gar17

HALE, JOHN P.
Age 41
b. 8/14/1845 - Wisconsin
d. 9/1/1885 - Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana

CO. A. 41st WISCONSIN INFANTRY

Mount Moriah Cemetery
Butte, Silver Bow Co., MT
Find-a-Grave: John P. Hale
Block B Lot 92 Grave 5

Spouse
Sabina W. Cusch Hale

THE INQUEST

Messrs. Kellogg and Short on the
Death of John Hale

The Coroner’s inquest over the body of John Hale, the particulars of whose death has appeared in the columns of The Miner, was conducted before Judge Lippincott yesterday. The testimony of Edward Phelan, who was down with Hale, for the purpose of rescuing Murrish, is a very interesting story, and is in effect as follows: “I was speaking to Hale fifteen minutes before O’Neil came upon the cage, and Hale went up to the office While he was there the cage was run up from the 300-foot level and O’Neil came up and called for me to help him out. He said: ‘Help me out; I got bad air. For God’s sake go down and get my partner out of the 300-foot level.’ Hale and myself got into a car in the cage and called the engineer to lower us. When we got to the 330-foot level, he started ahead and I followed him. Before coming to a canvas door 200 feet from where Murrish lay Hale asked me if my candle was lit. I said “Yes,” and in passing the door I was careful not to let my candle go out as we had only one match. Hale was ahead of me going through the door and I could not see his light. At a crosscut about fifty feet further on I called out, “Johnnie!” but got no answer. I went on and not seeing any light I turned and went in the cross-cut, and could see the face of the cross-cut but could see no light. Then I went on in the main drift about one hundred feet and I heard a man moaning. I called again for Johnnie but got no answer. I went on until I came to Murrish lying in the main drift. I caught him by the shoulders, but could discover no signed of life. Then I dragged him until my strength failed me, and when I saw there was no life in him I placed him in a half-sitting posture to the right of the drift with his head out of the water. All this time I kept calling for Hale. When I first took hold of Murrish I saw another man lying on his face and hands ahead of me. After putting Murrish up in the drift I started back to where I thought Hale was, but when I straightened up in the drift my candle went out and I fell, overcome by the gas. I groped around in the drift and caught an air pipe and worked myself toward the shaft and as I did so felt better air. I did not see Hale fall, but from my experience I think when he was overcome by the gas he attempted to crawl out, but being bewildered went toward the face of the drift. Before I got to the cage I met the men coming to the rescue as I was giving the alarm. After coming up I heard Kellogg, the superintendent, say: O’Neil, how often have I told you not to go in there. I could not hear O’Neil’s answer.

Superintendent Kellogg also made a statement at the first sitting of the inquest which, though not throwing any light upon the manner of the death of the unfortunate men, fully exonerates that gentleman from all blame in the matter. Mr. Kellogg said: “John Hale was shift boss at the Lexington mine, and it is his duty to supervise the workings. The place where he died was at the west drift on the 300-foot level. He went on shift at 6 o’clock last night. In the south cross-cut from the 300-foot level they are working with the Burleigh or Ingersoll air drill. The nearest winze to it is about 300 feet. They drill from seven to nine holes, and in blasting the air is driven out. Then the men have orders not to go back there again until the air is purified by the inrush of fresh air. After five or six or eight hours other men go back there. The shift firing the blasts have strict orders not to go back on that shift. The shift that went on last night at 6 o’clock fired the blasts between 3 and 3:30 o’clock a.m., and went back between that time and 4 o’clock.”

The testimony of one or two others was taken, but the above contains all the essential facts in the deplorable catastrophe. The jury, after hearing all the testimony rendered the following verdict:

     Territory of Montana, )
                                     ) SS
     County of Silver Bow )

An inquisition holden at Walkerville, in the said county of Silver Bow, on the first and second days of September, A.D., 1885, before me, W. I. Lippincott, a Justice of the Peace and Acting Coroner of said county, upon the body of John Hale, there lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed, the said jurors upon their oaths do say that the said John P. Hale came to his death on the first day of September, A.D., 1885, at the Lexington mine in Walkerville, in said county, from suffocation from blasting; and it appears to the jurors from the testimony of the witnesses that the said John P. Hale came to his death in endeavoring to rescue Henry Murrish, a man working under his charge.

