Bent County register., 1888-11-10


egation to the Deep Water conven-
ton, is 4 Young man who has seen
great deal more of frontier life that
falls to the lot of the average man.
He began his career in Omaha when
that city was the hardest place in
the United States, and performed
much excellent work in the detective
line. thereby greatly improving the
morals and standing of that wicked
town.
STARTING OUT IN LIFE.
His first work of any great impor-
tance began about ten years ago.
when Northern and western Nebras.
ka was being terrorized by number
of desperadoes, who made the lives
of cattlemen, ranchmen and farmers
as well as existance in the Black
Hills, burdens, and made them wish
they had never seen the country.
"Llew.," as he was known, went to
the Union Pacific officials, who had
previously been trying to rid the
country of such characters, and prof
cred his assistance.
DARING DEED AMONG ROBBERS.
The railroad peple jumped at the
opportunity and held out fabulous
inducements for the young man to
make the hazardous effort. He went
to work on the stage lines between
sidney, Nebraska, and Deadwood,
Dakota, and In few months had
turned up" several of the worst
.'road agents. in the country. He
had many fight, but seemingly bore
charmed life, and during the many
encounters he experienced he was
wounded only once. He shot the
man who put the ball into him and
then rode 1876 miles on mule to the
railroad, with the dead robber strap
ped on the saddle. During this long
ride the detective had only one dried
up biscuit to est and cantsen full
Of stale water to drink. For tbis
capture he received 5000 in cash
from the railroad company
AN EDUCATED DEsPERADo.
His most noted explicit was in the
arrest of Doe " Middleton, or "Gold
TOOTH as the Indians called him.
Doc" was once peaceful and we'll
to-do ranchman in western Nebraska,
owning a nice herd of cattle, and
was known far aud wide as one of
the fiuest fellows on the plains. He
was graduate of Yale college, had
studied medicine in one of the New
England states, and practiced until
his health gave ont, when he came
west TO recuperate. He located near
Sidney, and soon became popular
and useful citizen.
He had bat one falling, and that
was passion for strong drink.
When under the influence of liquor
he was inclined to be qnarrslsome,
frequently insulting his best friends,
who would leave him until the effects
of his d,bnurherv wore off While
on one of these sprees he entered q
dance house IN Sidney one night, and
auarreled with couple of soldiers.
Revolvers were drawn and number
of shots were exchanged, which re-
suited In the two blue coats being
killed, while Middleton was unhurt
The dead bodies were stacked up in
corner of the room, and the dance
proceeded without further Interrupt
ton.
This rash act made Middletown
an outlaw, and he at once organized
n gang of desperadoes, who prowled
around the country, stealing cattle
and committing many depredations.
All efforts of the railroads and state
authorities to break up the gang fail
ed, although many thousands of dol
lars we're expended and several lives
lost, besides innumerable numbers Of
stock being destroyed. Prairie fires
started by the outlaws burnt off the
grass and caused much suffering
among cattle, thousands of head dy-
ing of starvation.
1t was at this date, in 1877 rs, that
Llewellen offered his services to Al
binus Nance, at that time governor