Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-06-02

/
J. SUCCESSFULLY failed us. Condition
l grew steadily worse. Disdain for Il
o law and its officers increased. As Il
10 active executive head OF the tow
d government, I was the recipient {
ribicule and abuse. Threatening le
: ters were sent nae anonymously. Th
+, blinds protecting my office window
5 were torn and broken. My bushes
. associate. Capt. Shane, an ex.Keu
tucky Union officer. fearlessl
| resolute man-was particularly out
} ragged by slurs and threats presum
ably emanating from those who ha,
been "on the other side."
Growing cowboy insolence was OK
hibited in various ways-some lu
dicrous and laughable. The postet
ordinances were viewed with q mix
ture Of awe and curiosity at the out
set. Gradually their significance and
purpose were comprehended. Finally
failure otherwise to enforce order was
contemptiously and concretely cele.
brated by the cowboy horsemen tax.
ing shots at the abortive firearms
ordinance as they galloped by, until
the City Fathers themselves could
not retrace the lineaments OF this
municipal offspring.
OF course we had to provide Gala
boose. A central site was chosen and
we began to build Of stone. When
the walls were nearly up, the cow
boys made raid and tore it down.
By the aid Of guard day and night,
we repaired it and bolted on the roof.
The first occupant was a colored boy
cook from one Of the cattle camps up
on Mud Creek, eight or ten miles out.
He was disorderly, firing off bis pistol,
etc. His camp companions, learning
OF this affront, rushed to town, fright
ened away the marshal-or marshals,
perhaps-blew off the Jail lock, opened
the door and freed their greatly
wronged prisoner friend. The band,
pretendingly outraged by such official
pusillanimity and insult, then direct
ed the business houses to close-in
some instances enforcing the mandate
by mounted invasion Of the premises.
This laudable performance accom-.
plished, the squad, yelling and shoot
ing their pistols in the air, rode past
the little office on Buckeye, opposite
the present site OF the Union Pacific
hotel, occupied by Capt. Shane and
myself, and on to the Stock Yards
half mile east. We hurriedly
gathered an armed posse Of citizens at
,ur office, and awaited the expected
'eturn Of the outlaws, fully deter
mined to call their halt. Fortunately
hey took another route to camp. 1
We then mounted horses and started I
ut to capture the gang. Word OF
ur purpose was sent ahead by some I
onfederate, but we brought back q
everal OF them. The negro cook and '
he ring-leader escaped and never re- |
ppeAred in Abilene. The PROPOSE Ii
ion to hang our captives was finally q
oted down. s
The episode, however, was soon il
'rgotten and disorder resumed away. o
uccebsive marshals we're tried, failed, a
nd in turn resigned. The Chief Of
olice Of St. Louis was implored to n
and us couple Of men competent to n
ome and run the town for US. In I
w days they appeared, vouched for "
} fill our order. Their identity and al
ission we're soon known over town. d.
very device lawless deviltry could oI
'ntrive was let loose that day. The a
ace OF 'tenderfeet,' without tender tc
6 their farewell compliments, took P
10 return midnight train for Mis- "
uri! fl
1t was become evident by this time in
at neither the home-brand or the pl
ported eastern article was adapted th
our stress. We had been foiled by th
r prerequisite standards Of moral th
d personal worth demanded. Our ST.
imal instincts, instead OF turning Of
e other cheek, etc., etc." now pr
sved a couple Of eyes fer one eye, bu
7eral teeth for one tooth. We nj
ngered for someone who could, to so
raphrass Q rule David HArum Sn
lics." do to others what was doing rel
US and to so that first. Therefore be
tired Tom Smith to come. Sn
I was one Saturday morning late Of
May 1870, that Smith reappesred col
my office. related briefly the wh