Chance Harris Winds Down As "The Dead Reporter" in 1897
A changing of the guard occurred in the Coroner's Office in early January 1897. A "fusion" ticket put up by the Democratic Party divided candidates for Silver Bow Co., Montana between the regular and Populist wings of the party. Dr. J. A. Tremblay was put forward as the fusion candidate for Coroner in the fall of 1896. He won the election and took his office ca. 7 January 1897. It appears as though the services of Chance Harris would be less frequently required by the new Coroner after this date. Still, while Coroner Richards remained in office during the first week of January, Chance investigated, with Detective Meiklejohn, Chinese Inspector Creel, and interpreter Quong Loy, the cabin of murder victims China Joe and Ping Hock, finding blood stains not previously seen. Not long after, under Coroner Tremblay's new administration, Chance was called as a witness at a Coroner's Inquest on the deaths of John O'Connell and Patrick Hishon who fell from scaffolding at the Mountain Chief Trestle when the scaffolding was struck by a bridge bent being hoisted into position.
On 18 January 1897, Chance was enjoying an after-dinner cigar at Whatley's Cafe on West Park Street when Josie Maxwell (aka Mamie Gorman) took a shot at gambler Tom McCaffrey who had beaten her. McCaffrey scurried for cover in a back room of the cafe shortly before Josie entered the establishment looking to take another shot. Chance misdirected Josie by saying that McCaffrey had left by the back door. Josie followed McCaffrey's supposed escape route only to be captured by Policeman Griffiths as she exited. Chance returned McCaffrey's hat to him as he hid in the back room, and Josie was jailed under the name Mamie Gorman for attempted murder of McCaffrey. Chance's actions may have saved McCaffrey's life and saved Josie from a charge of murder.
John Peters, previously convicted for stealing Chance Harris's gold-headed cane and subsequently let out of jail early when his sentence was reduced on a legal technicality, was arrested for allegedly stealing 16 pairs of boys pants on 21 January 1897 but later got off from the charge. Peters' freedom did not last long. He was arrested on 11 February for trying to knife Mr. Hammer at the Sump Saloon. Peters whined and cried at the City Jail and claimed that his "backs" were broken and wanted to go to the hospital. It turned out that Peters actually meant his ribs were broken, but the newspaper reported that he was not injured at all. We can suppose that Chance Harris, for one, had little sympathy for the criminal.
Chance apparently was still associated with the American Protective Association wing of the Democratic Party when a large number of them left the regular Party meeting in the Butte Auditorium and proceeded to City Hall to develop their own slate of candidates for the School Board. Chance was identified as one of the leaders of this group and was named as a member of a committee to draft resolutions related to nomination of candidates for School Trustees on 19-20 March 1897. Chance himself drew up the resolutions endorsing candidates and in support of free textbooks.
On 14 April 1897, Chance apparently was Jury Foreman at a Coroner's Inquest on the death of Chin Yung who died in a hack coming from the Montana Union Depot to West Galena Street. The jury found that the death was of uncertain causes, possibly consumption. Chance again was Foreman of a Coroner's Jury at the inquest on the death of Gracie Johns on 27 April 1897. The jury found that Gracie died from pneumonia superinduced by the kick of a runaway horse.
Chance had a chance to exercise his old investigative skills on 16 May 1897 when he went to Whiskey Gulch with Coroner Tremblay and Undertaker Richards to retrieve the body of Adolph Schwade, a miner who had been shot and left in his mine tunnel. Chance was now in the employ of Undertaker Richards and not Coroner Tremblay. Chance was of the opinion after examining the scene that Schwade had been shot at the mouth of his tunnel and dragged inside to hide the body.
Chance again was a member of a Coroner's Jury on 27 May. The inquest was over the murder of William Kroeger. Chance demonstrated his independence when he sharply argued with the County Attorney because the official withheld a description of the fugitive killer or killers from the jury. Several weeks later, Chance engaged in a more light-hearted activity when he attended an exhibition by Louis Cyr, a Canadian strongman, at Columbia Gardens and served as one of six judges for the event. Chance next traveled to Helena, Lewis and Clark Co., Montana, accompanied by his niece, Mary F. Harris, to attend a meeting of the Montana State Press Association. Chance was elected 3rd Vice-President of the organization on 22 June 1897. He then invited the Press Association to meet in Butte in 1898, which was unanimously accepted by the membership.
Members of the State Press Association who took part in their annual excursion following the meeting in Helena traveled to Butte on 23 June 1897. From there, they traveled to Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah and Denver, Denver Co., Colorado before returning to Butte on 30 June. Chance Harris and Miss Mary F. Harris were part of the excursion contingent.
On 6 July 1897, Chance was deputized by Coroner Tremblay to investigate the cabin of James Hopper at Quartz Gulch after a man named Johnson became suspicious about Hopper's condition. Johnson and Chance traveled from Butte to Quartz Gulch where Chance broke down the cabin door to find Hopper dead of strychnine. Chance gathered up relevent evidence and papers from the scene and then brought the body back to Undertaker Richards at Butte. A Coroner's Inquest was held the following day.
