The Meeker herald., 1898-05-28
PiOncers l Remember.
{COncluded.)

The first time | ever seen Kendall.
was just prior to his nomination. in the
bar room of the Hotel Glenwood, as it
was then known in the frame building
now known as the Inter Ocean-after-
wards removed to make room for the
present Hotel Glenwood. The saloon
was full of delegates. all in more or
less degree of happiness. Drum was
particularly voluble and noisy. Over
about the center of the room l noticed
a tall, round shoulded fellow, wearing
a wide trimmed cowboys hat. conspicu-
lously leading everybody up to the bar
| for another drink.
turned to Mr.. Parker, clerk Of the
district court. and said who is that big
fellow oyer thereY And he answered,
"Oh! that is Jim Kendall. our candidate
for sheriff" He called him over and
gave me an introduction. Jim grabbed
my hand something after the fashion of
seizing bears paw, and shook my arm
like working a pump handle; the usual
invitation to drink quickly followed. l
took cigar, Jim was sociable and re-
marked he never drank anything but
"licker.' He seemed to be anxious that
everybody should take another drink on
him and appeared gratitied when they
did so. Of course he had no trouble in
the convention, and won hands down.
He was some kind Of a southerner and
his dialect showed it, about 40 years of
age, over six feet in height and "slim as
a rail- round or stoop shoulders, legs
and arms long and thin, rather long
spare regular features, short dark hair,
and long thin mustache, that took
care of itself, uneducated, but prolific
talker, whose range of conversation
never wandered outside Of his environ
ments with nervous impatient DISPOSE
ton, and who might easily have been
sized up as cross between a Kentucky
clay eater and an Arizona cow puncher.
Neil Cooper was his republican oppon-
ent, nominated by the influence of his
brother Isaac Cooper, with town pull
over Jack Ward in packed convention.
The .'inhuence" used was not popular
and general political slugging match
followed. In many respects the men
we're similar but differed as to methods.
Cooper would sit down quietly and bet
the last dollar he had on the high card,
and when he lost sneak out to the bar
run his face for drink, treat his friends,
if any present, and return to his ''shack"
with his toes out through his shoes,
flying a flag OF truce from the rear and
wait for something to turn up.
Kendall would squander the last cent
he had in the same way, but was noisy
and conspicuous while he did so, and
before he threw up his hands would
borrow every dollar in sight, and when
broke would call up the drinks for the
house and swagger out, and in some
way tackle the next faro layout that he
ran across. He wore the usual conven-
tional raiment, substantially dressed in
COW boy fashion, no flag of truce for
him and never waited for anything,
Cooper failed to get the republican
vote. Kendall got the democratic vote
and what Cooper lost, and of course
won.
He paid more attention, however, to
saloons. gambling houses and "other
houses" than to the duties of his office.
His vicious reckless gambling and
drinking alarmed his bondsmen to such
an extent that they were continually
withdrawing from his bond and requisi-
tions were constantly made for new
bonds, only to have the same thing re-
peated over and over again at almost
every regular meeting of the board of
county commissioners, and so ended his
first official term, with record appar
optIv ohSolnfalv fafaI IN n denomination
to say nothing of election.
Kendall realized the situation fully,
was alive to the occasion and equal to
the emergency, and he determined to
have both if it cost civil war.
COlorow and his band of marauding
Ute Indians were at that time over
running the county, slaughtering cattle,