To provide a little background about Abilene, Kansas, you might wish to read my previous post, “Early Days of Abilene, Kansas, which you may find by CLICKING HERE.
As a brief outline, Kansas Territory was opened to white American settlement in 1854. In 1856, Timothy F. Hersey staked out a claim on the west bank of Mud creek about two miles north of where it empties into the Smoky Hill river. There, he and his wife, Elizabeth, ran one of two stagecoach relay stations built to serve travelers along the Smoky Hill Trail. A few other businesses developed. Kansas became a state in 1861.
The Homestead Act of 1862 became effective in 1863, and starting then, but especially after the end of the American Civil War, settlers—mostly farmers—moved into Kansas. Then, the Kansas Pacific (which later became part of the Union Pacific Railroad) built along this same trail. The train reached Abilene in early 1867.
Loading cattle and McCoy's Drovers Cottage
With the coming of the railroad, a man named Joseph McCoy saw the potential in Abilene for establishing a rail head for longhorn cattle driven up from Texas. After purchasing land and building a hotel, a livery, and stockyards to accommodate the Texas drovers, he put the word out. The first cattle were brought up the Chisholm Trail and shipped out of Abilene in September of 1867.
That was when the big trouble began.
The above 1878 Abilene map shows the development that was already taking place in 1871. The original town was to the left, yellow section, and the saloon district was south of the tracks in the general vicinity of the arrow. Many year-round prostitutes lived in the pink section to the right, south of the tracks.
The cowboys from a state that, for the most part, favored the Confederacy during the recent war, collided with the more established permanent citizens of Abilene, many with Northern roots. The homesteaders, whose domestic cattle often died from diseases brought by the tick-infested long horns, opposed the cattle being brought up from Texas. Like their counterparts in Missouri—who banned cattle drives within that state—they wanted the Texas drovers and their disease-carrying cattle gone. The permanent residents of Abilene opposed the building of saloons—along with the year-round and seasonal prostitutes—that catered to these drovers. A lawless environment plagued the town.
Before Abilene's incorporation in September 1869, no official law enforcement existed in Abilene, Kansas. A town government was formed with Joseph McCoy being elected the first mayor. One of the first items of business was to establish the position of town marshal. A stone jail—the first stone building in Abilene—in spite of being torn down by the Texas cowboys during the first construction attempt—was built.
Candidates locally and as far away as St. Louis, Missouri, were sought. Several, after seeing conditions in the saloon and red-light district of Abilene during cattle season—turned down the position. It was offered to the well-known Tom “Bear River” Smith, who was hired in 1870. He did an effective job of law enforcement until he was murdered—not by Texas drovers, but by two Scotch homesteaders.
“Wild Bill” Hickok was described as being about six feet in height and weighing about 175 pounds. He was well-made physically, graceful in movement, constantly alert, and cool while under fire. His brown wavy hair down to his shoulders, piercing gray-blue eyes, aquiline nose, and flowing mustache made him a figure to attract attention. His attire was expensive and showy.
Another physical description of Bill Hickok comes from Libbie Custer, wife of George Armstrong Custer:
“Physically, he was a delight to look upon. Tall, lithe, and free in every motion, he rode and walked as if every muscle was perfection, and the careless swing of his body as he moved seemed perfectly in keeping with the man, the country, the time in which he lived.”
“I do not recall anything finer in the way of physical perfection than Wild Bill when he swung himself lightly from his saddle, and with graceful, swaying step, squarely set shoulders and well poised head…. He was rather fantastically clad, of course, but all that seemed perfectly in keeping with the time and place. He did not make an armory of his waist, but carried two pistols.”
"Are you satisfied?" - Published by Harper's New Monthly Magazine, February 1867
It was those two pistols that got Hickok into trouble in Abilene. Some claim the fast draw originated with him. According to W.E. Webb, “His power lies in the wonderful quickness with which he draws a pistol and takes his aim.” His greatest strength was due to his dexterity using both of his pistols at the same time.
The summer of 1871 brought Abilene a large group of lawless people. Several special officers were appointed to assist Hickok. Among these were James Gainsford, one of the captors of Tom Smith's murderers; James McDonald, who had accompanied Smith to the cabin on his fatal mission; Thomas Carson, a nephew of Kit Carson, the famous scout; "Brocky Jack" Norton, who later served as a peace officer in Ellsworth and Newton; and Mike Williams.
