The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-09-30
Frontiersman Figuring Before Oak
land Judges.
10 a Western Character-Odd Fami'
~ Troubles = The Ready Six
Shooter-A Divorce.

from Wyoming" Hurt is rich. He Is
n wool grower. His fortune is too great
for him. Hurt is a character worth
writing and reading about.
Hurts business in Oakland is to try
and get the children OF the old mar
rage from his former wife. She d.
yorced him, secured the little ones and
rehusbanded. The woman didn't treat
Hurt quite right. He killed a man on
her account. Mrs. Hurt went into
court while her husband was in jail
awaiting trial on capital indictment.
In this situation she had things her
own way. Hurt was mayor of the petro-
leum and wool town Of Casper, Wyo.
The wife complained to him that she
had been insulted on the street. Hurt
knew the man she described for loaf
er and rough and in a wild rage went
out at once and shot him down.
At this time in Wyoming the vogue
of the siX-shooter was on the wane
and Hurt, with all his money, was
prosecuted most vigorously and was in
the tolls couple OF years before he
was acquitted. In the meantime the
woman had secured the divorce, pos
session of the children, a handsome
alimony and a handsomer man.
For time the ex-Mrs. Hurt and the
children and the new husband lived
at Denver. Hurt made it interesting
and uncomfortable for them. They
moved to California. They did not
think Hurt would follow, but he was
soon on the scene. During the past
six months the children have had no
less than fourteen guardians. The po-
sition of caretaker of the young ones
has attractive emolument, but 1t has
the constant chance that Hurt will
come along at any moment and raise
a rumpus and take the children. Those
who have known Hurt wonder that he
does not XIII the successor to the wo-
mans affections. He was accused in
court at Oakland of having such an
idea in mind, but declared on oath that
considering both the man and the wo-
man in the case. even his staunchest
friends Of the pioneer days OF Wyo-
ming would not justify him in remov-
ing the man.
1t Is certain that the trouble over
the children will continue until some
thing desperate occurs.
Hurt does not look old, but he was a
Pony Express rider and afterwards
keeper of stage station, when sta
tons were raided at least once sea-
son by the Indians. He's a tall, 1.-the,
active, sunburned man, blonde hair
and moustache and with a light eye
that changes color and becomes sharp
er and brighter and more wicked when
he Is aroused in anger. He has been
guide and hunter and scout and cour-
Ter and everything worth being in the
early wild life OF the West. Hurt was
a member Of the Wyoming State Sem
ate once. In his first speech he want
ed to say hue and cry" and he put 1t
human cry" and wondered for some
time why they laughed. Then he en-
ployed newspaper man for coach and
was willing to stand treat any time
anyone said human cry"
What heart Hurt had. He must
have 1t yet. And how 1t must pain him
to fell how things have come about.
His first thoughts always in the days
before the killing were for the wife
and children. He idolized the lot OF
them. Mrs. Hurt was a plain woman,
but she dressed like queen. Hurt was
not particular of his own appearance.
His thoughts on wardrobe were for
clothes that would be cool in summer
warm in winter and wear the money
worth. But nothing was too good for
the wife and children. What tales OF
adventure he could tell. He knew all
about Indians and bears and mountain
lions and horse thieves and sluice- box
robbers and road agents and Mormons
and tenderfeet and wagon immigrants
and cowboys and Englishmen hunting
and miners and tramps. While Hurt
was keeping the stage station couple
OF Mormon missionaries came along
one day and ate heartily. Meals were
rated at $3.50 each. When the travel
ers were through they said they were
without scrin because It was the GUS
tom OF their alling. Hurt gave them
fright. He proposed to kill them
saying 1t would be kindly act because
they were 400 miles from a settlement
and "broke" and had better be dead
Pay for the meals was at once forth.
coming.
Hurt and his money make a double
study. In his sheep business, with
wool at 22 and 20 cents a pound and
mutton commanding good figure
profits accumulated SO rapidly that h
became confused He was not cheated
out Of any money, but he made soms
astounding buys. He purchased cot
ton plantation in Texas, a small cant
estate in Louisiana, farms In Missouri
and Illinois, stock feeding outfits II
Nebraska and Kansas. Possibly tn.
shrinkages of recent times have inter
fered with his progress as none.
maker. but eight or nine years ago tn,
outlook was that he would becom
very rich.
Hurt has bad scar on one side o
his face. 1t was drawn there by
bears claw. Hurt said he had beel
told when boy that II one could hap
pen upon bear when It was asleel
and waken 1t softly, control OF tn
beast would be accomplished. He tried
The bear was found slumbering on tn
sunny side OF a big stone. Hurt spok
to 1t gently. Then a streak of bea
passed and left him insensible an
bleeding.
The sturdy frontlersman has in hi