Heroes of the plains

Front matter

Glass -£". 5 Book XB °L2l.

OR

Lives and Wonderful Adventures

Author's Preface

The work of preparing a brief history of the greatest of plains-heroes has been one of especial pleasure to me, although at times many obstacles interposed themselves which only perseverance could remove. But the labor, nevertheless, has afforded me no little enjoyment, as it brought to my immediate consideration deeds of prowess, cunning and endurance, putting to a test the measure of man's possibilities in a particular field of action. It is our natural disposition to admire true heroes, and not only to admire, but to exalt their acts, and this universal feeling, perhaps exaggerated in myself, was one of the motives which impelled me into a preparation of "Heroes of the Plains." While this volume abounds with thrilling adventures, sanguinary encounters and personal combats of the most startling character, yet through every page there is observed a thread of wholesome justice, upon which is strung every deed recounted, preserving a forcible and moral influence beneficial to young and old alike.

In compiling these personal histories I have adhered strictly to facts without florid coloring. I was well acquainted with Wild Bill for several years before his death, and in 1879 wrote a pamphlet sketch of his life, but discovered afterward that while it contained comparatively

few of his adventures, there were several mortifying erl

10 author's preface

rors, a correction of which influenced me to write another sketch of the famous scout, and this labor developed into " Heroes of the Plains." I was fortunate in securing Wild Bill's diary from his widow, Mrs. Agnes Lake Hickok, of Cincinnati, from which I have drawn my facts concerning him, that there might be no mistakes or omissions in recounting the marvelous exploits of his life in this publication.

Buffalo Bill, who now stands unchallenged as the greatest plainsman living, was an intimate friend of Wild Bill, and the two, so long connected in their wonderful careers, deserve a conjunctive position in history, such as I have here given them.

The other heroes, Kit Carson, Capt. Jack, Gen. Custer, Capt. Payne, California Joe, and Texas Jack, have each made their private mark over the wild expanse of Western wilderness, in the highway they so ably assisted in preparing for civilization and its peaceful pursuits : teeming harvests, happy homes, the building of cities, extension of commerce and all attendant blessings. They fought the fight whose victory has moved the center of wealth and population Westward, and therefore deserve the exultant recognition of every American whose patriotism extends from the heart to the soil of his nativity.

J. W. B.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

ILLUMINATED TITLE. Page.

