Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-08-31

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Away up In the Pan-Handle-in
Hutchinson county--is a fertilization
or place for resisting attack called
Berts Fort. or Adobe Walls. The
scene Of an important fight with In.
dsans in the early days, It is also
one Of the most interesting struc.
lures OF the kind to be found In this
state. says the Dallas tTex.) News.
No oRe knows who built 1t. but sup
position Is that 1t was the Spaniards
who came through that section in the
very early days Of the white man in
the southwest. Adjt. Gen. Hatch. of
the United States army, who passed
through that country in 1S4S, says that
the walls then appeared old and
showed numerous signs of decay.
IN the early days Jot Gunter and
other surveyors who worked through
Hutchihson and adjoining counties.
based their field notes on the location
OF Berts Fort.
The place is situated on the north
side Of the Canadian river, in Hutch
inson county. In 1874 8 man named
Myers who had a store at Dodge
City, Kan, came across the plains
with others, and, striking Moores
creek ct the head, followed it down
TO the Canadian river, and thence on
down to Adobe Creek valley. Here
MyerE and one Charles Roth estab-
lIshed d store, stockade and saloon
combined for the purpose of supply
ing buffalo hunters with provisions
and ammunition. There were mil
Hons of buffalo. and they were slaugh-
tered by the herd. Fortunes were
made 81 the business and sduan-
on the night OF June 20 a Comanche
medicine IA gave a medicine
dance The Cheyennes. Kiowas and
Apaches were invited. When they
came he told them Of this store. Whis-
Ky and ammunition were to be found
there, he said. His medicine. he as
serted. would put as spell on all with
ID the place when the Indians at
tackled 1t. No resistance would be
offered. The attacking party might
knock the white men in the head at
their leisure. They could get plenty
OF good whisky and ammunition, and
shoot the big guns until they were
tired.
Some OF the older warriors were
q little suspicious about the power
or bis medicine. However. they agreed
to make the attack. Five hundred
picked men set out to- accomplish
what was called 'the easy task"
Within the walls OF the fort at
the tirne were some famous from.
tiersmeri. Among them we're Bat
MAstesson, known from the Atlantic
10 the Pacific. the Shadley brothers.
Myers, william Langdon. Charles
a6Keefe- CHARLES Roth. Joseph Lang.
don. BILLY Dixon and John Clinton.
WHO d. now city marshal of Abilene.
Tex, and others. making 28 in all.
An hour or two before daybreak on
tie mofning, OF June "a a remarkable
tling occurred. The occupants Of the
saloon we're aroused by the cracking
OF the cottonwood log which served as
ridgepole for the building. II soon
after fell in on them. and they called
OH some OF the buffalo hunters to, as
sist III making repairs. Some little
time was required to cut a post and
place 1t In position. SO they did not
70 bach to bed. Among these was
Billy Dixon. At that time he had
q camp on Dixon creek in Hutchinson
county, and the place bears his name
tt this day.
One OF the hunters set out on foot
to drive up the horses. Dixon was
the first to discover the Indians. The
mar after the horses soon saw the
warriors. and came running back to
the building terrorized.
Giving their war whoop. the In
dians charged, firing rapidly as they
approached. They came so sudden
". and 50 near. that the hunters who
were asleep outside Of the building
barely had time to get within. The
two shAdiey brothers were caught and
killed. Billy Dixon. who had gone
ont to tie a favorite horse near by.
was one of the last to enter the house.
II waa at hts suggestion that the
doors were barricaded with sacks of
hour.
Made confident by the superiority OF
'mbers, the Indians, attempted to
ne place by storm. But they
Wy driven back by vol
v. we'll aimed, all day
1T p. m. Then the
the hills. They
and wounded with
rated that fully SO
fright. OF these Ii
n the field.
ers lost three men-the
,rothers, and M other
me | have been unable
il three got a frontiers
sraL They were buried in
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