During the summer of 1871, Hickok received a great deal of criticism regarding how he handled law-enforcement issues. Some citizen thought he spent too much time at the Alamo saloon and delegated too much work to his assistants. Some disliked his proneness to resort immediately to the use of firearms in establishing his authority. Those who had respected Tom Smith, who took no part in the immoral practices of the Texans, criticized Hickok’s methods of opening carrying his guns and demonstrating a quick willingness to use them. Although many admired his show of physical courage, they disapproved of him exhibiting the same moral weaknesses of the Texans, although not to excess.
The Alamo was the most elaborate of the saloons, and a description of it will give an idea of the plan of them all. It was housed in a long room with a forty-foot frontage on Cedar street, facing the west. There was an entrance at either end. At the west entrance were three double glass doors. Inside and along the front of the south side was the bar with its array of carefully polished brass fixtures and rails. From the back bar arose a large mirror, which reflected the brightly sealed bottles of liquor. At various places over the walls were huge paintings in cheaply done imitations of the nude masterpieces of the venetian Renaissance painters. Covering the entire floor space were gaming tables, at which practically any game of chance could be indulged. The Alamo boasted an orchestra, which played forenoons, afternoons, and nights. In the height of the season the saloons were the scene of constant activity. At night the noises that were emitted from them were a combination of badly rendered popular music, coarse voices, ribald laughter and Texan "whoops," punctuated at times by gun shots.
One story involves outlaw John Wesley Hardin, reputed to have killed twenty-seven men, who was in Abilene the same time that Wild Bill Hickok served at city marshal. He arrived at the end of a cattle drive in early 1871. In his autobiography, he claimed to have befriended Hickok.
Hickok knew the man as "Wesley Clemmons", Hardin's alias. He later claimed he did not know Clemmons was a wanted outlaw. He asked Clemmons to hand over his guns and told him to stay out of trouble.
Hardin complied. Hardin alleged that when his cousin, Mannen Clements, was jailed for the killing of two cowhands Joe and Dolph Shadden in July 1871, Hickok – at Hardin's request – arranged for his escape. Whether there is any truth to that claim is unknown. In August 1871, Hickok sought to arrest Hardin for killing Charles Couger in an Abilene hotel "for snoring too loud.” Hardin left Kansas before Hickok could arrest him.
However, that was not the final straw for the citizens of Abilene. The following is from the “Kansas Historical Quarterly - Abilene, First of the Kansas Cow Towns” by George L. Cushman:
The prostitutes from the colony north of town had migrated to Texas street and vicinity. There were ordinances prohibiting their practices within the city limits, but they were ignored. Petitions signed by women and the responsible people of the city were presented to the council asking for the enforcement of the ordinances, but the council was slow to give an ear. In the latter part of June a restricted zone was established on land adjoining the townsite and owned by George Fisher. Here the bawdy houses might be located where "shooting and stabbing and all-night life could be indulged in in full blast."
During the summer of 1871 an undercurrent of hard feelings had developed between Marshal Hickok and some Texans encouraged by Phil Coe and Ben Thompson, proprietors of the Bull's Head saloon. This feud came to a crisis on the evening of October 5. The end of the cattle season was nearing and some Texans were celebrating their departure with a farewell spree on the streets of the city. They began their party on Texas street about sundown. They carried Jake Karatofsky to the Applejack saloon, where he was made to stand treats. This they did to other citizens they happened to find on the streets. They found "Wild Bill" in a boarding house eating his supper. He would have no part in their pranks, but he sent them to the bar of the Novelty theater where they, could get drinks at his expense.
About nine o'clock, while Hickok and his deputy, Mike Williams, were in front of the Novelty theater, a shot was heard around the corner on Cedar street. Bill hurried through the east door of the Alamo saloon and went quickly to the front, asking in a rough manner who had fired the shot. Phil Coe, at the front with pistol in hand, replied that he had shot at a dog. Without further questioning Hickok drew two revolvers and the two exchanged shots. Coe was mortally wounded while Hickok was not hit. Mike Williams, hearing the shooting, hurried around to the front of the saloon to aid the marshal. Bill, without recognizing Williams, shot him twice, and he died almost instantly. Coe lingered for several days and died in great agony.
Cattle being loaded by McCoy's stockyard
There were a lot of high feelings for this incident, both by the Texas cowboys and the city’s citizens. However, developing the land north of the railroad, away from the lawless element south of the tracks had already begun. The sentiment against the cattle trade grew in strength. The cattle season for 1871 was almost at an end.
