Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-12-24
HENRY N. STANLEY.

Beacon: Henry M. Stanley and his
handsome and talented wife will pass
through Wichita tomorrow, and the
citizens will probably ask him to stop
off few hours and give him the free
dom of the city in consideration of his
distinguished services as an explorer.
He will spend Christmas day at Fort
Scott, the guest of Postmaster Pond,
whose brother is Mr.. SANKEY'S mana.
ger. The morning after Christmas he
will leave Fort Scott for Colorado and
will pass through Wichita early in the
forenoon. Stanley ought to stop of
here and see the improvements that
have been made at the confluence of the
big and little Arkansas since he was
here last. Very few people know, per-
haps, that Henry M. Stanley was all
over this country in the early days, but
it Is fact, nevertheless. He used to
be newspaper correspondent accom-
panying Clusters troop in their battles
against the Indians, and there are so
many people still living in this country
who knew him. A Beacon reporter met
Mrs. Miller short time ago who was
one OF the earliest pioneers of the
great southwest. Her husband
had little ranch in Barber county and
to turn an honest penny herself she in
cidentally gave board and lodgings to
the few buffalo hunters and wayfarers
who had nerve enough to penetrate the
wilds OF that country In those days.
Stanley boarded with her few weeks
at one time when the Indians were on
Vie "arpaLn, and When Custer WAS Oh
Uheir LrdlI. Size characterIZed hun as
Deluk Que VI lie mOSL cOnSummaL0 ilArs
sue ever knew, but an excellent STORY
CelIor aud general ali around good COM
pany.
Mill. Reynolds, Kicking Bird" used
w travel Win Stanley at The same time
anu III lie same capacity. and Mrs. Mil
Ior often SAID, ana heard II said, that
A1lIt. WUulu become the greatest man Of
CIIc Two. lime has demonstrated the
contrary TO De the case. Stanley has
woriu-wI0e reputation, while the good,
pure, gentle aud amlable MilL. was laid
III d poor mans grave, with reputa-
Liun extending over but few states.
MllG. MAS captive with Stanley i'll the
canyons where Medicine Lodge now
Stands. Ihey were captured by the
Indians and sentenced to be burned at
Tie stake, when a chivalrOus young
brave InLerceded in their behalf and OBJ
talneu Ior them their liberty, or at least
they were afforded an opportunity to
depart w their camp occupied by Gus.
Ler'S troops. The young chief who had
beIrlenueu them was named Kicking
Bird anu III recognition of his kindness
MI. Reynolds ever afterward adopted
Tie nom de plume Kicking BIRD" in his
literary works. Tom Murphy, who now
lives Oh the banks of the Chikaski near
COrDin, III Sumner county, also knew
Stanley very we'll, as did also John
Murphy, who now keeps the hotel at
Cheyenne agency, near Fort Reno, in
the indian Territory. Tom was Gus
ter's wagon boss and Stanley is under
more than one obligation to him. He
is authority for the statement that
Stanley was perfect type of the ''dev-
ii may care fellow" one reads about in
novels and sees in plays. No matter
what the danger of Clusters outfit was,
Stanley would crawl under the wagons
at night and sleep rs calmly and sound
| lY as ii he were in bed of down in q
Manhattan Beach cottage. In the day
time when danger lurked everywhere,
Stanley would lay on the fiat of his
back under wagon or tree and throw
ing one leg over the other in that posi-
tiOn write his communications to his
paper as unconcermed as If he was at
| tending a picnic.
He STAYED with Custer until after the
killing of Black Kettle at Washita,
when ne went to Fort Dodge, near
where Dodge City now stands, where
he got in trouble with young lieuten-
ant and was withdrawn by the mana
gers of the paper he represented in &C.
cordance with a request made by the
commanding officer of the post.
His place was supplied by another
correspondent and he was afterwards
sent to Africa, at which time his star
commenced to ascend. He has disap-
pointed all of his early acquaintance.
for none of them thought he would
ever amount to anything"