The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-10-03


on the millions Of acres OF public lands
and amassed quick fortunes from the
free government pasturage.
In those days the cowboys rode the
plains free and unrestrained disregard
Ing all law, and governed in their con-
duct by nothing except their desires
They were wild. impulsive creatures.
overlooking with the spirit OF liberty
witch they caught from the boundless
prairie and breathed In with the pure,
exhilarating air that intoxicated the
blood with life. vigor an strength.
OF all the cowboys on the plains OF
Kansas at that time, old Buck Rogers
was, perhaps, the most impulsive and
reckless. He had for years lived a
ranch life, and had chased steers" in
every part of the cattle rauge from the
river Rio Grande to the Platte. Be-
sides, he had fought Indians and Mexi-
can greasers, and had helped Buffalo
BIZ round up the meat which he was
supplying, under contract, to the men
who we're constructing the Kansas Pa
siflc railroad
At that time Dodge City was pre-emi-
nently a cowboy town. They used to
round up" there after payday, blow"
their money into every folly they saw.
get uproariously drunk, and proceed 70
paint things ultra red. 1t was nothing
unusual for a gang Of men TO race up
and down the streets. yelling like Co
manche Indians and shooting at the
signs and terrifying women and chill
dren and the pale tenderfoot almost out
of life. They had full possession OF the
town, and they ran IL to their own lik-
ing.
II old Buck Rogers happened to be
present he was sure to lead in all this
deyiltry. 1t was a saying that went
undisputed that he could drink more
whisky, yell louder and shoot straight
er than any other man on the range"
And he certainly did everything that
lay In his power to Justify this state
ment.
Often and often as he stood at the
bar Of the saloon and in rapid success
sion tossed glass after glass OF whisky
down his throat until the hardest
drinkers in town looked on in fear and
amazement. Then he would go out and
mount his broncho and, throwing lis
hat to the wind, would charge up and
down the street at mad gallop, his
long hair flying out behind, each of his
hands working a pistol with astonish-
ing deftness. while from his throat
there came a series of the most terrific
and unearthly yells that ever emanated
from a human being.
And fight There was nothing that
old Buck wouldn't stand mp before; and
II was his boast that he had never met
anything, either man or beast. that he
had not been able to lay on its back.
The boldest and most daring cowboys,
even chose who possessed an enviable
reputation as fighters, Gang very low
of their prowess when Buck Rogers was
around. He was not only brave and
reckless, but he was as strong as an
OK. and a blow OF his naked fist, fair
ly planted. was enough to settle man
for all time to come.
One day down al Dodge City lot OF
cowboys were talking about old Bucks
remarkable strength. and recounting
some of ,he feats he had performed,
when one OF their number, a man who
had recently come up from the south,
said:
Never heard about the trick old
Buck played on a chap down in Texas
one time, / reckon?"
Guess not" somebody replied
Then I'll tell you about II. 1t was
one night. just after pay day at the XII
ranch. and the boys were all down at
town blowing in their money. There
WAS just one saloon in the place, and,