Two Miles High and Six Feet Under: A Tale of Leadville, Colorado, Elevation 10,152 Feet

By G. Eldon Smith

What they are saying about "Two Miles High and Six Feet Under"
G. Eldon Smith has written another very successful mystery featuring attorney Andrew Coyle. As we follow him from Denver to the rough-and-tumble mining town of Leadville, we are caught up in a web of fast-paced intrigue and deceit. Two Miles High and Six Feet Under is a good read, and highly recommended." ~Susanne W. Freeman, author of "Any Train to Somewhere"
Once again G. Eldon Smith presents an engaging Colorado High Country mystery, featuring Andrew Coyle and a host of colorful characters you'd like to meet. It's a treat, and a very good read." ~Rex Olsen, author of "Medicine Point" and other books
What they said about Smith's first novel, "Murder in the Rockies"
G. Eldon Smith's "Murder in the Rockies" is a murder mystery set in Denver, 1890. You too should enjoy this engrossing mystery enriched by Smith's ability to bring characters to life. At times I felt like I was there, helping Andrew Coyle solve the mystery. ~Thomas "Doctor Colorado" Noel, PhD. University of Colorado Denver, Professor of Colorado History, author of 41 books on the Highest State
"Two Miles High and Six Feet Under" is set in Leadville, Colorado in 1896. Andrew Coyle, a young Denver lawyer, is offered a job to audit the financial records of the Leadville winter carnival which features the Ice Palace as its star attraction. Upon arriving, he learns of a corpse frozen in the Palace. Coyle's strong-willed wife, Sarah, and toddler daughter come to join him and see the festivities. As accidents and bodies pile up, Coyle is convinced that murder is involved. Sarah does not want Coyle to be the next accident victim. She pleads with him to leave town. Coyle is determined to see justice done. He must decide if it is worth the risk of being killed himself to learn who is behind the murders.

• Language: English
• Publisher: G. Eldon Smith
• Release date: Dec 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370936441

G. Eldon Smith

Served in the U.S. Navy, Photographer's Mate second class, for five years. Colorado civil service for almost 30 years, wrote and did research on aptitude tests, and multiple choice employment tests. After I retired the "real me" came out. Debut novel Murder in the Rockies published and the second novel of the series is nearly finished. Both novels utilize my love of Colorado History and a liking for an intelligent mystery. Married with one adult son. We have been adopted by Buddy a mixed breed dog. Buddy and I participate in dog agility, a sport in which dog and handler (me) run through an obstacle course for time.

Book preview

Two Miles High and Six Feet Under

A Tale of Leadville, Colorado, Elevation 10,152 Feet

G. Eldon Smith

All rights reserved. Copyright 2017 G. Eldon Smith v4.0

Print book by Outskirts Press, Inc.

http://www.outskirtpress.com

Physical book ISBN: 978-1-4787-8956-7

Cover Photo 2017 Denver Public Library Western History Image Collection

All Rights Reserved: used with permission.

Smashwords Edition

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Dedication

For my wife and first reader, Diane.

Thank you

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Discussion Questions for Book Groups

Acknowledgements and Thanks

About the Author

Introduction

In 1893, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed and the nation went on the gold standard exclusively. The price of silver dropped from $1.60 an ounce to $.60 an ounce. The price of silver was a contributing factor in the depression of 1893. The economy of Leadville, Colorado was particularly hard hit because much of Leadville’s mining wealth was based on silver.

As an attraction to bring tourists and boost the city’s economy, the citizens of Leadville decided in 1895 to build a structure of ice, bigger and grander than those that had been built in Montreal, Canada and Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Leadville Ice Palace, made almost entirely of ice, covered over three acres and had towers ninety feet high. The walls of ice were reported to be five feet thick.

The Ice Palace idea ballooned into a winter carnival of several months duration with additional activities and attractions: toboggan rides, ice skating competitions, masked balls, and parades. There was a Shriners Day, B.P.O. Elks Day, and German Day, among other special days. All of these events were designed to attract visitors and tourists.

