich in tin. Be bought in an interest, and
it was later known as the Etta. Later on it Avas sold to
some parties in New York and the tin business started
in the Black Bills.
The funny business commenced right off. Bob
Flormann located a couple of mines three or four miles
from the Etta and got several samples of the Etta ore
and went tO' New York, and on the strength of the sam
pies sold his ground at Pine Camp and got fifteen thou
sand dollars on the first payment (Be told me so him
self) from James AA^ilson, who was afterAvards the main
promoter in the tin business. Wilson had the Pine
Camp property investigated and never found any tin
that I ever heard of. Flormann had the fifteen thou
sand, but never tried to get any more payments on the
bargain. That seemed to AA-ake AA^ilson up. Be tohl
someone, "I w-ill get that back and a Ayhole lot morf.
too."

128 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS

CBAPTEE XVIII.
ETTA TIN MINE S-TARTS BUSINESS FOR HARNEY PEAK
MINING COMPANY
They started to build a mill on the Etta, but it was
quite a while before they got ready to run. I went over
and posted myself all I could on the tin ores. Prof.
Bailey was their expert and he showed me several sam
pies of ore from other countries. I knew I had some in
my placer ground, I started prospecting and located
the Tin Queen. For several years there was quite an
excitement over tin. Locations were made from Key
stone on the east to Warren's Gulch, several miles on
the other side of Custer, on the Avest. I seemed to be
about in the center, but continued working on my placer.
There was any amount of game in the country.
Three elks stayed around pretty close for two years, and
there. Be was a tall, well dressed, fine looking man, but
big bear I used to- see very often, especially in the even
ing. Be got so that he was not afraid of me. There
AA-as a small tree about two rods from the door w-here I
would throw my table scraps and he would come pretty
regular for his lunch. It got noised around Custer that
I was living right among the bears. About that time
a young felloAA- came in on the stage to Custer and said
he wanted to kill some big game. Some one told him to
go over to my place and he would get all the big game
he wanted. So Ben Eunyon, who knew just how to find
me, told him where to get off the stage, and then he
would find the trail to my cabin. One morning he start
ed out and came over. Ee found me all right. I was
working my placer and he told me what he wanted. I
sized him up and figured I would have some fun right
there. He was a tall, Avell dressed, fine looking man, but
seemed to be out of his element hunting bear. We A\-ent

^-?^=« I- ¦

wVS

¦ ., - '"^

ft <

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 129
back to the cabin as I was glad to have company for a
while and I put in the afternoon scaring him.
I told him that shortly before three men were hunt
ing bear close to Lead and went into a thicket. As one
was stepping over a log a big bear grabbed him and
chewed up his face pretty Avell before the others could
come to his assistance. They shot the bear and sold
him at the butcher's in DeadAA-ood, 1 told him a friend
of mine was all crippled up after having encountered a
bear a fcAV miles from here, but said, "i\faybe those peo
ple Avere not as bravc^ as you are," I asked him if he had
eA-er killed any. Be said no, but that a friend of his
had killed one in Colorado the fall before and he saAV
the hide. The fellow would not take five. hundred dol
lars for it. Be said he Avould like to .get one as good.
"You will get one all right," I said, "for you seem to
have the nerve," I had him pretty Avell scared before
bed time. I thought my bear would be around that
night so I kept watch. I made it a point to go out once
in a -while and about eleven o'clock I saw the bear ap
proaching the tree. It was not very dark. The bear
saw me, but never made a move. I thought it was time
to send my man out. I said, "Let's go to bed, it's get
ting late," and he AA-ent out. Ee was gone about a min
ute or so and came rushing in all out of breath, "Say,"
he said, "Is that a bear out there? It's the biggest ani
mal I ever saw.'' I said, "Sure that is a bear, but that
is no reason why you should get scared," I went over
to the door and watched the bear go away. I made it a
point to shut that door good and tight, I had a pin I
used to put into the log, and kept on talking to myself.
"I don't want that bear to come in here, for he tries to
get in some times,'' Well, I had the fellow pretty
nervous I can tell you.
The next moming after breakfast I said, "Now,
you come with me and I will show you where to go."
There was a park consisting of about thirty acres of

130 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
nice level ground and the grass grcAV very tall. The beai'
had wallowed off in it some place, but it was easy to
follow a trail in the long grass, so I said, "You folloAV
this trail and at the upper end you may see him asleep.
Stand your ground and don't get excited. AVhen he gets
within a couple of rods of you give him a couple good
shots in the head, that Avill finish him. I am going to
Avork and I will come back as soon as I hear you shoot,
so if anything happens you I will help you out.'' I went
on a piece and hid behind a tree. When he thought I
Avas out of sight he jumped the creek and started for
Oreville. There was a fringe of brush between us and
I could not see him, but at noon I Avent and tracked him
and saw he Avas taking long steps for the stage and I
suppose he concluded he did not Avant a bear. I heard
of him when I went to Custer. Ee left the next day on
the stage for Sidney.
I saw Ben Eunyon and he said, "I saw that felloAV
who was out your way, and he said, 'That fellow, Ee
bert, is going to get taken iu by some of those wild ani
mals some day, for he told me there was mountain lions
all around, and I got to see that bear and concluded that
the caliber of my gun was not big enough to tackle him
and did not want to take the chances."
"I will help you get that bear. You take a gallon
of whiskey and some syrup and mix it up and put it in
a dish where he can get it. I Avill come out Avith a party
and bring a log chain and Ave will catch him and chain
him to a tree." I tried the liear out with a little, Ee
took it all right, but it was not my intention he should
get it all before giving him the big dose. When they
got ready to come out they brought more AA'hiskey and
staked their horses on the park in front of the house, f
knew well enough that no bear Avould come up close to
where the horses would snort, but let them run it. We
fixed up a good dose for him, but there Avas so much
singing and laughing in the cabin that we forgot about

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 131
the bear. We Avere up all night, but no one saw him.
That evening they concluded they would drink the
whiskey themselves and go home., All they Avanted any
how was one big drunk. The bear got the Avhiskey and
syrup but I never saAV any drunken bear around.
A few nights after that I heard the bear out around
some tin cans I thrcAV about a rod from the door. I
heard the cans rattle. Bad a miner's candlestick Avith
my candle in it. I used to read after getting into bed
and would stick this candle into a log. In the night I
thought I would get up. I Avas about half asleep, and
take a look at the bear. I opened the door and stuck
my candle out and there he Avas right across the door.
I missed him by a few inches with my sharp candle
stick, but I am satisfied that if I had punched my
candle a little lower I would have taken him in the ribs,
and as they always strike back, he might have caught
me and maybe bit my foot off. As it was I slammed
the door, out went the candle, and I jumped back to bed
and said to him, "Go to blazes.''
There Avere some parties camped on Spring Creek,
where Oreville now is, and I used to go doA\-n and spent
the evening. Usually it would be eleven or twelve
o'clock before I would leave. It would be pitch dark
and most of the time when I needed my gun or lantern
I AV'ould not have it. I did have a good stick though
that I would move around so as to keep in the trail, I
had a good big dog, but he had no use for mountain
lions, for when he was a pup the lions tried to get him
out of his house. Well this night about half way home,
where the lions had a trail that crosed mine, where the
spruce was very thick and it Avas dark as pitch, the dog,
who was running just ahead of me, whined and huggerl
my leg pretty close. I would have to tell him, "Stop
your pushing.'' I heard the brush cracking and on
looking in the thicket saw a pair of eyes shining like
balls of fire. I felt none too brave as I was afraid the

132 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
Hon might make a lunge for the dog and I would be in
the way, I always had an idea they were afraid of me,
for if they had not been they would have got me long
ago. I hear a lot about thrills now-a-days and I think
I had several of them before I got home that night.
It makes me smile AA-hen I read about these parties
that have dogs to hunt mountain lions. I heard that
Theodore Eoosevelt had a dog in Arizona that Avas a
great mountain lion dog, that he used to tree them Avith.
I don't like to take issue Avith Mr. Eoosevelt, but a
mountain lion, in this country at least, could no more
climb a tree than could a dog. Congers and panthers
climb trees. These lions might jump up fifteen feet
or so on a big limb, or climb a tree that is at an angle
but to climb a straight tree — they can't do it. But
it is wonderful the jumps they can make. One time my
brother and I were fixing the flume close to the falls and
his children came out to Avhere Ave were working. The
dog Ave had was pretty much the color of a lion. Be
fore they got to Avhere we Avere they thought they saw
the dog close to a big dyke. They looked again and saAV
him jump, it must have been eighteen or twenty feet up
on a shelf on the dyke. Then they kncAV it Avas not the
dog. They came OA-er and told us about it and we Avent
back and saw where the lion had jumped up.
These mountain lions Ave had in this country Avould
have a feast if a dog had nerve enough to follOAV them,
I know of one case Avhere there Avas a big NeAvfound
land dog and he Avould go out at night and bark at the
lions. The mountain lions kept getting closer all the
time and one night all they heard was a "ki ki", and
the next morning saAv where the lion had caught the
dog. There was a little snow and the men trailed the
lion up the steep hill that AA-as close by and saw where
he carried the dog. close to tAVO thousand feet on the
mountain side before he put it doAA'n. They folloAved on
and saAV Avhere he started to devour the dog. AVhile

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 133
there Were mountain lions here we never heard a coy
ote howl, and they would hunt them like a cat does a
mouse. Even the bears were willing to give me half the
road, for when I was working my placer and had to go
about a quarter mile from my cabin I met one, it Avas
at noon, too. I was walking along and got up pretty
close before I saw him. Be was a fine big Silver Tip.
I know he turned out to give me half the road and that
I turned out and was willing that he should have it all.
I kept my eye on some small trees that I could climb if
he started for me but he went right on about his busi
ness. I suppose I ought to have gotten a shot gun and
lots of buck shot and went right after those bears, but
they didn't belong to me and I didn't want any of them.
As long as they let me alone I was willing to let them be.
I had been getting considerable stream tin in my
placer and as I burned my own charcoal to sharpen my
tools with I would pound up some tini and throw it in
the fire while I was blacksmithing. I would get some
thing like shot out of it, but did not know how to gath
er it. Later on I would pick up the shot and put it in a
frying pan and cover it with grease and let it boil a
while. I would shake the pan and get the tin all in one
chunk. I used to give away pocket pieces to people and,
make rings sometimes. I know I gave Mrs. Bob Wood.
of Custer, a tin ring. She valued it more than any--
thing she received as a wedding present because it w-as
Black Bills tin.
Quite a while after that I planned on smeltin.g
some tin on a larger scale. I got a piece of sheet iron
and rounded it like a stove pipe and set it over a good
fire on the forge. I made a good bed of coals, put in a
good layer of tin, then more coal, some more tin and
topped it off with more coal. Now my smelter w-as
ready to start the blast. I kept it up about ten minutes
then got a chair and peaked doAVn the pipe. The char-

134 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
coal was burned out in one place so I took a gold pan
full and started to pour it on top. There was an explos
ion. After a while I came to, lying next to the wall op
posite the forge. I did not know how long I had been
there, but I had hit my head pretty hard against the
wall I did not know of a soul for miles around, but
I recovered from that all right, and cut out the smelt
ing. Bowever I picked up considerable tin shot after
wards. A year or so passed and there was not much do
ing. James Wilson was buying some tin property
around Bill City and other places. During all those
years I kept up my expenses by placer mining. I AVOuld
sometimes haul the dirt down to Bear Creek and sluice
it, or would rock it at the spring close to the diggings.
In the Avinter I would go down the placer ground about
a thousand feet or so, dig a pit ten or twelve feet deep
and drift on the pay streak and take nothing but the bes".
I would take out some three or four flour sacks a day,
pack it to the cabin and pan it in a tub. It would go
from seventy-five cents to a dollar and a half a sack. So
you see I didn't have to Work continuously nor very
long before I got an ounce or two, which would buy
quite a bill of grub. Then I would let things stand till
I needed some! more.
People used to think that someone put up for me,
but they did not. My placer made it possible for me to
stick it out. At first I used to pan my dirt right close
to the hole. I used to fill the tub with snow and throAV
hot rocks in it. It would take considerable wood. One
time I brought in a chunk with the roots hanging to it.
I got it adjusted on my shoulder and could just about
carry it. When I thrcAV it down close to the hole, a
root about half as big as my finger pierced my foot close-
to my toes. I had quite a time pulling that out, too, T
Avill tell you. I started for my cabin and before I got
there the blood was running out of the top of my shoe.
I started in getting wood and water and must have mov-

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 135
ed around an hour or so getting things ready, for T did
not know how long I Avould be laid up. 1 made myself
a pair of crutches and then Avas ready to attend to my
foot. I chewed up a big AA'ad of tobacco and put the;
cud on the wound, then tore up my Avhite shirt for ban
dages. I got along pretty Avell for three <n* four days
and then my wood began to give out. I concluded I
would start for Oreville to catch the stage. -Inst as I
got to the road a team came along from Bill City and
took me to Custer. I had my foot dressed by old Dr.
Clemens, and as some of the Gundlacks AA-ere in front
the ranch I went out Avith them and stayed a coujile o(
Aveeks. My foot Avas well enough to AA-alk on by the end
of that time.
I had occasion to go doAA'u tO' Buffalo Gap soon af
ter. The town was booming, as it was the terminal of
the Northwestern Eailroad. There AA'ere a good many
hard cases there, and I remember being told the deput.A'
marshal killed one just a few days before. I Avas
acquainted Avith a man named Moore ; people called
him, "Water Eight'' Moore as he had some AA-ater rights
around Central and the Northern Bills. His Avife
took a great interest in all kind of ore. She called me
into her house one day and showed me a large crystal
of tourmaline and another of casiterite. They Ayere
shaped a good deal alike and of about the same color.
She said, "Mr. Hebert, I want you to tell me Avhich is
the tin, for I show them to a great many people and I
can't tell which is which. I Avant to mark them." I
told her that was not necessary for I could tell her hoAV
to distinguish them at a glance. She said, "Air. He
bert, you ought not to make fun of me, I could not tell
them in a month if I was told every day.'' I saAV there-
was no use to argue with her so I said, "Give me the
crystals and shut your eyes, I will tell you hoAV to dis
tinguish with your eyes closed." I handed her th:-
crystals and asked, "Which is the heaviest'? Why, this