Toward the last week of August Chance circulated two petitions at the request of the New York Journal, one to the Pope by Julia Ward Howe and one to the Queen Regent of Spain by Mrs. Jefferson Davis, protesting the impending deportation to Spain's penal colony in South Africa of Senorita Evangelina Cisneros, a Cuban prisoner of the Spanish General Weyler.
Chance was called for federal Grand Jury service on 15-16 September 1897 but was excused because he "had plenty of mining property but no real estate." He does not appear in the newspapers again until 6 October when they report that Chance received a letter from former Butte resident Harvey Cullom who described mining activity at Johannesburg, South Africa.
Undertaker Richards suffered a terrific wreck of his buggy on 23 November 1897. He was thrown through the air and struck a pole, becoming covered with cuts and bruises, when his runaway horse took the sidewalk. When Richards regained consciousness, he gave Chance Harris the combination to his safe and asked Chance to check to see if his (Richards') insurance papers were good. Chance did not appear in the Butte newspapers again in 1897.
Death of Chance Harris
Chance Harris seemed in the peak of health as 1898 opened. On New Year's Day, he attended a Joint Installation and Open House by Lincoln Post No. 2 G.A.R. and Lincoln Relief Corps No. 6 where he assisted the Reception Committee for the event. Chance had been living in rooms above the Butte Undertaking Company at 140 West Park Street since 1896, if not before. Undertaker Richards kept Chance in his employment after Richards' term as Coroner expired at the beginning of 1897. So it was that on the night of 8 January Chance retired to his rooms after an evening chatting with folks in a nearby drugstore. Earlier in the day, Chance had slipped on the ice but had not fallen, at which time he experienced momentary pain in his chest. He apparently was feeling fine when he retired for the night.
Undertaker Richards and his assistant, Mr. Knight, were called to the Pennsylvania Mine to retrieve the body of a man who was killed there late in the evening of 8 January. They returned to the Butte Undertaking Company early on the morning of 9 January. Chance began experiencing sharp pain in his chest about 2:30 a.m. Undertaker Richards and Mr. Knight applied hot cloths to Chance's chest, providing some temporary relief. The pain returned at about 3 a.m. Mustard plasters were procured from the drugstore and also applied to Chance's chest. Chance did not think a doctor should be called in when it was suggested; however, he soon breathed his last to the great surprise of Undertaker Richards and Mr. Knight. A physician was summoned but could not resuscitate Chance, and he was declared dead at about 3:45 a.m. A subsequent autopsy revealed that Chance had died of an aortic aneurysm.
Chance Harris was almost universally known and liked in Butte and the surrounding area. He had come to Butte when it was still a rough mining camp and remained through its growth into a major city and mining center. Several tributes to Chance appeared in the local newspapers, including a Resolution of Respect passed by the Butte Press Club. The tribute was published and extolled Chance's contributions to journalism; work on behalf of the Montana State Press Association, of which he was 2nd Vice-President at the time of his death; and the good nature that he displayed at their annual meetings.
The funeral of Sergeant Chauncey Leland "Chance" Harris took place at Muntzer's Hall on North Wyoming Street on the afternoon of 11 January 1898. Rev. Mr. Russell officiated. Pallbearers were P. A. Manchester, Gilbert Engle and W. W. Corkwell of the G.A.R. and P. C. Deane, Ad Williams, and William Davidson of the United Order of Moderns, with about 50 and 150 members of the respective organizations following the procession to Mount Moriah Cemetery. A number of Press Club members also attended the funeral and procession although many were called away by important news events of the day. At Mount Moriah, the United Order of Moderns, a fraternal insurance organization of which Chance was a member, conducted their services.
It appears that Chance's casket was placed in the Mount Moriah vault for a time until his brother, Albert M. Harris of Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan could determine final disposition. Ultimately, Chance was interred at Mount Moriah. Later, in 1902, the G.A.R. received headstones for Civil War veterans, one of which was placed for Sergeant Chance Harris, although he never actually joined the G.A.R.
Chance's niece, Miss Mary F. Harris, who had taught school for a year in Butte before returning to the East, returned to Butte in July 1900 as the guest of Mrs. George Porter for a week. Whether any other relatives of Chance Harris ever came to Butte is not known. Chance no doubt is long forgotten and left no descendents, but his service through many of the major battles of the Civil War and his imprint on the history of Butte deserve some measure of remembrance.
Sergeant Chauncey Leland "Chance" Harris, Company F, 108th Infantry Regiment, New York Volunteers
- Image Source: George H. Washburn, A Complete Military History and Record of the 108th Regiment N.Y. Vols., from 1862 to 1894. (Rochester, Monroe Co., NY, Press of E. R. Andrews, 1894), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, opposite p. 286
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