Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-09
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A FAMOUS DAK0TAN
DENNIS HANNIFIN, FRONTIER GAM
BIER AND FATHER OF BISMARCK.

Upper Missouri Man Who Wore His
Boots at His Own Funeral-Character-
istic Pioneer Generosity.
In Bismarck there still remains one Of the
old rip roaring gamblers and adventures
who invaded the virgin prairie Every one
knows Dennis Hannifin. He is north Dakota
institution. A visitor TO Bismarck might as
well miss seeing the Missouri as fail to meet
Hannifn- In him is incarnated the spirit OF
the pioneer and Indian days, and he grum-
bles and frets in his new surroundings as
wild deer pines In a walled park. AND yet
he hangs around the spot where his partner
lies in his grave-a good square man VINO
died with his boots on.
Hanniin is a tall, bony man, with an angu-
lar face, keen dark eyes and long fingers,
highly suggestive of quick dealing. de has
q black chin whisker that 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
z black slouch hat worn In the regulation
Dakota style marks him as Z pialnsman.
Uannifin is a mysterious combination of can
dor and craft, good and bad, civilization and
savagery. His epigrans are sometimes clas-
steal At midnight he may be at a gambling
table and at monday honestly trying to aid
q struggling church out Of slough.
Away back in March, 1873, Hannifn was
located on the Red river, where the town of
Moorehead is now. 1t was known that the
Northern Pacific Railroad company would
soon locate a city on the Missouri river All
the restless hotspurs and sports were ON the
lookout for news Of the site. Suddenly the
exact location of the future city of Bismarck
I
gamblers and adventures. How they got
the news no one knows, but it is the belief
that they tapped the telegraph wires further
east.
Anyhow a party started cut TO stake claims
on the spot. They knew that it was on the
east bank Of the Missouri, close to the mouth
of Apple creek At the same time the rail-
way engineers were sent out TO survey and
lay out Bismarck 1t was race, and the
advenrurers were determined to beat the en-
gineers. There was snow on the ground and
travelling was difficult. The Red river
party had the lghtest ponies and reached the
Missouri first. They all planted stakes, and
rolling themselves in their blankets lay down
to sleep in order to establish their right TO
the soil as squatters.
Soon settlement grew up, mixture of
heart Of the hostile Sioux country. and
painted war parties roamed the prairies in
all directions. Standing Rock, the sacred
ground, was only sixty miles distant Sit
ting Bull, the prophet and medicine man,
and Gall, the warrior and general, were
names that carried terror everywhere The
men who founded Bismarck were q rude and
iawless band who ganbled or traded with
the Indians. Those were the times when caro-,
draw poker and roulette were III their glory;
when a resident who hated TO Kill white
man had occasionally to kill an Indian to
keep himself healthy. All men wore pistols
and knives in their belts. There was 10 such
thing as farming thought of. Men did not
live on the resources OF the soil, but on govern
ment disbursements for Indian wars.
Many famous adventures gathered in this
rough camp and games were in full blast
night and day. California Joe made it his
headquarters. Among the most noted gam
blers in the place were Dave Mullin and Jack
O'Neil Mulin was Hannifins side partner
and when he was killed by a soldier from
Fort Lincoln in dance house Hannifin had
him buried Oh the prairie slope close TO where
the capitol now stands.
''He was a square duck and knew his
rights" said Hannifin, ''as square duck as /
ever knew. He was broad gauge and never
gave UP. Dave was man you don't see
nowadays and he wore boots at 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 civilization as from plague. few took
up Clusters trail 10 the newly discovered gold
mines in the Black Hills, but the majority
retreated into Montana and Wyoming. Still
Bismarck remained a roaring frontier town
and was subject to bowie knife justice
There were no legal hangings and no lynch
ingS. When a man was seriously wronged
ne killed his enemy. If it was a fair death
and the victim had a chance to draw, that
ended it. If not, some friend of the dead
man killed his slayer. 1t was speedy, Wig
orous and beautifully simple system.
Soon the railway brought q second crop of
settlers and the soil began to be plowed
The Sioux retreated and SO did the gamblers
and buckskln SwashbuclIlers. Neither could
stand the presence of an agricultural race.
Then came the shopkeepers the school teach
ers and the newspapers.
When Hannitin ran faro game in a tent
the Rev. Mr.. Bull came to the settlement to
preach The old gambler insisted on having
the services in has tent and the preacher ac-
cepted the offer. IL was an odd and pictur-
esque audience he addressed, but no one in
terfered, for Hannitins dark eyes were look
ing on and his six shooter cleaned at ready
angle. AT the end of the sermon Dennis took
his hat and passed it around. The sports
filed it almost with poker chips These Han
Min gravely dumped out before the
preacher.
What are theSe}' gasped Mr.. Bull
"Why, chips, of course said Dennis
But what good are they 10 mef'
WHAT goodl You can play .hem or cash
them We run a straight game"
The preacher cashed them for 500, and this
money was the foundation of the present
Methodist church in Bismarck
Hannihn went out to the jail TO hear two
female evangelists preach TO the prisoners.
He seemed to be profoundly moved by the
services, and gazed at one o: the fair mission
aries in an earnest and wistful way When
she stopped speaking Dennis arose. and in
voice that betrayed his agitation addressed
her.
Il want TO ask you one question, Miss" be
said.
What is it, dear brother, that troubles
yoaf
Tho gambler hesitated and seemed unable
to utter the words that stirred within him.
Wont you con1ide ia mefa said the sweet
little preacher.
well, what | wan5 TO ask you is this. Do
you consider the Louisiana lottery d square
gamef'
For moment the evangelist was tempted
to laugh, but when she saw pair OF honest