The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-06-19

With trusted party OF men, determined
to break them up. As result OF this
raid Bob Wade was, in September, 1886,
brought before Judge G. g. Foster, OF the
United States Court OF the District Of
Kansas, found guilty and sent to the
penitentiary. His brother aought refuge
In the wilds OF the Missouri mountains,
and the members Of the gang. With few
exceptions, were arrested tho following
year and either sent to the penitentiary
or driven out Of the Territory. Those
who did remain knew that price was
set upon their heads. and were deter
mined to sell their lives dearly.
One day in the-spring OF 1883, as Jack
was riding from Fort Reno to Kingfsher,
he saw along the trail, far before him, a
borseman. As the two men approached
each other the deputy recognized Gray,
a member OF the Wade gang, who had
sworn 10 kill him ii ever they met 1t
WAS aabeauts full 4sprang day, tho sun
shonc bright, and the air had that pecu-
liar clearness and buoyancy that add a
zcst TO existence. Before and behind
them stretched the trail until lost over
the "dividcs." There were no other
human beings in sight Not 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. Mother slackened
the pace OF his horse, and each was
ready to draw at the least sign from
tho other. They were within five. feet
Of each other when there was fash of
light areportand the desperate dropped
from his saddle. Jack rode on and to
| the first man he met he said: sTh6re IS
a dead man lying back there on the
trail. -
Jacks home Is at Fort Reno, in tho
Cheyenne Nation. 1t Is as modest as
tho man himself He is fond OF good
dogs and has around him as many as be
can secure. He never was married, and
the reason is said to be the key to his
romantic career. When young man he
/ fell deeply in love with the comely
daughter Of an old pioneer. Tho father
had other plans for her, and she married,
in accoEdanca with his wishes, man
who afterwards became prominent in
public life. Jack never forgot her, and
persons who have at times unexpectedly
come upon him in4his= cabin have seen
him gazing tendorly upon face in a
small locket, which he would hastily
conceal when surprised Through all
his years Of hardship that girlish face
has becn the one sweet memory which
lightened up, his adventurous life.
His whole life has been spent upon
the plains, and his long residence with
tho Ind ans has made him familiar with
4 their languages and customs. He Is
thus a most valuable man to the troops.
The act that first brought him into
prominence was breaking through the
lines of Cheyennes that hcmmed in a
party of soldiers in the quicksands of
the Arkansas valley Stillwell ran a
distance OF twenty miles, pursued by
! Indians to Fort Dodge, and guiding
4 back reinfereemonts,r rescued hesoldiers
| when, through hunger and want OF
ammunition, they we're 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=diHieulties2 between settlers and
hostile tribes. =.
Tho Indians look upon him as their
protector, and VIII. n he comes TO Wich-
tia to attend the sessions of the United
-States-District Court no 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 a
lot Of fhieving, dirty, lazy scamps.-
The attendance upona the United
States Court is considered by him. as by
most of the attendants from the Terri
tiyity. He is lionized in way, and on
the strength of 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. Tho 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 sentence of imprison-
ment for daysor ITO be hanged by the
4 neck until dead" makes~Jaek fairly
bubble over with delight at the thought
of being an officer of such court.
On the occasion OF the session OF 1880,
Jack was introduced to q Mr.. Bradshaw,
wealthy young Englishman, who OK
pressed desire to mako 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 careiessly 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, sbrusquely: "welI, If you
do come, come to SEQ me, but" with an
& oath, don't you come. Let me give you
4 a 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"
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 the.most striking in his pc
culiarities Under his rough exterior
beats aheart as tender and sympathetic
as woman's. "A lion in anger, he is
generous and forgiving when he looks at
things in the light of his homely philos-
ophy. IIo oven forgave cowboy who
nearly perforated his head ono time
The cowboy was drunk, and Jack let
him off with solemn lecture on the
virtues of temperance when he was
soscr and sent him away full of contri-
ton. ,1
But there is an impossible gulf be-
! tween. him and old Ben Clark, charao-
ter who, for border daring, is equally as
we'll known as Stiltwell himself. The
two were friends before the incident
took pace and, what was it, after all?
rs At Wichita, during session OF court,