This novel is set in Leadville during the life of the Ice Palace. The details about the Ice Palace and the Crystal Carnival Celebration are factual; only the tale and most of the characters are fictional. Even when factual names are used, the characters and their activities are fictionalized. This story should be read as fiction, not fact.

Chapter One

"Is that real? Oh, Holy Mother of Pearl, it is real! That man’s frozen in a block of ice!"

Andrew Coyle, Esq. stumbled to a nearby bench and tried to look away, but his eyes remained fixed on the block of ice in the corner and focused on its prisoner.

Doctor Hudson James said, We are making final preparations for the opening of Leadville’s Ice Palace. The Grand Opening is scheduled for January 1, only a few days away, and then this had to happen. Vendors are putting their displays in place. Everything is almost ready and now a corpse shows up.

Yes, I understand, Coyle said. Vendors display their products frozen in blocks of ice. In this stall the fish market vendor features frozen fish in blocks of ice, next stall, bottles of beer in blocks of ice, and in the corner is ... is a real human being in a block of ice!

Doc James stood over Coyle and spoke softly in a grandfatherly manner, Now you see why we wanted to hire more than a mere accountant to audit our books, Mr. Coyle. We turned to you, an attorney with a flair for investigations to help us determine if we have had money embezzled and, of course, ascertain what happened to poor Burton Poindexter over in the corner. Some people say it was an accident. They say he got drunk and fell into the pond and froze there until some macabre jokesters chipped him out and placed him here in the Ice Palace. I have a feeling there is more to it than that. Poindexter was Assistant County Clerk in charge of the Lake County Treasury Department.

Coyle, having recovered from his initial shock, stood up and placed himself in a position facing away from the chilling display.

Doc James continued, You’ll help us, won’t you?

Coyle busied himself adjusting his topcoat and scarf to kill time as he thought through his options. Finally he straightened to his full height so he could look down on the doctor, and he said, Which takes priority? Crystal Carnival Finance Committee’s books or Mr. Poindexter’s demise?

I’ll go arrange to have the body transferred to the County Coroner’s office, Doc answered. When we get an autopsy report, I’ll let you know which is more important, money or a possible murder. First, let’s see what the coroner has to say. In the meantime, you go have a look at the Ice Palace dance floor and the skating rink.

The Ice Palace has a dance floor and a skating rink? Coyle asked.

And two dining rooms. The world has never seen anything like Leadville’s Ice Palace. Doc started away; his shuffling gait had more to do with his age than it did with his slightly overweight, low center of gravity. He stopped, and said, If it was murder, it certainly was in cold blood.

Coyle noticed Doc’s sly smile that disappeared quickly. Doc obviously had more experience with dead bodies in his profession than Coyle did in his. Evidently Doc was pleased with his little joke as he turned and shuffled away.

Dance floor, skating rink, two dining rooms, commercial displays, ice sculptures ... . Coyle marveled at the Ice Palace, and the ingenuity and labor that went into building it. With each room he visited he was more impressed. He muttered, half to himself and half out loud, Walls made of ice, ice for skating, ice for preserving corpses, ice, ice, ice. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Nobody has seen anything like it. There has never been anything like it before, a kindly voice came from behind him. Coyle jumped in surprise as Doc James’s quick return interrupted Coyle’s icy thoughts. Doc James said, We didn’t want to move Poindexter until you had a chance to see where and under what conditions we found him. I made arrangements to get the body moved. He’s at the coroner’s office now, and will get a proper burial. In the end that’s all we can ask for.

Vendors setting up booths to display their goods were coming and going. They were busy adding finishing touches to their exhibits. Ice Palace workers and vendors had gotten used to the corpse in a cube as they called Poindexter.

We definitely wanted to remove the body before the Grand Opening. Glad you could get here so quickly.

