The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-11-02
A BLOODY DUEL.
kid Franks" Account of tho grcnt Cow
Boys Battle.

Boys Battle.
There arrived in the city yesterday,
says the Denver (Colorsdo) RpuJH~m
of September -, n young man who has
wonderful history, even tor the wild
western country, and IS destined to rank
at no distant day with Cody and Hickok,
Sv Socum and Carson. His name is
John Kelly, and while the name is not
familiar one to lovers of literature
treating of wild adventure, it will at no
distant day become n household word.
Kelly was n pupil of Buffalo and Captain
Burton Oh the old Pawnce reservation in
Nebraska, where he hcrdcd cattle and
was known as "Kid Frank" He brings
i'm the first news Of a terrible tragedy in
which he took part just three weeks ago.
The story is one Of wonderful romance
and thrilling interest, and is perhaps the
most remarkable affair Of the kind ever
known 1t was in the nature Of a duel,
and nowhere in all the bloody pages OF
the code can there be found anything to
equal it. It WAS fought with six men OH
each side to settle The ownership ola valua
BILE herd of cattle, but before relating the
fight in detail - few facts in regard to
"kid Franks" life are given. He WAS
born and raised in Buffalo y. T., about
thirty years ago, but came west at An
ea-ly age. He was always quiet and re-
served in his manner, and remarkable
for his strict adherence To truth III all
his uttcrances. He followed the natural
bent of his desires, and Lrilted into the
great plains Of Nebraska in the days be.
fore 10, where Indians were numerous
and white men scarce. At that time
there was no industry except cattlc-rais
nd Ia nd INN pfi. |; 6, lurl Il
1t was in this country that kclly's char.
actcr wac moulded under the tutorship
OF the generous, big hearted, fearless
Buffalo Bill and The reckless, da-hing
lIickok. Kelly soon began to attract At
tention by the skill lie attained in land.
ling pistol.
HE WAS \ COWBOY,
and although young in years soon gained
the reputation If being nextto Wild Bill
and Cory .hc best shot in the country.
tbs accomplishment, backed by un-
iliucting nerve and quiet manners. made
him many friends and gave him influence
These facts are given by Captain Burton,
Kelly in Nebraska about twelve years
ago. "kid Frank" driitcd further west.
ward and was lost sight OF by his old
comrades. He went down into Arizona
and there began to build his fortunes in
the cattle business. lie took up q rancho
in old Mexico and made his headquarters
at Tucson. lie was employed by the
California stock company tr ',ring I'd
immense numbers of cattle, for which he
was paid handsomely, and he soon gath
cred herd Of his own, with which he
was 80 successful that now, at the early
nge of thirty, he finds himself rich
man. The first adventure which brought
Kelly to notice was q massacre of Apache
Indians in the Ration mountains four
years ago this fall. Cochise, the famoun
chief had been raiding the country all
during the summer Of 1878, committing
the most horrible atrocities. His path
across tue country was marked with blood
and fire. Ranches were burned, stock
killed, and not man, woman or child
was spared. Cochsc finally captured II
number of emigrnnts and burned them
Mt the stake, after intlicting tho most
horrible tOrtures upon the victims. This
took the trail Kelly was one of the
avengers. They were all determined
men, used to the western country. Men
with clear eyes, steady nerves and iron
muscles, and it was an evil day for the
murdcrous band when these tigers
started after them. In tho Raton noun
tnins the avengers overlook tho band,
and, driving them into a canon, killed II
score and
CAPTURED THIRTY OF THE DEVILS.
Punishment followed swift and sure.
1t was an eye for an eye and a tooth for n
tooth. The men built huge frame like
ag!idiren, and filling the interstices with
fine pine wood, bound the struggling
iiends TO tho logs and get fire to the piie.
The Apaches were burned to ,.Jath
slowly, and kclly and the men stood by
looking Oh with grim joy in their eyes at
the thought OF the white men tho
Indians had burned few weeks before.
Cochise learned n lesson from these men
he never fnrgnt, and soc: :!:::oSwwaT,iI, i,c
gave up his murderous raids The fear
tul punishment may have been unjust
according to the ideas of oastern men.
hut the eXecutioners wcro raised in n
hard school and possessed sense of JUS.
tice peculiar to the country. Tho news
of the affair reached the authorities, who
ordered the arres. Of tho band of aven.
gers. Kelly was one of the lenders, and
with several others was arrested by Como
mel ienes Of tho sixth cavalry. They
were held for four mouths without bail,
uut were uuaaly IeleaSeu. lney were
very much surprised Mt being arrested for
such little thing as burning thirty In
dians, and their genuine astonishment to
the army officers, who were heartily in
sympathy with the prisoners, was very
amusing. "Kid Frank" has also anoth.
er claim on public attention in being the
one who drove the wagon out from under
Jack Mccall when the latter was lynched
in the Black Hills for numbering Wild
Bill. Kelly was very young, and had no
intention OF taking hand In the lynch.
ing, although Wild Bill had been his in.
timate friend aud the death of his mur.
derer exactly fitted his views upon the
subject. While he was standing in the
midst Of the crowd some one singled him
out as one of Wild Bills friends, and
Immediately the crowd, with poetic
idea of justice, yelled to him to mount
the wagon and drive the team out from
under the limb of the tree. Kelly drove
the team, end ssys !ss never
PERFORMED A PLEAsANTER TASK,
and refers to it with pride. All these
adventures occurring at an early age, to
gether with the surroundings Of his
rough life among fearless men, who held
human life cheap, moulded "Kid
Franks" life into Citing shape for fear
less action. He married q wellto-do
Mexican woman. and by her secured
fine rancho forty miles square in old NJ oxi.
IN On tho Eau Pad roa river .loso - ~.