Frederick "Fritz" Augustus Heinze (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪntsə]) (December 5, 1869 – November 4, 1914) was an American businessman, known as one of the three Copper Kings of Butte, Montana, along with William Andrews Clark and Marcus Daly.

Ultimately, Heinze's flamboyant, hard-drinking lifestyle resulted in a hemorrhage of the stomach thought to be caused by cirrhosis of the liver, and he died in November 1914, aged 44.

[3] He was very bright and had a good education in Germany (from 9 to 15 years of age)[4] and at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute (now part of NYU) and was fluent in multiple languages.

Instead of undertaking further studies in Germany, as his father wished, he headed west to Colorado and Salt Lake City to pursue his interest in mining.

He became known for his hard drinking and fun-loving antics in Butte's saloons and gambling dens, whilst donning society dress and having a shy demeanor and polished manners that impressed the ladies.

In order to build his own influence, Heinze's strategies included reducing the working day for his miners from ten to eight hours.

This was known as the law of the apex, and Heinze maintained that his miners had the right to follow veins and take out copper ore wherever it could be found.

[5][8] With skillful political maneuverings, Heinze also saw to it that individuals sympathetic to his legal position were appointed as judges in Butte.

[6] Heinze also became a brilliant orator, and in speeches to the miners and public he would paint the Amalgamated Company as a ruthless and oppressive organization, and himself as the hero of the working class.

There was hand-to-hand combat with Amalgamated miners, opposition mine shafts were fouled through burning rubber and spreading caustic slaked lime, grenades were thrown, and high pressure hoses were fired.

There had been several contributing factors, such as the huge cost of the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but it was the actions of the Heinze brothers that had caused much of the panic.

Reception committees met his train ... A lively band and an automobile procession of his followers paraded into town ... A large rope was attached to the wagon tongue so more men could assist in pulling their hero.

[20] Just prior to the tumultuous events of 1907, Heinze's interests had turned to the mines of Bingham Canyon, southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah.

[27][28] With this transaction, Heinze had gained sole ownership of the only route that would one day link the Ohio Copper Company's mines and its mill.

When the tunnel was completed in March 1909, the General Manager, Colin McIntosh, said: "It was one of the most difficult pieces of surveying in the state and the men who did it without being an inch out of the way, cannot be given too much praise.

An unnamed director said in an interview that "Should Mr. Heinze at any time deny it use of the Mascotte tunnel, it would be left without access to its own mill except by devious and expensive methods.

... it is the consensus of opinion that he is slightly too cagey to permit pass the opportunity to insure himself a commanding position over Ohio Copper ...".

Large shareholders were reportedly dissatisfied with the Heinze management and felt the company's earnings were not sufficient to satisfy creditors, who were asking for settlement of their claims.

[41][42] In November 1914, Heinze suffered a hemorrhage of the stomach caused by cirrhosis of the liver, and died at 44 years of age.

His estate was battled over by two women who both claimed to be legally married to him,[44] but it was left to his two-year-old son Fritz Augustus Jr. who was adopted by Heinze's sister, Lida Fleitmann Bloodgood.

He may have accomplished substantive good for Montana, but his early death in comparative poverty illustrates how devious are the ways of the speculator and how dangerous is the game.