Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-10-03
DEADWo0D HERO.
THE EXTRAORDINARY ADyEN-
TUREs OF BOONE MAY.

THE EXTRAORDINARY ADyEN.
TUREs OF BOONE MAY.
HIS First Appearance in the Black
Notwithstanding His Stock from
the Indians-A Guard for the
Deadwood Coach-KilIing Noted
Desperate.
New countries develop wonderful
men. The Black Hills is no exception
to the rule. Possibly its most remark
able development was Boone May. To
him more than to any other nan is due
the credit of clearing the country OF
stage robbers. Neither Buffalo Bill nor
DIR. Carver could excel him in the use
of either a rifle or pistol. He equalled
Fenimore Cooper's Pathfinder in cool
ness and courage. Border life never
produced more remarkable man. The
Black Hills are filed with stories of his
skill and bravery.
Boone May came to Deadwood in the
fall of 1875. He hailed from some lit
tie town in Missouri. There was moth
ing striking in his appearance. He was
barely 26 years old, and weighed about
l60 pounds. OF medium stature AMI
modest demeanor, he was reticent of
speech and preternaturallv cool in
judgment. His nerve was extraord-
nary and his action electric. He had
dark eyes and little black moustache.
His voice was clear and resonant and
his features clean cut and classic.
There was nothing loud in either his
dress or his bearing. He neither drank
nor gnmbled. He came to the Black
Hills with his brother, who hauled
freight between Deadwood and Chey-
enne, and was well to do. After spend
ing the winter in Deadwood, Boone got
together a few cattle and started a
ranch on Lance Creek, half way to
Cheyenne. 1t became O stage station,
where meals were served, and where
there were relays of horses. A herder
and rancher were employed. The
Sioux we're bold and aggressive. They
ran off stock at every opportunity. For
some time the ranch was unmolested
One evening, however, Boone returned
home and found two mail coaches at his
NliiVut a NlltllEt VI uOIotS. Ills
herder told the story of the loss. In
the afternoon band of Sioux had APP
peared, had rounded up the stock, and
had driven them away under his very
eyes, He had remained out of sight
until the cattle disappeared.
Boone took the matter philosoph g
ally. He expressed establishment that
any man could rema still and see the
Indians drive off his stock, and then
asked, (which way did they gos"
The herder pointed to the northwest.
"The last saw of them, So d he, they
were driving the horses over the furth-
crest hill there.
No more was said. Boone placed his
rifle across the pommel of his saddle
and moved in the direction indicated.
As twilight drew her cur ain he could
be seen following the trail over the hills.
The impatient passengers were com
PEELED to remain at the station over night
before pursuing Their journey. Morn
ing came, but the plucky ranchman did
not reappear. As the sun rose on the
second day, however, he returned over
the h lis with the missing stock and
half dozen Indian ponies. He never
told where he got them, or how he man
aged TO outwit tine Sioux. He contented
himself with the simple remark that the
Indiansmight run off with other peoples
stock if they liked, but they must let
his alone.
News of this exploit reached Dead
wood. 1t was the era Of road agents.
Hardly a day passed in which a stage
was not robbed Treasure coaches,
laden with gold, we're sent from the hills
each week. They carried no passengers,
and we're accompanied by armed mes
sengers. These were men Of approved
skill and tried bravery. The company
paid them $50 month, and supplied
them with food, horses and ammunlt on.
So many passenger coacnes were robbed
that the service was extended to cover
them. At times the armed messengers
either occupied a seat upon the box
or rode within the coach. Occasionally
two guards on horseback preceded the
coach and two followed it. Six guards
usuallv accompan ed each treasure
coach between the foot hills and Fort
Iaram e, where the number was re-
duced to four. Their services for the
trip ended when the stage reached
CHEYENNE. There were dozen coaches
on the line. As stages left Cheyenne
and Deadwood each day, the armed
messengers were moving over the PLAINS
like the shuttles of loom.
Boone Mays foray attracted the atten-
tion of the superintendent of the coach
line. He offered the ranchman place
as armed messenger. Boone entered
their service and quickly became ter
ror to road agents. His verve and nerve
were topics of general conversation.
The man was devoid of fear. He de-
voted himself to the destruction OF all
road agents. He followed them as re-
morseiessly as Tom Quick followed the
Ind ans. When not on duty along the
stage route he was hunting them in the
gniches of the hills or tracking them
over the plains. How many he killed
in such expeditions will never be known;
He was man of few words and could
rarely be induced to talk about his own
exploits. A.
road occurred in the fall of 1878. One