J. B. Hickok (Wild Bill), .... 2 o

Wild Bill's Birth Place,- - - - - -22

Disembarking in a Kansas Mob, ... 27

Wild Bill Driving into Santa Fe, - - - -31

Wild Bill and his Men Charging the Indian Camp, 35

WILD BILL AND THE CINNAMON BEAR, - - 39

WILD BILL'S FIGHT WITH THE McCANDLAS GANG, 45

A Close Shave, • - - - - - - 56

Wild Bill in Disguise, ----- 67

Wild Bill Surprises the Sleepy Sentinel, - - - 71

Man-to-yu kee (Conquering Bear), ... 77

WILD BILL'S DUEL WITH CONQUERING BEAR, - 83

Wild Bill and Mrs. Rogers in the Park, - - - 89

Wild Bild Satisfies the Natives, - - - - 94

A Duel with Four Men ----- 97

WILD BILL KILLING BLACK KETTLE, - - - 101

Scenery on the Route Traveled by the Wilson Party, - - 109

The Principal Amusement at Hays City, - - - III

WILD BILL'S FIGHT WITH FIFTEEN SOLDIERS, - 119

The Aboriginal Part of the Outfit, - - - - 129

The Bear and the Sausages, - 131

A Street in Abilene, - 134

A Ride for Life, ... - .. 1^

Wild Bill Accidentally Kills a Friend, - - - 136

PUNISHING A BOGUS CHARACTER, - - 165

The Cabin in the Black Hills, - - - - 171

Wild Bill and the Fox, ----- 17^5

Taking Desperate Chances, - 177

Wild Bill's Miraculous Escape from the Indians, - - 179

Deadwood in Embryo, ----- jg6

ASSASSINATION OF WILD BILL, - - - 189

Execution of Jack McCall, - 205

Wild Bill's Grave, _ . . 209

Gen. Forsyth and his Beleaguered Scouts, - - - 222 Pony Express, ------ 223

Hon. Win. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill), - - - 224

Stabbing of Buffalo Bill's Father, ... - 230

Battle of Ash Hollow, ----- 245

The Attack on the Stage Coach, - 267

Inside the Robbers' Dug-Out, - 271

BUFFALO BILL WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP, - - 297

AMBUSHING THE INDIANS, 303

" Hi yi yip-yah" — The Attack, - 313

Beaver Creek, the Trapper's Elysian, - - - 317

BUFFALO BILL IN CLOSE QUARTERS, - - 322

Buffalo Bill Tries a Shot at Long Range, ... 329

Major Frank North, - 332

Silver Bricks awaiting Shipment, .... -5^6

Death of Tall Bull, - .... 344

Two Indians at One Shot, ----- 347

The Marriage Ceremony, - - - 353 "How! How!" ------ 356

The Grand Duke's First Buffalo, 358

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Residence of Hon. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) at North Platte, Neb., 374

Brevent Major-Gen. Geo. A. Custer, ... 377

Gen. Custer's Interpreter Addressing the Assembled Sioux, - 380

DEATH OF GENERAL CUSTER, - - 389

The Monument where Custer Fell, ... 392

BUFFALO BILL'S DUEL WITH YELLOW HAND, - - 397

A Shot that Beat William Tell's, 407

California Joe, -_...- 418

CALIFORNIA JOE AT THE STAKE, 423

The Indians Receiving the White Girl into their Canoe, - - 435

CALIFORNIA JOE ATTACKED BY A PANTHER, - 446

California Toe Saves his Friend, - 448

Kit Carson and his Blind Horse, - 458

Kit Carson Employed as a Horse Tamer, •■ - - 463

Treed by a Hungry Grizzly, - 472

Hunting the Trail, ----- 474

Carson's Duel with the Frenchman, - - - - 478

Kit Carson Saves his Fallen Comrade, - - - 481

Carson's Fight with a Mexican Lion, - 483

Kit Carson's Indian Wife, .... 484

Carson and the Wounded Buffalo, .... 489

Scene in Taos, N. M., ----- 494

THE MURDER OF MRS. BLINN, - - - 509

Marching Through the Snow, - 512

Departure of the Cheyennes, - • - - - 517

A Cheyenne Warrior, ..... 525

Colonel Coppinger Visits the Camp, ... 529

Drilling the Colonists, ..... ^j 2

White Beaver (Dr. D. F. Powell), 534

White Beaver Charging the Indians, ... - 543

A Ghastly Duel, ..... 546

White Beaver's Desperate Fight for Life, - - 554

The Fight in Massacre Canon, .... 557

Combat with the Norwegian, - 561

Punishment of an Indian Adulteress, ... 564

Surrender of Sitting Bull and his people, ... 577

Rain-in-the-Face, ------ 581

Diagram of the Custer Battle-Field, ... - 594

Final Charge of the Indians on Custer's Men, - - 597

Custer's Last Shot, ..... 598

Capt. Jack, the Poet Scout, - - - - boo

Jack Holding the Indians at Bay, .... 609

Flagging Antelope, - - - - - 61 l

Contents

LIFE OF WILD BILL.