In testimony whereof the said jurors have hereunto set their hands this second day of September, A.D., 1885.

John H. Latey, Foreman.
Charles W. Hanscombe,
Dennis Driscoll,
T. W. Kilgallen,
I. B. Hutchinson,
E.J. Wright.

W. I. Lippincott,
Justice of the Peace and Acting Coroner

The Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
9/4/1895

HARRIS, CHAUNCEY LELAND "CHANCE" (SGT.)
Age 65
b. 7/4/1841 - West Greece, Monroe County, New York
d. 1/9/1898 -- Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana

CO. F. 108th N.Y. INF.

Mount Moriah Cemetery
Butte, Silver Bow Co., MT
Find-a-Grave: Chauncey Leland Harris
Block E Lot 126 Grave 5

Sergeant Chauncey Leland “Chance” Harris, Company F,
108^th Infantry Regiment New York Volunteers—From George H. Washburn, a Complete Military History and Record of the 108^th Regiment, NY Vols. 1862-1894

LARGELY ATTENDED

Many Friends Pay Their Last Respects
to Chance L. Harris

The funeral of Chance L. Harris was held yesterday afternoon and was attended by a large number of citizens. The service was held in Muntzer’s hall under the auspices of the United Order of Moderns. The hall was well filled with friends of the deceased, whose body, very life-like in appearance, reposed in a magnificent oaken casket. Offerings of flowers covered the casket and covered stands at the head and foot of the casket as well. A very beautiful offering was a large floral piece, a star and crescent, from the Butte newspaper men. There was a beautiful wreath from the Moderns, another from Eastern relatives of Mr. Harris, and bouquets and other floral tributes from Mr. and Mrs. George Porter, Mrs. Buzzard, Mrs. Brashier, Miss Wehrspaun, Miss Williams and many other friends.

The service was conducted by Rev. Mr. Russell. A choir of the Moderns sang “Jesus Lover of My Soul,” and then Mr. Russell made some affecting remarks, directed particularly at the great uncertainty of life. Prayer and the singing of “Near My God to Thee” closed the service.

The United Moderns, the members of the press, the G. A. R. and numerous other citizens followed the remains to Mount Moriah cemetery, where they were placed in a vault. The pallbearers were: P.A. Manchester, Gilbert Engle and W.E. Corkwell of the G. A. R., and P.C. Deane, Ad Williams and Williams Davidson of the Moderns.

The Anaconda Standard
Anaconda, Montana
1/12/1898

The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana - 1/10/1898

WAS A BUTTE CHARACTER

Sudden Death of Chance Harris Creates Surprise

BUT LITTLE KNOWN OF THE MAN

He Has Lived in These Parts Many Years and Experienced Several
Mutations of Fortune—The Funeral Will Take Place Tomorrow—Meeting
of the Butte Press Club to be Held This Afternoon

The sudden death of Chance L. Harris which occurred at an early hour yesterday morning and the announcement of which was published exclusively in the Miner, caused great surprise throughout Butte. So far as the facts relating to his death are concerned there have been no new developments and as the coroner has decided not to hold an inquest it will be taken for granted that he died of heart failure. It is possible that the fall he had during the early evening may have had some connection with his sudden taking off, but if that be true it simply aggravated what was an organic disease, and was an accident. To all who knew the man any other theory than heart disease or accident will be scouted.

Chance L. Harris was a character in Butte and while everybody was acquainted with him there can none be found who can say that they really knew the man. Accounts, including those given by himself, vary as to the date of his arrival in the then territory, some locating him here in 1860, and other marking his advent as late as 1873. Certain it is that he had been in the territory for a number of years and that he has been in this section since about 1876 or 1877. He was born in New York state at or near Rochester, but as to his age there is a varied opinion based mainly upon his own statements, but it can be set down that he was in the neighborhood of 60 years of age, no matter what he or anyone else may say to the contrary. Nature gifted him with a remarkable physique for during a period of his life since his advent to Butte, he underwent experiences that would have tested the physical endurance of a giant and after he emerged from the contest he was a conqueror and came up smiling still accoutered for the battle and has maintained the mastery of himself for the past six years. For this at least those who do not feel kindly toward him must give him credit.

