Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1902-08-29

4 d = 2 3H o.
large, fine military looking gentleman
alghted from the old Sioux City 4
Yankton stage at the st. Charles no.
tel in YsnktOn and registered as E. S.
McC Cook, Washington. Next morning
before the writer had finished his
breakfast, VIC. Brown, now Of the
Hurley Herald, came to the home Of
the writer on Broadway, and informed
him that q general or some other high
toned military officer was at the Da-
kotian ofice waiting to zee US. We
were soon at the ofiice, and the dis
tinguished looking stranger introduc-
led himself as the new secretary Of the
territory; and that was our first meet
ing with Gen. Edwin Stanton McC Cook,
who became famous as secretary and
acting governor OF the young terri
tory, and who was afterwards killed
by banker p. P. Wintermute, in the
fall Of 1873, at q railroad meeting in
the United States court room, in q
building that now forms the north
wing Of the Pierce hotel in Yankton.
No man ever came into the terri
tory with q more brilliant future
ahead Of him than Gen. McC0Ok, but
he was q man to make friends and en-
emies very fast, and his determination
to become a leader, or rather a 'boss, !"
led him into many unnecessary wran-
giles and fights, which disheartened
his friends and encouraged his enc
mics. He was q noble hearted man
with all his faults but his lack Of judg-
ment and . domineering disposition
convinced his friends that his days as
a territorial Official would be short.
1t was through the influence Of DR..
Burleigh that he was appointed secre-
tary to relieve Col. Alexander Bachel-
dor, son-in-law Of Vice. President Ham
lin, who had become a total wreck
through too close application to the
flowing bowl. Bachelors record
was cloudy. He went to Washington
and died unrccOgnized and disOwned
by Vice-President Hamlin, who was
a senator at the time.
Gen. McCook came with q good army
record behind him and q brilliant fu-
ture before him had he been discreet
and level headed, but he possessed nei-
ther qualification and jumped into the
midst Of territorial politics and trou-
BILE, determined that q McCook Of the
fighting McCOoks," " should be q lead
er II not q s'boss." The determination
resulted In his undoing and in his
tragic death. He broke faith with
DR.. Burleigh and x-Governor Faulk,
his staunchest friends, and in fact de-
serted those who stood ready to guide
him Alright and keep him out Of sea
Of trouble that he seemed determined
to enter upon. He was guided by
self-interest and q hot head, and Yank-
ton in those days was no place for such
a man.
Yankton had many able, ambitious
gentlemen who were anxious to serve
the people in congress as delegates,
and the spirit of rivalry was keen and
often bitter. The contending spirits
Of the republican party marched under
two banners rival factions, known as
the Broadway faction and the Capitol
street faction, and the leaders Of both
factions were mostly government and
OflcialA
The famous campaign Of 1870, which
in q democratic victory and
the election of NJ. X. Armstrong, was
largely due to the federal Official Capt.
tOl street wing which was bitterly Op-
posed to DR.. Burleigh, who was nom-
mated over s. Z. Sphinx for delegate.
The split Of 1870 was wider in 1872,
and had grown in bitterness until the
factions got beyond where reconcilia-