136 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
one is four times as heavy as the other." I said, "That
is the casiterite, the other is the tourmaline, now you
think a person has to be pretty smart to tell the differ
ence, but it is easy AVhen you know.'' I saw her after
Avards and she said she could tell them easy then.
There were some boys, or rather young men, who
were in the habit of coming into town after they got a
little drunk and then start shooting up the place. This
would generally occur in the afternoon, about the time
the children were coming from school and it made it dan
gerous for them to go home. As the business men were
not composed of tenderfeet they concluded to put a
stop to it. So one afternoon three of them were in and
started to duplicate their little stunt. As they were rid
ing out of town a posse that was prepared for them
killed all three. That put a stop to that kind of per
formance for some time.
That fall there was considerable work being done
around my camp, as several people had taken up loca
tions and were doing their assessment work. Charlie
Earbaugh wanted me for a partner in some ground
and insisted that we locate a piece together, thinking
that maybe I would make a deal with my other ground
and put that in, too, and he would make something out
of it. After doin,g a little work I had a chance to sell
my interest to a, Mr. Wilcox, so I sold. Ee came out
to do some work on the ground and brought -John A'ii--
tue to help him. Earbaugh would come out once in a
while and work a day or so. They ran in an open cut
on the side hill and struck a dyke that was partly de
composed and they had a face on it of about nine feet.
Wilcox and Virtue Avent home on Saturday and Ear
baugh came out Sunday,

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 137
CEAPTEE XIX.
JUDGE ROMAN FAILS TO REPORT BUT GETS SIXTY THOU
SAND DOLLARS
There was a place on Sunday Gulch where a small
ledge and several boulders rich in tin was found. Ear
baugh hauled about a hundred pounds over and salted
the cut. Be dug a trench across the face for about two
feet and placed the ore in it and then caved a foot or so
of rock on top of it. When Wilcox and Virtue came
out to work Monday they got to this ore heiore noon.
Wilcox brought down about twenty-five po-jnds to my
cabin as they were stopping with me at the time. As
quick as I saw it I kneAvi it right off and figured "hat
Earbaugh had been doing Sunday. Wilcox said they
had struck it, and I let him talk on till after dinner. I
Avas feeling pretty sorry for him, for there never was a
finer old gentleman than he, honest himself, and never
thought anyone Avould do such a dirty trick. I did not
like the job of explaining matters, but \A-as bound to
protect him as I had received a couple hundred dolL-u^s
for my interest.
I finally said, "Mr. Wilcox, Charlie Earbaugh
salted you yesterday, and the chances are he wants to
sell out to you.'' "Yes," he said, "he told me he would
give me fifteen hundred dollars, or he would take the
same for his interest.'' I told him I thought so and said,
"Mr. Wilcox, there is no need for me to argue Avith you
about this thing. I will go over with you noAV and shoAV
you hoAV it was done. I Will show you Avhere the rock
came from. I will show you that the ore is sun dried,
and you haven't anything that looks like it around, only
what was put there.'' So I Avent Avith him and showed
and explained hoAV it was done. As there had been
enough work done for one season he did not have the
heart to do much more that year. Ee did not buy Ear-

138 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
baugh out, nor could he get him to make an offer for his
interest. I concluded I would run a ditch and flume to Bear
Creek and put water on my placer. I had surveyed it
with my straight edge and landed up between the two
falls. I had some parties up looking at it but they said
it could not be done, the country was too rough. I con
cluded to start it anyhow. I 'thought if I could get
water on the ground I would make pretty good money
for several years. I got Mr. Gundlack interested, alloAV-
ing him to furnish the lumber for an interest in the
placer. AA^e AA-ent at it and started at the diggings.
headed for the falls hugging the side hills. When Ave
came to rough pieces of ground we flumed and went on.
As we got pretty close to the gorge there AVere places
Avhere we drilled holes in the granite and left the drills
so that we could fasten timbers to put the boxes on.
AA-hen Ave got to the gorge we put timbers across and
final l.v landed in a good place to get the water. We did
Avell the balance of that summer.
A few years afterwardsi it was pretty dry. A fire
raged all around my flume and burned it up, putting
an end to it. I kept on prospecting for a time and in
the spring of '86 I located the Tin City mine at Ore
ville, That spring the railroad got as far as Buffalo
Gap and I thought I AA-ould go doyvn to Plattsmouth
and see my friend, Fred Berman, Avho was then city
treasurer. Be could not do much for me, though. No one
belicA-ed aa-c had anv tin in the Black Bills for the
papers did not seem to think aa'c had any. I remember
a piece in the Omaha Bee saying they did not belicA-e we
had enough to make a tin plate,
I AA-ent up to Lincoln and AA-hile sitting in the lobby
of the hotel one evening a man came in about half drunk
and said, "Bello, come and take something, I haven't
seen you for a long time,'' I said, "You must be mis
taken. I am from the Black Bills.'' I talked Black

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 139
Bills quite a while and he went off. A man came up
and asked if those specimens in the showcase belonged
to me. I told him they did and that I was on my way
back, for it was evident that I could not do anything
with my prospects. Ee asked me what I wanted. I
told him I wanted forty thousand dollars for a half in
terest and that I would start developing. When it jus
tified it I would use that money tO' finance my portion
of the mill. Ee seemed to think that was not bad. Ee
gave me his card and it turned out he was the treasurer
of the State of Nebraska. I forget his name. Ee want
ed to know if I was acquainted with Judge Eoman, of
Deadwood. Told him I heard of him and he said, "Do
you think he is all right?'' Told him I thought he was.
Ee said, "AA^^ell, I Avill have him go and examine your
property and have him report on it.''
I started back and when I got to Custer it began
to storm pretty hard for two or three weeks. I heard
nothing from -Judge Eoman, but finally he came to Cus
ter and inquired for me. As I was between there and
Bill City and the weather was cold he never came out. ¦
Charlie Earbaugh met him and told him he had some
thing just as good and they filled a barrel of Avhat we
call "bullrock" Avith tourmaline crystals sticking out in
place of tin. They sent it in place of my ore and of
course it AA-as turned dowri. I afterwards heard that
Judge Eoman got sixty thousand dollars out of these
parties in Lincoln and invested it in some ground on
Bald Mountain. So I did not make much headway then
trying to sell my property. Along about that time the
St. Elmo people concluded to do some more work and
as the water was light that year decided to put in a
steam boiler. They threw out the water Avheel and
started up with steam. They brought a man from Dead-
wood to drive the team which was hauling ore. Be had
been with General Custer and Eeno, when Custer was
massacred. I don't intend to write a history of the In-

140 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
dian wars, but I never forgot what he said one evening.
Be was with the pack train and was a civilian. Ee
thought it was understood between Custer and Eeno,
that Custer was to advance and was to circle around to
kind of head off the Indians, but apparently they set a
trap for him. A few Indians were menacing Reno's
front and he never advanced. Ee said, "I am satisfied
that if Eeno had advanced, we could have saved Cus
ter, but he never moved till it was too late.'' That man
blamed Eeno for the massacre.
They ran the little mill quite a while, but it was too
small to pay on the kind of ore they had at the time.
The Indians were in the habit of coming up after
tepee poles and camjped all around me. Up at the head
of Bear Creek is the best hunting ground around here,
but there were no roads or trails up there and the brush
was so thick I could hardly get through. So I told old
Stinking Bear that I had lots of tepee poles up there
and if he made a road through he could have them, as
they were getting kind of scarce around here. I show
ed him where to cut the road. The next day he strung
about fifty Indians and squaws along cutting brush and
in a few days they had it so they could get the running -
gears of a wagon up there. It made me a good trail that
I could use when I went hunting.
The Indians would come right into m.y house to
bake their bread. I remember counting fifteen squaws
at one time sitting around on the floor baking small
batches of bread. They did not seem to need any pans,
either, I made the bucks cut the wood for them.
One evening I passed War Bonnet's tepee and Mrs.
War Bonnet was cooking a dog in a sheet iron pot. She
said, "Shanka washtay" (good dog). I said, "It will
kill ,you." 'She said, "No." ,'The nexft mjorning War
Bonnet came up to the house and wanted some bread, he
said something like "Wiapa.'' The squaw was sick. I
said, "I told her last night that dog would kill her." Ee

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 141
said "No dog make no one sick.'' I told him to go down
to Wakapomanie" to get his bread, I could not feed a
band of Indians. But nothing Avould do but I must go
over and see the sick squayv. When 1 got there she wai
lying flat on her back Avith her feet about six inches from
the blaze. I joked her about eating too much dog, Any-
hoAV I told AA^ar Bonnet to come back and get the bread.
I gave him half a loaf and she Avas up and around the
next day.
I was talking to an Indian Avhile he Avas peeling his
poles. Be had a crooked jaAV and said he had been
shot iu the Custer fight. Be motioned that for three
"Avees" (moons) and la.yed on his back, shoAving that he
had been sick for three months. Then they brought him
doAvn to Wakapomanie and tAvo fingers up and Avee, then
AA-alked around, shoAving that he got Avell in tyvo months,
I asked him Av-hat he thought of Custer, "AA^ashtay, big
Chief." Be seemed to like Custer.
One morning a squaAV came over Avith some flour
and a pan and stood by the stove. I thought I Avoukl
make her talk and let her stand there a Avhile, But I
felt sorry for her after a bit and got her a spoon and
shoAved her where the water was, gave her a bread pan
and told her to go to it. She was well pleased. I ask
ed, "Where is Lakota?" She said, "Slojer'' and point
ed in the direction of Fort Meade, in three weeks he
was coming back to Wakapomanie. At the time the
Government had quite a number of Indians they used on
scouting duty. Apparently his time would be out in
three months and she was getting the tepee poles for
their home when he got back.

142 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
CBAPTEE XX.
TENDERFOOT LADY LEARNS HOW TO AVASH DISHES
That summer 1 did considerable prospecting on
Sunday Gulch and around Barney Peak,
The strike that was made on Sunday Gulch was the
cause of me coming near getting a broken leg. Fred
Beideprim and old Otto and some others struck a short
gulch, that leads into Avhat is now knoAvn as Sunday
Gulch and for about tAveh-e hundred feet it was very
rich. It was noised around Eockerville that there must
be plenty of gold in that district. These days the pros
pectors used to go out on what we called a "stampede"'
and these generally occurred in the night. One of my
friends said, "Let's go, I know about where it is and
I think we can get there by morning, so get your horse."
I had the horse picketed out. The country around was
full of prospect holes and I had to go and fall in one of
them. That put an end to my stampeding at the time.
That one gulch was about all that was ever found that
Avas any good.
So this particular time I was prospecting on the
main fork of this Sunday Creek, north of where Sylvan
Lake now is. The lake is at the head of the south fork,
and is where they dammed up the gorge .gnd made a
lake of about forty or fifty acres.
The branch running north heads close to Bamey
Peak. I was in the habit of going any place, no matter
how rough the country. I got to a place that sloped
down to the gorge and took a notion tO' go down and.
take a peak in the gorge. Just then my foot slipped and
I started to slide down. It was much steeper than T
thought and I kept on going. I saw a knob sticking out
and so guided myself for that with my hands and came
astradle of it. Of course I stopped there, and it was
time I had for my legs were hanging over the cliff.

40 YEARS IN TEE BLACK BILLS 143
There was the gorge right below me. I could hear the
water in the riffles, probably a hundred feet beloAV. To
make matters a little more interesting I thought the
knob I was astradle of Avas loose.
Well, it makes my blood tingle yet when I think of
it. I tried to back out, but the heels of my boots wouhl
slip on the rocks. I was hung up good and tight and
could not get back. My boots were not very tight so
started to Aviggle them and finally got one loose, and by
being careful twisted- around and got it off. The knob.
I felt, Avas getting looser all the time. I finally got the
other boot off and tied them together Avith my handker
chief and thrcAv them around my neck. Then when I
got my heels against a little knob in the granite I push
ed myself up and got on my hands and knees. As my
feet Avere holding good I gave that knob a kick and down
it AA'ent in the gorge. I could walk up in my stocking
feet and got out of there. That made me feel kind of
tired, so I Avent and rested up the balance of the day.
I kncAv that if I ever landed in that gorge that even
the coyotes w-ouldn't find me.
I was determined to look that country over pretty
good around Barney Peak, so started out pretty early
one morning and landed on top of the peak about noon.
I had been there before in the spring of '77. At that
time there was a big kettle there that undoubtedly was
left by Custer's soldiers with their names and addresses
on a paper in it. General Custer, M. G, Gillcuddy, and
several other well knoAvn names were on it. But this
particular time it was gone and another smaller can with
about a hundred names in it was there. I Avent up to
the tip top and found a big boulder weighing about
two tons that felt loose. There AA-as a pitch pine pole
which no doubt had been used as a flag pole. I took
that pole and used it as a pry and lever and in about a
half hour's time I rolled the boulder off and it Ayent
crashing down the side, If I did not do very much I

144 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
knocked the top off the highest point east of the Eocky
Mountains. I found patches of mica here aud there, but noth
ing that Ayould make a mine. All the mines of any
character are found aAvay from the main uplift in the
contact betAveen the slates and granites. That summer
A, D. SteAA-ai-d came doAvn to see me and said he had
parties that Ayould put up any amount of money on a
good pros])ect. 1 bonded liim a piece of ground and he
Ava'^ to sink a shaft on it. Be took a notion he Avanted
more .ground.
A man named -Jim Yerxic had some ground five or
six miles up Spring Creek from Oreville. In fact it
Avas the same ground Avhere I smashed old man Baight
oyer the arm Avith a hammer on the big Avhite blow
out Avhei-e I never could find a color. Still it Avas fine
looking ore. After he had started operations Avith me
he sent a man and Avoman named McDonald from
DeadAvood to run the boarding house. Ee told me he
had bonded that ground from Yerxie and that it was
tne greatest thing he ever saAV and didn't understand
hoAv such good ground could haA-e been left idle so long.
It was none of my business, but I kncAV better and told
him that I was acquainted with the ground and that it
was no good. Ee seemed to think I Avas knocking. T
told him to go to it. Ee would come to his senses in
time and he appeared offended, Ee said he had made
eight or ten different assays and that the ore Avent six or
eight dollars, and there Avas thousands of tons of it in
sight. I knew then that something Avould happen and
he would never finish his contract with me.
It was during this time that Frank McDonald and
his wife were running the boarding house that I had
three men working my ground. This McDonald family
had been raised in Toronto, Canada, and apparently A.
D. StcAvard came from there too, for they seemed to know
one another pretty well. Their folks were wealthy, and