In his social nature he was what may be called debonair; even under the most adverse circumstances he was cheerful, hopeful, may be at times defiant but never despondent. His creed was that he had been born and that he proposed to live his allotted time; that if it was necessary for him to forage, it made but little difference whether he foraged upon friend or enemy.

He had been in northern and eastern Montana before he came to Butte and has frequently told of is adventures with the Indians in that section in the early days, and certain it is that he knew all the Indian signs of hand and signals by fire, for the writer of this has met him in company with scouts who vouched for the accuracy of his statements in that respect. Some time after coming to Butte, Chance, along about 1880 or 1881, became the city editor of the Miner. His capacity for gathering news or knowing what news is, cannot be gainsaid. He was what is known in the reportorial fraternity as a “scenter” and a “digger,” that is to say he could smell an item and then run it down. As a writer he was ornate rather than prosy and his rhetoric indicated that even though he had been the recipient of a college education he had abandoned the classics and adopted the flowing style of expression of the untutored savages of the western wilds.

After he severed his connection with the Miner he branched out as a woodchopper and made his headquarters at Woodville, and during that time he also became a prospector and by the aid of grub stakes located hundreds of claims in Jefferson county, though none of them as far as heard from ever made either he or any of his backers rich men. Then came a hiatus over which a veil will be drawn, for in 1893 Chance became rebaptised and since then has walked in the full stature of a good citizen.

There could be many anecdotes and reminiscences written about Chance, some good and others not so good, but they can as well remain untold. In the later years he has worked faithfully in the work given him to do and it is said has acquired quite a competence.

The deceased claimed to have been a veteran of the war of the rebellion but to what regiment he belonged is not known, as he was not a member of the G. A. R. However, he wore a button of the Union Veteran club, the requirements for membership in which are that a man must have seen at least six months actual service and have been engaged in at least one battle. He was an honorary member of the United Workmen, and an officer in the Montana State Press association, but beyond this did not belong to any association.

That the man had no idea that death was so soon to overtake him is evidenced by the fact that on Saturday afternoon and evening he was about the city in his usual buoyant spirits spoke of his splendid physical health and declared that was too tough fibred to be knocked out and was good for 20 years.

The surviving members of his family as far as known are a brother, Albert B. Harris of Detroit, and Mrs. William Harris and her two daughters of Rochester, New York, who are the widow and daughters of a deceased brother. One of the young ladies, Miss Mary F. Harris, was a former teacher in the public schools of Butte, and is now engaged in the same occupation at Batavia, and the other, Miss Orenta D. Harris, is with her mother in Rochester.

The remains have been carefully prepared for burial by Undertake Jo. Richards and are held in the parlors of his establishment where they will remain until tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock, at which time the funeral will take place from there. Mr. Richards last evening received a dispatch from the brother of Chance at Detroit asking him to have the body deposited in a receiving vault until further notice, which request will be complied with.

There will be a meeting of the Butte Press association at the office of the Standard, East Broadway, this afternoon at 4:30 o’clock to take action in regard to the death.

The Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
1/10/1898

CHANCE HARRIS A HERO

Served With Distinction in the Army of the Potomac

DUG HIS WAY OUT OF PRISON

Was One of a Famous Seven Who Escaped
From Southern Jails—History of a Period in His Life About
Which He Seldom Talked—Comment of Eastern Papers

Copies of eastern papers which were received in Butte yesterday contain notices of the death of Chance L. Harris and something about his long and honorable war record which was a subject that he seldom discussed. Although Chance was in almost all of the battles of the Army of the Potomac and had an eventful history on the field of battle he never paraded the fact and his natural aversion to display kept him from joining the G. A. R. for fear it would be taken as a sign of egotism. Those who knew Chance well knew that he had been a good and a brave soldier without his telling them about it. The Democratic Chronicle of Rochester, N.Y., published the following story of his life:

“The relatives of Sergeant Chance L. Harris, formerly of this city, have received information of his death, which occurred at his home in Butte, Mont., yesterday morning.

