Letter from Frank Crampton to C. A. Earle Rinker, February 28, 1957

ASSOCIATED COUNSELLORS POST OFFICE BOX 468 WILLOWS, CALIFORNIA February 28, 1957 Mr. C. A. E. Rinker 512 Pershing Drive Anderson, Indianna Dear Mr. Rinker: Bill Myers of Wildrose Station at Death Valley mentioned you to me about a year ago, said that you had been through Wildrose and talked to him. If you are the same Rinker who was in Goldfield between 1905 and 1908, I cannot remember the exact year, or years, I remember you. And you will probably remember me. I think that you were with the MacMaster's stockbrokers, etc. I had an assay office not far from MacMasters, and down the street from Johnston's assay office. Possibly you remember the time one of my men working for me in the assay office was shot at, ran inside and came out and shot the man who had shot at him. I think that was in 1906, but it might have been in 1907. Seems to me it was not long after the Gans-Nelson fight, soon after I had bought the office. Were you in Rawhide, I rember Charlie Taylor telling me he had met you there. It was about the time Nat Goodwin and some of those promoters were trying to get things started. Do you rember the drilling contests just before the Gans Nelson fight? It was held on the street, almost between the Northern, of Tex Richard, and across the street was the ALLEN MERCHANTILE Company. If you were there you will remember that Mike Kinsella and I won the contest. I was good with the double-jack in those days. My book DEEP ENOUGH tells about that double-jack contest. And do you rember Diamond Field Jack Davis ? If I remember correctly his office was somewhere near MacMasters, across the street I think. Am I correct ? He sure was a showman and took lessons from Walter Scott, (DEATH VALLEY SCOTTY) on how to draw attention to himself. He got into a lot of gun-play too. Scotty told him to always wear two six-guns, and two rifles, and always have an arsenal of guns near you! Scotty told him to ride his horse into his office, and taught Diamondfield how to handle a horse so he could ride it into his office. I think that was in 1905 or 1906. It is hard to remember the exact year. If you were there at that time maybe you know. Do you have any copies of pictures of Goldfield ? Or do you have negatives of Goldfield and the other mining camps ? I lost all of mine in the Montrose-Glendale-Los Angeles flood in 1933-1934. If you do have any would you have some printed for me ? I will pay you for what you send. I would like copies of everything you have on those old places. I am sending you a copy of my book DEEP ENOUGH, it tells some things about Goldfield. I hope you will like it. I autographed it to you. I HOPE YOU ARE THE RINKER I met in Goldfield, if you are not then you have just read an "old timers" ramblings. Cordially, Frank Crampton