Like many Slovenians in the 19th century, Anton Stander decided to seek a better life in the United States. Unlike most immigrants, he found vast richest in the New World – only to die in abject poverty.

Little is known about Stander’s early life. He was born in 1867, probably near the town of Litija. Even his last name wasn’t spelled always the same way; he was often referred to as Stander or even Standard. What is known is that he came to the United States in 1887 and subsequently held a number of different jobs around the country. Among other things, he worked as a shepherd an explosives technician in a mine.

Stander had grander ambitions, however. In the 1890s, the Klondike Gold Rush hit the headlines, and one day in 1898, Stander packed up his belongings and headed to the goldfields. Not even he could have imagined the fortunes that awaited him.

Stander was among a group of men who discovered a new mountain stream that was exceptionally rich in gold – perhaps the richest in Klondike. Stander staked his claim and soon became one of the wealthiest gold diggers of all time.

Stander reveled in the social life of the gold rush towns. According to researcher Ivan Sivec, he even knew Jack London. Stander eventually married a dancer and opened a hotel in Seattle. With 250 well-appointed guest rooms with private bathrooms, the hotel was one of the most luxurious properties on the West Coast.

Unfortunately for Stander, he had an irresistible craving for the bottle. He spent large amounts of money on drink. When his wife left him, she took much of his remaining money with her, and Stander found himself virtually penniless. As researcher Valerija Ravbar recounts, Stander had to peel potatoes in order to fund a return visit to Klondike. By that time the gold rush was virtually over, however, and he found no further riches in Canada.

Destitute in forgotten, Stander died in 1952 in a home for poor retired gold diggers.