PACK- CHAPTER I.— Birth— Family History— Early Life— Youthful Hunting Adventures — Desperate Fight on a Towpath— Leaves Home to take part in the Kansas War — Receives the Title of "Shanghai Bill" — Lively Times in Kansas, 21 — -30 CHAPTER II. — Stage Driving across the Plains — Trouble with the Indians — Bill Leads an Expedition against them — Desperate Fight and Brilliant Victory — Freighting to New Mexico — Terrific Fight with a Cinnamon Bear — Bill Cleans out the McCandlas Gang at Rock Creek, and wins the Title of "Wild Bill," - - - - - - 30—50

CHAPTER III.— Wild Bill Enlists in the Union Army— Remarkable Shooting at Pea Ridge — Becomes a Spy for General Curtis — Makes his way to the Confederates and becomes an Orderly to Gen. Price — Desperate Adventure with Jake Lawson — A Ride for Life — An Unprofitable Horse Race, 50 — 63 CHAPTER IV.— Wild Bill again enters the Confederate Lines- Humorous Adventure with an Old Darkey — Assumes the role of an Arkansaw Traveler — Is Detected and Condemned to be Shot — Escapes by Killing his Guard, - - 63 — 72

CHAPTER II.— A Romance of Love — Capt. Jack's Poem— Joe Rescues Hazel Eye, - 425 — 436

CHAPTER III. — Service as Scout During the War — Scouting on the Plains — Gen. Custer's Description of California Joe — "An Ambulance Man er a Hoss Man" — Silent Jack Corbin — Joe and Jack's Ride — A Bear Hunt — Ambushing the Indians — "Boys, you kin hev the Fixtures, but the Scalps are Mine," .--_.. 4^5 — ^^

CHAPTER IV. — Joe's Terrific Combat with a Mexican Couger — California Joe and Jack Corbin in the Black Hills — Joe Saves his Friend's Life — " Ugh ! White Man! " - 444 — 452

CHAPTER V.— Joe's Weakness— Must have " Pie"— His practical joke on the Big Soldier — "The Grave of Poor Amos Billings " — Incidents and Anecdotes — Murder of California J oe » 45 2 —457

LIFE OF KIT CARSON.

CHAPTER I. — Personal Characteristics — Uncertainty of Kit's Birth Place — Early Days in Missouri — Expedition to Santa Fe — Becomes a Mexican Horse Tamer — Engages in Trapping — Trip to California — Pursuit of Digger Indians — Charging through their Camp in the Darkness — Kit kills a Mexican — Fights with Indians, ... 459 — 469

CHAPTER II. — Hunting and Trapping in Colorado — Kit pursues an Indian Horse Thief — Overtakes and Kills him — Treed by a Grizzly Bear — Trailing Indians in the Snow— A Council that Ended in a Fight — Kit Carson is badly Wounded in an Effort to Save a Comrade — Carson's Duel with the Arrogant Frenchman, - 469 — 478

CHAPTER III. — Expedition into the Blackfeet Country — Threatened with Starvation — Combats with the Blackfeet — Carson Saves a Fallen Comrade — Trapping on the Great Salt Lake — Terrible Fight with a Mexican Lion — Kit Carson's Indian Wife — Her Death and Kit's visit to St. Louis- Serves as Scout in the Fremont Expedition — Graphic Description of a Buffalo Hunt — Carson's Narrow Escape from a Wounded Buffalo, - 479 — 490

CHAPTER IV. — The Second Fremont Expedition — Exploring the Great Salt Lake — Terrible Hardships and Sufferings, 490 — 493

CHAPTER V. — Carson's Service in the Mexican War — Saves a Party of Americans from Annihilation — Close of the Mexican War — Carson's Home in New Mexico — Commissioned Brigadier General — Death of Kit Carson, - - 493 — 497

LIFE OF CAPT. D. L. PAYNE.

