The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-10-24
WILD WEST YARN
OF PIONEER CITIZEN
TO EASTERN PAPER
~Life Of Interesting Adventure" Spent
In Hand County

A graphic pen picture of the "Ad-
ventur es" of our old friend John Cost
igan, one time Sheriff and again Clerk
of Courts of Hand County, is contain
ed in a copy Of the Daily Bulletin of
Bloomington. Ill. The article is q
long one, and tells OF the Cos tigan
family. pioneer settlers of McHenry
County. Ill. The part that will both
surprise and interest Hand County
readers is copied below as printed in
the Illinois paper:
An Interesting Character
There is in Bloomington just now
an interesting character in the PRISON
of John C~ostigan, brother OF the real
estate man w. f. Costigan He is
seventy-five years OF g and is In ex-
cellent strength despite the excite
mcnts of a rather tempestuous life.
County Seat Detective
There was a county seat fight in
South Dakota. Two towns were
suitors for the fair hand of Hand
county, Miller and st. Lawrence.
Some Chicago parties owned about
all there was in the town of st. Law
renee and they sent to Chicago for
somebody who knew something about
political cenniTing, and the expert WAS
to be we'll paid for his services. Mr..
Costigan was selected.
The town whose nus he espoused
strangely enough fost. Costigan had
a reputation to sustain. He came
rated not only as a clever politician
but better still a shrewd detective.
He moved to the new county seat, and
was elected sheril and after two
terms at that he had himself elected
county clerk, and all the time he vas
out there he was Deputy United States
Marshall. He went further and show
ed that he was a ffnancier for he
gathered together thirteen hundred
fertile acres. 1t was in the high and
uncut of South Dakota that his ath-
letic prowcss had full scope. He had
to win many a fight. There were Ind
ians there and there were unruly cow
boys, and there were materials enough
for movies that would burn up the
| screens. Sheriff Costigan and his
deputy one day set out to gather In
a cattle rustler which Is the plains
name for cattle thief. They tracked
him for s~eventy-five miles and they
felt that they were just about TO close
in on him when riding into a little
town imagine their surprise when they
saw him dangling from a telegraph
pole. The local posse had had a little
something on hand that morning.
Great Friend Of the Indians
Mr.. Costigan was held q great friend
of the Indians. He always made sure
for a section of them a holiday every
fourth of July. He would go down
to the reservation and bring up about
three hundred at a time, and the big
| Chief White Goat and he would lead
| the fourth of July procession. One
day a fayorite pony Of the tribe, q
little spotted animal, was strangely
| missing He was SO beautiful and
such a pet that he was thought favor
| ed of the White Father. They would
| come by twos and by groups, on oxen,
on camels and on horseback to tell
the sheriff that Spotted Fleet was
| stolen. shortly after, the sheriff had
| business In a neighboring town and
the owner of the inn told him that the
| spotted pony was in the stable n
the theft was up in the hardware
| store buying more cartridges. There
was an ugly gun hanging from each
side of his belt. The sheriff stuck him
up, took away the guns, two robust
pocketbooks and six knives. And as
the old gentleman entertainingly re-
lated this story he musingly toyed
with one of the knives. a keepsake
that will remain with him through
life. He saved from the wrath OF the
Indians the bad man who was willing
enough to find safety in the peniter-
tiary.
Mr.. Costigan came to Bloomington
two years ago, and Immediately reg
istered with tn local G. A. r. Mrs.
C~ostigan died in February a year ago.
He makes his home with his brother
at 40 East Douglas street, and IS
happy in the affectionate care OF the
family.