Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-19
MIGHTY HANDY WITH A GUN
The Man who Succeeds Eat-'Em-Up
Alternately az Marshal of
oklahoma.

Alternately as Marshal of
oklahoma,
Chris" Madsen Of Guthrie for six years
chief office deputy under John r. Aber-
nathy, the United Statess marshal for the
Western Oklahoma district. was recently
appointed by federal Judge John II. Cot
ton to act as marshal from January l. the
time Abernathy's resignation took place
until such time as President Taft names a
successor.
native Of Denmark and soldier in the
Danish army. Madsen later served under
Louis Napoleon in the Franco-Prussian
war. and was captured at Sedan. He was a
member Of the famous legion that was sent
to Algiers He came to the United States
in 1870, and served for almost twenty years
in the United States army. He was a mem
Der OF the Fifth cavalry, under Colonel
Wesley Merritt during the time that Buff
falo Bill was carrying dispatches for Mer-
rift and the other Indian campaign COM
manders. Not content with his war career,
Madsen Joined the Roosevelt Rough Riders
when that regiment was enlisted for ser
vice in Cuba, and became quartermaster
OF the regiment.
Following the breaking up OF the Jesse
James gang in Missouri and on the Kan
sas border, remnants of the band went into
the Rocky mountains, and many of them
remained In the old line Of business, hold
ing up stagecoaches in particular, for a
number of years. The Fifth cavalry at this
! time was putting in much OF its time in
guarding the stage coaches over the noun
tains, especially the stage line to Chey-
enne. Upon Eagle Pass the stagecoaches
met, and at the hour of meeting there was
as rule party of United States troopers
somewhere in the vicinity to protect them
The leader of the James gang remnant
for several years was known as the man
with the golden tooth" With several of
his boldest followers he had planned a
double holdup on Eagle Pass, figuring to
rob the first coach that arrived and then
complete the Job when the one from Chey-
| enne put in its appearance. On this par
ticular coach were a number Of mining
prospectors, supposed to have with them
plenty Of gold taking 1t back to the states.
on this particular day Sergeant Brule, a
companion of Madsen in the Fifth Cavalry,
was ordered out with two men to guard
Eagle Pass. They were sheltered behind
some boulders Just below the level OF the
pass when they discovered the bandit
gang on the other side. The troopers were
only three against eight or ten Of the
bandits. and Brule determined to await the
arrival of the first stage and see what
would happen.
There was a short wait, and the coach
horses had been halted for only a minute
on the pass when the bandits surrounded
the coach and with cool daring ordered
the driver and the passengers to throw
up their hands. AS the order was given
however, a bullet from Sergeant Brule'I
rifle winged the man with the COLDER
tooth" and each of Brule's companions
picked off a bandit as the three troop
ers climbed over the rocks, into the high
way. Seeing the blue coats Of the troop
ers, the other bandits fled, leaving be
hind the bodies OF the man with thu
golden tooth" and two Of his followers.
The bandits we're followed by othei
troopers and captured and turned ovel
to the Wyoming authorities, but sOor
afterward escaped, locking the warden o.
the penitentary behind the bars and
stealing all the guns and ammunition
Chris Madsen was placed in charge o
the squad of soldiers to trail and recaptur
, the outlaws. He took with him also
, one-eyed, half-breed Indian, st. Clair b!
name, who had made a reputation as
guide and scout, and Jim" McAdams,
long time scout and Indian fighter
After following the trail several day
, Madsen and his companions came upon tn
outlaw camp early one morning. They out
numbered the troopers but McAdams brok
, into the camp with a whoop and an orde
for all the outlaws to hold up their hands
I Immediately Madsen followed him throug
, the undeTbrush and shortly after him cam
st. Clair the Indian.
Believing an entire company OF trooper
was after them the outlaws quickly surren
dered and were all handcuffed by Mead
, ans before they we're aware that their pur
. suers we're so few In number. The outla,
g leader was then very angry and taunte
! St. Clair in particular, offering TO figh
him under any conditions. ST. Clai
threw down his weapons and begged Mad
n sen to loosen the leader in order that the
!, might fight it out with their fists, but Mad
l. sen would not hear CT II and the bandit
were soon behind prison bars again. All G
I them were afterward sentenced to sery
b long terms in the penitentiary.-New Yor
T. Tribune