The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-26
FAMOUS SLEUTH.
Remarkable Career of Gen. D. j.
Cook-He was Feared by
Bad Men.

y
him up. If necessary get him first.
But generally, when the man is found,
he will not be ready. \ talk and an
understanding will remove causes Of
difficulty.
"Give a desperate no opportunity
to draw pistol. My motto has al
ways been: 1t is better to kill two
men thantto have one kill YOU. "
These two principles faithfully liv-
ed up to through forty-tive years OF
active life on the frontier as peace
officer were what made General Dav-
j ii J. Cook known and feared by
"bad men, through the whole Rocky
Mountain region from the Canadian
to the Mexican borders, says the San
E Francisco Chronicle. As brlgadier
-.geperaD~in the amy, indian scout,
United States marshal, chief Of police
Of Denver in the lawless days, sheriff
Of Arapaho county and head Of the
Rocky Mountain Detective agency, he
created a name that was a terror to
the bad men Of the border. Though he
was senty-one years old when he
died in his Denver home last week,
there are still men living in the West
who heaved sigh Of relief when they
heard the dauntless peace officer had
followed the guide across the range.
General Cook had little respect tor
the professional ''bad man, and
members Of that class knew it. In
his time he had arrested more than
5000 of them, beginning with his car
eer in Denver in 1859. Among them
were between fifty and seventy-hve
murderers. all gun fighters and pro-
fessional terrors on the frontier, who
. boasted Of the notches on their gun
barrels.
Through 50 many dangers General
Cook escaped unhamed to an ad-
vanced age. He explained his good
fortune through the curious tact that
he was left-handed in handling Wea-
pons. Time and again the, desperate
bordermen, waiting for first chance,
had watched Cooks right hand while
preparing to get the drop. Then sud
denly Cooks unguarded left flashed
out with a forty-four on bewlldered
prisoner.
Cook did more to drive outlaws
from Colorado ana keep the peace
than any other man in the Western
Eountry.
An Indianan by birth, born in La
Porte. where some of his relatives still
live, he early entered on the adventur-
ons career to which love Of peril at
tracred him. He came to Denver IN
the ordnance department until 1865.
One of his exploits was the exterml-
nation Of the Reynolds euerrlllas dur
inc the war. Captain James Rey-
nolds. Texan, with a courageous
hand of riders. came north toward the
close Of the wal, intending to take
and destroy Denver. On the way
thew burned number Of New Mexl-
can and Colorado villages Of pro-Un-
ion sympathizers. They were met oy
. Cook and his rangers thirty miles
south Of Denver, near Elk creek, and
;4ched battle ensued. The Texans
we're routed with loss of nearly all
their forces, and FIVE of their captives
we're shot. One escaped.however, and
told story that has led to never
endino hunt for buried treasure.
II seemed that the guerrlllas on
their way north, had attacked and
captured a Mexican treasure tram
from which they secured $|O,OOo'
mostly in greenbacks. These they ourl-
ed in locality on Elk creek, intend
inc to return and secure the treasure
after they had destroyed Denver The
determination Of the band lost the Sc
cre+ and because the only survivor
was never able to describe the place
where the fortune was buried, 1t re-
mains safe to this day, Cook hunted
for the treasure often: and every sum
mer parties spent weeks seeking It..
One Of General Cook 5 most notable
!. exploits was the quelling of the Ch1-
oese riots in Denver in 1880. Feellne
aoainst the Chinese who then lived
here in great numbers, grew to sueh
A pitch that infuriated mobs captured
Chinese on the streets and strung
them up to telegraph poles. The law
lessness grew to such an extent tAat
the sheriff and the police were power