The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1917-01-05
AN old TIMER AGAIN
VISITS LIBERAL
B. H. O'Conner of Garden
City Here Greeting Old
Time Friends
BY Courtesy of Ray Millman

~ OOeAtOoy oh Atoy
B. H. O'Conner, ranchman south
west of Garden City, was in the city
Tuesday on business and seeing old
timers. He visited J. w. Baughmap,
]. e. George, Joe Bryson and others
during the short time that he could
lstay here.
Mr.. O'Conner has observed west
ern Kansas the last forty years, its
seasons Of dropths and crop failure.
has seen the eastern people come and
apply their eastern ideas ON these
western prairies, noted the dismal
crop failures, and then the return Of
the eastern people to the country
way back east, disgusted with the
country and firmly OF the opinion
that this section could never be con-
yerted to the farmers use. And he
has lived to see the west in all its
glory of prosperity and he Is en-
joying a part of 1t at this time.
He was a resident of Medicine
Lodge in the year 1874. Medicine
Lodge was then frontier town. Mail
was supplied the town from Wichita.
Mr.. O'Conner was mail carrier and
made the trip horseback once a week.
Says the mail was not heavy in those
days. Sometimes he would start on
the trip with only postal card in the
mail bag. In those days the prairies
were not dotted with fine farm houses
and villages as is the case today. but
there we're herds after herds of buff
falo and many Indians. He was the
first mail carrier from Wichita to
Medicine Lodge and perhaps the
youngest in the postal service, being
only II years of age. Ordinarily the
trip could be made in two days, but
that time would vary according to
the proximity of the Indians to the
trssha; the time he was on duty. The
lpres~See OF Indians might shorten
the schedule considerably or he
might fall behind the schedule day
or two, depending on the situation
whether it was thought best to lie low
for while or have horse race to
keep from being captured by the
Osages. A little later he become
identified with cattle ranch near
Alva, Oklahoma, and was foreman
Of the Collins ranch for several years.
The first cattle drive to be made to
Dodge City from the south. which oc-
Cured In the summer of 1875, and
established Dodge as a COW town.
found Mr., O'Conner in the saddle late
that fall crowding the stragglers OF
the 1000 head OF cattle that went
over the trail to the new shipping
point on the Agransas river.
Many people will remember the
early day bank robbery at Medicine
Lodge. One day in 1884, four rough
rode into town and visited
the bank. While robbing the bank.
the president Of the institution was
killed and the cashier was seriously
hurt by the robbers. The president
Of the bank was good friend of Mr..
O'Conner. A few minutes after the
robbery Mr.. O'Conner and two other
men started after the robbers The
robbers were chased about eight
miles. No trial before jury in those
days. The robbers didn't need 1t.
During the early eighties Garden
City was the seat Of government for
all the territory which now includes
Gray, Finney, Grant, Haskell, Kear-
ney and Stevens counties, Mr.. o'Con-
ner, who was always known as an
and fearless man and pos
sessed high sense of right and
wrong, served in the capacity OF
deputy sheriff for several years, He
says at one time during the county
seat wars he held warrant for about
every prominent man in Stevens
county. He is well acquainted with
all the principals in the county seat
troubles south of the Arkansas river.
He is an entertaining talker, is able
to give much authentic, valuable In
regarding the history OF
this immediate southwest and the
writer hopes to gather much material
for historical articles through his
kindness in the immediate future.