Thanks for saving ‘Exhibit A’ for my sake. Any more surprises you want to put on display?

There wasn’t any chance of the old boy spoiling, Doc James acknowledged.

Coyle smiled halfheartedly. I’ve got some questions.

I imagine you do, but let’s get you settled in the Vendome Hotel. It’s Leadville’s best. We’ll meet Nelson McGowan there. He’s on the Crystal Carnival Finance Committee as well as being the Assistant to the General Director. Nelson is the only one I trust. Everyone else in town is a suspect, including the Sheriff.

Even the General Director?

Doc thought for a moment. Nah, the Director is above suspicion. He’s put a lot of his own money into making certain the Ice Palace is a success. I’m sure he’s clean. On the other hand, I don’t want to tell him that we might have some money missing, because he would throw a hissy fit. Better wait ‘til we know something for sure before we tell him that we don’t have the funds we thought we had. We need to have a good idea who took the money and how much is missing before we go to the General Director. Doc James put his hand on Coyle’s shoulder. So keep what you learn in your investigation close to your vest.

***

On the street, Coyle slowed his pace to walk with Doc James. At the slower speed, Coyle had plenty of time to look around. He admired the brick buildings built in the latest, ornate style. The Tabor Grand Opera House, the Joslin & Park Jewelry, the Delaware Hotel, and the Quincy Block with its arched windows and curved corner at the end of the block.

As they walked, a tan dog adopted them and led the way down Harrison Avenue. Tail wagging, he seemed happy to be part of a pack. Unexpectedly, a huge black and white dog in his shaggy winter coat charged out from behind a wagon parked in front of a nearby saloon. The black and white dog attacked the surprised tan dog. After a few seconds of angry growls and yelps of agony, a crowd of passersby stopped to watch. Several spectators stormed out of the saloon.

Both dogs, teeth exposed, bit and pawed. The larger dog drew blood from the tan dog. The tan dog got mouthfuls of black and white fur. The men from the saloon laughed. In less than a minute the tan dog tried to roll over onto his back as a signal of submission. The big dog let go of the tan back haunch and went for the throat.

Coyle stepped forward and slung his valise at the dogs. The black and white dog was stunned enough to stop momentarily and look to see who was throwing things at him. Coyle took advantage of the lull in the fighting to step between the two dogs. It was a move that Coyle would not have made if he had thought about it in advance.

The furry monster started for Coyle’s leg, but Coyle had already started a kick in that direction. The kick landed squarely in the dog’s ribs. Coyle pulled back to take another kick, but the black and white aggressor ran away several yards. He turned to see if he was being pursued. No one was following, so he slowly contined his retreat with his tail between his legs. Meanwhile the tan dog retreated to the end of the corner before he stopped to lick his wounds. He reoriented and started down the street in a fast limp in the opposite direction.

What’ch do that for? called a burly man in front of the saloon. We had bets on the fight.

The big dog won, Coyle said. He didn’t have to kill the other one to prove he was victorious. In response he heard grumbles and mumbled complaints from not only the men in front of the saloon but also from the dispersing crowd.

Do you always stand up for the underdog? Doc James asked.

I just don’t like to see the party of the first part take unfair advantage of the party of the second part. That’s true even when both parties are dogs. Coyle and Doc James started walking again. I don’t understand why people enjoy watching such cruelty, so much pain.

Doc James said, Maybe it makes them forget their own pain, as he and Coyle continued their trip to the Vendome Hotel. Doc James added, Tough men in a tough town."

Several times Doc James spoke to people as they passed. He tipped his hat to a group of ladies. He even stopped to answer a young mother’s questions and give advice about her baby’s colic. Doc James was obviously well liked.

Some have even called it a violent town, Coyle said.

Doc James smiled a knowing smile. Somewhat exaggerated, I assure you.

Chapter Two

In the Vendome Hotel, they found Nelson McGowan waiting in Coyle’s room. Mr. Coyle, it’s reassuring to have a famous investigator, such as yourself, on the case.

