, 1885-11-03
CALAMITY JANE.
The Heroine of Yellow Back Liter
ature Appears Again.
A Sketch of the Reckless Life of
This Female Bandit.

Special Correspondence OF rliE LEApER
LANDER, Wyo., Oct, 30.-Ifa any ofthe
Eastern youth who have so eagerly pored
over the exploits of Calamity Jane, as set
forth in the blood-red columns of Beadle
and Munro, can spare the time to visit
Lander, they can see their fascinating
heroine in the flesh, for Calamity Jane
herself has settled in Lander. Many
people think Calamity Jane a heated
myth OF the disorderd brain OF some
penny-a liner, but she is a reality, and the
pen Of ola half crazy Imagination is not
needed TO enhance her actual deeds.
Some Of Calamity earliest years were
spent in this section, and she has been
long talked OF among the old timers.
Calamity came to Miners Delight in 1868
at the age OF IL years, the inmate Of the
family Of Mai, Gallagher, an officer who
had done loyal service in the civil war, as
a member of a California regiment.
Mrs. Gallagher had picked up the girl as
the family passed through Fort Bridger.
Sic never knew who her parents were,
and had been a stray from her earliest
infancy. She was pretty aud vivaeious,
and Mrs. Gallagher, moved by her for
lorn state, thought to give her a home.
But the spirit of original sin itself pos
sessed the girl, and before had
been in their new home six months, the
whole camp rang with the depravod es-
capades of Jennie, the only name she had
ever known. Young as she was she took
to depravity naturally. At last an outIa-
geons offence msvcd the good old Mrs.
Gallagher to inilict 4 vigorous thrashing.
Jennie raised IL howl Of brutal
treatment, and a miner committee
investigated and came to the conclusion
that If the girl was thrashed every day it
would improve matters. Mrs. Gallagher
now refused to have anything raore to do
with her, and the miners raised money to
send her to the railroad. This was done,
and Jennie soon made n name for herself
along the line of the Union Pacific.
After wallowing in the railroad slums for
several years, she weni to the Black Hills,
and enjoys the distinction of being the
first woman who ever penetrated that
reckless region, where gold and crime
held such high carnival. In the mean
time she had earned and won the well
known name of Calamity Jane. Singu.
lar as 1t may appear she possessed a deli
cate girlish grittiness. With it she
owned the heart of a tigress. Reckless in
disposition, pretty in looks, and full of
animal spirits, she had lovers by the
crowd. These were only valuable to her
as a source OF revenue. Heart and affec-
ton were to her unknown terms, and
when the revenue failed so did the lover.
Not content with discarding her lovers,
she generally managed to destroy them.
This was done by intrigues, playing them
one against the other. 1t is even said
that in II or two cases when other
means failed, she made away with them
with her own hand. When she reached
the Black Hills, Gen. Crook was about
beginning his campaign against the Sioux,
Cheyennes and Arrapahoes. Calamity
promptly put on the cavalry uniform
ami served with great gallantry.
To a reckless courage she united a deadly
GOODNESS and 4 quick aud ready mind.
Suddenly her trooper life failed to inter
est her, and deserving, she joined one oil
the most desperate gangs of road agents
in the hills. Here she was IN her ele.
ment. Retaining the manly costume, she
rode with the band ON all their raids, and
Don welded %no'small authority. In the
summer Of 1877 She laid the plan, and
personally superintendent the execution Of
a most daring and successful stage rob.
berry. The booty secured was large. and
the gang was sharply hunted. They scat
tered for safety and Calamity accompanied
by her then lover, Bill Blivens. and a man
known as Red, made for Miners De
light. Here they arried a ~considcrabl,
time. and could have been safe, had no
Calamity in a drunken fit, told the miner,
who she was and what she had been doinl
since she left the scene of her earliest cx.
PLOTS. The robbers had TO fly once more
and when they started they took witt
them some fine horses that bclonge,
around the mines. The plundcred min
ers at once followed, and the robbers wcrI
overtaken On Willow creek, a stream no
many miles from Lander. Calamity an,
her pals showed fight, and after
stubborn encounter the miners wcrl
beaten of and the robbers made good hei
escape with the stolen horses. That nigh
there was a split in the robber camp. Ca
lamity had long been growing tired o
Blivens and she now told him tina
il he did not leave her AM
Red, she would Kill him
Blivens left and rode to Lander. Will
Calamity and her new lover started 70
the railroad. As a lover of Calamit.
Blivens was doomed. Before he haI
been a day in Lander he was arrested a
an escaped convict from the Territorial
penetentiary, with a reward upon hi
head. He was returned to that institu
ton, and shortly afterwards died there
Calamity and Red gained the railroad