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 145
after they married they Avent to Denver and bought in
lots of real estate. Bard times struck Denver and the
taxes about ate them up, so they gathered AA'hat stuff
they had and came to Deadwood and uoav were Avith me
I remember going into the kitchen after the first
meal and saw Mrs. McDonald down on her knees, wash
ing the dishes in a tub that Avas on the floor. As She;
washed them she put them on a bench. 1 said, "A'ou
never washed dishes much." She said, "Never washed
any in my life before." Ber fingers Avere full of rings
and there Avere diamonds in her ears. She took every
thing as a joke and was laughing most of the time. She
learned after a while how to handle the dishes.
A feAV nights after I thought I lieard souie one
call and answered. Some times people Avould yell out
asking about the road. I had my do,g that A\'as afraid
of nothing but mountain lions, so I went in the house,
got my gun but could see no one around. The dog Avas;
making quite a racket in the thicket. It Avas just about
dark. I started for the place with a shot gun and as
I passed under a spruce about tAventy feet up saAv a
pair of eyes shining like fire. Steppi^d iMjk and ^nve
him a load of buck shot in the face. It turned out to
be a big wild cat, so I took him over to the house and
let him lay till moming.
That morning a couple of men came up the road
looking for their mules. They Avere hauling logs at the
saw mill at Oreville. The mules were missing. There
Avas a young fellow with them from Minneapolis, a
student in a school, and he admired that Avild cat. Be
thought 'it Avas something wonderful, and Avhen they
found the mules and came back this young felloAv Avas
i-iding one. Ete kept talking Avild cat and Avanted to
know w-hat I would take for it. Told him he could
have it for nothing. The mule was standing about half
asleep with his ears flopped over. I took the cat and
threw it across in front of the riders and told him to

146 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
take it home. Mrs. McDonald was looking through the
AvindoAV. When he urged the mule to start, it stuck up
its ears and turned its head and sniffed, then saw the
Avild cat. I have seen bucking horses, but nothing that
went so high as that mule, and he thrcAy the boy and cat
for what seemed ten feet in the air. I heard a yell in
the house and that Avoman laughed so i thought she was
having a fit. I never heard anyone laugh so hearty
before. The boy was not hurt much, so he started off
with his cat over his shoulder.
We had been Avorking about three weeks when
Steward got back. I thought he looked kind of wor
ried. Be had twenty men working on the Yerxie ground
and they intended to put up a large mill. They were
also Avorking on the road and built a boarding house,
for they thought they had all the ore they wanted in
sight. That night he said, "I Avant you to come over with
me tomorrow and give that mine a thorough test." I
said, "Mr. StcAvard, I told you what you had once and
I don't go to any mine with you tomorrow for the thing
AA-ill be busted up in mighty short order and I Avill get
the credit for it, for Yerxie knows that I have his prop
erty pretty well sized up." But the next moming he
said, "Frank, you have got to help me out, if it is as you
say, then the sooner I stoji this expense the better, for if
my parties find out that it is not any good they won't
pay a cent." I said, "You have yourself to blame, and
you ought to be made get out of it yourself." "Well," he
said, "for goodness sake come and sample it and I will
pay you well.'' I felt sorry for him and agreed to go.
I hitched up my rig and drove him over. Started
in to take samples and told 'him, "There is a morter, go
to it, I don't intendl to pound any of that kind of rock,
but will pan it for you. " We worked most of the day
and never got a color. I think I counted about twentv
men at the dinner table. The boys all seemed happv
and I thought they Avere a pretty good bunch, but kneAv

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 147
that was the last happy meal they Avould have around
there. I filled up a sack of ore and told him to send it to
any good asayer and see Avhat he could get out of it. By
evening he seemed to realize I was right and that he was
up against it and said, "I haven't got the nerve to lay
them off without having the money to pay them, help me
out if you can." I said, "You hike out to Custer, take
your ore along and have it tested. You will see I am
right, and I will go and lay the men off.''
They all knew that Steward had a few men work
ing on my ground and thought may be I had some au
thority. I drove by their camp about supper time and
said, "SteAvard told me that he was uneasy about get
ting you the money for your pay day, and that he want
ed me to tell you to lay off AVork till he made sure of
it." Tom Wheeler, the foreman, Avas to take charge of
the camp till SteAvard got back. I drove off and came
home. Be never got anything out of that ore, but he
did get money to pay the men, so that busted that bub
ble before it got very big. But the party would not put
up any more money for him, not even on my ground.
The McDonalds stayed quite a while longer. The
Indians came up very often during the summer for te
pee poles. A big party of them pulled in one day as
McDonald and I were away. They used to camp close
to the house on the south end of the park. Mrs, Mc
Donald had never seen any Indians before and became
alarmed. A squaw walked into the house and sat down on the
floor. She said, "Me Alice Mamma.'' It seemed she
could say nothing but that. Mrs. McDonald did not
jknOAy what she meant by it. The squaw wanted some
thing to eat and asked where papa was. Mrs. McDon
aid understood what she meant and gave her something
to eat. Then she went away.
Now about "Alice Mamma." She had been here

148 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
three or four times before and I knew her well. Alice
was a girl she had with her, but was not along this
time. She was probably away at school. The tw-o of
them used to come over to get something tO' eat and I
Avould make Alice wash the dishes. Alice had a neck
lace made of dimes and she begged one from me to put
in it. I suppose every one represented an admirer. She
said she would have it put in the necklace Avhen she got
home. In fact She could talk English pretty Avell but
did not like to. The old squaw had an idea that I liked
Alice, in fact, she said I could have her. That is why
she made herself so much at home.
She came back and Was determined to wait till 1
came. When McDonald and I got back she jumped up.
came and shook hands and seemed glad to see me. An
other Indian had been there, in fact a rather fine look
ing one, she said. Be seemed to be a kind of a. police
man among his kind and wanted to buy some canned
goods. She told him she could sell nothing but he
would have to see me. She kept telling AA-hat a nice look
ing Indian he w-as. Bie came back again that evening,
and I let him have a couple of cans of tomatoes and told
him he would have to haul his own stuff in.
After "Alice Mamma'' and the other Indian went
away Mrs. McDonald said, "Ah, ha, you didn't tell me
that you had a squaAV on the reservation." I said, "I
might have two or three for all you knoAV." Tlien I made
her talk about the nice looking Indian she had seen. The
next morning she joshed me again about my squaAV and
I said to McDonald so that she could hear, "You will
have to Avatch your wife from this on, for she is dead
situck on big buck Indian, you heard her tell how nice
he looked." That seemed to plague her, for she did not
talk "Alice Mamma'' to me any more.

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 149
CBAPTEE XXI.
SUSAN B. ANTHONY AND DR. ANNA SHAAV CONVEUT HEBERT
TO EQUAL SUFFRAGE
Most of the Indians that came up Avere supposed to
be on their good behavior, but some outlaws AVOuld come
along Avith them. One of the renegade Indian-, A\'eiit
over to Louis Flormann's house at the (drizzly ]','^:\v
mine Avhen Airs. Flormann Avas alone. She was pretty
badly scared and gave him anything he asked for in the
line of something to eat. Ee carried off all the bread
she had. Flormann had a nice Prince Albert coat that
belonged to his wedding suit and the Indian took that
and put it on.
The next day he came over and tried to scare Airs,
McDonald, but she would not scare, for I told her not
to act frightened or they Avould take anything they
wanted. She did not seem to think there was any dan
ger at all and when he began picking up things she
made him put them down. Of course the Indian kncAV
we were not very far off. Ee did not seem to have any
thing on but Flormann's coat and a narrow breach clout,
leggings and moccasins and a belt with a couple of
knives in it. Anyhow he wanted to wash his face. She
gave him soap and water and he busied himself around
for a while and finally went aAva.v. We met him as he
was leaving. Mrs. McDonald told us what a nice coat he had and
seemed to have on the closest fitting underwear. AIc-
Donald and I saw him again that afternoon and looked
to see if we "could find any underclothes, but his legs
Avere bare from his leggings to his brech clout. We
joked her quite a bit about the fine underwear and
made her laugh pretty near as hearty as when the boy
went up in the air with the Avild cat.
At that time the Bamey Peak Company was bu.v-

150 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
ing tin claims in Custer County. They struck one
mine they called the Flora, which showed up pretty
good, a couple of miles east of town.
A friend of mine made some locations in the vicin
ity, but he did not know whether it was tin or not. Be
Avanted me to come over and tell him as I Avas supposed
to know a Httle something about tin. BoAA-ever AA'hat he
had was tourmaline and I couldn't find any tin on hU
ground. That did not make any difference as the Bar
ney Peak Company AA-as buying that kind of ground,
I shot a buzzard and pulled some of the nicest leathers
and put some inside of the band of my hat. I thought
it looked nice and aa'C started back for Custer. I forgot
to take the feathers out before we got into tOAA-n.
Custer had (luite a boom about that time and the
lobby of the hotel Avas full of people. Frank Fields, a
prospector from out my way, Avas quite a joker. Sev
eral people from the east were there and I noticed one
nice looking young felloAV sizing me up, and in talking
to Fields asked, "Who is that?'' Fields said, "Why, that
is Sitting Bull." Be said, "I thought he was an older
man than that?'' Fields said, "Well that is his oldest
son, then.'' The young fellow came over where I was.
Avalking around me a couple of times and Avent back to
Fields Avith the remark, "You could hardly tell him
from a white man." Fields said, "Sure thing, that is
AA-hy he wears the feathers in his hat, to designate which
tribe he belongs to." I never quite figured out who the
joke was on.
They Avere doing considerable work on tin about
eight miles west of Custer on Warren's Gulch. A man
named Severs was superintendent of the works. They
had built a mill and started to run some of the ore
through. It was what we call a cyclone mill. It pul
verized the ore as fine as flour and then ran it over a
concentrator, but that did not save anything unless it
was middling coarse. As they had no slime table thev

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 151
did not get much of anything unless it Avas middling
coarse. As they had no slime they did not get much of
anything. Bibbard and Spencer of Chicago must have
blown in sixty or seventy thousand dollars. It was a
failure because they put a relative in charge, and he
did not know anything about mining at all.
The only thing that I can vouch for is that he wa,^
a good judge of whiskey, for I had some of the finest
I ever drank in his office. That is what they call try
ing to produce tin in the Black Bills. They had some
very rich ore on top, but never developed it enough to
know whether they had anything or not.
The Burlington Eailroad Avas getting ready to run
a line up through the Bills from Edgemont and it was
rumored that the Barney Peak Company Avas going to
give them the right of Avay from Custer to Bill City,
AA-hich I understood they did. The Barney Peak Com
pany) was doing considerable developing and assess
ment work on property on brush land and side hills that
did not have anything on, and also on; some very good
prospects, but it all looked alike on the map. Their map
showed a district of about twenty-five miles from Key
stone to Warren's Gulch. Even my ground locked as i?
it was owned by them and I had seveial scvapi Avith
Wilson about it.
It Avas reported they Avere .going to build a large
mill at Bill City and have the railroad run to Key
stone Avith spurs to the Coav Boy and Gertie mines. I
thought Avith plenty of capital they might make it Avin,
although the price of tin Avas only eighteen cents a pound
at the time.
In a talk I had with Wilson about then he said, "I
don't intend to produce tin.'' I told him that if he didn't
someone else would, but he said he didn't knoAv about
that. AA^en the railroad got through they got their
machinery and started in on the big mill.
Meantime several parties of experts came out to ex -

152 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
amine the tin ground. Philip D,odge & Co., sent a man
out to examine the tin in the Bills. Ee wouldn't take a
piece of tin ore, but would go to the dump and pick out
some that did not shoAV anything. If anyone handed
him a good piece he would throw it aAvay, so I knew
then the tin interests of the Bills were to get a black
eye. It Avas assayed in New York, and the report I saw
showed that it went from one quarter to one-half per
cent tin, Avith the statement that it Avas too Ioav a grade
to pay. I forget just Avhat year it was that the Eepublican
I'arty held a state convention at Mitchell. I Avas elect
ed a delegate from the Avestern end of Pennington
county, I remember Ave took the train from Eapid for
Norfolk, Nebraska, from there to Sioux City, Iowa,
then to Worthington, Minn., and back to Sioux Falls.
S. D., and to Alitchell. It AA-as quite a while before the
iNorthAvestern built their line from Pierre to Eapid.
I remember Sol Star was temporary chairman. The
Taylor men captured me (their man was running foi:'
treasurer) and I could not get away from them. AA'e
Avent to their headquarters and had a talk AA'ith Taylor.
I thought then I was a pretty good judge of human na
ture and made up my mind he Avas a good, honest
man and intended to vote for him. The Black Bills del
egation Avas invited over to Gov. Mellette's headquart
ers and he shook hands all around and asked how the
people felt in regard to him in their district.
During the time we were talking the McKinley Bill
and Ave expected to get a tariff of six or eight cents a
pound on tin. I heard the legislature wanted to mem
orialize congress in regard to it and back our senator.
Judge Moody, to get it through, but that Mellette had
frowned on the idea.
When it came my turn to take his hand and make
my little speech of how much we thought of him I sur
prised the whole bunch as I told him, "You would not

