The Springfield herald., 1899-05-19
TALE OF THE FRONTIER.
Anecdote of joe Lowe, Formerly of wioh
itn and Denver.


itn and Denver.
The correspondent of n Chicago pa
per rehearses the early scenes in
Wichita, Kansas as follows:
Il haven't been in Wichita before
since it was the end of the track and
the widest and wiciedest town in the
West. 1t WAS the center of the cattle
trade in those days. the shipping point
for the Texas herds the end of the
trail, where thousands of steers which
had been driven across the ranges OF
Indian territory We're loaded on the
cars every week to be shipped to the
eastern markets. verything was wide
open then with Il vengeance, and the
cowboys We're kings.
"One night l attended an entertain
ment in the Palace opera house, or
place with some such name, kept by
"ROwdy Joe." Il famous character who
had formerly been known as Joseph
Lowe of La Sale, Illinois. He was a
bOatman before he came to this cOun
try, and had won an enviable reputa-
ton as the toughest man in Kansas
Mr.. Lowe kept n drinking place,
gambling den and n dance house COM
bined, and Mrs. Lowe, who was better
known as 'Rowdy Kate was his cash
Ter and first lieutenant Together they
w
tions of their place of business We're
well advertised between the Missouri
river and the Rocky Mountains. There
was nothing to beat it then. and there
has been nothing to beat 1t since.
"On the evening of my arrival-it
was in the spring of I'll attended Il
vaudeville entertainment at this IA
nous place, and the great attraction
was seriO-comic artist of the felni-
nine persuasion. whose pictures were
plastered on all the dead walls in
town. AT the close of her first number,
while waiting for the applause to sub
side, she leaned against the side of
one of the stage boxes which was oc-
cupied by gigantic drover and a par
ty Of friends. With his long arms he
reached over the rail, grabbed her
around the waist, lifted her into his
box and placed her calmly upon his
knees in less time than it takes to
tell it.
The audience was furious Mt the ia
miliarities taken with its favoritc. and
there was n rush for the stage. The
big drover dropped the girl, and, draw
Ing his revolver. held the crowd at
bay. Then bedlam broke loose, and
pretty soon nearly everybody began to
shoot Those who did not care to par
ticipate in the battle started for the
door, and their flight was FASTENED by
n hysterical individual. who, in leap
ing from one bench to another, struck
a big kerosene lamp with his head and
sent it flying into the midst Of the PAN
demonium.
How I got out of the place I never
was able to decide, but 'ROwdy Joe's'
palace was heap of ashes two hours
afterward, and there We're rumors of
numerous lost lives.
'Rowdy Joe passed in his checks
at Denver only few weeks ngo. This
town got too tame for him and he
went out to the mines. Then. after he
reached the age of 20, he decided to
settle down and enjoy peaceful life.
During the last blizzard he drove into
town and left his horses hitched in the
street without blankets. A policeman
of humane instincts took them to
stable, and Joe expressed his views of
that interference and of policemen in
general in n saloon where he had TAX
en- refuge from the cold. An exmem-
ber Of the Denver police resented the
criticisms. 'Rowdy Joe is In the ceme-
terry and the ex-policeman is in jail
awaiting trial for murder"