The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1899-12-28
PASSING o. A TERROR :
An Episode of the Kansas Bor-
der in Cowboy Days.

der IN COWBOY Days.
A COMMON AMUSEMENT
When a Texan Demands an Apology
II Must Como In BIood-Some Reck.
less shooting-How RoIIicking
Rough Rider Became Gloomy and
Prematurely Old.
Among the cowboys who were fam
iliarly known in all Kansas border
towns from Hunnewell west, fifteen OF
twenty years ago, were Johnnie Potts
and Ren Franklin, riders on the 1T 5"
range, which stretched from the Eagle
Chief to the Cimarron River. OF the
two, Ben Franklin was the more pre-
possessing in appearance; Johnnie,
more Of the typical terror" When his
system was not filled with the peculiar
and hair-raising beverage sold for
whisky in those border towns, Potts
was reasonably peaceful, though never
sociable in his disposition, but when he
was loaded with what was commonly
termed "Old Hell's delight" he was one
of the most dangerous of his class. 1t
was his common form Of amusement
when in this condition to draw his re-
volver and empty 1t into the street,
apparently careless as to whether some
unoffending citizens was in the road
of the bullets or not. That he was pos
sessed of a certain reckless, daredevil
courage nobody who knew him doubt
ed, and the close of his career demon
strated that the estimate was correct.
1t was in the early part of March,
1884, that Franklin and others Of the
cowboys of the "T 5" range went to
Caldwell to take in the town. All the
riders could not be spared at once, and
for that reason Johnnie Potts and
others had to stay at camp. Franklin,
who in cowboy circles was considered
a more than ordinary big-hearted and
jovial spirit, showed his sympathy for
his unfortunate companions who did
not have the opportunity to participate
in the pastime of painting the town
red. by bringing back to camp a jug
of the liquor dealt out at Caldwell
saloons. That night for few hours
joy was unconfined at the "T g. ranch.
Between the inspection of jack pots
and the quaffing of liquor furnished by
to,t oo,,.o,os o.. 49,, ,taaa..ta,
,ot ,,a,,,,,s 49,, 49, ~ 49,. 49,.
to.sas thro,,.,h 49, to, =. Ca,sa.,
bo,,Iinr ,,,,a r,a,,,os 80 o,n,,e.,,,.,
shootino hoIas th.o,,a,, a. ,,,r,,o,,.I
ino. ,,,;ia,,,o rr,,o r. -, - -.
ala not on,9oo 60 -. ,,.ta,,,as,,.. ~.
3o,,, avoa,t T., .to oosa 20 t,ea ".s.,,
Potts.
n on he I~oy 1y
bao,,i1,, tot oua a,.,a.,., ~,
oo,na r,nra a,,,,.r T. -
,,,orn;,o ,,,,,a, he aro,o euo,, -,
+oh,a aoa sto.o,,.. -.
of tha hoo,, ,,eo,sa,, e.. e,.a ..,
nonv ,,,,sa+ a. ~, - .s,s.o,
tho nonars Tho hoo,, I,a.,a.
como nrotas+ r,h,ol, III r.,r,.s
potts Voc the e;on.1 for tro,,h,o D.,
ling bis siy-shnotar ha nuooooaos
lxicl, over s,,ch f,,r,;t,,ra as tho,,e ~
about the oo,,, hn,sa - rt "a -
1in,,r.r,, 80 poa, ,-..,... VI M,
other ranee r;5ers ,,,ara 80 sa en-,
red liouor thai tbev ala not raa,,oa
that n ,oos onIy o,ast;or 90 -,
MANY would no oL,a 20 srat 80 90 80
when Joi,nnie he,,or 20 shoot Ena1,
lin. who was o,,icker to thinl, ona 90
than his comnanions u,;th ,,,,et
movement cauebt tba .terro,.,, 60, ~
hind and throwing hin, 70 49, a.
f1isarmed hin, Iohnaia ,,,.
n,admor and onnI;aa - Ena,.,,n
the enithets known IN tha oou,ho1r 80,
nacular until he bad yor, t,,,,,sc,e
and sank info !. dr,,n,,a,, .i,,.,ha %
next norning por E,o,,,,,;., o,..,s
unoffendinp citizen uas a. Az ua
State of Texos he should da,,,od
analogy from, tbe "terror" co.. t',.
duct Of tbe nrevious nieh+ wis ,,,o.. 80
members of the co1vhn,, o,os tt,.
ouest would have heen ono'a,,ea ss 80.
as r,ottax ~ 'vhhpieu Win
POTTS held tba on,rior that q. ,,,o
meath the dignitv of a raaI ..taru',,
apoloeize for anvtbing ond ,,,o,,,a
Ren Franlxlin on the othar 49,
though an nnnsroI,y aaaa a.,,
member of the s.otoux,;e,. |
when . Texen aar,aaaaS ,hat
# must come mr. blood "poi sy
The range riders stood .,o.
pether. there was no oons,,,tatio
.seconds, or MOO s,,r,,, oee 80 VI
naces Tbera ,yara e.. -. ~ many
renorts the aashas ana n,. iouu
.fortv- fours,, .nd tha th;,,a y. .ne
FRANKLIN was Quicken hv r. f,,,ot,e oue
Of q second and Iohnr,o.s 49,
was shattered hefora ,,a o,,ia ~, ah
trigger The halI frnu, ~, pua .he
,,,o.,4 III, A., A'S' L
NSOio o"ii AioiH |