Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-17
COWBOY DAYS BANKING.
Kansas City Capitalist Tells Of Ex'
perience in Abilene.

sas City, began bis business career a
Abilene in 1878, by managing a banl
that handled cattle paper. At thai
time the Texans drove their herds al
the way from the Gulf coast to Abb
lene and sold them for shipment
east.
Mr.. Clarke had occasion recently
to tell of his first collection on money
lent on cattle for security. His part
ner at the time was William Nc.
Knight Of junction City. 1.-The very
first note that fell due after | went
into the banking business" he said,
Il remember as though it was only
this week. Columbus Carroll, who
has since been killed in Kansas City
borrowed $500 for sixty days and
Bennett Bros. signed as sureties. At
that time slept in the bank, armed
to be ready for robbers, and ate my
meals at the hotel. 1t was kept by q
Colonel Gore, who had been soldier
and was in no sense OF the word q
timid man.
"The morning CAROLS note be-
came due | went down to the hotel
for breakfast and soon heard that
there had been trouble. The colonel
had rule that no one could eat in
his dining room without wearing his
coat and it did not make any differ.
ence who the guest was he enforced
the rule. He had come into the din.
ing room that morning and found
Carroll and two cowboys in their
shirt sleeves at the table. He walked
up to them and ordered them to put
their coats on. Instantly six big
revolvers were pointed in his face.
Each cowboy had gun in each hand
trained on him. This circumstance
would embarrass most men, but the
hotel proprietor said: "Here, here
| don't want any blood split on this
new floor to stain it all up The re-
mark, under the circumstances,
struck CAROLS sense Of humor, so be
proposed that they 20 out on the
street to have their shooting ARRAY.
The colonel said that would be better
and they all started for the door. As
they went he reached for a shotgun
be had loaded with nails and slugs
and somebody slammed the door in
his face with Carroll and his cowboys
on the outside and colonel still in the
dining room. Friends hurried him
out of sight and when Carroll dis
covered what had been done he swore
he would find the hotelkeeper and
make him bit the dust.
she was pretty drunk already, but
he filled up worse and pretty soon he
was riding up and down the streets
with two huge guns in his saddle
holsters hunting for the colonel. |
could see that he didn't intend to call
at the bank and settle our little &C.
count and was very well satisfied
that it would not be an act OF pru-
dence for me to hail him and remind
him Of it. As the day wore on and
his condition became worse another
problem worried me. | ought to
protest the note if not paid that day,
but if | protested it expected him to
be hunting for me the next day. |
| had no time to spare from my bust
ness and no desire to try my ability
in shooting alfray, so ! was in a
really serious quandary. | spoke to
Mcknight about it. He said it ought
to be protested.
!" But said, tomorrow he will
be looking for me, but when A O'Clock
that afternoon came | had the note
60 to protest. The next morning in
came Carroll with an apology for neg.
Letting to pay us the day before. |
told him the note had been protested.
We'll, what's the damageP' he asked.
I'll pay it, So he paid the notary
fee and that was the end Of the affair.
"But | saw Carroll once when he
did not pay, He sold bunch Of cat
tie to Canadian who had New York
exchange for $4,000. Carroll wouldn't
take the paper, but came to the bank
with the Canadian to get the money.
| charged p per cent for taking it
and the question came up who was to
pay for the exchange. The Canadian
said Carroll should. Carroll simply
drew six.shooter and laid it on the
little table and said: No, you pay
the exchange The Canadian looked
at the weapon and said, Take it out