The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1900-07-07
WILL IDA Us en- z. "a NSASI
TOWN WHERE MEN DIED WITH
BOOTS ON NJ.

For More Than Two Years Hays City
8 Was Ruled by tho Gun and scores
e Lives Were wiped Ont wild BIN
Hiekok. &., + I, h + xya.s II.
#5 The recent decision Of Congress to
giVeMold Fort Hays to the state of
Kansas for use ais a branch Of the
State Agricultural College has started
"a flood of "reminiscences about the \
town of Hays City, which sprung up to
the north under the protection Of the
garrison. sa1,. ..sl 81 / (
u Hays City started with the building
Of the first trans continental railroad
across the plains. All the border char
acters who had followed the construc-z
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.
There 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 in
his day. Over in sun-baked ceme-
terry on side hill, west of Hays City,
lie all who died in the town until 1880.
There are about 240 graves, and near
ly 80 of them were filled by tragedies
of some sort. ~.
Only slight provocation was needed
for murder. The Empire Hotel, a
frame structure with a few hunks and
much room for saloon and gambling,
was the scene of sample shooting
affair. One day in December, 1873, a
gambler named Lewis, from Chicago,
had dispute with the bartender, Jim
DAILY, about how rich was friend of
Lewis ran to the door, and, turning,
drew his revolver and fired at DAILY.
The latter snatched pistol from be-
hind the bar and returned the fire.
This was kept up until both men had
emptied their pistols, and then DAILY,
being mortally wounded, went to the
back of the saloon, laid himself out
upon the billiard table and died. While
the shooting was going on little
stage driver named Freeland decided
to take a hand in the fighting. His
only weapon, was a single
muzz]e-loading pistol. Taking this in
his hand, he rushed up behind Lewis,
and, at the distance of only few
yards, shot him squarely between the
shoulders. Then, without waiting to
see the result of his shot, he dropped
the weapon and fed.
Lewis, who happened to be wearing
a heavy overcoat, did not even know
that he had been hit, and continued
his main fight as if nothing had hap
pened. When about a 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 Hic-
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 month
was offered him he put on silver
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 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 Turk
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 reviewers 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 both
revolvers again and two more bullets
found their mark. Williams sank,
bleeding, to the ground. Wa X -. S $...