Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-02-10
CAPTAIN DICK

iormerIy JHck tfhll, Will leave next
week for San francisco en- route for
Portland, Ore"
,i This Is the Item that headed the per-
sonal column of the Arizona papers
recently.
Il. Back Of this Is a story that has set
all Arizona agog-the tale OF a woman
masquerading IN cowboy attire. lasso-
ing cattle. taking part in shooting
scrapes, leading the Wild. free adyen-
turous life Of the Arizona vaquero-
the story Of n woman who, because
her father had been hanged al a horse
thief. changed her name, hid her sex.
and the beating Of hoof and the whIzz.
Ing OF bullet, sought to drown the me-
mory OF the disgrace, As u fitting
finale, when her sex was discovered,
she married Captain Dick" the BRAY.
est and boldest cowboy in all Arizona.
II is a story kindled with strange
and dramatic Incidents that could
occur nowhere save In Arizona, where
still puts fiction to blush and boot and
spur have not altogether given away
to patent feathers
It was Just about year ago that
a slender. ,clean-shaven youth asked
for work at one OF the big cattle
ranches near Williams. Captain Dick,
who was the leader OF the cowboys,
engaged the "tenderfoot," and Jack
Hall" the name the applicant for work
gave, won his spurs In tue annual ro
dec for which the cowboys were then
preparing
BY day Jack sat his horse rounding
up the cattle and at night alept on the
ground. He was quiet and distant TO.
wards the other cowboys. but for the
most part they liked him. Before the
first month Lad passed he had an op
pOftuhity to show his mettle
A number OF cowboys were spend
Ing the night In a typical Arizona
,town--one saloon per every fifteen In
habitants. Jack Hall, In search OF
Captain Dick. dropped Into one OF the
saloons, A cowboy, revolver In hand
was acting as master of ceremonies
while In the middle OF the floor the
barkeeper, half dead from fatigue
was. doing a dance, to the amusement
OF the rest Of the cowboys.
,4s When. the barkeeper attempted tC
stop swirling his feet the cowboy
shouted for more dancing, and the
master Of ceremonies encouraged the
barkeeper by popping his pistol dan.
BeTOubly near MS IeeL.
Jack Hall watched the scene in 81
lence until he saw that the barkeeper
reached the limit OF his endurance
Then he deity wrenched the pistol
from the cowboys hand and, turning
II on him. said: III you want any
more dancing, do II yourself"
I'D. The cowboy snatched another one,
but Jack Hall was too quick for him.
There was q quick, sharp report and
o cry OF pain. The cowboy was
wounded In the right arm.
Then Jack Hall did a strange thing.
His were the, fingers that bandaged
his adversary's wounds. He attend.
ed to him, even cutting his food for
him, until the cowboy was well After
that he was, chrfstened Nurse Jack
and more often called simply Nurse. ="
lie had an almost womanlsh way OF
caring for them II they fell III.
"Ie ain't a drinker and he can't
play cards worth hill Of frijoleB, but
he's ali right dosing medicine and
such things" explained the cowboys.
Moreover he was all right when II
came to handling d horse or reyolv.
err, which after all counts more points
In the cowboy's estimation than bottle
or cards. Beside he had as d firm ally
Captain Dick. which, IN Arizona, IL
the open sesame TO any cowboys
friendship.
Captain Dick did win his position
among the Arizona cowboys without
first proving his strength OF his good
right arm. Captain Dick has never
y been a believer IN the laws delay.
He has assisted at more bangings
than any sheriff In the territory. Nor
hye the victims OF his sense of Justice
afterward been proven innocent. Cap
tain Dick makes sure Of the offenders
guilt before he ties the knot.
II was In 1882, while no was still
very young, that Captain Dicks pOpul.
arity reached the high water mark
General Fremont. the new Governor
OF the Territory had introduced q
bill In the Legislature. which was
then in session. asking that several
thousand dollars be put aside TO equip
q company Of militia TO be sent TO the
southern part OF the territory TO sub.
due the cowboys.
The older inhabitants and members
of the Legislature secuted the idea.
The request for the militia had come
from New England green grocer,
who had not yet become aoclimated
10 the cowboy and his harmless
Fourth Of July antics in town.
What will the militia dor" de.
manded the legislators.
Shoot the cowboys n they mis-.
behave. order even at tho price Of
blood" replied tho erstwhile path.
finder. ,....
Then member from Yavapai
County read a letter from Captain
Dick" inviting the militia to come to
the southern part OF the territory.
There are members OF that leglsla-
ture who treasure, copy Of that
letter to this day. and challenge any
one to produce anything as funny
from Mark Twain or Bill Nye. Capt.
Dick proved his sense Of humor and
his cunning with the pen AZ well as
pistols. Several Of the legislators
favored sending the militia Just so as
TO give Capt Dick a chance TO write
the militia, epitaDhs, which was the
boon he asked for bestowing the hos.
Dltality OF the cowboys
Several years ago II number OF COW
boys rode into Prescott aud. after
Tightening all the barkeepers Of the
saloons into comOtose condition.
breaking glassware and practicing
fancy shots, they remounted their
horses and rode through the town
Wildly shooting ut the clouds.
a posse OF citizens was formed. and
q mile or two out OF town they over
took the hilarious cowboys, killing
one Of them and wounding several
T..