Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-09-13
THE NERVE OF A TENpERFooT.
consumptive Student Who Had no
Fear of Western Bad Mon.

L
ing Of Tom Horn, the scout, for mur-
der at Cheyenne. and the great amount
of nerve with which he was accredited"
said Gen. Andrew 8. Burt, at Fort
Myer recently, according to the Dem
yer Republican.
"The nerviest character Of this kind
that I ever knew was an eighteen
year old consumptive medical student
Of the name Of Finch, who came to
the Panhandle in the spring Of 1877
and worked as general utility boy
in one Of the cattle camps Of the Dris-
coll Brothers, then the cattle kings Of
Northern Texas and Indian Territory.
Finch had been advised by physi-
clans to leave school and take up an
outdoor life to arrest the disease Of
his lungs, and had determined to rough
1t in every sense Of the word in the
effort to restore his health. He was
little noticed at first, except that he
was always willing, cheerful chap,
ever ready to lend a helping hand at
anything from gathering buffalo chips
for the cook to rounding up a bunch
Of refractory cows. He soon develop
ed into an excellent broncho rider and
first class pistol shot-ammunition
for practice for the latter absorbing
the greater part Of his ten dollars
monthly pay.
Zone day Finch was out with two Of
the Driscoll camp boys with herd
near Red Clark's ranch on the Gina
ron, when they were set upon by half
dozen Of Dutch Henry's gang Of
cattle thieves. who tried to cut out
and run off a bunch of cows. A run
ming fire took place, and one OF
Finch's companions was killed and
the other wounded in the pistol arm,
not, however until one Of the thieves
had bitten the alkali and another had
been rendered helpless with bullet
in the thigh.
1.-THE remaining four, seeing no one
to oppose them but the KID started to
round up the entire herd. Here they
reckoned without good judgment.
Finch, who had been trying to stanch
the blood of his wounded companion,
raised his revolver when two Of the
men were within twenty feet Of him,
and as two quick reports rang out ov-
er the prairie both men dropped In
their tracks-one shot through the
heart and the other plum centre
through the forehead.
1.-THE firing had attracted the atten-
ton Of the herders Of another Drts-
coll camp some two miles away, who
hurried up to the scene Of action, and
the two unhurt thieves fed, taking
their wounded companion with them.
The next day the kid was promoted
to be a full-fiedged cowboy at twenty
dollars per month and grub"
"In September, 1877. the Cheyennes
and Arapahoes became troublesome
and raided isolated ranches, killed
struggling herders and stole cattle
along the Cimaron and Sweetwater
creeks. One hot sultry afternoon,
Finch, Powers and Dixon Of the Dris-
coll ranch, had charge Of about three
hundred cows grazing in the Cimaron
Valley, when. without note Of warn
ing some fifteen befeathered and war
painted Cheyennes descended upon the
herd with howls and a shower Of ar
rows. Dixon fell at the first volley,
but Powers and Finch reached their
ponies, cut the lariats and made a wild
break toward Camp Supply, military
post about fifteen miles to the south.
Finch rose up in his saddle and turn
ed to empty his revolver into the face
Of the oncoming savages, when an
iron barbed arrow buried itself to the
shaft in his thigh. He attempted first
to pull it out and then break 1t of, but
failed in both efforts, and rode into fort
with 1t dangling between him and the
saddle seat, when 1t was cut out by
the post surgeon.
"The Masterson brothers, Bat and
and Ed were holding up the law and
order end Of Dodge City and Ford
County-one as city marshal and the
other as county sheriff. There never
have been any nervier men on the
frontier. or any where else. for that
matter, than these same Mastersons,
and their. reputation for being quick
and straight shooters kept the lawless
element fairly in hand. Years after
ward when Dodge City had churches
and Sunday schools, Bat Masterson
was city marshal Of Tombstone, hold
ing in check the toughs Of the Arizona
mines.
"The Mastersons offered young
Finch a place as office deputy. Not
thinking he would have any duty 9TH
er than pertained to books and records
of the Office, he gladly accepted 1t at
$40 a month. One day Marshal Mas
terson came in the Office and said In
joking manner: Kid, go down to
Ham Bells saloon and arrest Texas
Jack and lock him up until he gets
SOBER
Now, Texas was half-breed Mex
lean, and one Of the toughest charact-
ers known in and about Dodge and
Hays cities. He had reputation as
| killer and when on a drunk always
tried to decorate the town a bright,
beautiful vermilion hue by shooting
out the street lights and lights in the
saloons. The marshal's order was CIV
en- In a spirit Of jest, for he had al
ready warned Jack to behave himself
or leave the town, and knew his order
would be obeyed unless Jack got
drunken than usual. But the Kid ac-
cepted the order as genuine and pre-