The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-25

@t'~ r@NN-f
ticn agent and facto factotum Of the
Pennsylvania railway at Meadesburg,
Pa. He was 19 years old, full Of
ginger and en- ardent patriot. When
Lincoln made his call for 75.000 yolun-
teers Cheney threw his position to the
winds, wended his way to Pittsburg
and enlisted in the iamous Duquesne
Grays. Nature had favored this lad
to DEGREE He was about five feet
ten, straight as an arrow, weighed las
pounds, had brownish red hair, blue
eyes, which under excitement or emo
ton became stesly gray, and his face
eternalIy were a faint suggestion Of
smile.
He came Of a military family, many
of his ancestors having written their
names high Oh the country's roll Of
honor. For the first three months
Cheney was assiduous in his attention
to duty ana when his time was out
Che was an original 80 day mani he
was discharged corpors'.s The next
day he reenlisred in another regiment
and was quickly appointed sergeant,
then first sergeant, and a short time
later Gov. Curtin commissioned him
second lieutenant In the Peninsula
he was a captain, at Charlottesville
major, and later lieutenant colonel. In
the Wilderness fights his conduct was
SO distinguished that he was commits
stoned colonel and as such commanded
his regiment until mustered out in
1868. Several times during the war
he had been on detached duty and rem
dered good account of himself in
connection with Pinkerton's secret
service. lie had been twice wounded
and numerous times face to face with
"the old man with the scythe." -Four
years and six months Of actual soldier
ing made him unfit for the quiet hum
drum life In small Pennsylvania
town and when he was offered 9
chance to enter the United States
secret service he did SO.
At this time the duties Of a secret
service man we're numerous and oner-
Gus, and Col. Cheney had enough ex
citing adventures to fill several vol
umes ThieYery, graft and crime wer'
rampant from one end of the countr.
to the other and life was one continu
GUS round OF pleasure for Col. Cheney
It being understood that pleasure il
! his case meant the solving Of al
intricate problem or running som
crook to earth.
, Shortly after the great transconti
mental Pacific road was completes
! Cheney was operating in the West Cen
. trail department with headquarters a
ST. Louis. Things had been somewha
quiet for a few weeks and he becam
restless, when one morning he found
note in his mail directing him person
ally to assume charge of a paymaste
case in Nebraska. 1t seems that
major and paymaster Of the army e
. route to pay the troops at some of tn
frontier posts and camps had bee
/ robbed of $4,000 in current coin Of th
realm. Most Of the troops at this tim
were busy keeping hostile Indians
check and protecting the overlan
! trains and could not well be spared I
run down the gang. The robbery hs
occurred near Smedburg. Neb.,
I stopping point between Grand islam
ana North Platte. Cheney was il
H formed that a certain gang headed {
4 one Buck Ewing was supposed to I
implicated in the affair, but conclusiV
proof was not at hand. He was to {
there with couple of good men, fe
ret out the case and when the tin
4 was ripe call for troops to make Il
4 arrests, lie left St. Louis the san
4 evening taking with him Sid Guthr
j and Ed Lonergan, two faithful oper
J tors on whom he could depend in al
emergency. Before leaving he call
on Gen. B. H. Grierson, commando
J the cavalry depot at Jefferson ba
racks. and obtained a letter of intr
duction to Gen. J. J. Reynolds, wi
was in, command Of Fort Niobrara, L
= largest post in Nebraska. This lett
: was the only piecs OF writing Chen
= had on his person. It merely spoke
cheney's being in the governnle
2 service. pt. stating the branch, III
g commended him to Cen. Reynolf
good Offices.
e The trip to Omaha and from the
q to North Platte was uneyentful. Sto
% ping iust long enough to get wag
transportation Cheney and his tV
. men continued on to Smedburg, reac
ID ing there that night about dusk.
7" Smedburg was a typical 'front.'
town. every other building being s
, loon. dance hall and gambling hot
combined. The inhabitants we're the
usually found in such places, no b,
ter, no worse There was, as a ru
quiet a transient population due
y overland caravans stopping to rest
8 fore continuing further towards /
N land Of the setting sun.
y Cheney. Guthrie and Lonergan W,
s dressed In rough western style; th
u u were quiet, we'll behaved and
~ nothing to attract any special
- tention. They walked around /
% town. sizing things up. looked
y one or two places and saw
s games going on. Incidentally, h