Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-09-11
AS IT USED TO Be
IN DAKOTA

the hopes and longings OF lifetime
suddenly taking on form and sub.
stance, and all creation tremendously
responding TO youthful heart throbs?
1t was with something OF this sen.
sation that, at the age OF H. looked
from my bedroom window in the N
hotel, at Pierre, S. d., back in the
sos, and beheld the lfeless form OF
a man suspended from the top OF a
hagpole.
Yes, things really happened on the
outskirts OF the Sioux reservation.
Here was no longer a dreary grind Of
grammar and Biographies, with organ
lied society. especially the severe.
faced school mistress, perpetually
challenging and thwarting boys
right to life, dime novels and truant
hshing excursions
And on this very day, aye, within
two hours, was to penetrate the
great reservation itself, striking OF
across the trail in the Deadwood stage.
The lifeless form suspended from
the nagpole, as ! soon learned, was
that OF lawyer named Bell, who
some weeks previous had had a mis-.
understanding with a fellow attorney
from Blunt.
Bell finally had written to the man
from Blunt: Meet me tomorrow at
noon, half way between Pierre and
Blunt, and we will amicably discuss
and settle our differences"
The next day after the forwarding
OF this peaceful missive the lawyer
from Pierre and the lawyer from Blunt
had each set out toward the appointed
trysting place. Bell. It seems, took
with him an axe and a spade. The
discussion was advanced on his side
with the AK, and he settled the mat.
ter, so far as he could, by burying
with the spade, the body OF his oppon.
ent, and with 1t his own blood.stained
oyercoat.
The oyercoat, discovered with the
body after a dlligent search. disclosed
the horrible secret to the searchers
for Blunt. The dead lawyer was
popular fayorite In his town, and by
night every available blackboard and
saddle horse had been requlsitloned In
the cause OF summary justice.
So quietly did the Blunt delegation
do its work that It was not till broad
daylight that Bells body was dlscov-
cred by his fellow citizens hanging
from the fagpole in the center of the
town, where had seen It from the
hotel window
From this sudden foretaste OF real
adventure ! was soon brought q earth.
Boylike, | had spent all but rs cents
OF my travelling money. had my
stage ticket, but my hotel bill was
$3.50, and ! learned that every meal
OF bacon and potatoes at the stage
station would cost 81. appealed to
the first man ] met, who happened to |
be a former postmaster at Custer. !
When told him my brother was cash. !
Ter OF bank In the Hills and gave
him my name. he said: "Oh, that's all |
right. III give you the money and
draw on your brother for It," And |
with that, without further question.
ing, he put me In funds.
The trip across the reservation was
long and tedious. Finally even the |
prairie dog towns and the passing In.
dians lost their interest. At this junc. |
ture We met a blackboard, driven by a .
tall, powerful looking fellow in a white |
sombrero, chaps and all the rest of |
the typical frontier makeup. He was
greeted in cordial fashion by both the .
stage driver and the Wells.Fargo ex.
press messenger,
II was Bill Souter. the first sheriff
OF Meade county, recently seeded
from Lawrence county, and created
into a self-taxing and self.governing
bailiwick, with "Scooptown" as its
seat Of government, in the face of bit.
ter and contemptuous opposition from
the good taxpayers OF Deadwood.
B'll was looking for soldier from
Fort Meade who had secured his dis.
charge, drawn his pay and skipped
without paying his bills at Scoop
town"
When Bill was told who the kid"
was he promptly invited me to come
with him in the blackboard.
'I'll beat the stage into the hills by
eight hours" he said, and you'll be
a burned sight more comfortable"
Attracted partly by this promised
of the Journey. but more.
as believe, by the romantic fasclna
tion Of Bill's presence | promptly ac .
cepted the invitation.
Bill had not yet secured his man.
but he had learned his whereabouts
and we came upon him at the very
next stage station. The man was
standing in front Of the station as we
drove up Bill laid short smooth.
bore gun across my knees and asked 7
me to hold II while he got out and
interviewed him. The interview was
brief and to the point Bill whipped a
out his two large six.shooters. poked ',
them in the ex.solder's face. and told "
him he had come to collect a few bills
FOR some people in "Scooptown"
There was not shadow of a criminal
charge against the man and accord !,
ing To eastern codes. no ground what