The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-07
HIRED 4 DESP
Judge Alexander Thus Gained n Reputation az
n Had Man nud Made MONEY.

u Had Man aud Made Money.
From the st. Louis Globe. Democrat.
Judge Alexander no sooner crosses the
boundary line into the Territory of Oklahoma
than all the desperadocs in that section take to
cover" said +. c. Sparks of Kansas City at the
Planters last evening. "Hc has the reputation
Of being q dangerous mar down in that country,
and that means something in n place where
every other man one meets is likely TO have a
record of n half dozen notches on his gun. Ono
wouldn't take Alexander to be as bloodthTsty
as an Apache to look at him, for he is n slim
man, with sandy complexion. full red beard and
mustache. dresses s~tylishly. and always smiles
like n nan who had been married but forty
eight hours. lie is of middle age. and is as ac-
tive as a panther. In Kansas City his reputn-
ton as n mild hammered gentleman is superb
it is only in Oklahoma that he is considered
a'bad man. When Oklahoma was opened
for settlement in 1883 Mr.. Alexander was then.
as now. in the lumber business. He was one of
the first boomers to jump into the new land of
promise and cop out his due p rtion of tho
milk and honey by selling pine boards at 3l3 per
cent. net profit. During those boom days OF
'sooners' and spectators in Oklahoma whole
towns Of 5000 people we're laid out in n single
day. and the pinc hoard business WIS better
than half the gold claims in the klondikc. Mr.;
Alexander had a lumber yard in every city ana
King Of I" The new territory. lie traded in town
lots and even town sites on the side. and, mixed
ces aHm,, Of b boon that Vent into he Cherokoe
strip, when that excitement wcs OH, and IN one
night they Land on atown of white tents. covered
wagons. aud stHkCd lots.
Before morning IL mass me ting OF 900
people in a circus tent elected Mr.. Alexander
Mayor, and they christcned the town Willow
Springs The next morning the United States
troops came along and notified the people that
given the urief for lad set,i"girs:t = :.2 s;r,;,
and that they would have to skctaddlo back in
to Kansas. So the first town Of Willow Springs.
Alexander, and the entire City Council was
wiped of the map II a j,Gy:
high-top boots. n sOnbrero, n brace OF siX'shoot-
sr!s, heavy spurs nc. and was riIing a bronco.
% 1nsnr he wanted ANTE 1b 10 y dn so ne iS r G. na,s lG"E dr m"re
In those exciting times. Madam Rumor says.
Mr.. Alexander was compelled TO take - shot ~
two or three ObstrcprrOus men. but he admits
himself that he never caused an increase In the
population OF a cemetery. So fnr IA. lnarksmnne
on the order. OF Mark rwnin'7 character, N
'Roughing H.. who shot at a target fnh Luce
the people IN oklahoma didn't know .lhis;
They said, Why. this Kansas City fellcrlll
shoot, 50 they pui Alexander down asa bad
man. He may have been running n bliil Tor
"Bnt Mr.. Alexander did something that few
people were aware of, and. thereby ho could af-
ford 10 be brave. He employed "A body guard IN
the persor O! a noi9rions Hrsnrna"o, W.,
chester and a sralping knife. accompanied him
wherever he went Just Ike the lamb dli liltle
Mar and dh had ar sPGE%d' d RT@ N' thn f%y% dian
want to XIII. Mr.. Alexander had - written con-
tract 10 pay this dc rcrnGo TI2 " month 70 pro,
killed no was tD receive Christian burial al tho
expense of Alexander, In, Oklahoma in those
days this sort of protection beat lie insurance all
hollow. The result was that Mr., AlcNandCr, eN-
Mayor OF the twelve. hOurold town OF Willow
Springs, made money in Oklahoma and lived 10
he a Judge in a horse show in ST. Louis AAAs
years later