The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-12
OKLAHOMA HEROINEs.
How Mary Simpson Held Her Claim
Against a Frontier Desperate.

Against a Frontier Desperate.
From the 81. Louis Globe Democrat.
The opening of Oklahoma has given the
venturesome women an opportunity to show
what manner of spirit was in them. In the
rush for claims April 20, 1890, and for lots
in the Cherokee town last fall women were
fully as active and brave as the men.
At the original opening a Missouri girl
rode from Arkansas City TO Guthrie on
horseback, fairly flying over the ground.
She was on the edge of Oklahoma when the
rush came and tore ahead Of the men into
the town. She bounced on one Of the best
lots, near the government office, aud stood
her ground. Twice attempts were made to
Gust her from her position, but she had q
revolver clenched in her right hand and tn Q
interlopers did not venture. For two days
she remained on the lot. Then they told her
the lot was in the middle Of the street, but
she did not give up, aud got the land regis
tered. 1t turned out to be in the proper
place and is now one of the most valuable
lots in Guthrie. She has leased it for TWEEN
ty years at a sum which will support her in
comfort for that time.
The women who were called on to take
part in the rush as assistants of fathers or
husbands showed themselves also possessed
OF courage not to be expected from their
class of clalm-hunters. In hundreds of in
stances 1t was their ready wit and support
ing courage that enabled men to keep the
claims they acquired. and often the women
guarded the place while the men went to
the distant town for provisions. The
bravery that fights poverty and trouble is
perhaps as glorious as that which handles
revolvers, and the patient, hopeful wives
in the ''prairie schooners,n keeping up tue
strength Of weary children and their own
weary hearts by the mere force Of their in
domitaOle will, deserve a credit as Iastin z
and loud-sounding as any of the prairie
heroines.
One other case in which more than man.
like bravery was shown was that OF Mary
Simpson, the captor Of ireland, u as noted
frontiersman was called. He was the tiers
ror of Southwestern Nebraska, and for
months his deeds rang from settlement to
settlement, creating CONSERVATION every
where. Fire, pillage and even murder fol-
lowed his movements. and many q settlers
home was turned to mourning because of
his deeds. At last public opinion could
stand no more, and when a little baby was
injured in the struggle that took place when
the desperate attempted to plllage a house
along the Platte, there was general turn
ing out of the neighbors to capture the viii
lain. He was run into piece of woods,
and the forest was surrounded ny the en-
ragged settlers. Not all the man>hunters
were men, however, for a number of
women were present to see the fray, and if
necessary. take part in it.
Among these was Mrs. Simpson, who was,
with her husband, somewhat separated from
the remainder of the party. Suddenly they
saw bearded man leap from the under
brush and start as If running for his life for
the opposite side Of the little clearing in
which they stood.
Mr.. Simpson was some distance from tho
horse he had ridden and his wife leaped into
the saddle and followed the man, who was
fast escaping. Il was well that she had not
waited for her husband to come up, for once
on the other side of the clearing Ireland
found horse which had been left there by
one of his aides, and in an istant he, too,
was in the saddle and the race commenced.
1t so happened that Ireland must keep due
north in order to keep out of the range Of a
tangle of trees aud underbrush. Mrs. Simp-
son, who was to the west, dashed her horse
on slanting course aud drew constantly
nearer. Once the man fired ball at her.
She was not hit, however, and the race con-
tinued. History records that the woman
had practised considerably throwing the
Iariat, and now her experience came in good
play. Loosening her husbands lasso from
the ring of the saddle, she whirled it in long
curves around her head. At last, just as
Ireland had reached the open prairie and
would be safe, the moose went sailing out
after him. Down it settled, steadily and
and surely, until it came taut with deadly
Jerk about his neck. The captor had
stopped her horse, aud the man was dragged
to the ground and soon was in the hands of
those he had wronged Many compliments
were spoken and written for this action,
and the name of Mary Simpson was for u
time familiar throughout the western part
of tine state