The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-03-29

only the man OF many devices was
able TO become force in the strong
and strenuous life of those frontier
days While the siX-shooter was the
accepted instrument with which diff
ferenceS were settled the chief ac-
tors in these little affairs sometimes
resorted 20 Winchester rifles. bowie
knives, or shot guns, and at times
some very queer weapons were called
into use when it was impossible 10
use the old favorites.
In its palmy days DeadwoOd. IN
the Black Hills Of South Dakota,
was known all over the States As
the toughest town on earth and
well it deserved its name. 1t was
the boast of the town that every
morning before breakfast some man
died with his boots on'-and after
breakfast still others bit the dust.
Just about every instrument with
which a man could be killed had
seen service in this famous frontier
town, when one day practically
rew arrival showed the old-timers
a trick with new weapon that Is
day. and whenever some Of the early
citizens get together and commence
talking about the early days in Dead
wood, somebody is sure to spring the
story of Seth Bullock and his
Chinese stink-pOt. Bullock himself
stiil lives in Deadwood-in fact, he
Is United States Marshal for South
40 L.
tho Black Hills-but his UNIQUE
manner of capturing band OF
"todghs" without bloodshed has
been the admiration of many people
for Il quarter of a century.
Deadwood grew from single
miners cabin TO town of five thou
sand people in just three days. IL
was all because Of the great strike"
OF placer gold made down in Dead
wood gulch, and when the news
spread there was the biggest rush
ever known in the American gold
fields. Other towns were depopu-
lated in an hour-and Deadwood
grew like a mushroom.
Its new citizens were nor rhoicn.
No one inquired where man came
from and TO ask his name was almost
an insult which demanded bloodshed.
A great many of the miners had
come west for the good of their
health and wanted no questions ask
ed. Sufficient to say they were the
toughs of the earth-at least, most
Of them were.
Deadwood was n vast gambling
den in those days-although not
single roulette wheel turns now.
Dance-halls, saloons and gambling
dens constituted three-fourths of the
houses Among the tougher element
were men who gloried in the repH-
tation Of being killers and had
q number of deaths 10 their credit
IN time lawlessness became 50
general that same Of the better class
residents determined TO rid Dead
wood Of its very toughest citizens,
and vigilance committee was
formed. It was then decided that
Deadwood must have a sheriff.
y sheriff, in those days. meant
man who could draw his gun quicker
and shoot straighter than anyone
else in the camp. 1t also meant
man Of nerve who knew when 10
draw and when not tO-one who
could read in the eyes OF his oppon-
ent the psychological moment when
the other man decided TO reach for
his gun.
Just at that time Captain Seth
Bullock came 10 Deadwood. He came
from over in Montana, and be
brought with him the reputation OF
always attending TO his own business
and permitting no one else 10 attend
TO it for him. Bullock was known
as a man OF peace who would fight
like a tiger-cat whenever he had to
fight at all. And Bullock was made
marshal Of Deadwood first
peace officer that city ever boasted OF.
There were several gun-fghts be-
fore the "bad" element began 20
realize that when Bullock said,
"Come on, | want you, it was safer
TO go than to argue the matter Bull
lock got shot two or three times
in these fights, but they were not
bad wounds. On the other hand.
each of his opponents was buried W
in the cemetery on the side of the
hill
II happened tha. in the camp there
were three cronies bearing the nick
ncmes of Bad Bill" Curly" Des-
mond, and Scar Face" Wilson.
fney were the "baddest" OF the
bad" men, and they gloried in their
badness. They were partners in
everything, and II man fought one
OF them he had to fight the entire
trio. other rival bad men Nigh:
eipe each other out OF existence in
their scalousies, but these three ter
rors never by any chance fought
srong themselves
Finally, there came a time when
Sheriff Bullock wanted bad Bill"
and his two companions. They
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