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 153
get a vote in our district, Ave got no use for you at all.
You refused to help memorialize congress in regaid to
a tariff on tin and Ave are all trying to develop our
mines so that aa-c can compete Avith the Tin Trust, you
are against it."
"Oh, my dear man,'' he said, "you are mistaken,
you are misinformed. I am in favor of it." 1 said,
"That is the report I heard."
I remember looking around and Judge Gardner
seemed to be tickled, but it looked a,s if the balance of
them AA-ere going to eat me up. They thought better of
it as no one said anything afterAvards.
AA"e elected Taylor for treasurer and Gamble for
Congress. Our delegates did not vote as a unit either.
I voted for AA-hoever I chose.
The women AA'ere out in full force. Susan B. An
thony. Doctor Anna ShaAV, and seA-eral other noted cliar-
acters were talking suffrage, and I thought then that if
all the women kncAV as much about voting as they did
it would be a nice thing to have them vote. After Dr.
S^haw made her little talk she said, "I intend to vote
before very long if I have to go- to Wyoming to do it."
After Taylor took office he proved to be an easy
mark. I understood that he loaned state funds to his
politician friends and defaulted to the tune of eighty
thousand dollars. Whether he made good or not, I
don't know. I know he Avent to the penitentiary.
The Wounded Knee trouble started about that
time east of the Bills and the settlers had occasion to
be scared. They were sending posses out of Eapid to
protect them and the Governor sent one hundred guns,
to Custer to help out. I did not think there was any
danger of them coming right into the hills.
One day I had occasion to look at a prospect seven
or eight miles off and then Avent into Custer. Tom Gar-
lock met me and said, "Did you have any trouble with
the Indians?" Told him I saw no Indians. "Well," he

154 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
said, "There is a band of them over to your place now."
Ee said a couple of boys came to my place and saw
some horses in the park and concluded they belonged to
the Indians. On the Avay to Custer they passed by the
Tenderfoot tin mine where the Barney Peak Company
Avas working and scared the women folks so that they
w-ent into Custer as soon as they could. I told Gar-
lock I was on my way home then. When I got there I
couldn't flnd any Indians, but saw tracks of horses. I
ncA-er found out if there was aynone with them or not.
It only shows hoAV the people were scared about the In-
diasn. I had trouble in keeping cats to protect me from
the chipmunks, for the wild cats Ay(nild tear them to
pieces. Once I found the head of one of my cats on the
porch, the tail in another place and the legs scattered
around. The housecats Avonld run up a tree sometimes
and get away from the Avild ones, and I had an eighteen
foot board that I used to get them doAvn a,gain.
I had a good house by that time. Built it when I
ran the flume, so I cut a hole in the door that led out
from the bed room so the cats could use it. They Avould
jump in pretty lively some nights when the wild cats
AA-ere after them.
One night I was in the dining room leaning up
against the table facing the bedroom door yvhere my
gun was hanging on the wall. Bere came the cats on a
run through the bed room and up on the table beside
me, tJieir backs bowed and meowing. I looked in the
bedroom and there was a wild cat. Be was not the bob-
tailed kind, but much larger. I yelled at him to get out.
but he would not. I got up and started for the door to
get the gun and started for him. I walked three or
four steps and was not more than six feet from him, and
still he would not go. I felt as if something must be
done so went at him intending to give him a kick. I did
not miss him more than an inch, either. Be Avalked

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 155
towards the hole in the door and before I could get the
gun he was out. I went and looked around for him in
the dark, but could not see any signs anyAvhere.
I made the hole in the door a little smaller and
thought I could keep them out that way. That worked
pretty well for a Avhile.
I had a torn cat and very often he Avould sleep on
the foot of the bed. One night I heard him meowing
and spitting, so I lit my candle as quick as I could and
saAV a skunk in the middle of the flour, .Just then the
cat jumped down and I expected to see some fire Avorks.
The cat bluffed the skunk so that he started for the hole,
just as he got his head through the cat jumped for him.
Strange as it may seem the skunk did not defend him
self in the usual Ava.A', for there Avas no odor around, f
was pretty glad of it, too. Then I concluded to board
up that hole even if I did lose the other cats.
That fall there Avas considerable hunting going on
and a couple of hunters stopped Avith me. This morn
ing there AA'as about tAvo inches of suoav on the ground
and these young felloAvs went out. I had to keep my
dog in the house, for if he got out he Avould drive the
deer away.
They had been gone about an hour Avhen 1 heard
a shot up the hill and as I looked out the dog got away.
In about a half hour I looked out back of the house an*^!
saw a buck deer coming with the dog after him. I had
a gate that was considerably higher than the fence but
the deer jumped over it. As he jumped the dog caught
him by the ham. Ee had been shot there and AA-as on
the flght. So the dog and deer went at it. The hunters
had my gun and I had nothing to shoot Avitli. Tliey
fought around in a circle for quite a while and I flnally
got the ax. When the deer saw me coming he jumped
into the garden. I pulled a picket off so the dog could
go through the fence. They kept fighting till the deer
jumped out Avith the dog after him, Ee seemed to be

156 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
getting away gradually. I would go up with my ax and
he would snort and strike at me as vicious as he could.
I yelled to the dog, "Bow do you expect me to hit him
if you don't hold him?" About then he got the deer b.y
the ear and hung on. I ran right past and hit the buck
pretty hard. I saAA- I had him stunned so hurried back
and downed him. I then had to make the dog let go.
The deer had cut pretty near all the hair from that dog's
shoulders and neck but he was not hurt very bad.
Along towards evening the hunters finally got on
to the trail. Saw the dog was after the deer and also
saw some blood. They came up to the house and under
took to tell me about trailing the deer. I said, "I have
him hanging up'' and showed them. And aa-c had ven
ison for .supper.

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 157
CEAPTEE XXII.
HARNEY PEAK COMPANY SPENT MILLIONS AND PRODUCED
— SUCKERS
The Barney Peak Company was doing considerable
Avork and a large party of Englishmen was here. I
think one of them Avas Captain Thomas, a man who man
aged mines in Cornwall, and Prof. Vincent, supposed
to be the greatest tin expert in the world, and others.
People said Prof. Vincent was representing the English
government. I became pretty well acquainted with him.
One time he was passing Avith Wilson and a party
and stopped in to see me. Ee told me that he had been
to every producing tin mine in the world and outside of
the Island of Banka, which the French controlled and
Avhat tin the Germans took out, that the English tin
trust controlled the balance and that most of the tin
came from the Straight Settlement. There was a big,
long range of mountains there and it seemed as if all the
streams leading away contained tin, and also some tung
sten. Bowever, as the English had concessions, they
controlled all the tin produced there. The work was
done AA-ith coolie labor and they would set up long lines
of sluices and shovel the gravel in the boxes. At that
time the coolies were getting about twelve cents a day
and by scattering a few white men among them, they
produced large amounts of tin. While they had some
smelters there, most of the stream tin Avent to SAvanze.
Wales, to be smelted into block tin,
I asked him in regard to the ore veins and he said
the ledges were very small and ran in a very hard forma
tion and it would be very expensive tO' get the ore, as the
Chinese did not amount to much where there was any
machinery and as the white men did not like the country,
it was hard to get them to- stay any length of time. The

158 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
chances for mining ore would not be near as good as
they were here.
In Australia they have some very good tin mines.
At Bobart, Tasmania, there is quite a large settlement
and the mines are the main industry. That mine at
Bobart is the best single mine that he ever saw, but as it
pitched under the sea he said they were liable to get
drowned out most any time.
At Borneo there are several good properties. One
of them just exactly like the Tin City, just about the
same kind of ore.
It seemed that Wilson and his party did not like
Prof. Vincent to talk with me so much, so he came into
the house and told him to get what he wanted and they
would go. I had a nice columbite crystal that weighed
about a pound. Ee wanted that and about a half ounce
of coarse gold I had. Be said to Wilson, "Pay for
this." Wilson drew out a roll of bills and said, "Bow
much do you want." I told him I was not selling any
thing, but as the gold was worth so much cash and the
loAA-est bill I saw was a twenty so I took that, but I
should have taken the whole roll, as he was scattering
money like water at the time.
I seemed to have interested Prof. Vincent and he
said he was coming back to see me soon. I found after
Avards that he and Wilson quarreled in regard to ta.king
over my ground. Wilson thought he could get it any
time he wanted it, but I intended to fool the gentleman.
All I asked was for him to go and attend to his ow-n
business. While he was making a clean up I thought T
would get a hold of a little myself.
This party of English experts stayed here quite a
while. Prof. Vincent came on ahead of them one day
to have a talk with me. Ee said, "This tin that you
smelted out is pretty smooth and soft, how dc vou do
it?" I told him, "I smelt it out of stream tin and pick

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 159
out the three-corner or irregular pieces, and discard the
flat crystal or those anyways shiney. Then I crush the
casiterite as fine as I can. The iiat crystals I think are
columbite or tungsten and they interfere with the
smelting. I think that is the stuff the AA^elshmen call
Avolfram and I understand that when they get too much
of that mixed w-ith the tin it does not flow good and
makes it too hard. I take my casiterite and mix it with
about the same amount of cyanide of pottasium. Put
it on the forge and boil it about> fifteen or tAventy min
utes. Then I take a w-ire and put it doAvn in the cruci
ble and if the tin has let go, why I get some on the Avire.
If it looks too stiff I put in some more cyanide and then
pour it out, and that is all there is to it.''
Be said, "I guess you are right. Now then how do
you account for the occurrence of tin in the southern
hills?" "When the formation has not been distributed it
lays flat. This Barney Eange here, which runs east
and west, belongs very deep in the earth, and there it
is sticking up several thousand feet in the air. A for
mation that was on top of that range was broken up
and probably a part of it is in the Gulf of Mexico by this
time and in the contract between the granites and slates
these tin veins had a chance to come up. All the dykes
do not carry tin. These big dykes are part of the range.
The slates all tilt away from the range. I call it con
tact for two or three miles from the main body of gran
ite. The tin veins are liable tO' occur anywhere in that
distance. Also gold, tungsten, mica, lithia ores and
graphite." I was telling this w-ith the expectation of being call
ed down for I knew I was talking to one of the best ge
ologists and thought I might learn somiething from him.
But he said, "It is all right as far as I know. It is not
a bad theory.'' About then Wilson and the party droAe

160 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
over and we all went to take a look at the Tin Queen.
Wilson told me that we would make a deal after a bit
but I did not care whether we would or not. A man
named Sayers, deputy treasurer of Custer County, had
word that a party in Cleveland, Ohio, could handle some
tin ground. Be sent me word to bring him some sam
ples. We sent them to Cleveland and they were very
satisfactory and it looked as if I Avas going to make a
deal, for the Barney Peak Company was very active
about this time. So after I sent more samples they
sent for me to come. AVhen I got there I found that
the party AA'ho AA-as trying to make this deal was a Mr.
Quigley, a promoter, and Congressman Forans. Mr.
Foians Avas interested in tin because he had a brother
Avho had some tin ground and Avanted to help him out.
The intentions AA'ere to get Mr. Conger, president of
tAVO tin plate mills, to go, in AA-ith them. In order to
reach Air, Conger I think it was necessary for U. S.
Senator Paine to introduce them. Quigley told me that
in talking Avith Mr. Conger he said, "You ought to use
American tin and aa'c have some ver.y good property
and Avant you to come in Avith us." Conger told him "1
am an American and I make American tin plate and
Avill u.se American tin in preference to any other, but I
haven't got the time to Avork up the mine. If you peo
ple Avant to get things started I Avill help .a'ou out. Boav
much do you Avant?'' "I think about five hundred
thousand dollars Would be about right for you." "Well,
as I don't Ayant to have anything to do Avith the manage
ment of the mine, you can draw on me for three hundred
and fifty thousand and give me AA-hat interest you see
fit." So they came away Avith that understandiu"-. TheA-
told me they had things looking pretty good, but I re
member people w-ere becoming rather suspicious of the
Barney Peak Company. Messrs. Quigley and Forans

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 161
gave a dinner at the Irish American Club and all the in
terested parties were supposed to be there.
The Barney Peak Company ran a mill on the Etta
Mine and made a failure of it. At the dinner I was sit
ting to the right of Congressman Forans and a man at
the other end of the table said, "Mr. Eebert, I admire
your pluck, you come here and say that for a few hun
dred thousand dollars you can put tin on the market
The Barney Peak Company that has spent millions has
never produced al pound yet that I know of." I could
not stand that so got up and stopped the gentleman and
said, "I have nothing to take back on what I said, and
Avith a hundred thousand dollars I can put tin on the
market. I can put a small mill on the dump of one of
my mines and produce tin. You say the Bamey Peak
spent millions and never produced any. They never
tried to produce any. They produced everything they
tried to, and that Avas suckers. They raised the money
and that was all they wanted." Be said, "As far as I
am concerned, I believe you are right, but it will be
pretty hard tO' raise any money on your proposition if
the Barney Peak Company don't produce any.''
The party was very friendly to' me and th*" n^xt da^'
I bonded my ground to Quisrl'^A- and Forans- for a hun
dred and fifteen thousand dollars. T told th'^-m thev
should bond other property around Oreville a-id that
thcA- .should have a permanent camp. There Avas one of
the best creeks in the Bills running through there, a
railroad, plenty of timber on the ground and it Ayas an
ideal place to produce tin, Thev fixed up the papers
for the other ground. I was to have the other prospect
ors bond their .ground to them as I knew the price they
wanted for it.
Quigley said, "You go back and attend to this mar
ter and w-e w-ill go ahead with the deal and in thirty
days we will dig up fifty thousand dollars and sixty
days after we will pay the balance," Before I left T

162 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
told him that he would have trouble making the deal
for I heard it was the intentions of the Barney Peak
Company to furnish all the tin plate mills of the United
States. That they were working with the Eocke feller
interests intending to furnish the tin that went into all
their mills.
I know it Avas nothing but a play, though, that the
Barney Peak promotors Avere making. Quigley said
"Don't be afraid, I have got the bull by the horns and
Avill turn him," "Well,'' I said, "something is liable
to occur that you may change your mind." "No dan
ger," he said.
So I came on and had the other ground bonded to
them. I had a deal on now and it wasn't with the Bar
ney Peak Company either.
A Mr. Wicker was general manager for the Barney
Peak Company at the time and he had a friend by the
name of DoAVnes. This Downes picked up ten or fif
teen claims, principally side hills and brush land. Wick
er was to help him turn them over to the Company.
They hatched up a plot to get our ground and pool it
M-ith theirs and then turn evei-ything over to the Com
pany. Downes undertook to question me after I bond
ed the ground. I saw that he was working with the
Barney Peak officials and turned him down prettv hard.
Ee kept nosing around till he found Avho I had dealt
w-ith. One day he dropped into Quigley's office in Cleve
land and said, "I understand that you have some prop
erty in the Black Bills." Quigley told him he had.
"Well, I would like to make a deal with you and get
your ground to go with ours. AVe will turn it all over
to the Barney Peak Company and you can set your
own price on it." Quigley said. "Who is to turn it ov
er?" Downes said, "Mr. Wicker" Quigley, "Mr.
Wicker who was superintendent on the Northwestern at
one time?" "Yes, I know him, we worked for the same

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 163
people." "Well," DoAvnes said, "You Avrite to him an<l
he w-ill O. K. everything I say."
Quigley fell right into the trap AA-ith his eyes oper-i
and lost one good deal he could have made, and made*
a failure of the other. Be finally wrote and told me he
Avas holding the deal back, but that he would give me
an additional ten thousand and we would turn it all
over to the Barney Peak Company as there Avas a large
party coming over from England to look at the ground.
It made me so mad that I could not eat anything all
day. I had no way to defend myself and I did not have
the money to spend running back and forth to Cleve
land just to talk to a man. So I had to let things go
just as they were.
Mr. Wilson Avas taking up options he had on
ground and to show how he served Jimmie Driscoll,
who had three or four claims (that Avere the right kind
for Wilson) which he bonded for about fifteen thou
sand dollars. Driscoll went to get his money and Wil--
son said, "I will give you fiA-e thousand, that is enough.''
Driscoll said, "I don't think I will take it.'' Wilson
said, "Driscoll, I don't give a damn whether you do or
not.'' "AA'ell," Driscoll said, "Mr. Wilson, I will lake
it." "Well then, just sign these papers'' And that is
the way a good many of the claims were bought.

