Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-04-05

graves Of the victims Of the big kill
ing. and on a stone in the centre OF
this group is the following inscribed
i'm rude lettering. "RaU.espake CITY
Grave Yard. A Modern He'll
A mushroom city had grown up IN a
week down in Greer county. in the fan
OF 1877, which the government was
disputing as 70 whether this land be-
lCnged TO the Indian Territory or 10
Texas. First. ia big fellow, calling
himself "Rattlesuake Joe, had gone
through Kansas and Missouri, making
speeches TO the oklahoma boomers
and inducing them 10 stop trying 10
force an entrance TO Oklahoma, and go
To Greer lcounty. "tle paradise OF
America" as Joe called IT, medicinal
~ Joe lectured and took up coliec-
tions.
somehow the people got the idea
that Greer county had unworked Scid
mines and diamond fields OF fabulous
richness. Perhaps Joe told them So
AT any rate. Bob Rogers and Louise
his pretty wife, left the boomers camp
al Hunnewell. In Kansas, and, with
others of the home seekers. they trun-
died of down the old Kansas and TEX
as trail into the promised land. once
there they found that others had come
in from the Indian Territory, Texas,
and even Old Mexico.
HOW THE TOWN ROSE.
In some manner peculiar to the
West. q little shanty, wagon and tent
town sprang inc existence ana JneS
called the place "Rattlesnake ClIy'
BY common CONSENT Texas Ken
Jones became the Marshal No one
proDosed his name in a convention
nor was there an election held. ben
simplv became the Marshal because
ne aid. and probably because ne was
bigger quicker on the draw. and ready
TO go into a fight any day or night OIL
the wear. Rattlesnake was daisy
while she lasted and the boomers were
usually law-abiding.
Unlike mining camps, there was
nothing to keep up the town. No one
worked. because there was no work To-
do Almost every one had 40 little
money. and gambling became the rec
sgnized trade OF Rattlesnake While
the men PLAYED poker and bucked the
tiger. the women pitched pennies lot
cash. Every shanty and every wagon
had a layout for gambling, and soon
the desperate bands OF highWaymen,
moonshiners and cattle thieves that
trfest this country began to come IN TO
NAV Quite a Monte Carlo was thus
built up.
Bob Rogers and Louise had been
raised i'm Ohio and came OF good STOCK.
Bob had gone to college long enough
TO learn to play poker and swear. He
soon became a leader in the colony
about Ratrlesnake because Of nerve.
bearing and good looks Louise was
the beauty of Greer county. and by
virtue thereof the queen Of border 50
ciety. She led i'm all the dances held
i'm the center Of the canvas and shack
city once a week. By degrees Rogers
won all the money Of his neighborS,
and as fast as he became broke the
unsuccessful player took his outnt
and vowed away. Not always, though,
for sometimes ne would wager his wa
gon and team and lose them also. In
that case ne would walk on Of Rattle
snake.
ROGERS OPENS A GAMBLING
HOUSE.
AS Rogers won money he took on
Importance. He opened big samo-
ling house i'm a tent and called the
place Rogers Pavilion lie now viz
tually owned the city. This tent be
came the centre of attraction for ali
that part of Texas. Louise objected to
the opening of this house, but her hus-
band. carried away with the fever OF
gambling. laughed 40 her fears.
He that lives by the sword shall
Derish bv the sword" she told him
more than once, but Bob went right on ]
winning the money of the people who
plaved there. It appeared that he
could not lose One day Texas Ben
strobe in and took a seat at table
where three strangers were preparing
10 play poker. Ben was ugly and had
been drinking. He picked up the cards
and Joined in the game. Ben had
money. and so did the other people.
BY and by when big jack pot was
in sight Ben and a dapper little chap
remained in the game. Ben drew one
card; the stranger three. Then they
went TO betting and raising until all
the cash the Texan had was in the pot.
Everyone in the room had quit TO
watch this play IN call YOU swOre
the big Marshal and stranger, if you
beat my hand you've got 10 fight.
The little fellow on the other side Of
the table only glanced up with a side
wise glitter I'm mis- eyes. Bob Rogers
pushed his way through the crowd and
declared that the game was on the
snuare. and if there was any killing
done in the pavilion he'd have hand
i'm it. The more peaceful boomers
moved away, but the gamblers ana
outlaws generally remained. Bob
tried to get Louise TO so away, but she
refused TO comply unless he would so
with her
Still the big Texan glanced across
the table nj the little player on the
other side, and the little one smiled
back at him. Everyone smelled uag-
edy in the air. Texas Ben was
known killer" and the little cuss
facing him had all the indications OF
killer" himself,
Three kings and pair Of queens.
roared Texas Ben, laying down his
hand on the table.
-Four aces. cried the little man.
dropping his cards like hot cakes. and
catching knife from his sleeve drove
it through the Marsh2ls hand, pinninS
IL 10 the table before he could move
There was a howl Of rage from the
wounded desperate, o shriu chirrul
form his opponent ana in q moment 9
free-for-au fight was in progress. Ben
Jones was killed before he could get
his hand loose from the table. Louise
tried TO dras her husband awoy and