CHAPTER I.— Early Life— Goes West to Fight the Mormons- Unprofitable Speculation in a Saw Mill — Hunting on the Plains of Kansas — Payne's intimacy with Kit Carson, Wild Bill, Buffalo Bill, California Joe, and other Noted Plainsmen — Service in the Cival War — The Pompous i <utch Inspecting Officer — Payne as a Sailor — The Joke he played on a couple of Starchy Officers — A Gallant Adventure at the Battle of Prairie Grove, - 49S — 507

CHAPTER II. — Close of the War — Scouting on the Plains — Capture of Three White Ladies by Indians — The Pursuit and Recapture — Terrible Sufferings during the Expedition — Ten Cheyenne Chiefs in a Close Tlace — Payne and the Lively Mule — Surrounded and Hemmed In — Saved by Daring and Skill — Capt. Payne's Election to the Kansas Legislature — The Oklahoma Movement — Payne's Arrest and Trial — Personal Characteristics, ..... 507 — 533

LIFE OF WHITE BEAVER.

CHAPTER I. — Character of the Hero— His Indian Mother— Early Life — His Inherited and Acquired Knowledge of Medicine — Death of Mrs. Powell — First Adventures on the Plains — " Follow Me Who Will." .... 534—542

CHAPTER II.— A Fierce Fight With Twenty Sioux— Sends Himself to the Louisville Medical College — A Pistol Duel in a

Ghostly Dissecting-room — Return to the Plains — Buffalo Bill's Story of Powell's Noble Nature — How He Saved Chief " Rocky Bear's" Daughter — Bestowal of the Name "White Beaver" Upon Him by Rocky Bear, - 542 — 550

CHAPTER III.— To the Rescue of An Unfortunate Girl— His Duel With the Royall Brothers — Joins a Band of " Cut Off" Sioux — Dreadful Fight With Arrapahoe Indians — Desperately Wounded With a Lance — Saved by Rocky Bear, - - 550 — 550

CHAPTER IV.— Terrible Sight In Massacre Canon— Discovery of the Cheyenne Camp — White Beaver Heads the Charge — A Terrible Alternative — "The Chief Must Be Cured or White Beaver Shall Die'' — He Cures the Chief, and is Made Medicine Man of the Nation — Removal to Lanesboro — Desperate Fight With a Norwegian — Encounter With a Member of Crazy Horse's Band — How He Killed the Indian, - - 555 — 565

CHAPTER V.— Marriage of White Beaver— His Estimable Wife and Her Influence — He Joins Buffalo Bill's Combination — White Beaver Suppresses an Indian War Dance in Chicago — And Cracks " Long Trailer's" Skull — His Removal to LaCrosse, Wis. — Established as Proprietor of a Surgical Institute — His Extraordinary Success and Practice in Surgery — Besought by Numerous Indian Tribes to Return and be Their Medicine Chief— His Skill as a Rifle and Pistol Shot, - 565—571

SITTING BULL'S STORY OF THE CUSTER MASSACRE.

CHAPTER I.— Sitting Bull's Taciturnity— The Author's Visit to the Great Warrior — A Cordial Reception — Sitting Bull not a Chief But a Prophet — A Brief History of His Career — Attending an Indian Funeral — Back into Camp With Sitting Bull — The Author's Interview with the Distinguished Chief — Graphic History of a Painful Memory — How the Last Survivor Died — A Story that Melts the Heart With Pity — Identification of a Skeleton by Teeth With Gold Fillings, - - - 572—588

CHAPTER II. — Story of Lakotah, the Squaw-warrior, Who Fought Against Custer — Lakotah, the Wife of Chief Spotted Horn Bull — Her Fierce Fight with Chief Gall — The Author's Introduction to Lakotah — Her Willingness to Tell the Story of Custer's Defeat — Explaining the Battle by Means of a Diagram — Reno's First Attack — An Inexcusable Retreat — First Appearance of Custer on the Scene — Caught in an Ambush — A Storm of Death — Not a Soldier Left — What Shall the Heroes' Portion Be? .... 588 — 599

Sketch of Capt. Jack, the Poet Scout, - - 600 — 606

Sketch of Texas Jack, (J. B. Omohundro), - - 607 — 612

J. B. IIICKOK,

(Wild Bill.)

