Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-04
4 FAMOUS DAKOTAN.
DENNIS HANNiFIN, FRONTIER GAM
BIER AND FATHER OF BISMARCK.


BIER AND FATHER OF BISMARCK.
Recol3ections Of the Early Days On the
Upper Mis.ouri-A Man VINO Wore Hb
Boots 1t His Own Funeral-Charseser-
istic Pioneer Generosity.
In Bismarck there still remains one Of the
old rip roaring gamblers and adventures
who invaded the virgin prairie Every one
know Jennis EannIin- He Is a north Dakota
institution visitor to Bismarck might as
well miss seeing the Missouri as fail to meet
HanaIfn. In him Is incarnated the spirit of
the pioneer aud inGan days, and be gruin-
bies aud frets in his new surroundings As
Wild deer pines in q walled lark And yet
be hangs around the spot where his partner
hes In his grave-a good square MAJ who
died with his boots o.
Hannlin Is q tall bony IMAM, with an angu-
lar face, keen dark eyes and long fingers,
highly suggestive OF quick dealing. be has
. blacb cam whisker tnat hangs down peace
ably when he is calm, but bristles out at
right angles in a Startling way when he
grows excited HIS dress is very PLAIN, and
q black SLOUGH hat worn In the regulation
Dakota style U,arxs hIm as a plainsman-
IAQliul Is u VI t<Au-
dor and craft. good aud bad, civilization and
savasery. HIS epigrams are sometimes clasr
steal At midnight be may be at gambling
table and at MONDAY honestly trying To aid
q struggling church out of a slough
Away back III March, 1873, iiannifn wes
located on tue Red river, where the town of
Loorehead Is now 1t was known that the
Northern Pacific Railroad corapany would
soon locate a city on thu Missouri river. All
the re- tess Gotspurs and sports were on the
LOOKOUT for news Of the site. Suddenly the
exact location OF tie future city OF Bismarck
was learned by Haun!tin aEu few other
gamblers aud adveuturera How they got
tue news no one knows, bu. it is the belief
that they tapped the telegraph wires further
east
Anyhow a party started out TO stake claims
on tine spot They knew that 1t was the
east bank Of the Missouri, close 10 the mouth
OF Apple creek. At the same time the all
way eng neers were sent out to survey and
hay out Bismarck 1t was 9 race, and the
adventures were determined to beat the en-
gineers. There was snow Oh the ground aud
travelling was difficult. The Red ri.er
party had the lghtest ponies ant reached The
Missouri first. They all planted stakes, and
rolling themselves i'll their blankets lay down
the soil as squatterS
Soon settlement grew up, . mixture OF
bg cabins and tents. 1t was right in the
heart of the hostile Sioux country. and
painted war parties roamed the prairies in
Ill directions Standing Rock, the sacred
ground, was only sixty miles distant Sit
nDg Elll, the prophet and medicine man,
AnG Gall, the warrior and general, were
names that carried terror every where Tue
men no founded Bismarck were a rude and
hwless band who gamoled or traded with
the Indians. Those were the times when faro,
draw poker and roulette were in their glory;
when a resident who hated to kill wnlte
man had occasionally to kill an Indian to
teep himself healthy All men wore pistols
and knives IN their belts There was no such
ding as farming thought e. Men did not
hve on the resources of the soil. but on govern
neut disbursements for Indian wars
Ma famous Adventures gathered in this
rough camp and games were in full blast
al1ht and day. California ice made it his
headquarters, Among the most noted gam
blers in the place were Dave Mulin and Jack
O'NeiL. Mullin was Hannitin's side .artner,
and when LIE was Killed by a soldier from
Fort Lincoln in dance house Hannifin had
him buried on the prairie slope close to where
the capitol now standi.
He was a square due; and knew his
rights" said uannifin, las square duck as
ever knew lie was broad gauge and never
gave up. Dave was a man you don't see
nowadays and he wore boots Mt his own fu-
neral. When I'm lonely go to his grave to
think"
When the railway struck the camp many
of the widest spirits fed from the approach
Of civi''~ltiou as from plague. A few took
up Clusters trail to the newly discovered gold
mines in the Black Hills, but the majority
retreated into Montana and Wyoming Still
Bismarck remained a roaring frontier town
aud was subject to bowie knife justice.
There were no legal hansings and no lynch
inSs When man was seriously wronged
he killed his enemy. II it was u fair death
and the victim had a chance to draw. that
endei 1t. II not, some friend of the dead
man killed his slayer. 1t was a speedy, Wig
orous and beautifully simple system
Soon tie railway brought n second crop Of
settlers and the soil began to be plowed
The Sioux retreated and SO did the gamblers
and bucks'.In swashbucklers, Neither could
sta, he presence Of al agricultural race
The ame the shopkeepers, tue school teach
ers anu 'he newspapers.
When Hannlfin faro game in a tent
s.ic istN III. Duii 70 Tue stlbitlitut "
preach. Tue Old gambler insisted on having
the services III his tent and the preacher &C
cepted the offer 1t was an odd and pictur-
esque audience be addressed, but no one in
teriered, Tor ilanniiin's dark eyes were look
ing on aud his SIX shooter CLEANED at ready
angle. AT the eud Of the sermon Dennis took
his hat and passed 1t around. The sports
filled it almost With poAer CHIPS These Han
nitin Gravely dumped out before the
preacher.
What are theser gasped Mr. Gnn
why. chirs OF cours;sc SAID Dennis
Lpp:s-wnat good are they to rlef'
What goodf You can play them or cash
them. We run stralsh, game"
The preacher cashed them for $50, and this
nlouey AS The foundation Of the present
Methodist church i'll Bismarck.
Haunliiu went out to the jail to hear two
female evanseiists preach To the pr souers.
lie seemed to he profoundly moved by the
services, and elZed at one of the far mission
aries earnest and wistful way When
she stopped speaking Deunis arose. and IN a
vc-re that betrayed his agitation addressed
her.
II want to ask you one question, Miss he
said
What is it, dear brother, that troubles
your
The gambler hesitated and seemed unable
to utter the words that stirred within hin
Won't you confds in mef7 said the sweet
little preacher
We'll, what want to ask you is this Do
you consider the Louisiana lottery q square
gamsf"
For moment the evangelist was tempted
TO laugh, hut when size saw pair OF honest
eyes regarding her with an intense interest
she knew the gambler was sincere
NO don't" she said.
"A-a-ah! That's it'll" said he as he hsavsd
Sigh of rellef and sat down. at has beat
me every time"
There is scarcely young lady in Bismarck
who has not at some tine got Hanniiin 70
help her IN some church fair or charitable
work Ills humanity knows no bounds
standing hy his friends and dealing square
IN his reiigion.-New York Herald
TAEATREcOlNG STATESMEN.
Sunset Cox is very fond Of French com
ely and light oiera
lie