“Sergeant Harris was well known in this city, where many of his former comrades-at-arms reside. He was born July 4, 1841 in West Greece. When the call came for volunteers, at the time when this country was disturbed by war, he enlisted in Captain Frank E. Pierce’s company F, which became a part of the 108^th regiment, New York Volunteers, and went to the front August 19, 1862, having just become of age.

“Harris participated in nearly all of the battles in which the Army of the Potomac was engaged, from Antietam to Appomatox. During the time he served his country he was captured three times, having been sent to Libby prison twice and Andersonville once. He once effected his escape from Libby prison, but was recaptured by the use of bloodhounds. He returned to Rochester at the close of the war, together with the surviving members of his regiment, which was mustered out of service on the old fair grounds in Brighton. Soon after his return to Rochester Sergeant Harris removed to Butte City, Mont., where he had ever since resided.

“He had an honorable war record, and was well known throughout the country as a newspaper correspondent of considerable ability. He was connected with the newspapers of his own city and also contributed to eastern and western papers.

“The deceased was a brother of the late George H. Harris, one of Rochester’s most prominent citizens, who died four years ago.

“The news of his death was received with regret by those of Rochester’s citizens who knew him before the war, and especially by those who marched with him, and tented with him on the field of battle. It is not yet known whether the remains will be brought to this city for interment. Sergeant Harris is survived by one brother, Albert M. Harris of Detroit, Mich., and three nieces, all of whom live in this city.”

The Detroit Free Press had the following to say about the dead man:

“Word was received in Detroit yesterday that Chauncey L. Harris, brother of Albert M. Harris, had died at Butte, Mont. The deceased lived in this city for three years after the close of the war and has since 1869 been a resident of Butte, going there when the town consisted of a few log houses. Mr. Harris was a civil engineer and was one of the surveying force in laying out the line of the Northern Pacific. He devoted a great deal of his time to newspaper work, being editor of a mining paper and furnishing western correspondence to Chicago and other eastern papers, writing under the pen name of ‘Chance.’

“Mr. Harris served throughout the war in company F, 108^th New York Volunteers, enlisting at Rochester. He was a prisoner at Belle Isle and at Libby; was transferred to Salisbury and was one of the famous seven that made the long tunnel. A remarkable incident in the imprisonment was that he was for six months the private secretary to the infamous Wirtz, his identity being ‘buttercupped’ in some way so that the southern officer fancied he was selecting a confederate. Mr. Harris in his capacity of secretary had much to do with the paroling of prisoners, and one day when he accompanied a batch to the boat, he decided to make the trip himself and thus made his way into the Union line. He was immediately detailed to assist in the transfer of captured men that was constantly going on and remained in that line of duty until he was mustered out. Mr. Harris was born at Rochester, N.Y, and was 55 years of age. He was unmarried.”

The Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
1/15/1898

HARRIS AT GETTYSBURG

Letter Written in 1863 by the Well Known Montana Man

DESCRIBES THE TERRIBLE CONFLICT

It is Now Clear That Chance L. Harris Had a Splendid War Record
and Was in Some of the Great Battles of the
Civil War—Magnificent Courage Shown by Officers.

The following letter, written by Chance L. Harris to his father, dated at the battlefield of Gettysburg, July 4, 1863, throws new light on the war history of the man so well known to almost every person in Montana. He died suddenly in Butte a short time ago:

Battlefield at Gettysburg, Pa., July 4, 1863.—Dear Father: Another great battle has been fought and won. Wednesday night we arrived here from Taneytown, and Thursday morning our regiment was ordered to the front, to support the First regular battery. During the day we were shelled occasionally, and a few of our men were wounded. Yesterday forenoon they opened on us again, but were soon silenced by our brass 12-pounders. The enemy could be seen building breastworks, or abates work for protection from our shot and shells. In the forenoon companies A and C were sent out as skirmishers, and had three killed and four wounded. At noon, or near that hour, they were relieved, and came in. About 2 o’clock the enemy opened fire from their batteries, thus getting a partial cross fire on us.