Heroes of the Plains.

LIFE OF WILD BILL.

(J. B. Hickok.)

Chapter I

It is a noticeable fact that nearly all our sturdy f ron= tier characters are natives of the West ; there is, apparently, something in the atmosphere, in the wild winds which freight the air with primeval perfume ; an undefined elemental principle which inoculates Western children with a desire for adventure. Our hero, of course, belongs to that longitudinal nativity where the prairies bathe their feet at the margins of eastern forests, and then roll away to the Occident, resting at that great ridge which rises ruggedly into the vertebrae of a continent.

James Butler Hickok, known to history only as ' ' Wild Bill," was born in La Salle county, Illinois, near the country village of Troy Grove, on the 27th of May, 1837. His parents were both natives of Vermont, from which State they removed, directly after marriage, to New York. After following farming for some time in the Empire State, and meeting with indifferent success, in 1834 the family, now consisting of the parents and two children, packed up their few possessions and removed to Illinois, going overland in a " mover's wagon," as was the customary mode of traveling in that early period. A place for settlement was chosen in Putnam county, but two years afterward a more desirable location was found in La Salle county, the homestead then selected

HEROES OF THE 1'LAIXS.

and entered proving so satisfactory that it is still occupied by two survivors of the family.

The house in which Wild Bill was bom was built in 1836 and stood, fronting east, upon a prairie one-half mile from the timber skirting little Vermillion creek. The house is still standing, and occupied, but the progress of rapid settlement in Illinois has reared the village of Homer about the pioneer's home, and the birth-place of our hero is now situated in the southeast corner of block am

Wild Bill's Birth Place.

number thirteen of that town. The cut of the house as here produced, was made from a drawing executed by II. D. Hickok, in March of the present year, and therefore illustrates the place of to-day, though there have been no material alterations made m the building since its first erection.

The family consisted of six children, four boys and two girls, whose names and ages are as follows : O. C. Hickok, was bora in New York in 1830 : he is now a resident of California, and is the trainer and part owner of St. Julian, the greatest horse, perhaps, now on the turf. Lorenzo B. was born, also in New York, in 1832 ; Horace D. is a native of Putnam county, Illinois, having been born there in 1834 ; James B., Celinda D., and Lydia M. were born at the old homestead near Troy Grove. Celinda, born in 1839, married a gentleman by the name of Dewey, and is still living in La Salle county, while Lydia, being two years younger, married a farmer named Barnes and is living in Decatur county, Kansas. Lorenzo and Horace are still living on the old homestead. The father died in 1852, and the mother in 1878 after reaching the venerable age of seventy-four years. All the children are living with the exception of James (Wild Bill ) whose marvelous career and tragic death will be found fully recorded in the subsequent pages, constituting a leaf in history a parallel to Avhich can be found neither in the annals of fact nor romance.

James, it is said, was peculiar in his ways even in childhood. His earliest desire was for fire-arms, and by bartering a number of childish trinkets, at the age of eight years he became possessed of the greatest treasure his youthful fancy had ever pictured — a little single-barreled pistol. In his eyes this weapon, though a flint-lock and of imperfect make, represented the sum total of earthly wealth ; he would not have exchanged it for all the gold of the richest Peruvian Inca, and if staked against his soul there is no doubt but that he would have taken great risk of losing that before parting with his almost priceless treasure. By dint of cunning exchange and barter the youthful sportsman procured powder, and when lead was difficult to obtain he used pebbles, and thus accoutered all his leisure hours were spent in marksmanship, in which, despite the primitive character of his " outfit," he occasionally killed a cat, wounded a pig, winged a chicken, or stung a coyote. These foibles sometimes brought a prominent admonition of Solomon into active operation, at great expense to his youthful posterior ; but if these corrections made the embryo hunter's sitting position difficult they apprised him, at the same time, of the more comfortable employment of walking, and this was sure to lead him again into the commission of other acts equally indefensible in the eyes of his parents.

