The Curse of Gold.

Otago Witness, Issue 1895, 16 March 1888, Page 32

The Curse of Gold.

There is a singular superstition in the mining districts of America that the discoverers of hidden treasures in the bowels of the earth are sure to meet with a violent end. Many instances are from time to time adduced in support of the statement, and go far to show that numbers of adventurers literally die in their shoes. The original proprietors of close on 40 successful mines have been accounted for in this way. Twelve were shot, three were ingulfed, while the rest disappeared in the cities of Dakota and New Mexico, and were never heard of afterwards. George H. Fryer, from whom the Fryer Hill mine had its name, committed suicide in Denver. Two years before his death he possessed 1,000,000(301; the expenses of his funeral had to be paid by Ihe authorities. The discoverer of the Standard mine in California was swallowed up by an avalanche. Colonel Storey, another wealthy miner, was killed by the Pyramid Indians. William Fairweather, who brought to light the hidden treasures of Alder Gulch, came to his death by drinking and riotous living. A yet more terrible end had William Farrell in a hospital at San Francisco. He had discovered the rich mine at Meadow Lake ; but hundreds of deceived goldscekers surrounded his bed, "gnashing and grinning so horribly that he could not die." The owner of the Homestake mine became a highwayman; one day he attacked a mail coach, but the attendants shot him dead. John Homer, of the Homer mine, spent his last cent, and then put a bullet through his brain. "Doughnut Bill," "Old Eureka," "Nine-mile Clarke," died literally in their shoes, being killed in saloon scuffles. Montana Plummer, who discovered one of the richest mines in the world, and was sheriff for a time, died on the gallows.