164 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
CEAPTEE XXIII.
MR. WILSON WENT TO ENGLAND AND MET AUTHORITIES
AND DEATH
Things dragged along for quite a Avhile. Wilson
was having some trouble landing the deal. There was
a Mr. Baringould here who AA'as acting secretary for the
company and Avho was a brother tO' the one who invi^sted
five hundred thousand dollars. I became Avell acquaint
ed with him. We had many a long talk about the Bai-
ney Peak Company. There Avere some English repre-
sentatiA-es here at the time and Mr. Samuel L'ntermi yer
came out with Mr. Wilson. They were around a week
or ten days. I undoubtedly get the dates mixed for I
kept no diary, but Air. Untermeyer landed the deal that
AVilson couldn't and I understood got a million dollars
for doing it.
There was plenty of money in the country and the
Barney Peak Company AA-as doing assessment work on
hundreds of claims and a man who could not make ten
dollars a day was no good. Through Mr. Baringould
I got a contract close by and so had my brother come
out from Illinois Avith his family, thinking that I AVould
make a deal soon myself.
The big mill was getting ready to run at Bill City
and I extended my option to the Cleveland people,
thinking they might land a deal. Mr. Quigley came out
to see me and was Avell satisfied with the ground. I
told him the mistake he made was in having anything to
do with the Bamey Peak outfit and said, "I told you
Avhat Avould happen. You said you had the bull by the
horns and that bull threAV you right into a trap." Why
didn't you write more," he said, "and explain matters
to me.'' I said, "I could not do it without calling you
some pretty hard names." Be said, "I deserved to be
called hard names, but I felt Mr. Wicker was a friend

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 165
of mine and thought there would be no trouble in land
ing the deal." I told him that by the time the Barney
Peak Company understood about the kind of mining
ground they had they Avould not buy any more. "Well,"
he said, "the people in Cleveland were watching to see
what the tin mill at Bill City would do before they
would invest any money."
Ee said he would go back and see what he could
do to get the deal through but as Mr. Untermeyer had
landed the deal, the Barney Peak promotors had all
they wanted. I understand they only sold about two-
fifths of their holdings but the price was so high that
two-fifths made a large amount of money.
Now for instance: George Coates told me about
what money he got out of the Company. Ee had a
group of mines consisting of the Mohawk, the Coates
and in fact about seven or eight claims all told. Ee and
his partners got about thirty five thousand dollars out
of it and that ground was put into the company at the
rate of a million and a quarter. Of that the company
got about five hundred thousand dollars out of it for
their two-fifths.
It left them a pretty nice sum and the other deals
were on the same scale I suppose. I understood they
had in the neighborhood of fifteen hundred claims. It
certainly made a fine large map.
Shortly after that the Ebglish party consisting of
Lord Thurlow, Mr. Baringould, and others that I can't
recall left for home. On the way they stopped at Mon
treal. Someone sent me a newspaper from there telling
about interviewing Lord Thurlow. The reporter asked
him : "I understand you have bought some valuable tin
ground in the Black Bills?'' Be said, "I did not invest
very much. I took five hundred thousand dollars
worth, Mr. Baringould the same.'' (It mentioned several
others whom I forget) The reporter continued, "What
do you think about the tariff that the McKinley bill

166 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
calls for on tin." Ee said, "That is all right, it don't
make any difference to us how much tariff they put on
tin. Outside of what little Germany and France pro
duce we are interested in all the tin mines in the world,
that are now working. If we produce tin in the Black
Bills we can sell that in the United States."
I was always under the impression that Prof. Vin
cent sent me that paper, as he made the remark he
Avould be glad to help me. The Barney Peak Company
finally started the big mill. They ran it off and on for
a couple of weeks adjusting the machinery, etc., and ran
the last tAVO days at full capacity, supposed to be two
hundred and fifty tons a day. Then shut down, Frazier
& Chalmers, the builders, turned it over tO' the company
and the jig was up.
Mr. Wilson was not satisfied yet, he wanted to
make another clean-up. There were three hundred
claims over in Custer County he had under bond. One
claim called the Flora showed some good ore. I re
member seeing them ship several wagon loads of that
ore. I suppose it was going tO' England. Prof. Bailey
made a report on the ground and it was noised arouml
he got twenty-five thousand dollars for it. Tlie report
AA-as that the ores on these claims average d tliree per
cent. I supposed the ore the.v shipped was that .good
and that he was unloading that batch of claims, also
making the deal himself.
Mr. Baringould and I had several talks about that
vloal. One night at the Kleeman Bouse in Custer we sat
up paid talked till morning. I said, "Eoav does it come
that your brother got mixed up in this company?" He
said, "they wanted him to go in Avith all the other tin
men." I remarked, "Bb stands a chance to lose •'!?500,-
000 don't he?" "I don't think he does, for I think he
has a guarantee that he won't for the money that he puts
in belongs to some heirs. My brother is what we call a
barrister in England and has charge of several large

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 167
estates. Be makes investments for the heirs. If he does
lose out it will be his own fault for I kept him posted.
The Baringoulds are an old family and have lost large
.sums of money several times," and as he looked me in the
eye he said, "but they have never lost their good name.''
Be told me he had written his brother and told him
what kind of ground Wilson noAV had, and that that
gentleman would get his foot in it this time. Apparent
ly he got six hundred thousand dcdlars doAvn before
these people knew they w-ere being bilked.
It was reported that Professor Bailey was on his
way to South America. TA\-enty-flve thousand is a
pretty good stake.
Mr. Wilson, as smart as he was, stepped right into
a trap. Baringould told me they had sent for him to
come to England, that he was asking too much money
for the ground, but if he came over they Avould make
some satisfactory settlement. They Avould develop the
ground and flnish paying for it. Before AVilson left he
came over and saw me and said, "I AA'ill take vour
ground. I believe I should have taken it befoi-e, but
you seemed to want your own Avay too much. AVhen
I come back I Avill give you a hundred and twenty flve
thousand. You can turn over everything you have to
me.'' At that time it took in the Clara Belle mine, but
it was not .shoAA-ing up much, then. I told him I Avould
take it and wished him good luck. Ee had been so suc
cessful Avith his big deal I thought he might make the
other one.
When he got to England the authorities nalibed
him as soon as he stepped off the boat. That is Avhat
Baringould told me. Apparently in England they don't
fool much with that kind of people AA-hen they get the
goods on them. The last deal Avas an out and out
steal, and Baringould supplied them Avith the facts. I
helped a little myself taking samples. They put him

168 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
under a six hundred thousand dollar bond and appoint
ed a deputy to stay with him all the time.
I caught a mountain rat one time in a box. Next
morning I looked in and found him dead. Not a sci-atch
on him. Plenty of air in the box but he died. Mr. Wilson
with all his cunning was caught and he died in a week.
I think the grief of being caught was what killed him.
So my deal fell through.
The thanks that my friend Baringould got was that
he had better attend to his own business and not inter
fere with the company at all. I think if Mr. Wilson had
lived he might have got a smaller plant in operation
and showed that we had tin in paying quantities, but
with tin at only eighteen or twenty cents a pound it
would be a hard matter to make pay.
Shortly after Wilson's death they pulled the pumps
out of the mines. A Mr. Ladoux of NeAV York was ap
pointed receiver and custodian Avas appointed to guard
the property. The Barney Peak Company Avas supposed
to be dead. There was never a Avord of complaint that
I ever heard by the stockholders. I never heard of any
one losing a cent on the stock, but I account for it this
way: As Lord Thorlow said, they Avere interested in all
the tin mines in the world, and that five hundred thou
sand was only a little bit he had invested. What Avas the
matter with raising the price of tin a couple of cents a
pound? I was watching the tin market pretty close at
the time and noticed it raised about four cents a pound.
I made the remark then, "That they will get their
money back. What they spent on Barney Peak and a lit
tle more.'' No one that I know of suffered from their opera-
'tions but people like myself, that were doing their best
to make something out of tin. Of course it gave the
Black Bills tin such a black eye that it has never re
covered. After the price of tin got to be about thirty

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 169
cents a pound I tried to get some parties interested. Af
ter Barney Peak quit, Quigley and his parties could not
get anyone to put up any money so there was nothing
doing here and no way to make a dollar. My brother
and his family went back to Illinois in order to send
their children to school. I stayed to fight the battle
alone. It was pretty lonesome for a year or so, too.
Jeff McDermott, one of my neighbors, Avas plan
ning on going to Alaska and came over to see me before
he left. I was telling about Bayward and his gold
mine in Mexico. Be said he had a queer experience in
Mexico, too. Some parties said they knew of a rich
section of country where there Avas a nice big gulch, and
it must be rich. Off a couple of miles there was Avater
and by installing a pump they could bring the water to
the gulch. They organized a company and AIcDennott
went doAvn to take charge. The little short side gulches
prospected good and it looked as if the main gulch
would be very rich. Ee generally surveyed his ditches
Avith a triangle s(< he was getting ready to dig. They
started a drain ditch to tap the diggings. After AA-ork-
ing a month or so they were getting pretty close to bed
rock when they encountered old timbers. They went upi
on top and sunk shafts and explored and found more
timbers. The fact was that it had all been worked out. It is
what is called coyote mining. They Avould sink a hole
and follow the pay streak as far as they could, then go
and sink another hole and drift back to the old one and
take nothing but the pay streak. They did not leave
much evidence of their AVork and it probably had been
done a hundred years before. Beavr rains at times or
a cloud burst filled up the holes and the brush grew
over them, -Teff said those that Avorked it undoubtedl\-
knew how to follow the pay streak. So that company
came to an end right there. Not being able to make any
tin deals I turned my attention altogether to my gold

170 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
properties on the Clara Belle and The Matchless. The
St. Elmo had changed hands. A Mr. Marsh, of Omaha,
had taken a bond on it and started to build a new teu
stamp mill so that revived things around the camp a
little. Still times around the southern hills were pretty
hard. I remember one young fellow who came out from
Chicago to make a start of some kind here. Be thought
he could get a good ranch, but the good ranches were
all taken long ago. Soon he ran out of funds and did
not have enough to go home on, so he got in with a
couple, of other boys and took a job cutting wood. They
made camp in a little shack not far away. It went
pretty hard Avith this boy, as he had been a bookkeeper
and could not get anything in his line here. Ee was
gritty enough and started in cutting wood AA'ith these
other felloAVs, They cut for a couple of AA-'eeks and the
other tAA'o AA'ent into town, drcAV all the money and
skipped, leaving him Avith nothing.
Be went over to the St, Elmo mine and got a job
driving the horse on the whim, taking the ore out of the
mine, I Avas Avell acquainted with him and he would
come oyer to see me nearly every day. The mine was
close to my house. That boy got awful homesick. He
was getting a dollar and a quarter a day and his board.
I remember he came over and said, "Fifteen more da,ys
and I Avill have enough money to go home." In a
couple of days it Avould be "thirteen more days " and in
fact he counted the days when he AVOuld get his money.
It became a by-Avord around my place, "Four more
days, tAVO more dayi^," and so on.
At the time he Avas driving the horse on the ni.ght
shift. The men Avould all be in the mine and he Avould
be on top in the AA-him house all alone. He admitted he
was nervous all the time. One night about eleven o'clock
he looked out the door and saw a man standing there.
Took a good look at him he said, and went and dumped

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 171
his car. Then let it down the incline to the mine. The
man still stood there. Be concluded he would go and
talk with him. As he started forward the man disap
peared. Ee went out to see if he could find him but
got no ansAver to his "Bello.''
AVhen the men came out of the mine at midnight
to eat their lunch he started in to tell about the man. I
think it Avas Lint Palmer running the mine at the time,
but can't remember now. That man, whoever he w-as,
said, "Was he a tall man, kind of sandy complexion ?''
"Yes,'' "Did he have a Eoman nose?" "I think ha
did.'' "Did he have tobacco juice on his chin?'' "Well,
I don't know but he did a lot of spitting.'' "Oh, well,
that was Bill JeAvett." "Who is Bill Jewett?" "Ee was
a third owner in this mine at one time." "Where does
he live now?" "Oh, I don't know. Be has been dead
four years that I know of.'' The boy said they had the
laugh on him, but it made him pretty nervous the rest
of the night. Finally he came over and said. "One more
day and away I go." Ee got his money and Avent back
to Chicago. The ore shoot on the St. Elmo was pitching end
ways for my line. Anyone with any sense at all could
see where it Avas going, but old Marsh never made any
attempt to buy me out. The mill was running and do
ing first rate and the ore getting richer as they approach
ed the Clara Belle. Ee acted as though I was going to
make him a present of the Clara Belle. Ee had a good
mill and seemed to be well pleased the way things were
going. In fact he had the mining fever pretty bad, but
it took him a long while to catch it. Be delighted in
telling how he could have bought all the Bomestake
stock he wanted for nine dollars, and how it is worth
over a hundred. Now that he was close to ninety years
old he wanted a gold nline bad, but did not have the
nerve to buy one.

