The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-10-22
CAPT.. JACK FOSTER,
HISTORIC FRONTIER
CHARACTER IS DEAD
Border Ruffians Had No Terror
for This Intrepid South
Dakotan.

Chamberlain. S. d, Oct. 2o.-Captain
Jack Foster, one of the best known
frontiersmen of the Northwest, and the
past four years government detective.
stationed at the Rosebud Indian
agency, lies dead at the agency. He
expired suddenly yesterday morning,
after a brief illness. Two weekt ASK
when residents of this city saw him at
the agency, he was in splendid physical
condition., and apparently in as good
health as he ever was In his life.
Captain Foster was about So years
old at h time of his death, and nae
been a resident of South Dakota more
than 30 years. He was captain of
Troop B, Grigsby's Rough Riders, dur
ing the Spanish American war and was
one of the most popular officers of the
regiment.
A Unique Figure.
bly, no one of the frontiersmen
OF the Northwest had a more eventful
life than Captain Jack Foster. He was
a typical WeSterner and might have
been taken as the model from which
bennington, the artist, drew his pic
lures of the scout.
He was absolutely fearless and as
ranchman and officer had many thrill
ing fights in the war to wipe out the
morse thieves and cattle rustlers Of
South Dakota. In tie strip of country
South akota and down into the sand
Mills of Nebraska, no name was more
generally detested and feared by the
rustlers than that of Jack Foster. Four
years ago he became a government de-
tective and was stationed at Rosebud
agency. He maintained order on the
reservation and patrolled it constantly
on the watch for crooked half breed
thieves, who up to the time OF his
coming to the agency, had been the
bane OF the ranchmen and honest In
dams of the reservation. Foster usual
ly made his arrests single handed. He
would ride down a band of rustlers and
keeping watch of them in camp, take
one after another into custody, driving
them to the nearest settlement ahead
of him.
This Shows His Nerve.
Ills nerve was always good in the
face of the greatest danger. Ten or IL
years ago, citizens of this town had IN
opportunity on the streets to see a
display of courage that convinced them
reputation as a fearless man
was not without reason.
A ranchman, who was quar-
and considered a vicious fight
er. terrorized the residents one day bv
about the streets declaring he
would kill the first man who attempted
to stop him. He carried a loaded Win
rife and practically kept the
street clear, while he was abroad. Fos-
ter was marshal at the time, and as
soon as he heard of the ranchman's
he hurried up town. The
ranchman heard that Foster had been
for n he loudly announced his
Intention of killing him on sight.
Never Feazed Him.
Foster walked around a corner and
ran almost into the ranchman. The
latter threw his Winchester to his
and sighting along the oar
rell shouted:
IF you come another step, Jack, I'll
Foster, smiling good naturally, new
err paused. He strobe straight up to
the rifle. seized the barrel, turned it
aside. and reaching over grappled with
the ranchman. They rolled on the
walk, but when the lust cleared, Fos-
ter was sitting astride the bad man
and calmly Handwriting him.
Foster was deputy United States
marshal and for a numbe of years
sheriff and a detective. He has
a wife, son and daughter.