Coyle looked at Nelson McGowan in bewildered disbelief. Coyle and his law partner, Feinstein, had defended four murder cases, and gotten one acquittal, two cases resulted in drastically lowered charges, and one client was convicted and received a life sentence. After the Crash of ’93, Feinstein dissolved the partnership and joined the faculty of the recently established University of Colorado School of Law. In the years that followed, Coyle got by with a few civil cases, mostly bankruptcies. Now, McGowan was calling him a famous investigator? Coyle didn’t know what to say; therefore, he changed the subject.

I’ve looked at the Leadville Legal Bar Register and found that Leadville has over a hundred registered attorneys. Wouldn’t one of them be as qualified as you think I am? Coyle asked.

Not all of those fellows calling themselves lawyers have licenses or any other qualifications, Doc James said. Besides, more than half the lawyers on the register left town when hard times hit. Of those remaining, almost every professional man in town is on some Crystal Carnival committee or other.

McGowan added, The whole town is behind this festival in a big way. It’s hard to find anybody that doesn’t have some sort of official title.

Doc James interjected, After the country went on the gold standard, silver is only worth a fraction of its former price. Our prosperity was built on silver. Miners’ pay dropped from three dollars a day to two fifty a day, and they are talking strike. The whole town is hurting.

The plan is to have out-of-towners visit and spend some money. Get businesses booming again. Everybody in Leadville is trying to save the town. Only somebody is getting greedy. That’s why we need an outsider like you. Remember what I said about keeping what you have learned close to your vest or if you prefer, under your hat. Again, Coyle caught Doc’s quick little smile and sense of self-merriment. We don’t know whom to trust.

Sheriff Morgan is looking into the incident, but he prefers to think Poindexter’s death was an accidental drowning and freezing. If there is such a thing, McGowan said. Doc and McGowan looked at each other and smiled at the absurdity of the term. McGowan continued, An accident means that the sheriff doesn’t have to get involved. It’s the Sheriff’s easy way out.

Coyle appeared to be slightly taller than McGowan because Coyle’s sandy-colored hair would not lie down even when he brushed it. When they had their hats on, Coyle and McGowan looked about the same in height and weight. Which at six feet, two inches, was taller than average. McGowan’s weight was in his shoulders. Unfortunately, Coyle’s time of sitting around in his improvised office in the backroom of his father-in-law’s haberdashery, coupled with his mother-in-law’s rich German cuisine, had started to show around his middle.

What about an accountant? Couldn’t an accountant do the audit?

Bull pucky, McGowan answered, An accountant is just a high priced bookkeeper. I haven’t seen a bean counter yet that is worth the money they charge. By the way, the same could be said about lawyers, present company excepted.

So noted, Coyle said.

McGowan grumbled, What you and Doc James agreed to for compensation is a substantial amount. You better come up with some good, hard evidence, and in a hurry. If it gets out that we lost some carnival money, we will all get our butts run out of town.

It puzzled Coyle that the whole conversation centered on the missing money, but nobody expressed concern about the possible murder. Coyle knew he could not afford to pass up this lucrative case. For the couple of weeks it would take to straighten out the financial records, he would miss his wife and daughter, but he wouldn’t miss living with his in-laws, upstairs above the family haberdashery. Where do you suggest I start? Coyle signaled his acceptance of the assignment.

I suggest, in the morning, you check in with Sheriff Virgil Morgan, and let him know you are auditing the books. Don’t let him know we think some funds are missing. You are just auditing to make sure things are still on the up and up. And don’t mention that the Poindexter accident might have been murder. If in fact Poindexter was murdered, we don’t want to tip off the murderer. Don’t you agree, Nelson? Doc James asked.

