The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-04-04


was really wild" In every sense of |
the word, the resourceful man forged |
to the front and stayed there, and |
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 TO Winchester rifles, bowie
knives, or shot guns, and at times
some very queer weapons we're called
into use when 1t was impossible to
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
we'll 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 a practically
new arrival showed the old-timers
a trick with a new weapon that is
remembered in Deadwood to this
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
still lives in Deadwood--in fact, he
is United States Marshal for South
Dakota, and the best-known man in
the Black Hills-but his unique
manner of capturing a band of
-''toughs" without bloodshed has
been the admiration of many people
for quarter of century.
Deadwood grew from a single
minors cabin to town of five thou
sand people in Just three days. 1t
was all because of the great Strike"
Of placer gold made down in Dead
wood Culch, 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 not choice.
No one inquired where a 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 a vast gambling
den in those days-although not a
single roulette wheel turns now.
Dance-halls, saloons and gambling
dens constituted three-fourths of the
HOSES. Among the tougher element
were men who gloried in the repu-
tation of being 'killers"--and had
q number of deaths to their credit.
In time lawlessness became so
general that same of the better class
residents determined to rid Dead
and vigilance committee was
formed 1t was then decided that
Oeadwood must have a sheriff.
A sheriff, in those days, meant a
man who could draw his gun quicker
and shoot straighter than anyone
else in the camp. 1t also meant G
man of nerve who knew when tc
draw and when not to-one who
could read in the eyes of his oppon
ent the psychological moment wher
the other man decided to reach fol
his gun.
Just at that time Captain Setl
T1..tl - To
from over in Montana, and HI
brought with him the reputation o
always attending to his own business
and permitting no one else to attend
to 1t for him. Bullock was know
as man of peace who would figh
like a tiger-cat whenever he had Il
fight at all. And Bullock was mad
marshal of Deadwood-the frs
peace officer that city ever boasted OF
There were several gun-tights be
fore the bad" element began t
realize that when Bullock said
"Come on, l want YOU" it was safe
to so than to argue the matter. Blu
lock got shot two or three time
in these fights, but they were nc
bad wounds. On the other hant
each of his opponents was buried u
in the cemetery on the side OF tn
hill
1t happened that in the camp ther
were three eronies bearing the nicl
names OF bad Bill" Curly" De
mond, and Scar Face" Wilson
They were the ''baddest" of ii
bad" men, and they gloried in the
badness. They were partners
everything, and II man fought OF
of them he had to fight the entil
trio. other rival bad" men migl
wipe each other out OF existence
their jealousies, but these three te
rors never by any chance fougl
among themselves.
Finally, there came q time WHIT
Sheriff Bullock wanted" bad BIZ
and his two companions. Th'
had had row with "tenderfoo
whom they were cheating at card
and, contrary to the rules of q
camp, had killed him without 81
ing him the ghost OF chance. 7,
easterner did not even know the
was going to be a row until
looked down a gun barrel for o
brief moment before bullet end