Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-19
A FRONTIER SKETCH.
Tale Of Days When q Steer Was Worth
More Than a Mans Life.

We have seen the time when a
mans life was not worth steer here
in the obstreperOus West. Things
material and immaterial were Alto
sether different on the PEACEFUL plains
three decades pastzand It was just
thirty years ago this nfonth when quite
a thrilling episode, was pulled off by
three cowboys who evidently had nc
fear of the devil or high. water, but
then many Of us were Of the same
cheerful spirit in those hilarious days
of the earlier reformation. We were
here to civliZe the West, and we did it
too often perhaps with fire and with
sword.
This brings US around to the Incl
that three jolly good fellows named
Doc Kinnie. Charley Hayes and Rob-
ert McReynolds came down from the
Black Hills to Cheyenne as an escort
for the stage coach when old Daddy
Stephenson offered them better pay to
work on his cattle ranch on Rock
Creek in Northeastern Colorado. One
day soon thereafter Stephenson missed
seven head of cattle and struck the
trail of an Indian who had driven them
off. He rode to the ranch house III
high rage and offered Kinnie and
Hayes 800 if they would recover the
cattle and kill the Indian. In five
minues they We're in their saddles rid
ing to the point where Stephenson in
Dictated the trail
They had no difficulty in following
| the trace of the stolen cattle and were
close on them the next evening. Not
caring to make a night attack they
went into camp, eating their bacon
raw rather than make n fire. They
were in their saddles at the first gray
streak of dawn and within an hour
| came upon two Cheyenne Indians eat
ing their morning meal in a canon
while the missing cattle were grazing
only 500 yards beyond. 1t was a COM
plcte surprise to the bucks and in the
scrap that followed one of them was
killed and the other made his escape.
1t then became a question of how
| best to prove to Stephenson that they
had killed the Indian Kinnie, who
had been a medical student at the
Western Reserve University in Ohio
before certain cscapade had caused
him to emigrate to the West, suggest
ed the amDutation of the head as the
| handiest way and also suggested that
| they keep quiet as to the Indian who
got away. lest the old man should only
want to pay onc-half of the promised
| reward. Hayes stood guard while
Kinnie cut and twisted on the Indians
| neck until the head separated from the
| body. He then rolled it in the In
Gian's blanket and carried 1t ON the
pummel of his saddle to the ranch
house
Here's yer Injun," shouted Doc, as
he united his lariat from the blanket
and let the bloody head roll nut I on
the ground near Stephenson.s s. feet
His scuaw came over. took one look.
and. uttering long. dolefuI sound,
| like the cry of wounded wolf, ran
inside. and grabbing her blanket
started for the hills. chanting a dismal
| vail peculiar to her people when in
distress. you fellows have played
billy hell. You've killed my brother
| in-law." calmly remarked Stephenson.
as lie filled his pipe 1t was noticed
that the old man kept looking intently
toward the north. and. taking the cue
that ne was looking for somebody t.
avenge the death of the Cheyenne. the
cowpnnchors stuck up the old man for
his pocketbook. saddled their ponies
and hit the trail southwark for Fort
Morgan. which they reached the next
morning. Never afterward did any
one OF them dare 70 show up at Daddy
StephenSon's ranch. and if they are
still alive the grewsome picture of the
Indians head. like that of John the
lsaptlst. which Salome carried to King
H"fod On a silver salver. has never
ceased to haunt them by night or by
day.-Denver Field and Farm.