The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-03-27
Founder of Tow1 of Norris Was Am Outstanding
Character, Ruler During EARLY Days of Montana

BY GLENDOLIN DAMON WAGNER
co-author Of Blankets and Moccasins."
m Author Of 'old Neutriment."
Red Bluff. Montana, Boosting q
population of several hundred
inhabitants, turned up 9 Scorntul, vain
glorious nose at the little struggling
village of Norris, four miles away. ina
was when every hill! n coulee n
and Madison ranges were yielding for
tunes in gold dust or nuggets, m When
the valley echoed to the sound OF pick
or rumble of loaded wagon and was
crowded with hopeful, busy prospectors.
Then the thriving town OF Red Bluff,
close to the rich Red Bluff mine, gave
the fun-hungry young miners Just
gambling resorts, dance halls. In short,
t was a wide-open town thriving and
growing as wealth from the hills was
brought in. Stage coaches heading Tor
Virginia City had to pass Its way ana
passengers often found 1t convenient
game. Sometimes, though, they stopped
when it wasn't convenient at all. Inc
cottonWood-%cu rtained spot on the creek
lust below Red Bluff was the scene OF
at least six holdups by Plummer and
his gang of road agents. .
The booming town was b center OF
all the young activity OF exuneraIlg
broke tomorrow and whose gold dust
poured freely owe the bars OF the
Various saloons, where fortunes were
made and lost at the poker tables
made by the house and lost, usually
by the miners. For n bartender was
sspG gtefess5 to have Ssmb asa E HlsR ni as
"Sheep-Sheer SAM" who was very
clever at Turing gullible victims into
a came. stripping them clean, n later
dividing the profits with h proprietor,
who, Of course, posed all the time
as an upright proprietor OF q respect
able establishment; ! Rick IL han %as re- re-
ticed by Sam. It was stud poker. Sam
dealt. Dicks hole card was an ace;
His first card up was an ace. He antled
500 and Sam, with a king up, called.
Dick won that pot with Two aces
against Sans two kings, and then, ne
says, he quit, figuring ne was RiayIas g
stood back to watch the next game and
learned that Sheep-Sheer Sam was not
a fool. Sam was dealing, his long, slim
fingers manipulating the cards with
quick dexterity. His first card up was
a deuce and the other man had an
ace. Promptly the a bet $500 in
spot for the man, another deuce for
himself. The mans face was white. His
hands shook. He showed another sack
into the pot and Sam, with a pair OF
deuces against an ace n SIX Spot,
called the bet and dealt, a six TO the
man was broke. He borrowed, giving
his diggings as security, and bet, and
Sam called and dealt, long, white I'm
gers ripping over the cards, until the
stranger had an ace and three skies
up against Sans three deuces with q
had settled. Men left the bar and saun-
tered across to watch the game: a
of sweat stood out on the mans face.
He was breathing heavily. He bor-
rowed to the limit and showed every
thing into the pot. SAM, cool n sml,
ing, called e5inns Then nver the Sis W hoIe eeed
with q gasp Of triumph, for he had a
full house, two aces and three SKIES,
and the Dot on that table was a for
tune. But Sans hole card was a u
and, still smiling, he hauled in the pot.
Without a word the man pushed PACK
his chair, got up and do knees pSesanf1g'
against the grim stiffness of the room,
they heard the clatter of hoofs and the
man, wiped clean, was swallowed into
the maws of Montana's plains.
But shortly after that Sheep-sheer
Sam disappeared too, and the way OF
i was this. There came came a di Elas wa fSe
profits with his proprietor and the viz
tuous, enraged saloon keeper ac-
cused his partner Of being a CROOK;
Angry words followed. Sam challenged
him to prove his statement. Obviously,
an extremely difficult thing, under the
circumstances, to do. Matters came to
a climax when, one night. the owner
dragged Sam out of bed, beat him up,
and called a sheriff. However, by the
time the officer arrived, Sheep-Sheer
Sam had m~ysteriously disappeared and
no one, unless possibly the owner OF n
establishment could explain n man.
Meantime, while the metropolis OF
Red Bluff was f~lourishing, with its
big, stone hotel, its crowded saloons,
its comedies and tragedies, its gay
dance halls sending flood light and
blare Of music across the quiet hllis,
on It's way, for the most part ignored.
And the ambitious citizens OF Norris
resented this fact deeply. They wanted
to be on the map and to share IN the
wealth and fame that were Turing more
and mor people into the rival town,
Red Bluff. They resented the firm hand
that controlled the destiny of their
Community. Even to this day one finds
a diversity Of opinion as to the sort
Of man Alexander Norris was and as
to the wisdom of his dogmatic rule.
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