Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-05-19

and most notorious Of all the
Abilene toughs, q man who would
shoot at the drop Of the hat. This
COW boy had driven the other marshals
of the streets, and Smith knew 1t.
But Smith walked up to the noisy and
cursing fellow and said:
"Gve me your gun, sir"
The cowboy looked at Smith for
second.
"Who are you," he asked Of Smith.
Smiths steel gray eyes looked
steadily into those Of the cowboy, who
turned aside and saw q score Of his
friends standing about. Confident Of
help II he needed it, he stepped to-
ward Smith. The cowboy got within
arms length Of the young marshal.
and then quickly drew a pistol. Be-
fore be could elevate 1t Smith struck
him squarely in the face with his
great fist and the riotous Texan rolled
over and over In the dust. Both the
cowboy and the cowboys friends
were completely astonished. The
worst man 10 Kansas had been foored
by stranger who called himself the
new marshal.
The cowboy started to get up. He
saw that Smith had no pistol and no
arose cursing as iuriously as he knew
how. But before he could reach for
his gun, which had been knocked
from his hand, Smith grabbed 1t and
then turned in and gave that cowboy
the worst whipping any man ever got
in the state Of Kansas. When he had
done this he turned the cowboy around
and commanded him to leave Abilene
and never to allow himself to be seen
there again.
This action had q splendid effect
upon the other cowboys. Smith
turned to them and before he could
make the request they surrendered
their arms to him.
From that day forward mot one OF
those cowboys ever gave the citizens
of Abilene any trouble. Thus began
the reign Of law in what had beeh the
, most lawless place In the country.
After that the cowboys proudest boast
was that they were the friends OF and
were favorably regarded by Thomas
j. Smith.
But there was another element in
Abilene with which Smith had to deal.
The proprietors OF the gambling joints
and saloons knew he would sorely al.
feet their business. Because Of this
belief several men conspired to kill
the young marshal. They planned
to get him into house, to turn out
the lights, and shoot him. They did
get him into house and the lights
were turned out, but no sooner had
the shooting begun than Smith, too
opened fire. The battle ended In
about minute, after thirty shots had
been fred, Smith got away unhurt.
That was the only occasion upon
which Smith ever lost his temper,
aud he surely did on that time. He
came to my Office the next day and
swore he would kill at sight the man
who he knew was the leader In the
conspiracy. But, as it turned out
that man was not again seen In abb
lepe. Smith was q veritable devil
when aroused, but it required q great
deal to arouse him. He was q per-
|, feet master Of himself. He could
control hi mseIf wherever he might be
or In whatever danger. he had been
the marshal at Echo Canyon, Kit Car
son and few camps Of that kind and
be was thoroughly trained.
Smith was not In Abilene long be-
fore be was killed, but he was there
0 long enough to transform the place
, from the widest and NEST wicked in
q the United States to one where man
/, could live and feel that his life and
=, bis property were secure.
In the fall Of 1870 Smith and q
!. deputy were out into the country
= to arrest q couple Of settlers who had
shot a neighbOriug ranchmAn. The
q two settlers showed fight As Smith and
It tho deputy approached the ranch, and
Il the latter showed the white feather
Il and ran away, leaving Smith alone to
% deal with the settlers. During the