At about the age of fourteen James secured an excellent pistol and shortly afterward, by the assistance of his father, he purchased a rifle, and thus armed he remained in the woods almost constantly. At this period the few settlers were greatly annoyed by the ravages of wolves, so much in fact that the State offered premiums for the scalps of these destructive animals. This furnished a remunerative occupation for James who, every evening, returned home with a belt full of bloody prizes which brought him no small revenue at the end of every month when the scalps were carried to the county clerk, as the law provided.

His opportunities for schooling were entirely consistent with his other advantages ; country schools had occasional sessions in his district, but a regular attendance was prevented, both by the great distance of the school-house and the irregularity, or rather infrequcncy, of the sessions. However, he managed to acquire a rudimental education. At the age of fifteen chance threw in his way a copy of Peters' " Life of Kit Carson," and " The Trapper's Guide," two books which he read with the greatest interest. The former made such an impression upon him that he declared to his brothers that he would " one day beat anything Kit ('arson ever did or attempted."

Two years after familiarizing himself with Carson's exploits, James obtained employment as a tow-path driver for the Illinois and Michigan canal. Soon after engaging in this occupation he had a difficulty with a driver named Charles Hudson, which resulted in a fistic contest lasting more than an hour. The two began the fight on the tow path, but gradually rolling towards the canal they both finally tumbled into the water, and then it changed from blows into an effort each to drown the other. Hudson was a large man, whose physical abilities were far superior to James', but the latter' s cat-like agility fully com pensated for his deficiency in strength ; in addition to a remarkable activity his endurance was another point of superior excellence, and through these he at length gained such a decided victory that Hudson was taken out of the canal in a lifeless condition, but by dexterous, manipulation he was resuscitated. This ended James* canal experience, and he returned home.

Thus passed the youth of AVild Bill, but who can tell his longing for wider fields of adventure, his craving for escapades in which danger becomes the source of pleasure ? When he reached the period of responsible manhood, eighteen }^ears, though the avenues of communication were few and narrow, yet there was brought to his ears stories of the incipient struggles between Missouri and Kansas. As the strife grew fiercer in aspect James decided to seek the arena of conflict ; he may have grasped the ideas which actuated the Kansas settlers in repelling all efforts to make their State a territory privileging slavery, but the elements of his nature rather incite a belief that he was moved alone by the knowledge that Kansas soil was vegetating bloody broils, and that the great need of that section was heroes.

In the spring of 1855 our thirsting adventurer, collecting together what money he could command, bade adieu to his old home, which nestled tamely in the wilderness of prairies, and set out on foot for St. Louis, which city he reached after many days of painful traveling. The world was almost as strange to him as one of the planets, for his intercourse had been confined to such a limited stretch of changeless country, that beyond the village store his vision had never wandered over the scenes of business life. St. Louis was to him a painted panorama, as mysterious as the labyrinths of the pyramids ; the steamboats were novelties like the palaces of necromancers, and this new iife to him had such a strange aspect that it was very like a second birth. The river business was, at that time, very large, and the Missouri was crowded Avith steamers plying. between St. Louis and Omaha. After much deliberation James engaged passage on the steamer Imperial for Leavenworth, a small acquaintance with city life having infused a new longing for adventure and stimulated him for greater concerns. After a tedious voyage the boat reached Leavenworth, but at the landing met with a reception least expected. Excitement had seized upon everyone and the determination of the people seemed to be the disorganization of society and the formation of a universal mob.

James, an unsophisticated country lad, but withal possessed of a mother acuteness which led him to carefully consider the best means for his own security, carefully noted the excited throng which, without the least show of reason, except exaggerated suspicion, forbade any of the passengers coming on shore. The town of Leavenworth being his destination, however, James determined to leave the boat, and to do this he resorted to a cunning expedient. Tying a large bandana kerchief about his neck, with his pants stuffed carelessly into his boot-legs, and being a deck passenger, he readily assumed the labor of a roustabout and

LIFE OF WILD BILL.

began to carry off freight. While in this occupation he had no difficulty in slipping away through the crowd and gaining the center of the town, where he at once cast iibout for means of employment.