McGowan nodded. It will get around town that you are doing a routine audit of the books. That will explain what you are doing here and make it easier to ask questions as part of your investigation. By the way, all the financial records are in my office at the Cornucopia Mine. Just ask for me, I’m the manager. Anybody at the mine will know where to find me. If they’re working, you’ll know I’m nearby. If they’re loafing, you’ll know I’m not in the area and the miners know it. Come up to the Cornucopia after you finish with Sheriff Morgan.

After Doc James and McGowan left, Coyle had time to sit back and survey his room and surroundings. Not bad, convenient. Bathroom close. Yet, far enough away so that I will not hear foot traffic up and down the hall and the bathroom door opening and closing at all hours. Good location, fourth floor, on the top, no noise overhead. In the corner of his room stood a desk bigger than the one he called his office in the backroom of his father-in-law’s store. He shared the backroom with Sarah’s Uncle Ben, the alteration tailor. The hotel room itself was a bit larger than the bedroom he shared with Sarah and little Onie.

Thinking of Uncle Ben, Sarah, and his daughter brought happy memories and yet set a melancholy mood. He thought for a minute and realized this was the first night he had spent away from Sarah since their marriage. Coyle wondered how he got himself into this situation. His daydreams carried him back to yesterday when Sarah received the phone call.

Meyer’s Haberdashery, Sarah Coyle speaking. She still liked to say her not-so-new name, Sarah Coyle. May I help you?

I have a long distance call for a Mr. Andrew Coyle, person to person. Is Mr. Andrew Coyle there?

Yes, Operator, Mr. Coyle is here. One moment please. Shhhh, everybody; it’s long distance. Long distance person to person.

Coyle came to the phone, and the whole family crowded around.

Mr. Coyle, I wasn’t sure the operator gave me the right number. The woman who answered said something about a haberdashery.

My receptionist, yes, I’m temporarily sharing my law office with a haberdashery. How can I help you?

Doctor Hudson James sounded satisfied with the explanation. A lot of businesses shared space these days. As Coyle listened Doc James went on to describe the missing funds for Leadville’s Crystal Carnival. Coyle politely pointed out that an accountant would be better qualified in this matter. Doc James countered that there were some other complicating circumstances that Coyle would be best suited to deal with. The good doctor was almost insistent. Coyle needed the fee, but was puzzled that he should be the best person for the job. Doc James was convinced that Coyle had the right experience for the special situation. Just then the little bell by the front door rang as a haberdashery customer came into the store. He was quickly escorted to the back of the store and shushed.

The bell drowned out what Doc James was saying except for the last part ... violent town.

Looking over at Sarah, Coyle saw her eyes open wide with excitement, and the little girl side of her personality was about to jump up and down. She nodded, Yes.

Coyle accepted the offer to confer and said he would leave on the next morning’s train for a conference in Leadville.

He took the case, exclaimed Sarah. Oh Papa, aren’t you glad you got a telephone? It’s good for business.

For Andrew’s business, I’m happy. If the telephone helped my business, I’d be happier, Max Meyer replied.

Business isn’t that bad, Papa. Yesterday I sold a shirt and two ties.

Better if you sold a suit with two pairs of pants.

They were expensive ties ... silk, Papa.

Coyle leaned back in his Vendome Hotel easy chair as he thought of Sarah and her father always arguing, and loving it. He never thought he would miss their quarrelling, but here he was, one day away from home and homesick already.

Later, as he lay alone, in the strange bed, unable to sleep, he thought of the train trip on the Denver and Rio Grande through South Park. The train was called the Highline because it terminated at the highest train station in the nation, Leadville, Colorado. The Highline stopped for water at the village of Alma. The conductor announced that lunch was available in the Alma Café across the tracks from the station. Passengers crowded the aisle and disembarked in a clamorous, boisterous gaggle.

While they waited in line to get off the train a fellow passenger commented to Coyle, that if Coyle was going to Leadville on business, there had been lots of money made in the Two Mile High City in the ‘80s, but things were a little tight now during the depression. Then he