The Dickinson press., 1885-01-10
A Plucly Vermont Girls Deed.

Letter from tho IN. W Budget c
Ispent a day and night at Wichita,
Kan. The old Mullen saloon still
stands but the famous dance house
"Bloodfoot" has disappeared. I was
in Wichita in 1873 when that terrible
fight occurred between Nellie Diamond
and Joe Bull, the Texas ranger. Nellie,
with q number of other girls, was serv-
ing the beer to the gamblers and greas-
ers. Joe Bull ordered Nellie's sick sis
ter to bring him a glass of whiskey.
The girl by mistake brought him a glass
of beer; he struck the child a blow on
the mouth and cursed her in the most
terrible tanner. Nellie, who never
complained at harsh treatment herself,
was thoroughly aroused, and turning to
the desperate she said: "You are no
gentleman, sir. A man who would
strike a sick child as you struck my sis
ter is a coward"
This was o bold speech for q little
girl of seventeen summers and ninety
Il pounds in weight. But she feared
nothing. Her sister had been insulted.
Fine was in her eye, revenge in her
heart. She had spoken as no one had
ever dared to speak to the most danger
desperate of the Arkansas. Joe
Bull had been the terror of the plains
for years; he had no more regard for
women than for men. He was a dead
shot, a cruel tiend, and bloody MUIR
derer. It was said by those who knew
Of his doings that he had dropped his
man in every county from Pecos on the
Rio Grande to Fort Leavenworth in
Kansas. The scathing words of this
little Vermont girl, for Nellie Diamond
was from Vermont, not far from Wells
river were moro than he could stand.
Drawing a heavy six-shooter from his
boot he fired at the heart of the little
waiter, but being under the influence of
liquor his aim was inaccurate. The
ball girl lodged the pistol shot, and the
pierced the thigh of a comrade. AS
quick as flash, drawing a dagger from
her bosom, Nellie sprang at the desper-
ado. Her stroke was we'll aimed, for
she thrust her two-edged knife between
his ribs, burying to the hilt in the heart
of bloody Joe. AS he reeled and fell,
she grasped his revolver from his hand
and another from his belt. By this
time the followers of Joe Bull had
turned upon the young heroine with
their deadly missiles. But, as if in the
ands Of Il sorceress, no bullet hit her,
though her clothing was riddled, but in
less than thirty seconds she had piled
/ n death four Of the d%esperadoes upon
the bleeding body of their dead leader.
Now the gathering crowd sided with
the little victor, and Joe Bulls follow
ers took to the plains. Mullen's saloon
was riddled with bullets and Mullen
himselfreceived an injury from which he
afterwards died. This bloody battle was
the last of a series of duels and blood
shed. 1t brokeup the dance house-the
hell of the Arkansaw. The gamblers
moved further West. Nellie married q
wealthy banker and has been happily
situated to this day, a new class of peo-
pie moved into Wichita, civilization
spread her wings, and to-day Wichita
is a town of $4,000 inhabitants-as in
telligent, prosperous and thrifty as any
in New England; and Nellie Diamond
did more to c%ivilize Southern Kansas
than all others. Wichita is a wholesale
as we'll as q retail city, q manufacturing
town. and q town of schools, of gardens.
parks and fountains. The surrounding
country is the Egypt of the new West,
producing eighty bushels of corn OF
forty bushels of wheat per acre anG
other products in proportion.