The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-21

morning. We npproachcu inc ""E'"
,,nii,u.lv hul upon getting In close
proximity to ii we could discover Nv
h,recs I'm ,ipht so ON" was llI'Id'
and fine general appearance oi every
fling Indicated that the l'arr "''
been deserted; chat the birds hnd HOW"
Such indeed proved 10 be the case
Amour one of my earliest Acquaiht
anccs was n young man, "ldcr '''"
myself. who was DESTINED I" p''o'n'
famed In frontier history, Wine ~ 'hr
somc time legendary gossip has caused
his career to be somewhat nlSuiu'r
stood owing to It's varied c"ar"'''i
'rhls was James T. lIlckok, VINO al
though his name was James, VIII NV
in song ana story Ms NV ia hH''
While probably no man III WeSlr'"
history had so many notchcS on HIS
eun. il may be said that no man re-
corded them oftcncr In defending right
enforcing law ana dealing justice.
In our early youth we were associ
otcd I'm many adventures on lhe pI"ihS
In Indian warfare. wagon tr'lIine'
hunting and trapping. ana we nap
nnrcd TO be on Tie same side or the
fence when the tiyil war between the
north and the south left the plains al
most alone to the red man.
"Nld Bill" soon became one OF the
most noted men in the confidence OF
the Union generals In the extreme
southwest He WAS inathihceh'
,pccimcn of manhood and ono OF
the most deadly shots with rifle or
pistol that ever lived IN ms en-
thrSlasm as n Union spy he made
dctour around, down intO Texas ana
back to southwest Missouri and joined
the Texans under an assumed nam"
and accepted service as Il Confederate
Spy. consequently giving himself the
double danger of "A apy's fate. There
fore by this means lac became of I'm
mcnsc service to the Union forces.
For many months he was confdcn
tinl secret service agent for the CON
federltc forces under General Price IN
an invasion Of Kansas. and In one bat
tie while among their advance guard
he saw nancuvcr of which he
tl'HIHl tue Hi'H F'"'''' '''"'" ~
Informed. II" therefor" hhA"" d'H'
from the rc.cl to the opposing lines
| Ills action was SO sudden that the
southcrncrS thought ms horse hdd hr'
come unrIIly The auddcIiy 81 ms
movements did not dawn ON them for
few moments. when, with ycils,
squad took up BOT pursuit Hoth mr.
! Z Il.
mics watched IN GREATNESS suspense
but, always famed for picking superior
mounts. he qui' KY diSiaH'cd all save
one. VINO followed close up behind MN.
arm" several Sho's Which Whls'Ied
close To MS ear Ju Whch iilcNok
morse was c"lilpcIled 10 Naull shaH
creek ne turned III ms @addle ana WIN
his uncrring ann dropped the gallant
p1rsucr from MS horse ana rode safe
~ lit" the mon INES Here he De
liv"red his Information TO General
fIcasonton, which turned the TIDE OF
the Gay.
Probably the most noted event in his
career was his single handed fight
with Jacob McCand.cs and his gang
IF nine men at Rock Creek. western
Kansas while riding pony express in
1851. This was his first great fight
| while covering his route, armed only
with two Colt rcvolvers. He halted
at Rock Creek Station to find the
stock tender dead and his wife excited
by his presence. AS he approached
she eNclained;
My heavens, Bill, McCandlcs and
his gang are in the ncighborhood, or
were 'lis morning.:
This gang Of bandits Ind been lay
ing trap for Hickok to get him out
UF he way. RlSliuu to lp door to rn