Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-10-19
LIFE on THE PLAINS.
THE BLOODIEsT PAGE INTHE HISTORY OF
THE DUEL.
From the Denver Republican, September %.

the wild Western country, and is destined to
rank at no distant day with Cody and Hic-
ock, Sy Slocum and Carson. His name John
Kelly, and while the name is not familiar
one to lovers of literature treatingot wild ad-
venture, it will at no distant day become a
household word. Kelly was a pupil of Bufta-
10 Bill and Capt. Burton OH the old PaWnee
reservation in Nebraska, where he herded cat
tie and was known as ''Kid Frank" lie
brings in the first news OF terrible tragedy
in which he took part three weeks ago. The
story is one of wonderful romance and thrill
ling interest, and is perhaps the most remark
able 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. 1t was fought with six
men on each side to settle the ownership of
valuable herd Of cattle !; but before relating
the fight in detail few facts in regard to
kid Franks" life are given. lie was born
and raised in Buffalo, N. Y, about thirty
years ago, but came West at an early age lie
was always quiet and reserved in his manner,
and remarkable for his strict adherence to
truth in all his utterances. He followed the
natural bent of his desires, and drifted into
the great plains of Nebraska in the days before
10, when Indians were numerous and Whlte
men scarce. At that time there was no III
dustry except cattle-rasing, and the Indians
made life a burden. 1t was in this country
that Kely's character was moulded under the
tutorship of the generous, big-hearted, fearless
Buffalo Bill and the reckless, dashing 4lc-
kOk Kelly soon began to attract attention by
the skill he attained in handling pistol.
HE WAS A COWBOY,
and although yonng in years soon gained the
reputation of being next TO Wild Bill and
Cody the best shot in the country. This ac-
complishment, backed by untlinching nerve
and quiet manners, made him many friends
and gave him influence. These facts are CIV
en- by Capt. Burton, the well-knOwn journal
ist, who knew Kelly in Nebraska about twelve
years ago. s'Kid Frank" drifted further
westward and was lost sight OF by his old COM
rades. He went down into Arizona and there
began to build up his fortunes in the cattle
business He took up a rancho in old Mexico
and made his headquarters ut Tucson. lie
was employed by the California Stock Compa-
ny to bring up immense numbers OF cattle, Tor
which he was paid handsomely, and ne soon
gathered a herd of his own, with which he was
so successful that now at the early age OF ~,
he finds himself rich man. The first adven-
ture which brought Kelly to notice was mas
Sacre of Apache Indians i'll the Raton Noun
tains four years ago this fall COchlse, the ia
nous Apache chief, had been raldlng thecoun-
try all during the summer OF 1878, commit
ting the most terrible atrocities. Ills pain
across the country was marked with blood anu
fire. Ranches were burned, stock Killed, ana
not man, woman or child was spared Co.
chise finally captured number OF emigrants
and burned them at the stake, after intiictlng
the most horrible tortures upon the victims.
This aroused the men, and company OF 25o
took the trail. Kelly was one OF the avengers.
They were all determined NEIL, used TO the
Western cOuntry-men with clear eyes, steady
nerves and iron muscles, and it was an evil
day for the murderous band when these tigers
started after them. In the Ration Mountains
the avengers overlook the band, and driving
them into a canon, killed score and
CAPTURED Thirty OF THE DEVILS.
Punishment followed swift and sure. 1t was
an eye for an eye and tooth Tor tooth.
The men built huge frame like a gridiron,
and filling the interstces with fine pine wood,
bound the struggling fends to the logs and set
fire to the pile The Apaches were burned TO
death slowly, and Kelly and the men stood by
looking on with grim joy in their eyes at the
thought of the white men the Indians mad
burned few weeks before. COchlse learneda
lesson from these men he never forgot, and
soon afterwards he gave up his murderous
raids. The fearful punishment may have been
uninst according to the ideas of Eastern men,
but the eXeCutiOnerS were raised III a lard
school and possessed a sense OF justice peculiar
to the country. The news OF the affair reach.
ed the authorities, who ordered the arrest OF
the band of avengers. Kelly was one or Che
leaders, and with several others was arrested
by Col. Jones of the Sixth Cavalry. Ihey
were held for four months without bail, but
were finally released. They were very much
SURPRISED at being arrested for such little
thing as burning thirty Indians, and their
genuine astonishment to the army officers, who
were heartily in sympathy with the prisoners,
was very amusing. kid Frank has also an
other claim on public attention i'll 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 lynchng, although Wild
Bill had been his intimate friend and the death
of his murderer exactly fitted his views upon
the subject. While he was standing in the
midst of the crowd some one singled MIN
out as one of Wild Bill's friends, and lmme-
diately the crowd, with poetic idea OF JUS
tice, yelled to him to mount the wagon ana
drive the team out from under the limb OF the
tree Kelly drove the team, and says he
NEVER PERFORMED A PLEAsANTER TASK,
and refers to it with pride. All these adven-
lures occurring at al early age, together with
the surroundings of his rough life among fear
less men. who held human life cheap, moulded
''kid Franks" life into fitting shape OF fear
less action. lie married Well-to-do Mexican
woman, and by her secured fine rancne forty
miles square in old Mexico, on the San Pedros
River close to the line. lie became known
far and wide by his skill in shooting, and was
generally avoided by men deslrous OF Killing
some one for the sake of notorety. HIS herd
grew rapidy until about four months ago:
When he found his brand on 5000 head Of cat
tie, worth nearly 500, 900. He determined to
sell $500 head and gathering up 1,5OO head
more he started to drive to Denver, distance
of nearly / 800 miles, His outfit consisted OF
thirty-tWo cowboys, and Frank took command
of the expedition. The trip was very long
and severe one, but by using great care the
losses were small. The party started May 23,
and made a slow march across the burning
plains and trackleSS wastes OF Arizona and
New Mexico, until September found them
fifty miles north of Trinidad and an equal dis
tance east of Cuchuras. The Kelly outfit
went into camp for day near the camp OF
George Howard, large cattle-grower. The
latter had herd OF 1900 cattle, and COM
manded twenty EIGHT cowboys. Thetwo herds
became mixed up while travelling close togeth-
er, and Howard made a claim for cattle which
Kelly considered unjust, and refused it. This
angered Howard, and words followed. Kelly
claimed Howard had some of his cattle and Of
fered to exchange, but the latter refused, and
the quarrel became yerydangerous. The cow
boys on each side gathered around and began
to handle their weapons in manner when
indicated that they meant business.
KELLY SAW THE DANGER.