172 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
CEAPTEE XXIV.
LITHIA PRODI' CTION STARTS IN BLACK HILLS AND THINGS
LOOK GOOD
As Marsh made no effort to buy me out I concluded
to start a shaft and head him off. I did not have to go
doAvn more than seventy feet. I thought I had considera
ble trouble up to that time, but right there is when my
troubles began, I organized the Clara Belle Company
with the expectation of selling the Treasury stock for
the purpose of sinking a shaft and getting a, small mill
that I knew of. I had my brother, Charley, and his fam
ily come out from Illinois again. I did no't have much
luck in selling stock, for I had to be at home most of
the time attending to the AVorks. There had been sf:
many stock schemes going on around it was hard to sell
any, so I thought I would make a whim as I had a good
horse. Then I started the shaft.
My brother and his boy, Eob, proved to be good
men at all times and were a great help. With two or
three other men we started work and got along pretty
AA-ell till we got down fifty feet, and then the air got bad.
I was not more than thirty feet from the St. Ehno end
lines, so I thought I would drift over and break through
and get all the air I wanted. There was only one man I
could get to work in that place. The air would be so
bad that we would have to put three candles together to
get any light and then the blaze was only about a half
inch high. Be would not work unless I Avas with him
and had to have a quart of whiskey a day, he said to
counteract the foul air.
It took us seven or eight days to break through
and came near killing us, I remember one time I was
coming up the ladder and just about got to the top when
I got dizzy. I held on for dear life and asked the man
on top to help me out, but not to say anything about it

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 173
to Fred Muster, the man who was working with me. If
he thought I couldn't stand it he would weaken. Many
times I was near all in.
At times when I came up I would say I was all
right, but to tell the truth I was about bHnd and ready
to fall. I did not want to say anything about it as it
would make my folks very uneasy if they thought the
job was dangerous. We finally got a hole down five
feet, filled it with ten sticks of giant powder and broke
through. Then we had to stop part of the hole up as
the air was so strong it Avould bloAV our hats off. AA^'
Avere on top of the ore and it was good. I borrowed
some money and bought a tAVO' stamp Tremain mill, that
had been used on the St. Elmo before Marsh put up
his neAV mill. I understood how to^ run it, as I handled
it for the St. Elmo people at times.
I soon got things going good and was commencing
to get ahead a little and pay off some of my most press
ing debts. When things were running right I could
take out a hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars a
day Avith an expense of about sixty dollars. I was
crushing about ten tons a day and the ore went from
fifteen to twenty-five dollars, I thought if that held out
it would not be long before I Avas out of debt, and had
a good gold mine to work on.
About that time Professor Eeinbold told me that he
thought George W. Boldridge, General Manager of the
Burlington Eailroad, would take over all the stock and
pay me a good fair price for it, I Aveut to Omaha to see
him and he said he would send an expert to examiiie the
mine and if he reported favorably he Avould give me
a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for it. 1 came on
home and sbfirtly afterwards his expert .^ame oir' ITis
name was Ball. Be iold me tliat Uoldridge ha 1 Iavo
properties in view, one in Utah and my yropeity. Be
seemed to have his hand out all the tiirie and kept in
sinuating that I would have to give up a good part of

174 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
of it if he made a favorable report. I was getting good
ore and doing well and did not put any money in his
hand. I did not care whether I sold or not.
Eeinbold told me that Boldridge and his party in
vested in the Utah property, blowing in a couple hun
dred thousand dollars and got nothing. I suppose Mr.
Ball made his bundle though.
AA-hile Prof. Eeinbold was examining the Clara
Belle, he came across some ore I had out on the north
end of the Tin Queen. I had taken out a few tons of
amblygonite, but did not know what it was. Ee said it
Avas amblygonite and thought it was rich in lithia. Be
made me a proposition : "I will give you ten dollars a
ton for what you have out and will ship it to Frieburg,
Germany. If it turns out to be good I will take a lease
on the mine." I told him to go ahead. Ee shipped and
told me afterAvards it was first class.
As near as I know it was the first lithia ore ever
shipped out of the United States and that was the start
of the lithia production in this country. Meantime Mr,
Eeinbold acquired the Eugo. and Peerless mines at
Keystone, so did not lease my property. Be is taking
out lithia ores right along. Be also worked the Etta
mine for spodumene, Avhich also carries lithia. My in
tentions were to pay all my debts and install better
machiney. My experience in amalgamating came in
hand.y. I soon had my brother, Charley, so he could at
tend to the amalgamation as well as I, so I was safe at
the mill. My idea Avas to run just Avater enough over the
plate so that the tailings would not bank. The heavy
particles just dragging along behind and the old very
seldom went over two feet from the morter before it
amalgamated. The Bomestake Company runs a big flow of water
over their plates, but they have a mile and a half to
catch the gold. They also catch the slimes. But as I
only had one plate ten or twelve feet long I could not

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 175
run the AA-ater OA-er it like they did. That Avas the cause
of losing about half the gold run through some of the
mills in the southern hills. I, myself, have run through
batches of ore that assayed a thousand dollars a ton and
saved only about forty dollars, but it was partly refrac
tory. I kncAv I Avas losing it but had to have the forty
dollars. I lost a good many dollars that Avay, but I was run
ning, you might say, from hand to mouth, all the capi
tal I had was Avhat I could rake off the plates at night
and from cleaning up the battery once a Aveek. I figur
ed I must have lost twenty thousand dollars in running
through that batch of rich ore. Blowever if I had a
couple of thousand dollars to Avork on I am sure I
could haA-e saved it. The rich parts in the ledge occur
when the gold ores come in contact with tin A-eins and
other dykes, I had accumulated quite a batch of very
rich gold specimens, I had some not much bigger than
a man's fist with a hundred dollars in sight. When they
had a Mountain and Plains Exposition or Carnival in
Denver I was appointed with three other mining men to
represent the Black Bills. I know I shoyved those peo
ple richer specimens of gold ores than they had evei."
seen. Undoubtedly I could have made a deal if I tried,
as some of the Cripple Creek mine owners wanted me to
go down and have a look at their property. Then they
would come up and see my mine. They wanted to trade;
some of their stock for mine, but I Avas getting along ami
right and did not go Avith them.
When I got back the real trouble began. A part of
the ledge had been cut off, but the richest part of it con
tinued. As it had been cut off diagonally it looked as if.
the whole ledge was going off completely.
Well, I had been a rich gold mine owner for a little
while anyhow. We kept on till we worked it all out. It
left a gouge of about four feet consisting of ground up
slate and a little quartz and granite. I wasn't surprised

176 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
about the ledge being cut off for I had told my brother
several times before that, "When we come to the dyk'j
that runs diagonally across the hill we are going to have
trouble.'' I figured now: The east side of the hill is a hun
dred feet higher than the west. The formation laid a
whole lot flatter on the east, then straightened up and
slid. AVhen I get the ledge on the west side it Avill be
permanent. I will start a ncAV shaft and tap the ledge
a hundred and fifty feet below the old shaft and then I
think I will be below the gouge. I did not have money
enough to pay my debts. Several of my creditors want
ed their money right away, especially those I borrowed
of to buy the mill and they caused me a lot of trouble
Johnny Foster worked for me several different times.
One time there Avas fifty dollars coming to him. Be
said, "Give me a certain specimen and I will call it
square." I paid off some debts with those specimens.
I Avas doing my best to sell the Treasury stock all
the time, but the busy bodies circulated the report that
I lost the ledge. I had, it was true, but I was sure I
could find it again. Bowever that report kept people
from buying .stock. I went at it just as if I had money.
my brother and his family were game. They had faith
in my finding it and helped all they could. I started
the new shaft, but the foul air I had inhaled in cutting
through the St. Elmo Avorks Avas telling on me pretty
hard. At times I would get pretty sick. It seemed as
if the poison had settled in one of my kidneys, ( as I
afterwards found) and made me about half sick all the
time. Eight at the time when I should have been at my
best, too, but I stayed with it sick or no sick. I know
there were several times when I should have been in the
hospital, but I was up when I was able and did all f
could. In course of time we got do-Avn about sixty feet with
the little old home made whim. The water was seeping

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 177
in from the old shaft and lots of times Ave could not get
the water out till ten or eleven o'clock in the morning.
It made sIoav sinking. The Avater soaked through
the gouge at a point about thirty feet from the top. The
formation was broken at the point and finally the water
broke through and, as there Avere no timbers in the foot
wall, commenced to come down pretty fast.
Eob Eebert and another man Avere in the bottom of
the shaft. They did not start up any too soon, either,
for the water soon dug a hole through and sent boulders
as large as a man'si head down the ladder. They man
aged to dodge them and came out safe. That put a stoj)
to the works for the time being.
My friend, Charley Pilcher, who Avas assayer for
the Wasp No. 2, knew of a small hoist and pump and
through him I got the outfit in exchange for Clara Belle
stock. After I installed this I commenced pumping. It
Avas the muddiest water I cA-er saAA'. AVe stayed with it
and finally got it Avhere it broke throu,<>li. We timbered
'that the best Ave could and went on, but the AA'ater had
done a lot of damage. After aa-c got far enough to en
counter the ledge in place of that Ave found the gouge,
Bowever there was enough good ore in it to pay and
some of it was awful rich. I used to get fine specimens
out of the broken quartz and mud.
We shoveled that mud into the bucket and Avhen it
reached the top it Avas so sticky Ave had to shovel it out
It looked as if it Avould make good brick. I am not in
the habit of sAvearing much, but I thought "Damn"
several times. Things were looking a little better as Ave
went down AA-ith more quartz coming in. I had a man
attending to the timbering and it looked all right Avhen
I went doAvn. Bowever he did not have the side tim
bers at the right angles. They should have been put in
so that the more pressure there was on them the harder
they would push up against the hanging wall. One

178 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
afternoon as I was going to the mine I met the men com
ing home. They said that the timbers had come down,
a couple of sets of them at least, and had knocked one
man into the water. That it looked as if the whole shaft
was going down.
They kept telling me, "It is all off now, the pump
iWill soon be under water.'' I said, "It may be all off
for you fellows, but it isn't all off with me.'' I said to
Bert Barley, "You come on back and we will go down
and see what can be done.'' Be agreed. The other men
were more or less hurt and went home.
To make matters worse the pump was bucking.
The suction hose was covered with mud Barley ex
plained to me how things looked so I took a couple sets
of drills and went down. I saw that by drilling a hole
under one of the timbers I might hold it, if the whole
thing did not come down while I was doing it. Bert
said, "I will put it in if you stay with me.' I never saAV
a fellow work any livelier than he did putting in that
hole. When he got it in about ten inches he drove a bi.g-
ger drill in and put wedges on to catch the tiiUber so it
could not come down. We had it then. We Avent dowii
and took the suction hose off and put a short- piece of
pipe on the pump and soon had it working. It took us
a couple of weeks more to clean up that mess. A man's
troubles are not over even when he has a gold mine.

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 179
CBAPTEE XXV.
MAN IN CHARGE OF CLARA BELLE RECEIVES BATCH OF
AVOOD THREE DIFFERENT TIMES
Through Mr. F. A. Gira, who was then promoting
the Cuyhauga Mine in Custer county, I got in touch with
Mr. A. C. 0. Bartlett of Cleveland. Mr. Bartlett told
me that he thought he could handle the Treasury stock,
that he had friends who would take it. I told him to go
ahead and place it, and I would give him stock for his
trouble. Be sold Mr. N. P. Boiler, a rich foundry man
of Cleveland (who Was then over eighty years old but
apparently had the mining fever), enough stock to pay
for an eighty horse-po'wer boiler. It was very plain that
I would have to have an air co-mipressor before I could,
go ahead much, as the steam from the pump would al
most cook a man down in the hole.
We had so much trouble fighting the mud and
water it makes me sick to even tell about it now. But
finally we got doAVn to where the ledge had been cut off
and found it going off regular again. I was very
anxious they should sell that stock for I was about
swamped with debts. I owed over thirteen thousand dol
lars and felt it was timie something should be done. I
was about half sick at the time from the foul air and
owed everyone I could see in all directions. I was hur
rying Mr. Bartlett all I could. Be sent his son-in-law,
iW. L. Lister, to size things up and take a few tons of
ore to Denver and have it milled so they could know for
sure where they were at.
I was working night and day shift at the time. Ee
arrived about noon and I showed him around, explain
ing matters and told hinf we would take out as much as
he wanted and ship it to Denver in a few days.
The next morning some of the men went up to the
mine to go to work and found the shaft house burned

180 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
doAA-ti. It burnt betAveen six and seven, right after the
night shift came off duty. It was a single board build
ing and did not take long to go. One of the men came
running in with the news. "The shaft house has burni
down." Lister looked at me and said, "Let's go.'' I
Avas looking around the room for my coat and vest and
he said, "AVhat are you looking for?'' I told him. Efe
laughed and said, "You have them on.'' So I must have
had a chill. Ee laughed about it and went up.
One of the men asked, "AVhat Avill we do today?"'
I said, "You go right to AA-ork and clear those cinders
away, Ave are going ahead Avith this AVork," I told the
teamster to get his outfit and haul the smoke stack out
of the way, to get some barrels and bring water for the
men to fill the boiler for we had to .go to pumping as
soon as we could.
"Well,'' Lister said, "I haA-e to go back on the
train and was hoping I could see a little of the ore run
through. I can't do anything now, so Avill have to go
back.'' I told him I AVOuld run throu.gh some ore any-
hoAV. I had some that had been taken out the day be
fore so Ave steamed up and that afternoon made a run,
I cleaned up a little and retorted it for him. There was
two or three dollars in it. Ee said, "I will go back and
see what I can do.''
Ee left and they sent me a thousand dollars to pay
off some of the most pressing debts, The.\' also sent me
a smoke stack and a small air compressor. They con
cluded to take the stock and divide it up among them
selves but Mr. Boiler is the man Avho put up nearly all
the money. Meantime I gave Mr. Bartlett several thousand
shares of stock for making the deal.
We got down about two hundred feet Avith the shaft
and commenced taking out good ore. It AA-as plain that
a new shaft Avould have toi be sunk further down the

