Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-05-21

raid Bob Wade was, in September, 1885,
brought before Judge C. @. Foster, of the
United States Court of the District of
Kansas, found guilty and sent to the
penitentiary. His brother sought refuge
in the wilds of the Missouri mountains.
and the members of the gang. with few
exceptions, were arrested the following
year and either sent to the penitentiary
or driven out of the Territory. Those
who did remain knew that a price was
set upon their heads, and were deter
mined to sell their lives dearly.
One day in the spring of 1883, a. Jack
was riding from Fort Reno to Kingisher,
he saw along the trail, far before him, a
horseman- As the two men approached
each other the deputy recognized Gray,
a member Of the Wade gang, who had
sworn to kill him If ever they met It
was beautiful spring day, the sun
shone bright, and the air had that pecu-
liar clearness and buoyancy that add a
zest to existence. Before and behind
them stretched the trail until lost over
the divides" There were NO other
human beings in sight Not q habi-
tation broke the level monotony. Life
was sweet to both Of these men, yet
they felt that one or both would never
leave the trail alive. Neither slackened
the pace of his horse, and each was
ready to draw" at the least sign from
the other. They were within five feet
of each other when there was a flash of
light, report and the desperate dropped
from his saddle. Jack rode on and to
the first man he met he said: There Is
a dead man lying back there on the
trail"
Jacks home is at Fort Reno, In the
Cheyenne Nation. 1t is as modest as
the man himself He is fond of good
dogs and has around him as many as he
can secure. He never was married, and
the reason is said to be the kew to his
romantic career. When young man he
daughter Of an old pioneer. The father
had other plans for her, and she married,
in accordance with his wishes, q man
who afterwards became prominent in
public life. Jack never forgot her, and
persons who have at times unexpectedly
come upon him in his cabin have seen
him gazing tenderly upon . face in .
small locket, which he would hastily
conceal when surprised. Through ali
his years of hardship that girlish face
has been the one sweet memory which
ightened up his adventurous life.
His whole life has been spent upon
the plains, and his long residence with
the Indians has made him familiar with
their languages and customs He is
thus most valuable man to the troops.
The act that first brought him into
prominence was breaking through the
lines of Cheyennes that hemmed in .
party Of soldiers in the quicksands of
the Arkansas valley. Stillwell ran .
distance Of twenty miles, pursued by
Indians, to Fort Dodge, and guiding
back achievements rescued the soldiers
when, through hunger and want Of
ammunition, they were about to fall into
the hands of the red men. From that
time he became one Of the most trusted
scouts, and was often called upon to
settle difficulties between settlers and
hostile tribes. ......
The Indians look upon him as their
protector, and when he comes to Wich-
tia to attend the sessions of the United
States District Court he is usually fol-
lowed about the streets by Indians in
their primitive costumes. Jacks opin-
ion of his charges, however, are not
very high, for he looks upon them as q
lot Of thieving, dirty, lazy scampa
The attendance upon the United
States Court is considered by him, az by
most of the attendants from the Terri
tory, &c u season of amusement and fes-
tivity. He is lionized in a way, and on
the strength of it generally keeps him
self in good form upon prohibition
whisky.
Judge Foster, who has held his present
position on the bench since 1874, is
viewed by Jack with admiration, by the
Indians with awe and by the despera-
does with terror. The expedition with
which he disposes of the vast amount Of
legal business. the fairness with which
he treats all the unfortunates brought
before him and the manner with which
he pronounces q sentence of imprison-
ment for day or ito be hanged by the
neck until dead" makes Jack fairly
bubble over with delight at the thought
of being an officer of such court.
On the occasion of the session of 1889,
Jack was introduced to Mr.. Bradshaw.
wealthy young Englishman, who ex-
pressed desire 10 make his acquaint-
ance. Possibly the foreigner was writ
ing book.
II was thinking, don't you know"
said he, putting his monocle to his eye,
and leaning carelessly against the
counter of hotel at Wichita, "of COM
ing down to Fort Reno and calling upon
you What do you think of it2''
Jack eyed him carefully from head to
foot and said, brusquely: "Well, If you
do come, come to see me, but" with an
oath, don't you come. Let me give you
pointer; if you do come, don't think
you think you can ride any thing that's
got hair on, for things do buck down that
way ALFRED sometimes ma e
OF all the characters I have met dur
ing my experience, especially among
the rough, picturesque characters of in
FAINT Western civilization, this man
Stillwell is Ghe most striking In his pc
culiarities. Under his rough exterioE
beats heart as tender and symRAthetiC
as a woman's. A lion in anger, he Is
generous and forgiyiHg when he looks 1t
things in the light of his hemely philos-
ophy. He even forgave e cowboy wAa
nearly perforated his head one time.
The cowboy was drunk, and Jack let
him off with a solemn lecture on the
virtues of temperance when he was
sober ana se9t him away full of contri,
ton.
But there is an impossible gulf be.
tween him and old Ben Clark, charac.
ter who, for border daring, is equally a.
we'll known as Stillwell himself The
two were friends before the incident
took place, and what was it. after AllP
At Wichita, during session of court
Jack sent hotel bell-boy out for some
thing to drink, telling him to bring ii
quietly up to his room. At the same
hotel Clarke was stopping. The two
! days that he had spent in civilization
had swallowed up his last penny and
left him varv thirsty Az no v6a1kod