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1874, and the Park has been inhabited continuously since the spring of 1875, when the Mac Gregors, the James,' the SpraguPB and the Fergusons moved in ; nor are there lacking settlers who were there before that time, though they are not so easy to find. The writer even knows where the remains of his cabin are to be seen, but will gnard the knowledge as jealously as he would the secret of hia mushroom patch, because he wishes to seen re a dor nick from Jim’s fire-place for his own collection the next time he goes out.The stories of Jim differ, a3 may be expected, but they all agree that he was not suoh a bad man as he persuaded Miss Bird Ask the natives whether he was not a desperate murderer and you will get a good natured laugh. He might have killed somebody before he came out there, they say, but he never gained any right to that reputation in that neighborhood, There was no harm to be approached from old Jim, by their account, unless his pistol went off by accident when he was drnuk and got to swinging it around and blowing, as was his custom. I’ve told him to his face he was a thief,” says one informant, “when I had no gun and Jim was armed. I didn’t consider there was any more risk in telling him what I thought of him than in talking to you now.”It would appear, however, that all his neighbors did not take him so philosophically. There is a tradition that he forbade anyone but himself to settle in Mugging Gulch, where he had bis pastoral dwelling. Muggins Gnlch is some five miles in length, and now contains a half-dozen ranches. One individual, wandering over the mountains with a Winchester, in search of ''rabbits,” considers this a strange state of affairs ; didn't nobody have a gun besides Jim?”One of those who took him seriously was the Welshman, Evans, the Bfime who finally shot him. Their disagreements were uomerons, as many, perhaps, over cards and liquor as over weightier matters, and it is said that Jim had Evam completely terrorized. An eye-witness describes a quarrel between them in Longmont, when Jim forbade Evans to go home ; told him he couldn't go through Muggin’s Gulch alive. Some way or other old Jim had managed to get Griff scared, and he was nearly afraid to go home. I said to Jim, you old duffer, you want to quit your bluffing, because some day somebody’ll call you ; they’ll make meat of you.”ThiB informant considers Evans' own terrors to have been ample grounds for the final catastrophe, but there were other storieB told. It was said, for instance, that Jim had offered or threatened to carry off a daughter of Evaufl’—and all agree that the Welshman waB extremely fond of his family.Then there iB the mysterious Englishman, who should likewise have become scared” of Jim and hired Griff to put him out of the way. The sum even is mentioned—it was $10,000, There was an Englishman staying at Griff's ranch, and he and Jitn were at onts.” This much is certain. And there is talk of a witness to the transaction, who was spirited out of the way. Miss Bird mentions the Englishman’s story in one of her foot notes, and with her usual frankness mentions his name ; he was a Mr. Fodder, whom she had met on her travels and didn't like, Another Park Btory says that it was Lord Hague, from whom Mummy Mountain got the name it bearB on the maps.At all events, Evans was wrought up to the necessary pitch, and one morning when Jim Btopped at his door for adriuk of buttermilk the thing was done. Some mention at this point that Jim had kept the Evans family in meat all that summer, while Griff was off drinking and gambling down below. Griff loved his family, was a kind and affectionate husband and father, but would spend his last cent having fun, though they were in want. And this time, seeing Jim outside with a thirst, he stepped to the door in his stocking-feet and shot him. Some say that Jim dropped over the side and shot back, ineffectively, from nnder his horse's neck ; others that Evans shot the horse first and then its rider. This happened at the first dividing of the road after one reaches the Park level. Griff Evans' cabin stood where now is the English Lodge-house.After this, it is related that Jim was arrested and taken to Longmont. Nothing was ever done to Evans. Jim lived some weeks, or perhaps months. He got up and around,” and there are those who visited and talked with him in this period. He made no attempt to get” Evans, as one would expeot the desperado of the book to have done. There was even room for donbt whether it was the wound that occasioned his death, which occurred some time later in Ft. Collins.As for Evans, he no donbt lived happily ever after. The stone house that one passes in going out from Lyons is named as a later habitation of his, and he was for a time postmaster at Jim-town; and in that place he died within the lost half year.A. T. Richardson.
Newspaper Details
Nebraska City Conservative
Nebraska City, Nebraska, US
Thu, Nov 29, 1900
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Michelle P.
CA 05 Feb 2025
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Nebraska City Conservative
