This Week in Colorado History: Athletics, Metals, and Double Jeopardy

The Colorado School of Mines Miners commandingly defeated the University of Denver in football 18-0 on November 6, 1915. Due to exceedingly high winds, CSM threw only one pass and did not make any of their extra point attempts. In addition to their three touchdowns in the second half, “The Colorado Transcript” believed that as many as two more touchdowns “should have been the Miners’ share had it not been for misfortunes” in the first half.

A major story of the game was Steve Fullway’s comeback. According to “The Colorado Transcript,” “Steve has been one of those unfortunate players who never seem to get off on the right foot, but Saturday he certainly got going right, and his work brought cheer after cheer from the grandstand.” He played excellent defense as well as carrying the ball successfully on end runs. The paper expected great things from him in the upcoming University of Colorado game.

Also this week in 1915, Georgetown was “practically deserted of male residents,” due to “the discovery of a two-foot vein of tungsten in the East Argentine district,” reported “The Colorado Transcript.” The mineral, assayed at $2,400 per ton in 1915 money, was found by Upper Clear Creek area prospectors John P. Bowen and Charles Davis, much to the surprise of the property owners. The tungsten was found during a search for silver on the property. While looking, an indeterminate metal resembling gray copper was discovered and sent to Denver for testing. This mineral turned out to be a rich deposit of tungsten, which led to a major influx in the East Argentine area from Georgetown and Silver Plume.

A former Denver undertaker accused of life insurance fraud was ordered to stand trial again. J. Lefton Davidson was once convicted of faking the death of Vivally Turley for $19,000 in fraud money. According to “The Colorado Transcript,” “He had claimed that he could not be tried again, basing his contention on the acquittal of H.H. Orahood, his former partner.” He withdrew his former jeopardy plea and his case was “remanded to the demurrer filled by District Attorney Rush” and the trial date was set for December 15, 1915.