The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-28
jim SoMERS OF DAKOTA.
n DEsPERADo VINO KILJED MEN
WENT TO THE EEGISLATURE.

stories Of she:most noted Of carly Dakota des.
peradoes. Somers lived at Brule City, on tho
Missouri River, thirteen miles below this city.
lilo came to Dakota from New brunswick more
than thirty years ago in search of adventure
and to make his fortune, and was soon on good
terms with tho rough element which was con-
s%ricuous on tho frontier of Dakota at that time.
lie stood six feet In his stockings, and had sandy
hair and a full beard. He soon became known
along the Missouri River rs n dangerous man.
At intervals Somcrs and his companions
made trips for supplies to Iankton. then tho
trading point for the whole upper river coun-
try. During ono of these visits Somers. out OF
pure deviltry, shot and killed a balf-breed In
dams pony on the.principal business street OF
the town. The owner of the animal ut once
swore out n warrant for his arrest. and 1t was
placed In the hands Of Sheriff Black to DO
served. The Sheriff, who was a man Of consid-
cradle nerve, promptly started after his man,
and soon located him in a saloon. Walking up
to the desperate. who was leaning on the bar.
the Sheriff told him to consider himself under
arrest. Somers did not reply, but as soon as
the Sheriff ceased speaking whipped out his
six-shooter. levclled 1t at the officer, and fired.
Some accounts say the men clinched. and that
while rolling about on the floor Somers man.
aged to draw the weapon and fire at his OPP
ponent. However 1t happened, the ball passed
through the Sherif's body. During the excite
ment the desperate reached his pony and at
once left town. A posse formed of the wound
ed mans friends set out In pursuit, but failed
to overhaul the fugitive. Sheriff Black died
some years later in an Eastern hospital from
the effects of the wound he received at tho
hands Of Somers. The latter was never arrest
ed or tried for his crime. He remained in tho
vicinity of his home until the excitement died
ont uhAn hn hana mn M hold M nrar md hnact-
ed that no officer could capture him alive.
He soon turned his attention to politics, and
was twice elected a member Of the lower branch
Of the Territorial Legislature from Brule coun-
ty. He was also sergeant-at-arms Of the first
session .of the Territorial Council. 1t is re-
lated that while no was serving as a member
OF the Territorial House some person in the dis
trict filed q contest for his seat, and it was
whispered around that he was to be unseated.
In those Gays members of the Legislature
were made or unmade with an ease and dcxteri-
ty that spoke volumes for the fearless indie
pendenco Of the early lawmakers.
Somers heard the mutterings of the impending
storm one afternoon. but uttered no protest
against the proceedings at the time. He sim
ply requested the Speaker to allow him until
the next day TO prepare his argument and Sc.
cure the evidence he wanted. When nearly all
the members were in their seats on the follow.
ing day, Somcrs came into the hall with two
large navy revolvcrs in his belt. He walked
down the aisle 10 his seat, pulled the weapons
from their holsters, laid them on the desk be-
fore him. and calmly 'ook his seat. The more
timid members, anticipating what was coming,
some avenue of escape if the bullets began to
fly. After u short pause, during which time a
Tin might have been heard If dropped upon the
floor, Somers arose and with an oath said:
"Mr. Speaker. l want to see the man who is
after my seat; am ready to give him my ar
1t is perhaps needless to say that tho claimant
OF the seat did not care to carry the matter to u
point where bullets would settle the contro-
Al Brul6 City somers. besides owning a large
herd Of cattle. operated a woodward and in sum.
mer supplied passing steamers with wood.
The little settlement was composed of only a
few log buildings and, n store or two. which
Lower Brule tribe of Sioux Indians, who lived
on the opposite side of the Missouri. On one
to be arrested for a serious crime. That even
ing he went to the log shack Of L. w. Lewis.
once issue a warrant for his arrest. serve it, try
the case Immediately. and have the records OF
quilted. +. II. Meyer, n friend OF Lewis. was in
the room at the time. and both soon found that
he was armed with n large butcher knife. He
doubtless. intended to use 1t to intimidate the
The Justice, seeing that his life was in danger
II he fatty refused, SPARED for time. An op-
portunity TO act presenting itself, the Justice sud
A'h'' A"SlN " N''t'N pun NV Ht'oh - -
corner, pointed 1t at the desperate. and ordered
him from the room. Somers could not do
On the representations of Somers that there
was good money TO be made with the woodward
nam ID I I1hey 'us.'t was in Mduys'd to ot c"me out Hi IL TO
Brul6 City from New Brunswick. lie arrived
at BETld City in October, 1s;s and later sent
named Bradley, whom fato destined to be tho
sl"yer Of his uncle after a. himself had received
quarrel soon occurred between the two brothers.
Jim had filed q pre.omption In 1873 on a valia.
fayetle made u homestead entry of the tract,
well knowing that Jim was not entitled to tho
land, as he was not n citizen OF the United
against Lafayette: The first open break oc-
Cured in the spring of 1850, after navigation
Somers woodward. When tho wood was all on
board tb and q, L Lat ~H Iim was "a, k grSSp n a bG,r to on settle q,
mRndcd that the money be paid to him. La
Gl@yette objected to this, but without effect.
solved the partnership and himself took possess
sion OF the wood. which yet remained on the
minating the career of this frontier desperate.
whose Who's 80 death was IA htting end TO the dare,
esytl Iit TO 9 dje had IsS' his hS So d,ea 6 as all bad men
Many stories have been told rs TO the manner
of hi5 death, but most of them do not even no.
survivor of the desperate fight IN which his
brother Jim and his own son, Bradley. lost their
Nts, Is u Tthlutnt VI NHHlllDtElHln, HuNllb lNtu
here for a number OF years. At the request of
the writer, he, after n silence of more than sew.
entecn years, consented to give an account of
this frontier tragedy.
Before navigation opened in 1880" said he.
81 had agreed with jim to put In forty acres TO
corn. He was to furnish team and seed, and
have one-third of the crop. After being driven
away from the woodward by Jim. l gave my
attention. TO the corn, and that summer raised
900 bushels on tho forty.acro tract. took all
of the corn to make up for my losses on tho
wood. On the day of the tragedy. late in 1850,
my son Bradley and l were hauling poles with
n wagon. Pilger lived above us and Jim lived
bet ween us and Pilger. Bradley and ] were
driving up to Pilger's when Jim jumped out
from behind a bank OF earth or bluff near tho
edge of the timber, leaving two men concealed
th%ero-one of thom being a man named VII;
liams, who with n comrade named Bcebe had
previously murdered I.amperc, u man who
started across country with them. jim Jumped
in front OF the horses. and with a rifle which no
had began poking and striking the horses over
the heads and in the sides. This, of course.
scared the animals. and ] Lad all / could do TO
hold them. Nothing was said except by Bradley.
who exclaimed:
Jim. what's the matter with youi Are you
crazyf
..Jim made M renly. but continued hoating