Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-25


| ing his ptrsuers.
| He was one of that dying and deat
galaxy of heroes of the old West tina
included Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill Ba
Masterson and others of the noted
Indian and gun fighters. who passed
with the red man. the COW camps and
the buffalo. In picturesqueness h,
was not equaled even by the skin
shirted, wide-hatted Cody. If Tho
dime-nove writer could have created
am ideal character in the flesh Dead.
wood Dick would have been that
character.
After the. old West had begun to
change Dickey started in the fur bus
mess and accumulated a fortune. For
years he made living collecting the
bones of the great buffalo herds that
he and others like him had killed in
the halcyon days of big-game hunt
ing in the West From this he went
in the fur business. made much mon
ey and lost 1t in the boom towns of
80 years ago. Since that time he had
been drifter one of the men that
the West made and then broke.
He took his losses like a true SOL
could. His old comrades in the In
dian wars and his friends in the fur
business had lost sight of him for
many years before lie finally turned
UP in Denver.
lie WIS arrested there for vagrancy
in May, 1911, and made some efforts
TO communicate with wealthy rela-
lives living in Pennsylvania. After
his death his body was shipped to
his old home in that state.
Wild as some of the adventures read
that were attributed TO him. his es-
capes and battles of real life some
times e4ualed them. The Sioux, the
Utes and the Pawnees greatly desired
To add his tawny locks to their scalp
collections that dangled on the tepee
poles of their smoky wigwams. Ev-
cry young Ute and Sioux longed to
distinguish himself for life by run-
ming the scalp knife around the crown
of the daring scout who harried their
war parties and harassed their viii
lagos.
Many a youngster hid in the barn
loft all of hot summer afternoon
aud lost himself in the doings of
"Deadweod Dick The sun may
have been fairly curling the oak
boards with heat. but the enthralled
reader stuck to the yellowback till the
dusk of SHUTDOWN marveling at the
deeds of blood performed by the yell
low haired white scout.
Men now getting little gray
around the temples can recall every
move of the Indian fighter as detailed
in 200 or 300 pages of fearsome read
ing. Moonshiners. train robbers, des-
perate eounterfeiters and all the other
characters beloved of youth had not
the thrilling interest of the doings of
"Deadwood Dick" and his moccasined
The trusty rifle OF eeDeadwoodp ex-
pioaed millions of times in the long
series OF tales that were written
around his adventures. According to
the indefa tigable writer's, he must
have slain the Indian population of
America two or three times during his
plains experience. Mississippis of
blood were shed by his hunting knife
and his trusty tomahawk, While
Dickey probably slew his quota of the
red men. he had no greater record
than dozen other scouts and Indian
fighters. who fought through the
campaigns that finally broke
the Indians spirit
But. according To the Iurid writer's
who based their feverish tales on his
exploits, he was responsible for the
decmation of the Indian race in a
dozen Western states. SO far as his
appearance goes, he was
drawn to life in all the weird yarns
that were published when the dime
novel of the West was in its glory.
The last of number of lurid epf-
sodes in the career of Dickey took
place in a Colorado COW town a few
years before his death. Diekey was
hanging around the place. living any
way he could. and one day dropped
into one of the numerous saloons.
There he found one of his enemies
leaning on the bar, buying red liquor
for all who were thirsty.
Dickey was straightway invited to
have drink and bluntly refused. En-
ragged at this the hospitable gentleman
seized glass of whisky and tried to
force it down 'Deadwood Dicks"
throat Inc glass was Hufleu 10 tne
floor and the Keeling, fighting men
battled across the saloon and out into
the street. Dickey's enemy was
joined by his brother. but they were
beaten off by the old Indian fighter,
who then started up the street.
Both his enemies opened fire upon
him when he was so yards away.
When the smoke cleared all three
were down in the street. and the two
attackers were stone dead The first
shot from his adversaries' pistols had
torn Dickeys left hand nearly off, but
he had managed to draw and kill both
of them before sinking to the ground.
His left hand was amputated a little
above the wrist.
There were other incidents in
"Deadwood's" career that were very
similar He was not loud and
roisterous bully of the hell-roaring
type, but he put a good many notches
on his trusty gun first and last
His principal claim to the memory
of the present generation is in being
the central figure of the blood
curdling, Understanding tales that