CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1907-04-11
IAN HlCKLIN WAS A
GREAT STORY TELLER

In ga of last century, Zan Hicklen
was sole proprietor of the Green Horn
ranch, down along the Green Horn
range. He possessed this ranch and
stream by marrying Governor Bent's
daughter The grant was eight miles
in length and six in width. Zan Hick-
len lives near the west and upper line
of the grant, and at the crossing of
the Green Horn creek. Hicklen was
known by every freighter and soldier
in the west.
l think Zan Hicklen, when l first
saw him in 90, was about 60 years
old Zan was Missourian, of light
complexion and peculiar in his ways
of living. Hicklen was known for his
hospitality, his great dish of warm
corn cakes, and his never failing
stories are remembered to this day by
every recipient of that day. Zan, as
he was commonly called, wore large
long growth of unkempt whiskers of
pale yellow and well frazzled; they
reminded one of a thrifty growth of
bee-weed turned upside down and
shorn of all its verdure by the blast
of the late autumn.
Fan Hicklen never smiled or laugh
ed He would sit for half hour or
half day and tell stories to good
listeners. People of all social con-
ditions would listen to his yarns and
pay strict attention and / have noticed
that there was never any criticism
made by the listener as to the merit
or demerit of the Hicklen yarns.
| was one of four soldiers sub
poenaed as witness in a case of the
Territory OF Colorado versus SOL
dier of my company, for shooting
Mexican at Conejos in the fall of '63,
so on the 4th day of June the summer
of "a myself and comrades saddled
our horses and started. From Run
ming Creek, thirty-five miles south of
Denver, to Zan Hicklen's, was about
l20 miles, and we made it in three
days. We willingly would have ridden
to San Antonio. Texas, or Los An
geles, Cal. to give evidence, for We
knew our comrade was utterly inno-
cent of the crime.
At Hicklens we learned that court
had adjourned at Conejos and the case
would be tried in Pueblo, SO we made
contract with Zan to clean his corn
and potatoes for our board. The
fourth day after our arrival at Zan's,
Judge Bradford and the legal four, as
they were called, Stone, Hinsdale,
General Brown and John Waldron,
stopped for dinner.
Judge Bradford was an able iurist
There was no court house at Pueblo
in that day and the judge would hold
court in church.
One day burly Missourian walked
into, as he thought, religious meet
ing Hinsdale and Waldron were
wrangling over a ruling by the court.
After some minutes the stranger arose,
laid off his coat, and declared with
emphasis that he would not see that
old preacher abused any longer. A
arm and called him to the sidewalk
and down the street TO Calls saloon.
The deputy treated the stranger to
drink and cigar.
Said the deputy sheriff: My friend,
anything you might say or do up
there would be out of place; that is
not an old preacher as you suppose,
but Judge Bradford. He is holding
court He is much loved and admired
for his judicial merit by the people of
this territory of Colorado. His red
moist eye and female voice are just
as natural as the bald head upon his
shoulders" The Misourian thanked
him for the Information and matters
went on quietly. John Waldren was
the most withering to the many hard
cases he prosecuted in that day. 1t
was told that on one occasion he was
representing the terrible hardness of
hard case to the jury. when the ac-
cused murderer arose, pale and trem-
bling He begged of the jury verdict
when You Make a DenoSit