Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-04-08


was not known. The
jury's verdict was that deceased came
to his death from a pistol shot through
the head and from blows inflicted on
the head by some blunt instrument.
No clue was developed as to the per-
petrators Of the deed.
BAD MEN-RY JACK CRAWFORD.
And Brave Mon, Too, Who Died With
Their Boots On.
Col. Jack Crawford has been writ
ing for the Chicago Inter-Ocean his
of some Of the brave men
and bad" men Of the plains genera
ton ago. He's a rich man now out In
Oregon and a good story teller, as his
narrative proves:
The notorious bad man" Of the
western frontier is becoming a rarity.
Along with the scout, the cowboy, the
stage driver and the pony express
rider the old-time brigands and des-
peradoes have almost disappeared.
Scores were killed in bloody battles
with frontiersmen, many died in terri
BILE feuds, others have been captured
and tanned by the stern lessons Of stone
walls and iron bars.
The passing Of the bad men" meant
much to those of us who blazed the
trails from the Missouri river to the
Pacific ocean, and all the early farers
in the wild west had their hardships,
and hair-raising expert
ences. All the men of those days OF
were rugged, keen, fearless
men, for 1t took q steadfast heart to
push forward in the face Of the dan
gers, and a fearless one to meet and
put down the relentless foes, both red
and white, that the trail-breakers met
One Of the bravest and coolest men
+ ever knew was the famous wild
Bill" whose name in the family Bible
Is written William Haycock. It is not
Hickock, as often seen spelled. knew
wild Bill' as we'll as ever knew any
one. We were together great deal
He was a powerfully built man, his
eye was like an eagles and he was alb.
fearless Of danger while per-
forming his duties as United States
marshal in the days Of the Kansas
Jayhawkers, and later in dealing with
the Indians and bad men on the from.
tier.
wild Bilr' was daring to an ex-
treme. He thought only Of his duty
and he fulfilled it always. He was hon.
est and tender hearted and have seer
him give up his last five-dollar bill to
aid some poor immigrant who was
BY this action he Otter
changed places with the sufferers.
One time wild Bilp' and myself
were riding along the trail from Sidney
to Deadwood through the buffalo
swales. It was a terrible country, in.
tested by a motley gang of cut throats
and all-round bad men. We rode or
until we came to a little dugout where
a man named Reddy Kelly kept a sa.
loon. 1t wasn't pretentious place
The roof was supported by a post ir
the middle Of the room; a simple rough
plank served as a bar.
A bucket Of water and one demijohr
of whisky composed the entire stock
in hand. Kelly himself was a pict-
uresque character, man Of Drawn
He wore a fiery beard and sleeve.
less red flannel shirt. We all knew
him very we'll and when wild Bill
and I rode up we tied our horses to g
small fir tree outside and went in tc
get drink.
I stepped in first and walked to the
opposite side Of the post supporting
the roof. wild Bill" stepped up te
the bar, leaned on his left elbow, and
began talking to Reddy Kelly.
All Of a sudden, as If he had leape6
through the floor a man jumped before
wild Bilr' without any warning. Ir
each hand he held revolver. He got
Bill and myself in line and neither OF
US dared move.
Hold up your hands," the fellow
shouted to Bill with a string Of oaths
which formed the dialect Of the bad
men Of those days. Il am going to kill
you, Bill"
Bill without a move. quietly looked
at the intruder, and then said to him:
"Why, my man, you do not want to kill
me in cold blood. Have you thought
about this matter? I don't know you
nor your reason for wanting to get me
out Of the way
WELL" said the stranger. "Pm 60
ing to kill you because you've strung
up too many Of our fellows, and now
it's your time, Bill"
The threat didn't feaze. the cool
headed marshal. He gazed steadfastly
into the other mans face and ther
said: THAT is too bad. never
thought Of that before, but I suppose II
is a necessary thing. And now you
want to put me out of the way"
yes, and I'm a-goin' to do it right,
growled the stranger. The muzzles Of
both revolvers were not eighteen inches
from Bills face, but he never flinched
I dared not move or the fellow would
have killed Bill before I could jump
aside and shoot. I saw the muscles OF
Bills neck grow taut, the cords stood
out in his neck and his feet seemed to
sink into the rough floor.
Bill gazed into the mans eye for q
minute and then gave a terrible war
whoop, throwing the mans attention
from his aim for an instant. He duck
ed his head a foot and like flash OF
lightning whipped out two great re-