So was the career of “Wild Bill” Hickok as Abilene’s marshal. He was relieved of his duties less than two months after the accidental shooting.
The accidental death of Deputy Williams was an event that haunted Hickok for the remainder of his life. This incident was the last time Hickok was ever involved in a gunfight.
My recently published book, Abilene Gamble, is mostly set in Abilene, Kansas, in the summer of 1871—the same time Hickok served as city marshal. While many books portray Hickok in heroic terms, based on what I learned in my research, I did not. Here is an excerpt:
From the look on Ollie’s face, Harry could tell he was
reluctant to be there. He was no doubt torn between his loyalty to his boss and
his friendship with Harry. Once Hickok and Ollie Thompson stood a mere ten feet
away, Harry stepped next to Nathan before he turned and greeted them. “Good
morning, Marshal Hickok, Deputy Marshal Thompson.” He nodded to the two lawmen
before focusing on Hickok. “Kind of early for you to be about, Marshal. We’re
not used to the pleasure of your presence in this part of town.”
Ollie Thompson acknowledged the greeting. “Mr. Bradford. Mrs. Butler. Mrs. Schoenfeld.”
“Mrs.?” His eyebrows raised, Nathan turned to his sister.
“I’ll explain later.” Whispering, Stella stared at her feet.
Marshal Hickok struck a pose Harry guessed was intended to intimidate. “Hear-tell you brought a wanted man in with you this morning, Mr. Bradford. How come he’s not in my jail?”
“Because he’s my responsibility, Marshal. He’s not wanted in Abilene or in any Kansas town. He and I will be on the train and out of your hair first thing tomorrow.”
“That’s not how it works.”
“It’s exactly how it works, Marshal. He’s my capture, I’m taking him in, and I’m the one who has control of him until such time as I turn him over to the police in Indianapolis. I don’t need him in your jail where one of your deputies or their friends can help themselves to him and go after the reward.”
“I consider that an insult.”
“No offense to either of you gentlemen, of course, but I can’t control everyone who walks through that jail. I consider putting Mr. Schoenfeld in there a risk I’m not willing to take.”
“And how did you know about him and the five-hundred-dollar reward, Mr. Bradford?” The marshal drawled out Harry’s name in an insulting manner.
Harry tried to ignore Stella’s look of dismay. He suspected she blamed herself, since she had trusted him enough to give him the information he needed to find her brother.
“I didn’t find no wanted poster for him. Mr. Thompson, here, said you were looking through the stack just before you left. Did you take it out of my desk?”
Harry casually reached into the inside pocket of the trail-dusty vest he had put back on over a clean shirt. He pulled out the crumpled wanted poster and held it out to the Marshal. “Just borrowed it, Marshal. I got all the information I needed off of it, so you can have it back. Might as well toss it, though. Once I return Mr. Schoenfeld to Indianapolis, it won’t be any good, anymore.”
“I don’t like how you work, Bradford. Never have.”
“Feeling’s mutual, Marshal. But as long as we stay out of each other’s way, we’ll get along just fine. Once I board the train with my prisoner tomorrow, you won’t have to worry about me for a while.”
“Your prisoner? I’m the law.”
“You’re a fast gun hired to maintain order, Marshal, and we both know it. As a member in good standing of the Kansas bar, I’m an officer of the court. I know what I can legally do, and what I can’t.” And I know I’m stretching it to the limit. Harry held his breath as he waited for Hickok’s response.
You may find the book description and purchase link for Abilene Gamble by CLICKING HERE.
In addition, I’m pleased to announce that today is release day for Indianapolis Justice. The saga of Harry and Stella, as they seek justice for Nathan, continues. To find the book description and purchase link, Please CLICK HERE.
Sources:
https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-historical-quarterly-abilene-first-of-the-kansas-cow-towns/12833 ; Cushman, George L.; Kansas Historical Quarterly - Abilene, First of the Kansas Cow Towns. August 1940 (Vol. 9, No. 3), pages 240 to 258. Transcribed by lhn;digitized with permission of the Kansas Historical Society.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Bill_Hickok
https://truewestmagazine.com/wild-bill-truth/
Wild Bill was a character. Love the description Mrs. Custer wrote about him, and the description of the saloon. Thank you for sharing, Zina!
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