Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-06-02
ABILENE HONORED
A FRONTIER HERO
CONTINUED from iirst page.l

E1nAlly tuoy UooAV /.
,hsra the crowd attracted gathered
surrounding them. In the center
Frank came to q stand facing smith
To his courteous but firm demand
Frank exploded an insulting oa'n
and vile epithet. Quick as a hss so
Smith vaulted and with terfln'
double blow sent his antagonist prone
to the floor, and with the unbslted
pistol vigorously belabored the brute %
body. Then standing him. said' -
give you Ave minutes to get out o.
tbis town, and don't you ever again
let me set eyes on you" The la'en.
demon in Smith blazed defiance, and
every spectator saw why Tom smith nl
was leader in the bloody Bear River
Riotl !,
For an instant all stood dazed and
speechless, whereupon the saloon
proprietor stepped from behind the
bar and said to Smith. "Ihat was
tho nerviest act / ever saw" You
did your duty and that coward got
what he deserved. Here Is my gun
! reckon I'll mot need it SO long as
- Lat
YOU are Marshal Of this town" Inat
was a signal. Everyone pushed Tor,
ward proffering Smith pistols ana
overwhelming him with q pr0iusion
Of compliments, expressions OF I'D.
miration, etc. He quietly thanked
them and said. "hand your guns 70
the bartender to keep until you want
to 90 out to camp" From that
moment Tom Smith was master
The cowboys. as tribute TO MS
marvellous nerve and gentlemanly
aelf.command, were his allied and
loyal friends. No guns thereafter
were openly worn on the streets OF
Abilene; nor was Smith ever again
publically affronted. OF course there
were drunkenness and quarreling;
dens Of iniquity flourished; some
murders even occurred; but his TACT
courage and good judgment were
always adequate to minimize con-
sequences, and without resistance
Smith was alike popular with mer'
chants, gamblers, citizens and saloon
keepers. In q short time he ruled
practically without oversight
Then, as was related by Mr. SIAM
bsuph came the killing Of Smith BY
Mcconnell and Miles when Smith
tried to arrest the former for the
murder OF John Shea.
The members OF the Town Govern
ment convened the next morning and
adopted resolutions Of esteem for our
valued citizen, esteemed friend and
brave executive officer, Thomas j.
Smith"
The day after, the public funeral
took place. Business was entirely
suspended. Every manifestation OF
profound grief was exhibited. Slow.
ly the long concourse Of citizens led
by .Silverheels,' Smiths favorite sad
die horse followed the remains to the
spot which this occasion consecrates.
MIR. Henry told some things about
Smltn's history:
He was on the police force OF New
York. / have shadowy details OF his
wanderings over Utah and Nevada
Thence back to Iowa with wagon
trains. hauling railroad material west
ward. Next, out on frontier Nebraska
and employed in various capacities
following the Union Pacific construc-
ton. What world Of experience
such rugged schooling brought himl
Finally, and automatically, he was
engaged with large contracting firm
whose headquarters in 1868 were Of
Bear River, Wyoming, where many
hundred employees were Congregated.
The business men there had organ
lied . "town" government, SO called,
adopted laws Of their own and ap-
pointed q marshal. Naturally, many
outlaws and desperate characters COL
lscted and crime and lawlessness
abounded.
A young man from Smiths camp,
his friend, merely disorderly under
the influence Of liquor, was placed In
iail where there were three others
who had just before garroted and rob-
bed coupled Of men In open day
l.. l. l. ~