The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-14
RULE OF "DOCv MIDDLETON.
Most Daring Desperate That Ever
welded a Pistol i'm the EILhOrn
Valley.

Welded a Pistol in the EIkhOrn
Valley.
From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat
DOC" Middleton was the most daring
desperate that ever terrorized the Elkhorn
valley, and ruled the Black Hills country
with a high hand. Middleton always bore
the sobriquet of DOC" but nobody seems
to know how he was so dubbed, Before the
railroads were built into Deadwood, S. D.,
used to make one trip year by stage to
that country. and saw DOC" Middleton
several times. He was a powerful fellow
with quick, elastic step, and wore a dark
sombrero, an overcoat of wildcat skin, and
a bright red handkerchief, and his cow
boy makeup gave him the appearance OF
a typical western frontersman. Leading
a band of rangers, he waged war on the
Sioux Indians and protected the settlers
of the Elkhorn valley, Neb. Government
officials in those days feared him, and for
years he was the chief of desperados in
those parts. But he settled down to re-
spectacle life in Nebraska over fifteen
years ago, and was engaged in the cattle
business.
When 1 first knew Doc he was freight
ing from Sidney, Neb., TO the Black Hills
One night, in a Sidney dance-house,
half dozen soldiers engaged In a quarrel
with Doc" and there was a shooting
scrape. Middleton escaped and hid In the
sand-hills on the Platte river. While Nv
ing in the hills he picked up bunch of
horses and started out with them. He was
captured and thrown into Jail in Sidney
The second night there he got the jailer
drunk and walked away. He next appeared
at a road ranch up the Elkhorn, having
been without food for five days.
Soon after that he was hurrying down
the Elkhorn valley with bunch of horses
that belonged to the Indians. DOC" and
his party were pursued by a company of
United States soldiers, about fifty settlers,
and a band of Indians. The white men
gave up the chase in few days, but the
Indians kept on the trail. One night the
thieves were overtaken by the Indians. The
red men dared not shoot Middleton, so
they took the horses and returned home.
Middletons front teeth We're filed with
gold, and he was known to all the red
skins as the "Gold chief" The Indians be-
lieved that Doc must have been favored
by the great spirit in order to have gold
teeth. and they would not kill him.
One of Middleton's escapades was known
over all the country. He was at North
Platte and sheriff tried TO take him.
DOC" mounted his horse, pulled a couple
daring any man to shoot at him. The gov
eminent finally made a determined effort
to capture DOC" and sent out four secret
service men, They met doc" at Fourth
of July celebration at Atchison, Neb. He
took their pistols away and made them
run foot races and join in the other fes-
tivities of the day. once Judge bloody
of Deadwood demanded Middleton's sur
render. He made the judge throw up his
hands, and then took ali the valuables he
had.
Middleton was finally captured by Dep
uties Lewelen and Hazen, who were sent
out by Gov Thayer of Nebraska. doc"
was taken to Omaha, where he received
a sentence of five years In the penitentiary.
He was shown leniency because he always
protected the white settlers and only stole
the stock belonging TO the Indians. Al
the expiration of his term DOC" returned
TO Atchison, Neb., and became law-abid-
ing citizen.