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 181
hill. It Avas planned to sink this shaft and to build a
new ten stamp mill.
Messrs. Bartlett, Boiler and Teachout came to see
-the little mill so as to make sure the ore Avas good. 1
told them to help my brother Avith the mill and they
would see hoAV it Avas, AA'^e ran several days, or until
they were satisfied and took out from a hundred and
fifty to tAVO' hundred dollars a day. They Avere Ave1l
pleased and figured that if a tAvo stamp mill could do so
well that a ten stamp mill Avould do so much better.
They bargained Avith me for five hundred thousand
shares of stock at 25 cents a share. They AVere to pay for
one hundred thousand shares, or |25,000, and
four hundred thousand were to be placed in the
First National Bank at Deadwood. They were to take
up a hundred thousand shares each year at the same
price and the balance of the Treasury stock was to be
used to pay my debts. They went back feeling good.
I thought I had a good honest bunch of people in
with me, as they all seemed very religious. They took
(the accounts for my debts and in a month or so paid
them off, so I was greatly relieved.
Mr. Lister was named acting secretary and attor
ney for the company. Be came out to take up the hun
dred thousand shares. I went Avith him to Deadwood
and placed the four hundred thousand shares in the
bank, and he took the hundred thousand and I received
twenty-five thousand dollars.
Be said to me, "Mr. Bartlett AA-ants to borrow two
thousand dollars as he had a fire and his shops are
partly burned down. Be will pay you back as .soon as
he can get around to it."
I let) him have it as he was the main man in the
com'pany and I wanted to help him if I could. But he
was merely making m;oney out of the deal as he w-ent
along. Ee is kidding himself yet making himself be
lieve he did not steal that tAvo thousand dolars, Ee and

182 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
his son-in-law. Lister, were working Boiler to the lim
it. I turned the management of the mill over to them.
No one knew how near worn out I was at the time. The
Clara Belle Company began to go to the dogs just then,
but in a way I am to blame for the failure. I had no
business trusting in people's honesty when so much was
at stake. Some people may be good lawyers in their line, and
some may be good men, seemingly intelligent, but when
it comes to mining they don't use any more sense than
an ordinary fool. Finally they started to build the neAV
ten stamp mill and made a survey of the mine with the
intention of sinking a shaft a thousand feet below the
old one. The surveyors made a mistake about the way
the ledge was running and I did, too, as the shaft should
have been sunk about seventy-five feet up the hill to the
west. They started on the shaft and sent a man out front
Cleveland to take charge. In fact he had been here a
couple of months getting used to the place before he took
hold. I don't like to belittle people, but of all the easy
marks I ever saw he was the limit. It don't take these
miners and people that work around mines very long to
size a man up, and Avith him they did just as they pleas
ed. One instance I AA-ill mention. I had been told by
some of the boys that a man by the name of Quails was
putting in wood for the company. Be made Dole re
ceive it twice. I happened to see Mr, Quails in Eapid
one day and he said, "When is the Clara Belle going to
start up?" Told him I didn't know. "I Avant to get back
there and see if I can put in more wood for Mr. Dole."
I told him that if he did his wood AA-ould never be receiv
ed tAvice again, for T was going to post- Mr. Dole. Ee
had a good laugh and said, "I don't suppose I will put

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 183
in any more, but Mr. Dole received one batch of wood
from me three different timtes.''
While they were sinking the shaft they had difficulty
in meeting the pay roll. I went back to Cleveland twice
objecting to their ranning in debt. One time I gave them
seventy-five thousand shares of stock and told them I
would not stand for any debts against the company, for
it jeopardized my interests, but as they had charge, and
as Mr. Lister, the secretary, was a corporation lawyer,
they manipulated things to suit themselves. It seemed
all I could do Was to object and I did.
I toi them the works were run in an idiotic way
and they seemed to think I was sore because I was not
running things tO' suit myself, so I let them go ahead for
a while. They wrote they were going in debt so I went
to Eapid and had Chauncey Wood start a suit against
them. After the papers w^re served I had a letter from
Mr. Boiler saying, "I don't like this thing of you start
ing a suit against us. I have been your friend all the
time and still am. You know that I put in nearly all the
money so far and I promise that you will get a square
deal from me. It is not my intention to- beat you out of
anything, so stop that suit and I will see that everythin.£r
is all right for you," Well I supposed he AA'as telling the
truth as far as he AA'as concerned and I never ]Aushed the
case. Mr, Boiler was a A'ery good man at the time and
did not li ye long afterwards.
We had taken out considerable ore in the old shaft
that Ave had throwU in a big dump by itself, and the.A'
started up the new mill on that. I Avas told they were
getting seven or eight dollars out of it. I had not been
getting less than eighteen dollars at any time out oP
that dump Avith the little mill. Of course they said I
sorted it, but it was not true, for I milled it just as it
came, slate and all. That was their excuse, I kncAV

184 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
AA'hen they did not save it, but as they AA'ere running the
mill I let them go to it.
They began to think they made a bad bargain with
me for my stock in the bank, which they still had to- pay
for, so started to maneuver to beat me out of it. I think
Lister Avas an expert in that line. After they got that
ore milled and as they AA'ere not getting any out of the
new shaft, they shut doAvn. They had the new shaft
down 250 feet, then started to drift for the ledge. As it
passed the shaft about seventy-five feet to the north and
AA-est of course they missed it. It had been surveyed
Avrong anyhOAv, and they never Avould have struck it the
way they Avere going. All the good they did was to cut
through my Tin Queen ledge, as I had a party working
in there, who notified me AVhen they struck it. They
ran on a little further and after they stopped sending
money the men quit.
I AA-as at Thermopolis, AVyoming, at the time. When
I returned I found a letter from them wanting me to
take charge and go ahead and find the ledge. Several
of the men had not been paid, and they promised they
Avould send me money later on, after the Avork Avas start
ed. I had a pretty good idea Avhat kind of people I was.
dealing Avith by that time, but did not think they would
try to beat me out of the sltock in escrow, so I thought
the best Avay Avas for me to use my own money and hur-
n- and find the ledge.
Air. Teachout, one of the stockholders, had a neph
ew out here, Avho AVas bookkeeper. Be did the spy work
and started in to borroAV money from me right away.
The idea Avas to get me broke so I could not fight back,
but I kept him under pay, as I had nothing to conceal
and was on the square. It would have been better
though, if I had kicked him out.
AA^'hen I Av'ent down the shaft I examined the place
Avhere they ran through the Tin Queen ledge. I found
about four feet of ore that AA-ould probably average one

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS 185
and one-half to two per cent, eighteen inches of it on the
hanging Avail Avas very rich. This proves up the Tin
Queen in good shape. By using that shaft it would give
me about three hundred and fifty feet of sloping but
Avilth the dog in the manger policy the Clara Belle peo
ple pursue it does me no good.
I started the AVorks in a northern direction and af
ter a fcAA- months' time began to encounter the narroAS-
part of the ledge, Avhich was on the east side. I got free
gold and it looked as if I had the ledge, EoAvever the
mine proper AA-as tAA-enty or thirty feet further on, but
Avhen I found the free gold the bookkeeper Avas busy
and I did not know AA-hat he waa AAriting about. I had
put in nearly five thousand dollars, outside of my Avages
so they had my cash abou|t used up. They trumped up
debts right and left a,ncl Lister sneaked off to Eapid City
and got Georfie Coates to- apply for a receiver. Ee had a
couple of hundred dollars coming from the company,
debts they ran. By getting Coates to start it they could
put in all the ti-umped up debts they wished, as they
had bought tanks and other stuff they never used. Be
ing experts in that line they fixed up their oavu Avay,
Sure enough they got their dirty AVork through
without notifying me and the court appointed a receiver,
and he came to displace me. Of course he Avas an inno
cent party and I could do no'thing AA''ith him. BoAvever
I think I would have had no- trouble in cleaning up the
whole bunch if they came on the ground. I blame Lister
because he was the adviser.

186 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
CBAPTEE XXVI.
E. C. JOHNSON OB-TAINS COURT DECREE TITLE TO MANY
HARNEY PEAK COMPANY'S MINES
I could have gotten along first rate with Mr. Bart-
le|tt, if it had not been for that son-in-law of his. Ee
could have made all the money he ever cared for. Mr.
Boiler was a fine old gentleman and was the goat for the
balance of them. Mr. Teachout and Mr. Eewitt would
have been all right and would have made money. Down
right rascality does not win in the long run and all they
ever did was to put up money and got nqthing in return.
They deserve it for the miners and mill men have a
right to steal from such people.
I have been asked dozens of times, "Why is it the
Clara Belle doesn't pay? Why is it not running? You
made it pay with your little mill, handicapped in every
diredtion and how with good machinery and well equip
ped all around the mine doesn't run." I wfill try to ex
plain further on more reasons why it doesn't mn.
AA^'ell, it was advertised that the Clara Belle was to
be sold for debts and all those that had bills against it
notified to present them at Eapid. I tried to stop the
receivership by paA-ing off Coates' bill but it did no good
I employed Colonel Parker to aittend to my interest, but
he died a week or so- before the mine was sold. I saAv
Chauncey Wood and asked him to do the l>?st be could
for me. Ee said, "I told you they Avonld try !:¦ beat
you out when I started the case, but you '.vonld not be
lieve me. Y::iu dropped the suit and uoav you put all
your business in Colonel Parker's hands and I don't
knoAV where you are at. I Avill do the best I can for you,
though." A laAvyer in Cleveland named Foster wrote me sever
al times wanting to sell some of my stock on comm.ission.
Mr. Bartlett had AA'ritten me, "Bave nothing to do with
him for he is not straight, if you do you Avill have trou-

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 187
ble.'' This same party came out a few days before the
sale. Be was supposed to be a great lawyer and the
members of his profession in Eapid met and banqueted
him. Chauncey Wood among them. I figured then I
would get slim protection. The next day Wood said,
"You had better put in your account of five thousand
dollars and I Aviill try to get that."
'The mine was sold and I objected to the sale, but
that's all the good it did. The price AA'*as ten or twelve
thousand dollars. The men got their money for the; last
work and I m.y five thousand, after paying a commissi m
for collecting it. LaAvyer Foster bought in the mine for
Mr. Boiler. And this is the man they sent to do the
dirty work Lister started. Be is the man Mr. Bartlett
warned me against. I had that letter in my safe, but it
disappeared while Mr. Lister had access to it. Of course
it AA-Ould not do to have such things around.
AVell, the mill started again AA-ith Air. Dole, the
easy man, in charge. They had tO' do considerable work
before they got to the ore body proper. Eight then they
could have made a little money, but I understand they
ran behind all the time. I went into the mill one day, a
big sluice head of water Avas running over the table. I
went to the rock crusher and saw that two-thirds of AA-hat
they ran through was slate. I thought they were paying
in luck if they got seven or eight dollars a ton out of it.
In the mine the walls, especially the roof Avhere the main
body of ore is located, are very highly mineralized and
by using machine drills and putting in big shots, they
knocked down tw,o or three feet of slate with the rock.
They got colors from the slate and thought it would pay
to mn through, but the chances are it did not go twenty
five cents to a ton and it kept them from running through
the good ore. The miners did not care what they sent
doAvn if they could get aAV^ay with, it They certainly did
not send down the best and they AV*ould have been fool
ish if they had.

188 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILI-S
They ran the mill more or less for a year or so. The
last time F. A, Gira had a lease on it and had a mining
engineer fro'Ui Georgia run it. Being a mining engineer
he must knoAV something. After he had been running
a Avhile I Avent over to see hOAV things were going. Ee
shoAA-ed me around the mill and mine. The mill was
running the same old Ava.A-, tAvo^thirds slate and a big
sluice of Avater over the plates. The excuse he had was
that he could get so much more ore through by running
that Avay, Ee did not know Avhat he Avas losing and I
didn't tell him.
AVe AA-ent doAvn the mine and he didn't seem to know
much about it. I saw in one place that Iavo or three tons
of rock Avere ready to come down. I told him he had
better attend to that or he would kill someone. Ee
didn't seem to knoAV anything about mining at all, and
the men who were AA-orking for him kncAV it. Ee put in
most of his time draAA-ing maps and making changes on
top. Of course it was only a question of time when he
would have to shut down and it soon happened.
I was told that the mine was again sold for debts
and that Mr. Boiler redeemed it. By reorganizing the
company and calling it the Forest City (while there was
another Forest City Company AA-ithin five miles of the
place) it w-as supposed to complicate matters that much
worse, so as to beat me out of my stock.
Mr. Boiler, the man who bid in the mine at the
sales, is the son of the old gentleman who put in most
of the money. I understand that Mr. Lister and Mr,
Bartlett are now out of it. In fact, Mr. Boiler thinks
he owns it all. Bowever I think he still gets his advice
from Mr. Lister, as it is easy for him to vilify me and I
know they tell all kinds of lies about me, thinking it
helps their case. I also think that Mr. Boiler means all
right and that he certainly must know what his father
promised me. I don't believe I Avould have anv trouble

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 189
in straightening the matter out if I had not been misin
formed against.
As Mr. Boiler is a rich man and his health is fail
ing, he is either in Long Beach, Bermuda, or Cuba most
all the time and it is hard for me to locate him. That is
the way th© Clara Belle stands at present. Everything
would be all right for them if I were dead, then they
could bulldoze things through, but it is they AA'ho are
dying. If they had run I would have had a settlement
long ago, but it is my intention to sue for damages and
see if I can't make them do something.
I had retained for myself my little thirteen horse
power hoist and tAvo stamp Tremain mill. I put in a
Whiffley concentrating table and intended to make a
test run on tin ore. I ran some ore from the Tin Queen
and Tin City and with just one concentrating table I
recovered about one per cent. I could see, though, I
was losing about a half of one per cent.
That demonstrated to me that the ore properly
milled would pay, especially if tin was worth from forty
to fifty cents a pound. I don't think it will ever be much
lower. I ran through a couple hundred tons and intend
ed to add some machinery so I should save most of
Avhat was getting away.
A party was running a saAv mill close bv and one
night the mill bumed down and caught on to my little
mill and destroyed it. That kind of discouraged me
and I never rebuilt.
At one time E, C. Johnson of Champaign, 111, came
out to my place and stayed a couple of months. He had
some old prospects in the country and Avas having work
done. During the long litigation of the Harney Peak
stockholders over the alleged misappropriation of funds,
Mr. Johnson bought and got court decree title to most of
the Barney Peak Company's good tin mines and still
OAvns them.
I received a letter from the editor of the Mining

190 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
Eecord of Denver saying he heard I had some good tin
property. Several parties were inquiring of him if he
knew where they could get some good ground. If I
wanted to I could come dOAVn and see him, bring along
some samples and he might be instrumental in making a
deal. I went Avith my samples and saw him. Ee seem
ed to be confident that something could be done with
the parties. Ee said, "There is a Black Bills man here
by the name of Dr. Carpenter, what do you think about
him examining the ground and making a report." Car
penter was the man who had been dean at the School of
Mines at Eapid and I furnished him with hundreds of
pounds of stream tin. I was told afterwards that he
said it came from Bear Gulch in the northern hills, and
never gave me any credit for it. As I made him a
present of this tin I thought it was pretty small of him
not to credit me with it. Apparently he had to have an
other crack at me. Be said he knew all about my mines.
which Avlas not true, for he had never been on the ground
and he said he knew of some parties in the northern
hills that had something better. In that district they
could get any amount of ground while I did not have
much territory. Be turned me down and I understood
the parties, through him, invested quite a bit of money
in that district. What Mr. Carpenter had against me
is more than I know, but he certainly did me injury.

