The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-01-05
A DESPERATE.

office of the Hotel Palomares in Pomona
the other evening waiting for a late
train TO Los Angeles. Each n OF the
party knew every one else, cigars were
freely passed around, and all we've en-
ioying a talk about early experiences on
the frontier, and especially in southern
California, before railroads were built
in this region. The best story OF the
evening was told by Colonel John Will
hanson, one of the most important
orange growers in southern California.
From 1873 until 1878" he said,
IT was engaged by a Chicago lumber
company to travel through the country
from Denver tt st. Louis to look up
openings for lumber yards. 1t was my
business to visit new towns n settle
ments, and when / found men OF capt.
tai in them to induce them to go into
the lumber business and buy of the Chi
cago nee At that time Ogalalla.
ON the Union Pacific railroad, was IA
nous throughout the country as the
toughest place in the west. Then Dodge
City, Kan, came into prominence for
its cowboy episodes n the rough,
tough and desperate character OF q large
portion of its residents. / passed a night
in Dodge City in October, 1876, and l
assure you that l came quickly to the
conclusion that life in any other town
would be tame and without excitement
in comparison with the pleasures that
place could afford.
ION N side of the railroad track
stood a big barnlike building called the
Americo-M Mexican hotel, and ON the 9th
er q row Of 90 Or 80 one story frame
houses, almost every one Of which was
a barroom, with a gambling house at
tached. Over the doors hung such signs
as Cowboys Retreat, THE Divan' and
The Frontiersman's Delight Behind
the town, ON top of the hill, was the city
graveyard. An immense cross stood at
the top of the hill and served as O land
mark for travellers for miles and miles
across the barren prairies. That grave
yard was the pride of every man who
lived in Dodge City. The inhabitants
watched it grow and pointed with pleas
ure to the fact that there was hardly a
man taking his final rest there who had
not come to his death by violence.
lit was toward afternoon when l
halted my horse in front of the Ameri-
oo-Mexican hotel after a 40 mile ride.
Heavily armed men stood about i'll
groups. The looks thrown at me were
far from reassuring, but l pretended not
to see them and fastened into the ho-
tel. Hardly had / taken my seat in the
dining room when four men, evidently
forming a delegation, approached me.
They demanded to know what brought
me to Dodge City in q way which left
me no alternative but to answer. My
answers seemed satisfactory, and N OF
them informed me the reason of their
curiosity. They had some idea that
was a deputy sheriff and frankly told
me that if | had been | should have
been escorted out of town, as no gov
eminent officers were wanted about
Dodge City that night. They further
informed me that there was to be one
of the prettiest lynching bees in town
that night that had ever taken place.
""Three men had come to Dodge City
10 weeks before and had taken the town
by storm. They had made their head
quarters at q tavern almost opposite the
hotel and had levied a tax ON every ont
who entered. Anybody who objected tc
paying IL standing treat was beaten,
and when resistance was shown pistols
were used. Ten men had received dealt
wounds from these three men, and tn,
town had determined to set an exampl,
10 all such characters by hanging TIL
three without ceremony. 1t was no
easy, however, to accomplish this, a
the men were intrenched in the BARRON
and refused TO come out or allow an,
one to enter. 1t had been determined +
dislodge them that night in spite of al
resistance. and / was invited to tax
part in the affair. The men were name
Hank Martin, Jack Willis and Wa
Simmons and were desperate outlaws
with large sums upon their heads.
Just at dark the citizens of Dodg
City prepared for battle. The attackin
parties were divided into two forces
One approached the point Of attac
from the rear, while the larger numbe
marched up to the front. All the cit
zens wore handkerchiefs over their faces
I was in the main body of attackers, {
rather behind it. We were brought to
sudden halt by "a rifle shot from one
the windows Of the besieged house, an
one of our leaders fell. Various meal
were tried to dislodge the three mel
but to no purpose. Every time ii
slightest advance was made their riff
rang ont, and some one on our side dro,
ped AT last a small man slipped up
the shadow of the adjacent buildir
and threw q lighted can of kerosel
under the building. Soon it began
burn. AT last it was enyeloped
flames, and the three men were obligl
to rush for their lives. They were ha
blinded by the heat and smoke of t
burning building, SO they were quick
captured
Then all the citizens of Dodge Cit
not excepting the women and childre
formed I'm Line and marched down
the cattle pens, whore an old tree sto
that had served several times as d ri
lows. IA rope had been brought alor
msad III was quickly thrown eyer