DISPUTE OVER A MINE.
Denver, Col., Dec. 16—A. M. Wells of this city expresses his purpose to commence a suit against certain parties in Cripple Creek for alleged breach of contract involving the transfer of the north 691 feet of the Colorado City mine.
According to Mr. Wells, the property was owned by J. L. Simpson, who is said to be the principal owner and four other men named Matthews, McNamara, Connelly and Meredith, and Mr. Wells says he had obtained consent of all the parties except Meredith to the purchase of the property for his own use.
Last Wednesday morning was the time fixed for the signing of the agreement and the payment of the money, and he was on hand with his money only to learn that it had been sold to another party.
Said Mr. Wells "I was purchasing the property for my own use and in good faith, and did not suppose that there were any other parties with whom my bargain would interfere. In fact I had heard a report that there was an option out on the property and asked if I was interfering with anybody else because I wanted to be careful and not buy a lawsuit.
I was told I would interfere with no one. I saw Simpson and arranged all the details with him. Then I saw the other parties with the exception of Meredith, who owns but a very small interest in the property, and we agreed that the transfer should be made on Wednesday.
When the time came for making the transfer, I was on hand with the money that I had agreed to pay. Simpson had drawn up the contract and presented it to his associates for their signatures.
They all signed it, and I was getting ready to pay over the money when I was informed that they were very sorry, but they had sold the property to somebody else.
I did not learn who the purchaser was, but I am told that it was C. M. MacNeil.

"What makes the matter of peculiar interest is the fact that two of the men claim to have signed the contract in ignorance of its contents, and under a misapprehension of its purport.
Matthews and Connelly have told me since the transfer that when they signed the agreement it was under the supposition that they agree to sell to me and to no one else, and that they affixed their signatures to the paper under that impression.
They offer to testify to that effect. McNamara, I am told, denies that he ever made any agreement to sell to me, but when I talked to him he said that he would do whatever Simpson did, and Simpson positively agreed to sell to me.

"Yes I stood there and saw them sign the agreement to sell to someone else, and knew nothing about what had been done until one of the men said to me, 'We are very sorry, Mr. Wells, but we have sold to somebody else.'
Of course I think that I have been the subject of a mean trick, probably because the other party offered more money, thought I do not know anything about that.
If I had dreamed that I was interfering with any one else, or that anyone else would interfere with me, I should have had nothing to do with the matter.
I am told that the purchase price was $60,000. The property is a valuable one at least I was willing to risk my money that it was."

Principal Producing Cripple Creek Mines - 1898:

Name: Colorado City Mine (Bull Hill)
Owner: Morse Gold Mining Co.
Capital:
President:
Vice-President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Superintendent:
Manager:
Lessees:
Description: 300-foot shaft; steam; 20-horse power upright boiler; 6x8 double flat friction hoisting engine.
Employes: seventeen employes
Contact:
Notes:

During the Month of May 1906, the United States Surveyors General for Colorado through the General Land Office approved Amended Work at Survey No. 7554 Am., Wisconsin, Hawkeye, Buckeye, Colorado City and Last Effort Lodes, in Pueblo land district.