Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-04-07

to the war department and Gene
raj Pope ordered a change to the
present location. Then the build
ings that are still standing were
erected and the garrison felt easier.
HAYS City was then founded and
dnring the life of the fort the con
tests between the rough element OF
the town and that Of the fort were
frequent. There were always some
of the soldiers ready for trouble,
and they met their match ID the
cowboy and frontiermen Of the
town. Hays was the only town in
the county and was favorlte gath
erlng place for a class of men who
were following the advancing civil
ization of the plains. The first 8
sheriffs of the county died with
their boots on"
So thick we're the desperadoes
and so generally did the people
wipe them out of existence when
they felt in the mood that special
cem' terry was called Boot Hill, :"
in which were laid to rest those
" no died fighting, So ne were
buried under their real names
some were not, and no one knows
who were all the rs men J., ing there
under as many windswept grassy
mounds
Riots With the Soldiers
Not the least of the exciting
events that arc part Of the history
of Fort Hays vas that which oc-
cured IN 1869 and il known as the
raidIng OF the government stores,
rhis was the central point for sup
plying forts and stations for many
miles around and IN this year the
government had more stores than
conld be accommodated IN the
buildings OF the fort. Hence they
we're piled along the Union PaoI6c
track and covered with tarpaulins
as a protection from the weather.
Two watchmen were detailed to
gaurd tho stores and they relieved
each other at midnight One "i
these watchmea was John Hays,
and one night as he was on duty
be stepped scross the street to one
OF the 81 saloons to get drink
and see what time it was Just as
be was about to open the door 3
negro soldiers shot Hays dead.
They belonged to the 33th. infan-
try and had come to town to get
dunk, Then they went to bar
Der shop and several saloons,
broke the mirrors and chairs and
compelled the barber to seek the
root TOR safety This was only the
beginning, for in 1874 an outbreak
occurred consequent on the Hays
murder that was heard of as far
East as Washington, The fort
was then garrisoned with negro
regiment whe decided to avenge
the lynching of the three colored
soldiers One night soon after the
regiment had gotten we'll settled
in Its new quarters body of SOL
diers went down town to 'clean
out" the place The citizens heard
of it and determined to teach them
lesson once for all. And when
the soldiers retreated tc the tort 6
of them were left dead in the streets
and the bodies were thrown into a
dry we'll, This ended the trouble
between the fort and Hays City
Fort Hays troops took part in
the hnaI Indian raids of the frontier
The CheYennes who came down
from the northwest were met by
the soldiers of Fort Hays, Wallace
and Harker aud driven back. Sav
iHg the lives OF thousands of settlers
Gen, Geo. Forst the made his
famous fight on the upper Repub,
river after following Roman Nose
and his 1000 Redskins tor 70 miles,
Led into Trap. the soldiers were
surrounded for three days and
finally rescued by reinforcements
from the forts. They killed ten
Indians for every one of THEFT own
number that fell. A scare in the
IatteI U'S WHen Inc perpic as far
east as Topeka were afraid of beng
scaiped by the Indiane,
But now Kans IS has another
plan. 1t will take Fort Hays and
put several hundred Young men
and women here To be taught how
to instruct and how to farm.
The removal of FIT HAYS from
the map will be breaking Of ten
der ties for the old timers. Men,
like the late Colonel Inman. who
have had their busy days here,
hold the fort in pleasant memory,
The personal Histories OF many
men prominent in the history of
The state aud nation are wrapped
up In that of the fort and the deve
Iopement of the plains including
the building of the old Kansas
Pacific. owed much to the protec-|
ton that was afforded bf the troop
stationed here 1t will seem odd.
TO the old army leaders to see DO S
and girls on the porches of the old