Tragic Fate of a Quartz Prospector.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 114, 16 January 1872, Page 6

Tragic Fate of a Quartz Prospector.

0 — On the southern outskirts of Grass Valley, ialifornia, is a well worked and prosperous uartz mine, which has a story of its own both auching and characteristic. The mine was o rst owned by a company that employed as an ~..-.. t ?.'-.-.. -A.-, rlxvtrnl.-Yl + tit it \niii 1 C< tockholders—an Irish man of rare intelligence . nd integrity. Ho spent tedious and anxious , lonths in '' prospecting for the lead, someimes elated with the unmistakoablc indica- . ion, and again depressed and discouraged at lie lack of success. Thus he laboured until m had exhausted the funds of the company . nd his own private means, and it became si ecessary to make a new assessment upon lie stockholders or abandon the enterprise. lorbidly sensitive to the suspicions which J ither step might awaken as to his judgment X honesty he resolved to work on a few S ' ays longer, when, if no better indications °. ppeared, he would make for himself a quick t xit out of the world. He laid the resolu- ~ ion before his wife, who fully approved of it, ~ nd agreed to share his destiny. The time |., lapsed, without satisfactory results, and the . lan and wife accepted the alternative withut a question. Poison was obtained and dministered to the three children and wife. 'lie husband and father calmly watched them hrough their death-struggles and affectiona tely closed their eyes ; then deliberately ' at down and wrote out for his business assoiates a clear and full statement of his operaions and his tinal resolution. He expressed j inflinching faith in the ultimate success of j he venture, if sufficient means and energy j fere U3ed, but acknowledged that he had not I, he courage to call for further contributions, i Lfter finishing his statement, he adjusted hi 3 j •apers and books, took his quieting draught, j' nd followed his family to that country ! rhoro it is presumed there are no quartz j a nines, and no joint-stock companies to work !' hem. Of course the story has a sequel, and ! C his is it: After decently burying the bodies, ! * he company went to work at the mine, fol- j f owing the hints of the deceased agent, and I ( vithin a week the lead was struck, and the j nine proved to be and is now one of the l * •ichest in the State. The best part of this j story is that it is literally true. j ''