Our guns replied in good time and order. Our regiments were immediately in their rear, and laid down, but very many of them suffered severely, indeed, it was the hardest fire the One Hundred and Eighth ever experienced—perfectly awful, murderous. Not a second but shell shot or ball flew over, or by us. Large limbs were torn from the trunks of the oak trees under which we lay, and precipitated down upon our heads. One shell came shrieking and tearing through the trees, with the velocity of lightning, striking a caisson, causing it to explode, wounded several. Three or four men started to their feet to leave the spot, but Lieutenant Card drew his sword and commanded them to go back and lay down in their places, which they did. Small trees were cut down, and large one shattered almost to pieces. Five different cannon balls struck a large oak, three feet in diameter, which stood not five feet from where I lay, and one of them passed entirely through it. A shell struck right at my feet, killing Sergeant Maurice Welch and Private John Fitzner. This destructive and murderous fire continued to pour in upon us for more than an hour—in fact, until they silenced our batteries or rather until we had exhausted our ammunition.

Many of our cannoniers were killed or wounded, and most of the horses. Some of our regiment had to help them run their pieces back by hand, General French having taken command of the 3d corps Brigadier General Hayes (a brother of the Hayes of our brigade, who was taken prisoner at Chancellorsville), had command of our division and I must say I think he is the bravest division general I ever saw in the saddle. Most of the time he was riding up and down the lines in front of us, exhorting the “boys” to stand fast and fight like men.

Shell, shot, nor the bullets of the rebel sharpshooters seemed to intimidate him in the least; in fact he paid not the least attention to them, nor did his staff officers. Once he rode by and said, “Boys, don’t let ‘em touch these pieces” and in a few moments he rode back again, laughing, and sung out “Hurrah! Boys, we’re giving them h—l!” and he dashed up to the brow of the hill and cheered our skirmishers, who were driving the rebs before them. Soon after our pieces ceased firing, the rebels slackened theirs also, and then advanced in three lines of infantry from the woods and across the fields. I never saw troops march out with more military precision. Their lines were straight and unbroken, and they looked in the distance like statues. On they came, steady firm, moving like so many automatons. Our brigade now formed in line to receive them, the skirmishers coming in at the same time. The 18^th was taken out of the grove, drawn up in line of battle, and then told to kneel down until the word to fire.

The 12^th New Jersey was on our left, and the 126^th New York on our right. Two pieces of the 1^st battery were brought up by hand, and when the rebs had advanced about half way across the field, a deadly fire of grape and canister was thrown into them, mowing them down like chaff. But still on they came! When within musket range the infantry rose and poured such a show of laden hail into them, that their lines broke and they fell back in great disorder. They formed again, however, with part of the second line and came on once more; their officers waving their swords and telling them to stand fast, and not to break or run. Already had they wounded many of our men who had gone to the rear. We looked about for reinforcements, but they were not to be seen. Our ranks were closed again and we prepared to meet them once more. Lieutenant Colonel Pierce who had command, (Col. Powers being sick,) was backward and forth along the line, encouraging the boys and cheering them up by his cool example: All remembered the fair name the 3d division had previously won in battle, and the encomiums bestowed upon us, and every man stood ready to do his duty and preserve that name or die there; and indeed many did fall, but in the front rank, facing the enemy. The second time, as we poured volley after volley into them, their ranks broke and all was confusion for a time; but their officers rallied them again soon, and they marched forward in a body. Our fire was too tremendously hot for them and the third and last time they were repulsed and completely routed.

Many of our troops rushed down onto the field and hundreds of prisoners, many stands of colors, and any quantity of arms were taken. And here also did General Hayes again show his courage and bravery.

Striking his high spirited steed on the flank with his sabre, he dashed down among the rebs, seized a stand of colors and carrying them back, he rode at a gallop along the front of our lines, laughing—and trailing the rebel flag in the dust, and then it was that cheer after cheer went up for him, entirely drowning the sound of the shell that were passing over us. No other attempt made by them to advance to our lines. I hear that General Longstreet was taken prisoner by some of our troops, and Captain Ellerbeck of the 6^th New York cavalry just here, says he thinks we took about 10,000 rebs in all, and 35 stands of colors. The 198^th has suffered seriously. Company F lost 19 men, three of whom are killed. I think the total number killed and wounded is 89.

We have driven the enemy from our right. Last evening two divisions passed through the town of Gettysburg, and are we now following them up. Cannonading is heard in the distance, and no doubt it is our troops engaging them, or else shelling them as they retreat.

The Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
2/ 21/ 1898