Disembarking in a Kansas Mob.

Jim Lane, who had recently come from Indiana with a body of two hundred men, was then the recognized leader of what was known as the " Red Legs," or anti-slavery forces in Kansas, and at this time had his headquarters in Leavenworth- His band consisted of a little more than three hundred men, armed with such weapons as their individual means afforded. James gravitated naturally towards Lane, and within a week after his arrival in Leavenworth he had joined his fortunes with those who were under that leader's generalship. A few days after his enlistment the regiment was called out on the commons west of town for drill and rifle practice. The range was one hundred yards, and the guns used were common squirrel rifles. In the contest of marksmanship James easily beat every other man in the command, and indeed made such excellent scores that Lane personally complimented his accuracy in the most flattering words. While this little ceremony was being conducted, a crow chanced to fly overhead, and, greatly elated at the distinction being shown him, James drew a pistol from his pocket and shot the bird, then carelessly replaced his weapon without remark as to the excellence of the shot. The crowd of men, however, set up a wild cheering, and for several minutes the confusion was so great that Lane could not make himself heard. When the noise had somewhat abated he renewed his flattering compliments, and putting a hand on James' shoulder, he said to his band: "This man, my newest recruit, will one day excite the wonder and admiration of America, and I shall watch his course with the greatest interest and solicitude." After this little incident the regiment gave James the title of " Shanghai Bill," a name which clung to him until after his great fight at Rock Creek, nearly five years afterwards. I can readily conceive the origin of the appellation of " Shanghai," because James was, at this time, no less than six feet in height and uncommonly slim, though very lithe and willowy, but how he came to be called "Bill," instead of "Jim," I have been unable to discover. His most intimate acquaintances are at a loss for the reason, and his diary makes no mention of anything except the time and circumstances under which the " title" was bestowed.

"Bill," as I shall hereafter very properly call him, served with Lane for nearly two years, through the most trying days when Kansas was building a wall on her eastern border out of the blood and bodies of her noblest sons, to keep out Slavery. He fought only as a brave and excellent soldier, always recognized by Lane as the most effective man in the command. In the early part of 1857 Bill entered a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of the finest land in Monticello township, Johnson county, Kansas, and though he was not yet of age, his reputation was such that almost immediately after settling in that section he was elected constable.

But he was not permitted to live in peace m his new home. The "Border Ruffians" of Missouri, who had suffered defeat, held a special grudge against Bill and in their predatory incursions on Kansas soil they \isited Monticello township and during the absence of their enemy they burned his cabin. Being unable to revenge this outrage because of the secret identity of the men who did it, Bill went to work again and soon had another comfortable house erected on his premises. His duties as constable called him from home so frequently, however, that the marauders had no difficulty in a second time applying the torch and laying the new house in ashes.

The insecurity of his possessions admonished Bill that his labors would never avail him, as a farmer in Johnson county, and before the year expired he abandoned his claim and accepted a position as driver for the Overland Stage Company. In this capacity he crossed the plains several times, driving from St. Joseph, Denver, and points in Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Salt Lake City. As a driver he was apparently reckless and yet no man ever got through his route so frequently with as few accidents. Coming into his destination Bill usually treated his passengers to "a shaking up," as he called it, " in order to jolt the cricks out of their joints." The last stretch of road entering Santa Fe was a slight decline and over this Bill almost invariably turned the horses loose and gave them the lash . The bis; Concord coach would bound along like a wounded monster, lurching the passengers from side to side, dishing up dyspeptics, phlegmatics and rollicking dispositions indiscriminately, and bowling into the town finally the centre of a dust bank and the object of excited interest to everyone in the ancient Mexican city.