The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-25

dian fighter is gone, he is engaged In
furthering the mining interests of the
section where he passed through so
many dangers and thrilling eX-
periences.
AS the first sheriff of the Black Hills,
Seth Bullock was a peace officer feared
by the desperadoes of the hills His
determination to do his duty, coupled
with tndonlitable courage, led him to
relentlessly pursue evil doors, and when
the bad" men found Bullock on their
tracks they knew justice would be met
ed out to them.
While never taking life needlessly,
Seth Bullock says he has been forced
to Kill so many tough characters that
he has lost actual count of the notches
on the butts Of his shooting irons''
Sometimes, when accompanying a
valuable consignment of bullion over
land, Mr.. Bullock was obliged to dis
tribute the contents of his Winchester
rifle among half a dozen bandits who
attempted to hold up the stage The
stage seldom stopped to get a list of
the dead and wounded from the rob-
bers, so Mr.. Bullock does not know
just how many he killed in these "sor-
ties" On one occasion, however while
the stage which he was carrying
through travelled a small canyon sixty
the road undertook to appropriate the
treasure aboard, but series of rapid
shots from Bullock's rifle eliminated all
danger and annihilated the robbers.
Mr.. Bullock made his reputation as
chairman of the 3-7-77 vigilance com
mittee, of Helena, Mont, before he
went into the Black Hills. There was
a great deal Of work for the vigiIantes
In those days, and very frequently the
nj mo oojn e
the committee was to be held that
night. could be seen chalked about the
street.
In the secret conclaves Bullock pre-
sided over the deliberations of men as
sternly bent on DISCRIMINATING laWIess-
ness as himself. and when it was de-
cided that any particularly tough char
acter was due, he was soon captured.
The vigilance committee did not ex-
ecute the criminals, but turned them
over to the courts
In 1872 Bullock was elected sheriff
and during four years Of service hung
many criminals. He was quite a mono
pollst as regarded the hanging func-
tions as was indicated on one occasion
when lynch law was about to be in
voked in the case Of two men arrested
for train robbing.
The Vlgilantes wanted to string the
y V. N
reckoned as how he would attend to
the hanging himself and proceeded to
execute the robbers
you are a d-m nonopolist." said
one of the vigilantes, you want to do
all of the hanging yourself"
Mr.. Bullock was personal friend of
Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill. with whom
he was at times closely associated
Seth liked Wild Bill, and though Nc
Call Killed many men. Seth thinks he
was justified In many cases.
When the gold discoveries were made
In the Black Hills Seth Bullock and q
party of friends went with the rush to
this section. 1t was a lawless country.
where murders and robbery were the
order of the day. Outlawry became so
rampant that Bullock was prevailed
upon to accept the office of sheriff in
the hills as he had done in Helena.
His election gave the Black Hills coun-
try Its first sheriff, and as such Bull
locks name struck terror to the hearts
Of evil doors.
1t was here that he did most of his
Indian fighting. The troublesome Sioux
or Sitting Bull made border life ex-
tremely dangerous, and when the gen
eral uprising, which resulted in the
terrible Custer massacre, threatened
the determination of white settlers. 1t
was Seth Bullock who offered to put
down the red skins. Bullock had been
appointed adjutant general of the ter
ritory and wired Gov. Pennington the
following message:
THE Indians are still massacreins
our people in Spear Fish and Belle
Fourche valleys. 1 advise that you
permit me to take my troops down
and kill the agents at Pine Ridg,.
Cheyenne and Standing Rock. This
will stop the Indian trouble
Gov. Pennington telegraphed in re-
ply: Better wait awhile, Seth"
Mr.. Bullock says his plan was some
what unusual. but declares it was a.
solution Of the problem, as he charges
the Indian agents with the responsible
ity Of the uprisings.
In appearance Seth Bullock is the
typical frontiersman, with one excep-
ton. He has never worn his hair long,
as Is characteristic of most Western
notables. Fully six feet tall, straight
as an arrow, with a muscular figure
and aquiline features, he appears a
splendid type Of physical manhood
His blue-gray eyes are a noticeable
feature. Sparkling with subdued fire,
they are kindly In expression. but be.
speak the "f1inty' look Of the yellow
back novel, should the owner become
aroused.
Since 1t has become safe to live In
the Black Hills, Mr.. Bullock has un-
dertaken the development of rich gold
property which came into his possess
sion. Several Twin City capitalists are
associated with him in business. Mr..
Bullock declares the Black Hills dis
trict Is the richest gold producing
country in the world. Last year the
output, he says, was $4,000 900, and
that of the year before $4,000, 900, and
all Of this wealth. Mr.. Bullock saws,
came from a district within a ten-miIe
radius Of Deadwood.
The mining in this section Is all
quartz mining, Mr.. Bullock says, and
the claims owned by large companies,
who operate huge smelters for extra ct
ing the precious yellow metal, the
largest smelter in the world, he says,
being at Deadwood. Mr.. Bullock says