The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-03-24
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EDITOR OF THE ToMAHAVK.


The title of his newspaper was fero-
sious, but not he OF all the editors
hat pabiished west of the Red River
in the boom" days he was the mildost
and most sedate in appearance. lie
sometimes looked q in age; no on
took him for %. and in truth he was
2s Raised and educated in an Iowa
printing office, a touring typesettef
for a number of years, he suddenly de-
sired a paper of his own. A clean
name with his fellows. joined to the
few hundred dollars he had saved, Sc
cured for him plant and he trans
ported this by rail and wagon into the
grass country, and because where he
located the Sioux had once ruled he
called his paper the Tomahawk. &C
was a good newspaper. Typograph
ically it could not have been improved
upon every local doing was to be
found in its columns, and the editorial
page was fresh with homely and clean
IL comments on the news of the day
He set no moral standard for the COM
munity in which he lived; he INDUCED
In no lengthy dissertations as to what
the people should or should not do.
He conducted his paper for the news.
and If through his retiring disposition
he did not make warm friends he
nevertheless held the respect Of every
body. That he would fight, resent an
attack, make trouble if trod upon no
one ever dreamed. He was too quiet.
One day in his search for news he
chanced to learn that the Washington
Merchandise company was quietly sell
ing liquor to the Indians The kEowl-
edge aggravated him. The company
was the one big trading center Of the
region. 1t had a main store and TWEEN
ty or thirty branches scattered over 300
miles Of country. 1t was owned by
eastern spectators and managed by
local agents. That they should permit
whisky to be sold to the aborigines
seemed extraordinarily outrageous tc
the editor.
He thought it over and then wrote q
letter to the president OF the company
briefly recitlng what he knew and sug
gesting that a stop be put to the sale,
that it might precipitate an Indian out
break, and anyway, it is a violation o
national law which the corporation
opsht not to permit Hn received Il
s. reply curt letter requesting him in Sc
many words to mind mis- own affairs
The next issue of his paper bristlel
with an exposure of what the merchan
disc company was doing. He inyesu
gated so thoroughly that the govern
ment finally acted, and in the end tn
company ceased the sale of whisky al
together. It was a signal victory 70
the Tomahawk.
But the same day that the compan,
surrendered, it's manager, at San
Bluff wrote to the editor Of the Toma
hawk:
81 shall reach your town Monday
If you are still in the country ! shaI
kill you"
The editor opened the letter read
most carefully, laid it down and sal
half to himself and half TO the pres
beside him,
ITS two days from Monday"
Then he picked up another lette
forgot the first and eagerly read:
you wish me TO come West an
Take up life with you. agree wit
you that we have waited long encugl
/ am tired working for others, but al
ready to work for and with you b
the time this reaches you I shall be q
K the way. I will reach sou Mondo
"A noon If the stage is On tine. J unde
stand have to take a stage from San
Bluff, but shall enjoy the experience
It is agreeable TO me that we should
married as soon as arrive"
The editor smiled from ear 10 ea
He walked to the rear of his shack ar
looked at room he had been propa
ing for months for this very coming
his girl The only carpet IN town wi
on the floor of this room, her pictu
was over the dresser; white curtail
hid the windows; little hnickknacl
4 had been placed just about as the ave
age man would locate them.
well" SAID the editor. Il may
dead Monday, but she's coming, 81
this is har room"
He was most quiet the rest Of q
day aud the day following. He told
one Of the contents OF the two lette
be bad received Only he satisf
himself n the Sand Blud stage was