The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-03-07
|D[S Of MARCH
PLAY To HAND
Of "COVERN0R"
Is Not Third Month of Year, the
Birthday of Hannifan and
St. Patrick
"SQUATTER GOVERNOR
TALKATIVE LAST NIGHT
Tells of Impressions of Chief Gall
When Taken to Minneapolis
Exposition

The warning. beware of the ides OF
March," has no fear for Dennis Han
milan. "sQuatter governor Of the ter
ritories of the Dakotas. great plains
man and oldest resident of the state
which he helped conquer from the
wilderness.
In fact. March is the king Of months
for Dennis and plays to the hand OF
the governor" for is it not in this
third month OF the calendar year that
Dennie was born and also st. Patrick
DENIES birthday took place on
March Is. Tradition says that OF the
noble saint was on the 18th.
Dennie was talkative last night and
as he sat in a big arm chair at the
Van Horn he told group Of listen
ers some very interesting tales OF
early life in the northwest. Frequent
~ he crossed his legs and used his
fingers in bringing out salient points.
Dennie, king of pioneers of the state
and the northwest, will be 81 years
old next Thursday.
Doesn't Pay to Tell Truth.
"Dennie, what do you think of the
young man of today from your eXper-
fence of 46 years in the state?' was
asked of the pioneer.
The young men of today are most
ly all snowbirds and pool players. |
have learned that to succeed in North
Dakota that it doesn't pay to tell the
truth
Dennie is proud of the fact that his
parents were humble Irish people.
They we're not dukes, arch-dukes,
lords or earls. My people were all
hanged in Ireland as rebels. No, not
one of them sat in parliament, nor
not one of them came over on the
Mayfower.'
Takes Indian to Exposition.
One of the amusing stories which
the king of pioneers" tells is that Of
going to the great exposition held in
Minneapolis in the year 1896. Den
MES companion was Chief Call of the
Sioux. The old chief took along his
dog and fell in love with the brave
squaw" who handled the snakes. That
was the most interesting sight to the
chief. He didn't like the tall tepees
or the narrow trails of Minneapolis.
A sleight -of-hand performer went up
to the old Indian chieftain and made
the dog cough up $40 gold pieces.
The chief looked at the magician and
then the dog. He was amazed. Grab
bling the dog, Dennie wrapped him in
his blanket and walked off disgust
ingly.
Cooked Ice Cream Too Cold.
1t was after the Custer massacre
and Sitting Bull was a prisoner that
the great Sioux chief was feted. Ice
cream was served at the meal to
which the chief, tasting it for the
first time stated the white man cook
ed the ice cream too cold.
James is CoId-Decked.
Dennie knew the James and the
Younger gangs. Last night he recall
ed the time when Jesse James was
cold-decked by Colonel Nixon, one Of
the familiar characters Of life in the
west in the early days. 1t was shortly
before the Mortified bank robbery in
Minnesota.
Nixon used two check.racks to cold
deck Jesse, who was given kings and
nine. Nixon drew three cards and
got an ace full. Jesse wagered sew
eral thousand dollars on the hand.
Nixon won.
'I'll play this next hand. but l play
no more" stated Jesse. After that the
bandit was never known to play a
game of poker. -