Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-05-30
ABILENE WEEKLY REFLECTOR ABILENE KANSAS MAY 80 l90-WEL PAGES

= contract from the Kansas Paciii
8 that he was to have one-eighth Of q
$ their Abilene receipts for cattle ship
q ments for term Of years, and ha
: worked the cattle trade to that lone
: some little station. Theodore c
Henry, afterwards wheat king il
: Kansas and capitalist and promote
in Colorado, with the other villag,
trustees had inaugurated reign o
} law-and order, but this happy condi
ton was terminated by the killing o.
Marshal Tom Smith, Their gallant
champion, who had gone into the
country to arrest a couple Of cattle
rustlers, and was shot and chopped
to death. Then riot ruled again.
Mccoy became mayor and sent for
Hickok, who came to Abilene at $l75
a month as marshal. There he was
destined to kill his last man and
close the aggressive side Of his career
of justifable homicide.
Abilene's friends still fondly insist
that in its Texas cattle days it was
the wickedest town on earth. Lo.
Gated just off the long trail that led
from their Southern homes, across
the Indian Territory and the Arkan.
sas,'the cowboys sought it to enliven
the enforced monotony OF that long
and dusty journey. The song Of the
siren, the click Of the little blue
chips, the white apron Of the bar.
keeper, the flying heels Of the short
gowned ladies in the theatre fur.
nished ready entertainment, which
was, however, insufficient for those
convivial spirits who ran the town
without limit, Drinking, gaming,
shooting through the houses, they
gave themselves up to fantastic
delirium OF recklessness. Young
men OF ambitious minds, filled up
with raw whiskey, rode through
town firing at anything their excite
ment suggested. Reckless drovers
and more reckless cyprians revelled
night and day in the dance halls.
This village Of less than 1000 per-
manert inhabitants licensed thirty
two saloonsin one month, twenty Of
them within the brief limits Of a
single block. Frequently there were
5000 visitors within its hospitable
doors. A man counted $500 in the
saloons and stores in one block at one
time in the afternoon. The cowboys
crowded the Alamo and listened with
ears to the music which the Italian
and his wife picked out Of the violin
and piano on the platform in the
corner. At Tom Downey's the bowl.
ing alley was occupied day and night.
The billiard tables Of the Old-fruit
were always busy. Great stacks Of
coin were piled invitingly on the
little round gaming tables in the
Applejack. They filled the Bulls
Head and bucked its faro banks with
alacrity and success. The Novelty
Theatre gave an entertainment
which lasted longer and made more
noise than any vaudeville in New
York.
People came to Abilene from all
parts OF the known world, from Chi.
cago to the Rio Grande, The build.
ings were one-story high, Of wood,
and with elevated fronts giving the
effect Of two-story houses. Great
stocks OF goods were on sale. and
California fruits crowded the market.
Little bootblacks came from Kansas
City to get their hands in the hatful
Of money. Rows were Of daily, Of
momentary occurrence. A late ar
rival stood in the door Of a barber
shop and watched a cowboy go by.
The "bad man" disliked the atten.
ton, and shot the stranger in the
stomach, to "learn him a little good |
manners" be said. The stranger
seemed surprised, but got we'll. In
the American House one night seven
teen.year-old "Arkansaw" fired
through wooden partition. and
killed man be never saw, because
this neighbor snored. Those were
good old days!
Trn mn Cnury rrnUp I