40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS lUL
CEAPTEE XXVII
BUREAU OF MINES SEND OUT TIN EXPERTS BUT ACCOM
PLISH NOTHING
At one time Mr. Ladoux, the Barney Peak Com
pany receiver concluded they would give one of the
mines a test. That was the Cowboy, as the casiterite in
that mine is very pure, free from columbine and tung
sten. I understood they had decided to spend fifty thou
sand dollars to satisfy the stockholders. They sent out
a man supposed to be an expert to spend the m-ncy.
They started to pump out the water aau! w-orked a
month or so i-il'ore they tonnd the pump Avas not liig
enough to handle it. By ^he time they .got the neAV
pump the hole filled up again. I was not there and don't
knoAv just Avhat they did hut T heard thev finally got the
water out and started to do some drifting. Something
would happen and it AVOuld fill up again, and then they
would pump. Nothing was accomplished till the fifty
'thousand dollars was spent. After that I understood
the receiver turned -doAvn all the tin in the country.
There had been enough money spent on the Cowboy
to put up one good tin mill and if I had half of what
AVas spent I could have a forty ton mill running in less
than four months on good ore.
It seemed as if the remaining stockholders of the
Company were pretty sick of it and the custodian
bought all their holdings, I understand, for forty-five
thousand dollars, mill, mines and the finest kinds of
ranches. It is reported that he .got his money back two
or three times over and still has some of the finest
ranches left.
When the big war broke out the price of tin went
up to seventy five cents and a dollar a pound. A com
pany was organized in St. Louis or NeAV York called the
American Tin Company. But as they have a way of

192 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
changing the name of the company I don't know
whether it is the National Tin or the American Tin.
They bought several claims from the custodian and
what was left of the mill. It was supposed they were
going to put tin on the market. I don't intend to say
much about that concern for they seem to be in hot
water and have enough trouble of their own, but I am
satisfied that the main trouble with them is bad manage
ment and it looks like they were going to make another
failure. 1 Avas haA'ing plenty of trouble of my oavu and will
try to explain some of it :
I read articles in the newspapers that the Govern
ment intended to help the miners and prospectors to de-
yelo]> AA'hat they call AA-ar metals, that is : tungsten, tin.
.graphite, mica, lithia ores ,and other metals. It was re
ported that Senator Shafroth, of Colorado, Avas to be
at the head of a Bureau for that purpose. I decided to
Avrite the Bureau of Mines in regard to it. I sent them
some tin ore, that would go better than five per cent, and
some of the finest kind of mica, graphite and amlilygonite
that Avould go ten per cent lithia. I got an ansAver right
back. I AA'ish I could find it uoav as I Avould like to re
peat it word for AVord. They stated tha.t the Goyern-
ment AA'as not helping anycme develop property but as
tin A\'as badly needed they referred me to Philip, T>odge
& Co,, the American Smelting Co,, and o'her concerns
whose names I can't remember.
Great Scott!! Eeferring me to Philip, Dodge &
Co., after their expert turned the tin down years before,
and UOAV that Philip, Dod.n'c & ('o. are the largest tin im
porters in the United States I kncAV they did not want
any one producing tin for it would break into their bus
iness. You might as well send a sheep to a yVolf for ad
vice I thought as send me to Philip, Dodge & Co.
The tin trust is the oldest trust in the world, origin-

40 YEARS IN TEE BLACK BILLS 103
ating hundreds of years agO' in Cornwall, and they stili
control the tin markets of the world. They won't even
let us import stream tin from the Straight Settlement
without paying tribute, and then during the war they
doled us out just what tin they cared to, as the United
States w'as helpless.
It's the same with mica that they produce in such
large quantities in India. Apparently they have cut the
supply off entirely at the present. It won't be serious if
they open the mines in the Black Bills for they will get
plenty of mica.
I thought our Government might help to get this tin
going, but it Avill be a hard matter, for apparently we
get blackmailed right and left.
The Bureau of Mines sent out a couple of tin ex
perts to examine the mines in the Bills. I met theui and
showed them around and explained to them as well as I
could. They took several pounds of tin ore that Avould
go from two to five per cent, and of course picked ont
some of the poorest they could find also. One of them
was a mill expert, the other a mining man. I would like
to know if he ever saw a tin mine before. I don't call
these mines, I call them prospects, as we are not working
any mines in the United States. This ore I gave them
is as good as he could have found in Cornwall, Australia.
or any other country, where they are milling ore for the
tin it contains. I never heard from them and apparently
they turned us dovm. That is how the Government helps
the mining industry.
I don't believe in paternal government, I believe in
telligent people should be let guide themselves, but when
I read about the Universities established in different
parts of the land to educate people how to raise potatoes
and pumpkins, I don't see why they can't help to get this
tin business started. It might go a long way in saving
the United States seventy-five or a hundred million dol
lars for the tin We consume in a year. Were these mines

194 40 YEAES IN TBE BLACK BILLS
in any other country they could have been developed
long ago.
The Black Bills has wonderful resources of acres
of low grade ore that will pay to work by the cyanide
process and Avill be worked some day. Custer must have
five hundred locations on record, all gold claims. Sev
eral that I know of would justify developing. Some are
large bodies of low grade ore, and some are small, rich
ledges. I don't think there is a country in the Uniied
States can equal it for its mica mines.
The McMackin or Crown mine, the White Spnr, ne
|New York, the Climax and many others that I know of
have produced first class mica. The Westinghouse
Company o-wms most of them and are letting them lie
idle. Of course some day they will be worked.

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 195
CHAPTEE XXVIII.
SUMMING UP OF MINING POSSIBILITIES IN RICHEST 100
SQUARE Miles on earth
The Black Bills country has some big things in it.
The Bomestake, the biggest gold mine in the Avorld. I
think the Etta and Bob Ingersol are the greatest and
will be the greatest in the world producing lithia.
In Pennington County, if we commence ar Key
stone, there should be thousands of miners working
there right now on gold, lithia ores and mica. On the
Etta Mine they have been working quite a force of men
taking out spodumene, which is supposed to go from
three to four per cent lithia.
I heard so much about a mine in California that is
called the Stewart or Palla mine carrying lepidolite. I
was told that there was a mjountain of it. As I had oc
casion to be in San Diego a little over a year ago I heard
a lot about that mine. They told me they were shipping-
ten or fifteen cars a day and that it undoubtedly Avas the
biggest in the world, I took a three hundred mile trip
to see it, being interested in lithia myself. When I got
there the foreman was gone, as he had to take a man to
a hospital in Los Angeles who was hurt a few days be
fore. Those who were there showed me around. The.y
thought I represented the Edison interest, as I was told
they had parties there shortly before. I found in the up
per works that they had three or four feet of lepidolite
exposed for about thirty or forty feet. It seemed to be
going doAvn pretty good. They had a tunnel in the side
of the mountain about a hundred feet below and struck
the ore. They were running a raise to connect with the
upper works. At no time had they ever shipped over two
cars a week and very often not more than one. I found
it was nothing but a pack of lies I heard about that
mine. I consider it a good mine just the same, but the
ore does not go over three per cent lithia. Bowever the

196 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
residue is mostly potash. It would never pay to ship
that ore to Neyv Jersey if it were not for the potash it
contains. The mine is on an Indian reservation called
the Palla. There is a mission there, too. They have
white foremen and the balance of the labor is mostly In
dians. They seem to be good w'orkers. They haul the
ore on trucks to a place called Temecula seven or eight
miles off, but they will never glut the lithia market, for
the Etta and Ingersol mines are AV'orth a dozen of it.
It is wonderful the showing at the Bob Ingersol
mine. A nian can well call it a mountain of ore. They
have a much better showing of lapidolite than at the
Palla. A good showing of mica at the end of a tunnel.
There is lots of amblygonite in sight and they can glut
the beryl market, for there are carloads in sight. At one
or two points they have lots of columbite, some tin ore
and a good quality of feldspar. There is no reason Avhy
Dennis Benault and his partner, should not make any
amount of money, for there is a great demand for lithia
ores all the time, principally for export. The Eol.y
Terror Mine has produced some of the richest gold ore in
the world. I understand it is bonded to Mr. Morgan of
New York, together yvith a large group of mines, which
would undoubtedly open up good. At present there is
nothing being done on the gold.
Within a radius of three or four miles of Bill City
are four or five good gold prospects, which some day
will produce and they will produce tin there also.
Now when we get to Oreville, six miles south of
Bill City, Ave have the Tin Queen and the Tin City, the
ground that E. C. Johnson, Benry Albien and Johnny
Foster have, and a few other good prospects, Avhich
would at the present time keep a good tin mill running
As far as the Clara Belle is concerned there ought to be
a hundred men working there now. In talking Avith
some of the men who did the last work, they tell me it

40 YEARS IN THE BLACK BILLS 197
is just as good as ever with free gold all over the face of
the mine. With regard to the hill on the north end of the Tin
Queen ground, I think I can make a statement that prob
ably can't be duplicated in the world. For instance:
When at the top of the hill I stand on a big crystal
of amblygonite. The ledge is about forty feet thick at
that point composed of the finest kind of feldspar for
pottery purposes, bunches of clear Avhite quartz, and a
good sprinkling of nice mica. Underneath that is a
horse of slate about six feet thick, and under that a four
foot vein of mica. That four feet of the ledge is compos
ed of about one-third mica. I look over to the north
about twelve hundred feet and there is the St. Elmo
mine which has produced large amounts of gold. By
SAvinging around a little to the west, the Clara Belle
shaft comes in sight with its rich ore gO'ing right on down
in good shape. Then by SAvinging over to the south
about twelve hundred feet I see the Tin Queen ledge
which crops about five or six hundred feet in the sur
face coming diagonally across the Clara Belle. I turn
to the east about five hundred feet and see a low SAvale
where I took out thousands of dollars in placer gold. A
little below that about two hundred feet is a spring of
water breaking out, which would furnish enough for
the machinery. A photograph of the place Avould show
the ground covered a fine groAvth of timber. I Avould go
thousands of miles to see anything like that.
While there is not much doing at presait, the re
sources are here and the tinle is not very far off when
they will be developed. With its good Avater, fine tim
ber and good climate it will make an ideal mining coun
try. If any one doubts what I say about this Tin Queen
let him hunt me up and I Avill show them what I say is
true. I know the Black Bills has a hard reputation,
A mining expert was here from New York one time to

198 40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS
examine some tin property for his parties and I got
pretty well acquainted with him. Ee seemed to take a
liking to me. Ee said, "Do you know what the capital
ists of New York think of the Bills people?'' Told him
I didn't. "Well, they think you are mostly bunko steer-
ers, confidence men and horse thieves. I am satisfied
they are mistaken though, but that is the reputation you
have. I find nice people out here.''
I showed him some ore and he was well pleased
with it. Ee said it was just exactly the kind of ore they
had in Australia and he said later he would try to make
a deal with me. Ee went back and I never heard from
him. Be turned down the property he came to examine,
but the country is used to that. Be undoubtedly was
employed by the tin trust. I saAV his passport describing
him as a mining -engineer employed by the English
Government. If anyone thinks the tin importers and
producers don't do all they can against us they are mis
taken. I am satisfied there are thousands of people who
Avould be glad to invest in these properties if they only
kneAV the truth about them. But, Avheii Av-e look at the
failures that have been made, like the Greenwood and
Barney Peak, and many others that I could mention, no
wonder the people call us bunko- steerers and the like. I
want to say right here that most of that class of men
come here from New York, and if the parties who want
ed our produce would come out and investigate for
themselves I am sure there would be no trouble in mak
ing good deals. It don't speak much for the intelligence
of our mining men here in the Bills that the country is
not developed better. What we want is a few men like
Sam McMasters. The Bomestake Company had a twen
ty stamp mill running, I think they called it the Enos.
It did not pay. McMasters said, "Twenty stamps won't
pay but a hundred and sixty Will.'' Be had good back
ing and kept putting in stamp mills till now they liave

40 YEAES IN TEE BLACK BILLS 1!>9
over a thousand stamps dropping. Bbmestake mines are
scarce, but there are others, and who kno'ws but they
Avill be developed some day.
Several 3-oung men have asked me to Avrite some
thing to give them an idea about prospecting, as they
could not buy books that told them much. By reading
this they Avill learn something of what a prospector ha^
to go through even after he has struck somiething good.
Knowing how to do things yourself is a great help. I
did my oa\-1i blacksmith Avork, timbered the mines, built
the hoist, installed and ran it, built the mill and ran it,
did the amalgamating, and Avhat is more important of all.
handled the money part of it. AVhen one of the men
quit I could step right in his place till I could get some
one else. AVhen the laAV is enforced that will make it Avarm for
a man to obtain money under false pretenses and puts a,
few legal advisers and rotten promoters behind the bar
the mining interests Avill be greatly benefited.
In summing up: The most important things I did
was to discover the Tin Queen and Tin City mines, the
Clara Belle and Matchless Gold mines. These four
claims will be worked hundreds of years after I am
dead. They have the ore in them. I think I have done
my part in developing the country the best I could and
would like to see the man who has done more. I have
heard and read several times that the Black Bills is
the richest one hundred square miles in the world and
the time is not very far distant when it will be proven.

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