The Yale expositor., 1900-06-08
WILD DAYS IN KANSAS
TOWN WHERE .iEN DIED WITH
BOOTS ON.
For More Than Tive Years Hays City
Was Ruled by tho Gun and Scores
of Lives Were Wiped Out-wiId Bin
Hickok.

The recent decision of Congress 10
give old Fort Hays to the state Of
Kansas for use as a branch of the
State Agricultural College has started
a food of "reminiscences about the
town of Hays City, which sprung up to
the north under the protection OF the
garrison.
Hays City started with the building
of the first trans-coztlnental railroad
across the plains. All the border ctar-
acters who had followed the constIuc-
ton OF the railroad westward went to
Hays City. then known as Fort Hays
There was neither law nor order there
for two years and half after the
town sprang up.
ThSre were murderers by the score
in Hays City. Wild Bill Hickok was
the boss killer in Hays City. He boast-
ed that he had killed II white men fl
his day. Over in sun-baked ceme-
terry on a side hill, west of Hays CitJ,
lie all who died in the town until 1886
There are about 240 graves, and near
ly 80 of them were filled by tragedies
of some sort.
Only slight provocation was needle
for murder. The Empire Hotel, 4
frame structure with few hunks anil
much room for a saloon and gambling,
was the scene of a sample shooting
affair. One day in December, 1873 a
gambler named Lewis. from Chicago,
had a dispute with the bartender, jim
Daily, about how rich was friend of
theirs in a dance hall down the street.
Lewis ran to the door, and, turning,
drew his revolver and fired at Daily.
TIE latter snatched a pistol from be-
hind the bar and returned the ire.
This was kept up until both men hAd
emptied their pistols, and then DAILY,
being mortally wounded, went to he
back of the saloon, laid himself out
upon the billiard table and died. Wbi'e
the shooting was going on a little
stage driver named Freeland decided
to take hand in the fighting. tits
only weapon was a sngle-barrelcd,
muzzle-loading pistol. Taking this in
his hand, he rushed up behind Lewis,
and, at the distance OF only few
yards, shot him squarely between tie
shoulders. Then, without waiting TO
see the result of his shot, he dropped
the weapon and fed.
Lewis, who happened to be wearing
heavy overcoat, did not even know
that he had been hit, and continued
his main fight as If nothing had hap
pened. When about mile from town
the fleeing Freeland met some men
and reported that he had killed Lewis.
Then he continued his flight, and from
that day to this no human being is
known to have seen him alive or dead.
No story Of the exciting days in
early Hays City is complete without
something about James William He
kok, better known as Wild Bill. He
was a notorious desperate and man
killer, and on that score was hired to
keep order as city marshal in Hays
City. When a salary of 5000 a month
was offered him he put on a silver
star and took two huge loaded revolv-
ers and started out on his new duties.
His revolvers were very heavy, and
his favorite way of using them was
by clubbing. Grasping the handles, he
would pound an obstreperous cowboy
into insensibility with the utmost
ease. He never let up for a moment in
his endeavor to keep order. His treat
ment of his old companions among
the cow punchers and saloon men
made him many enemies, and they. de-
clared they would have his life. He
never walked on the sidewalk, know
ing there might be an armed foe lurk-
ing for him. His bitterest foe was
Philip Cole, who declared he would
shoot him on sight. One day Hickok
stood in front of the Daisy saloon.
Cole came UP the street and neared
the sidewalk. There was shot fired
at the marshal, whether by Cole or
some cowboys nearby will never be
known, but in an instant Wild Bill
drew both his revolvers and placed
two bullets in Coles breast. The
holes where they entered were not
two inches apart, although the men
were twenty feet from each other. The
shooting emptied the neighboring sa-
looms and 100 or more men were on
the spot in a moment Hickok or
dered them to dispense and be quick
about it, and they dispersed. Before
the bystanders had fallen back far
Mike Williams, who had heard the
shooting, came running up from an
other part of the town. Either Wild
Bill did not recognize him. or thought
that Williams had turned against him.
for, with the same unerring aim that
he had just exhibited, he leveled 10th
revolvers again and two more bullets
found their mark. Williams sank,
| bleeding, to the ground.