, 1902-12-25

Honest, jovial Judge StilweiI! Who
in Cody or the Big Horn basin does not
know, or at least know of. this veteran
pioneer of the frontier? Among all
the so-called old timers" who have
made u home in tnis part of the coun-
try, Judge Stilwell stands as one OF the
most conspicuous and most loved OF
those fast disappearing characters who
stand as human links between saw
agery and civilization, living memoir
ials TO the long, hard fought struggle
between the white man and the red.
For four years, Cody has been FORUM
ate in numbering Judge Stilwel
among her honored citizens, and I'M
fortunate in the one regrettable fact
that the Judge is an invalid and con-
fined to his homo by intirmities when
so many frontier veterans suffer. ns the
price of patriotism and personal bra
very.
From earliest youth Judge Stilwell's
life was cast in the environment OF
Indians. His father was an Indian
agent in Iowa and b%roughta large band
OI SlpS anu u tuNhii w NN'S
where, in 1850, his son Jack" was
born. When only ID years of age Jack
shit the trail" for the unknown dan
gers of the far southwest. In Mexico
Arizona and Texas he slowly blazed hi
way to unconscious fame in the country
of the Comauche, Kiowa and Arapa-
hoe Indians. AS a government scout,
guide and interpreter, he was always
in demand of the army posts, and Fort
Sill, Fort Reno, Fort Elliot, Concho,
Davis and Stockton are places in the
route of his wide wauderings which
have often echoed to the stories OF his
intrepid exploits, stories, however,
always told by some other than this
modest border hero.
When the dove of peace began to
hover over the wilder country, the
Judge settled down in Oklahoma, as
soon as il was opened for settlement,
and TOR several years was police Judge
AT III Reno. President CLEVELAND ap
pointed him United States court corn
missioner for the Commanche an
Kiowa reservation, Thy which he ac
quired the title of ''Judge,') with head
quarters at Anadarko.
One of the best known of the Judge'
exploits was his valiant rescue of hi:
comrades at the famous battle of the
Aricaree, in Kansas, in 1865. Beseiged
by 1000 Cheyennes, led by old Roman
Nose, with their ranks dessimated
by bullets AID starvation, the little
band reluctantly let Jack" Stilwell, u
lad of IS, start off for Fort Wallace, l2j
miles away, for re-inforcements. With
the skill of a veteran aud the courage
of u Spartan, he wormed his way
shrough the lines of the redskins, and.
weak from hunger and exposure, gain
ed the fort and started the relief party
for the ~beleagured garrison, whose pit,
liable n of half starved men wa:
snatched from the very portals o
death.
Thus early in life did a brave mar
FIND his name written on the scroll o
fame, which subsequent deeds only il
lumined the more.
AS an example of the hazardous ma
ture of Jack Stilwell's mission, on
incident of that perilous c~ross-countr
pilgrimage will suffice. He crawle,
gu, from camp through tho Indian line
surrounding Col. Forsyth's comman
and had made some 10 or 10 miles o
his way when daylight overlook hir
and he found himself right among tn
horses belonging to a big camp of In
dians. He was too close to get away
light as the day was getting TO be, an
the only thing he could do to save hi
life was to crawl into the old, dried-u
carcass of a buffalo that providentiall
happened to be within reach. Their
he stayed the entire day, until he coul
crawl away in the dark and %continu
his journey. While he was in the car
cass the Indians were continually pass
ing and repassing and sometimes the.
even sat down upon his shelter. Blu
into this range retreat came an un
expected enemy which threatened t.
end his closely guarded secret
A rattlesuake crawled into the plac'
and made known his intentions o
warming things up a bit. But, with
rare presence of mind and n prompt
tude born of long experience, Jack
took careful aim and emptied the con
tents of a mouthful OF tobacco full IL
the eyes OF the reptile, who %retreatet
in disgust and left him in undisputet
possession of his lair.
The Judge is one OF Col. Cody s fas
friends, and for u while he was with
him during the production of the Wilt
West.
AS an example of his Cry humor, the
following letter, written to Buffalo Bill