Evening star., 1952-01-03
Col. lack !. Miller,
Owner Of 1O1 Ranch,
wild West Snowman
By The Assoe:ioted Press

|
T. Miller, who, with his brothers,
once owned the largest ranch in
Oklahoma. died today. He
was "a.
Col. Miller, who lost the famed
101 Ranch near Ponca City to
mortgage companies in the 1930s,
had been i'll since last summer.
He was a pioneer of the old
Wild West and the last of three
brothers who built the ranch and
the Miller Wild West show into
nationally known attractions.
Before the ranch became in
lvolved in litigation it was COM
posed Of 10000 acres.
Col. Miller had been i'll ever since
a bunch Of donkeys tramped on
him last summer while he was
trying to load them onto a trailer.
He had been familiar sight at
cattle auctions In his later years
the closest he could ever get to
cattle, he said. A small boy
pushed him in wheel chair.
Show Becomes Stranded.
The inland empire near Ponca
City fell apart with the depression
of the 1930s and the stranding of
the Miller Wild West Show in
Washington.
Management of the ranch went
to Col. Miller after his brothers,
Joe L. and George L., died, the
former in October, 1927, the latter
in 1929.
Col. Miller was in the spotlight
IN 1880 when he, won a. 500 900
breach-of-contract against Tom
Mix, cowboy actor. But he lost
a libel suit against Mix.
In 1888 the Kay County Court
lordered Col. Miller jailed for al
ileged failure to pay alisnony to
mrs. Miller, whom he divorced in
1880. William H. Alfalfa Bill
Murray. Governor of Oklahoma,
ISSUED a military pardon for Col,
Miller and sent national guards
imam to release the, ranchman
from jail. ~
i Born in Missouri.
Born in Newtonia, Mo-, in 1879
ICol. Miller came to Oklahoma
with his parents. The 10l Ranch
WAS developed by father and sons
into the largest ia Oklahoma and
one of the best known in the
world. A huge fortune was built
Fup through scientific farming,
livestock, discovery of Oil and
some of the Wild West shows.
/ Despite the impending crash,
ICol. Miller on Christmas Day
1881, held his annual feast for the
.lPonca and Otoe Indians. Each
year he fed the Red Men and gave
them clothing.
At his bedside when he died
was his, son Zack. jr., Of Ponca
City and his daughter, Mrs
James Gibbs of Valley Mills, Tex.
/ Show Folded Here.
Col. Miller,s 101 Ranch Show
folded here in August, 1881, with
enough real-life drama to make
headlines for weeks. Stranded
were some 800 employees. a herd OF
elephants and scores of wild
horses and cattle.
About all Col. Miller could hope
for at the time was to get his
equipment and stock back to
Oklahoma. He offered the en-
lployes 50 each to load the show,
land said all who wanted to ride
the cars could have free trans
1portation west.
Entertainers, horse-wranglers
and roustabouts. however, insisted
they had not been paid during
two weeks in Washington, and
flor some 5 to 8 weeks before ar
1A4VA44S AAC1Cs 4A4Cy Wdl1JCO ulUIE
than 50 cash in hand before the
show left town.
Times were hard and the strand
led troupers grew as hungry as
the shows livestock. Various bene-
fits were organized, and offers
made for the animals.
| In an extraordinary hearing at
District Court, the employees were
lenjoined from hindering the de-
lparture of the equipment and
stock. The start for Oklahoma,
however. was held up from day
to day while unpaid men delayed
the loadings.
Remnants Of the show pulled
out in late August. and succeeded
in running a barricade of attach
Ements and legal proceedings en-
route West. Some Of the troupers
went with the train, and others
remained here to try to beat the
depression.