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| Over the County
» SOUTHWEST BREEZES
By Romaine Saunders
KID WADE
Wednesday night, February 6,
1884, the Kid was hung to a F. E.
& M. V. whistling post one-half
mile east of Bassett. A coroner’s
jury empaneled in Brown county,
of which Rock was then a part, said
he came to his death by hanging
^ at the hands of unknown individ
uals. Those who knew considered
it a time when silence was golden.
After justice had laid an inexor
able hand on Doc Middleton, the
Kid was the recognized leader at
the eastern end of a band of out
laws operating from the Black Hills
to the Missouri. At the time of
his apprehension young Wade—he
was 22—was under indictment in
Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota, Wyoming
and Montana. Some distinction for
a Holt county citizen. He had been
schooled in the craft of a horse
thief by the elder Wade, whose
ranch on the Big Sandy nearly due
north from Atkinson was a ren
dezvous for the outlaws. There
we#e always provisions ill abund
ance in the Wade cabins. Hams,
sides of bacon, antelope meat and
beef hung from rafters. The last
f knew, people by the name of
Younkin were on the old Wade
place.
The operations of the Middleton
band caused the settlers of the
Niobrara valley to organize what
was known as regulators or vig
alanters. They were officered with
captains and lieutenants. It was
often suspected but seldom proved
that some of these “regulators”
were using the organization as a
blind to cover up their misdeeds.
On the strength of the various
indictments, as well as general
principles, four Holt county ctiiz
ens, Capt. C. C. Dodge, Lt. Peter
Hansen, Charles Messenger and,
Michael Coleman, undertook the
task of apprehending the Kid. Jan
uary 12, 1884, they swung into
their saddles, reining their horses
eastward. Information had been
received that the Kid was in the
vicinity of Lemars, Iowa. On the
evening of the 16th they arrived in
Lejnars. Here they learned that
th£ object of their quest was at
Mansfield, sixteen miles out. The
jmorning of the 17th Messenger, not
known to the outlaw, rode out to
[Mansfield and located Wade, with
Whom he negotiated the purchase
of a horse. A forfeit was posted and
Messenger informed Wade if he
would accompaniy him into Lemars
they would get the money from
the bank for full payment. The
Kid consented to this, not without
some misgivings. On the way into
Lemars he cast frequent searching
glances at Messenger, who rode
stoically on.
As they were leaving their horses
to the care of the livery barn at
tendant in Lemars the companions
of Messenger quietly closed in from
three sides and drew their guns—
and the Kid, the terror of the Nio
^ brara, was a prisoner.
After twenty-four hours in the
saddle, the Kid in irons, they ar
rived in Yankton, S. D., the evening
of January 18. He had agreed to
accompany them without a requisi
tion on the promise of the four that
he should have a fair trial in Holt
county. They remained two days
Y in Yankton. Here they saw com
merical possibilities with their
prisoner. A hall was engaged and
it was advertised that Kid Wade
would give an exhibition of his
skill with the six shooter—at 50
cents admission. He had the rep
utation of being the best that ever
flashed an ivory-handle .45 in this
territory. That he went thru this
performance in good faith without
making a kill and his get-away
clearly indicates his confidence in a
square deal being given him, with
no thought of the tragic end that
awaited. And looking back over
the intervening years the retro
spective forces hte conclusion that
the Kid, outlaw that he was, frad
high regard for his word of honor
and a faith that was betrayedPin
those qualities in others.
At Yankton a second prisoner
was taken, Joe Jordan, a brother
in-law of young Wade. It appears
that Jordan was released upon the
arrival in Holt county with the two
prisoners. Thus far the activities
of the regulators were clothed in
the honored vestments of law and
order.
On February 1 a kangaroo court
£ was held at Back Berry’s at Pad
dock. Delegations of Brown and
Holt county vigalanters were pre
sent to “examine” the Kid. A
tragedy was averted at this meet
ing by Mike Coleman relieving
Henry Richardson of Brown county
of his gun when he was in for
shooting the Kid on the spot for
telling him “you are as big a horse
thief as I am.”
Maybe desiring to shift further
responsibility the majority of the
Holt county bunch favored turning
Wade over to the mercies of the
men from Brown and the Kid saw
the promise of a fair trial and his
hopes vanish. S. J. Weekes of the
O’Neill National bank was among
the boys and men then living in the
neighborhood to congregate at
Paddock to “see the excitement.”
Coleman and Hugh O’Neill pro
tested the turning of the Kid over
to the Brown county vigalanters.
He had been promised a fair trial
at home and should have it. They
did more than protest. Hastening
into O’Neill they swore out a war
rant for the arrest of the Kid and
sent Sheriff Ed. Hershiser out to
bring him in. Ed, like the North
west Mounted, generally got his
man. He trailed the group to the
vicinity of Long Pine.
The Browm county delegation,
under command of Capt. A. J. Burn
ham, probably by this time also in
clined to shift responsibility, turned
the Kid over to Hershiser. Capt.
Burnham and another of the party
by name of Matsoir, offered to ac
company the sheriff in with his
prisoner.
These three with the Kid pulled
into Bassett to spend, the night.
Hotel rooms were all occupied but
they were told they could stay in
the bar room. The Kid rolled into
a blanket and went to sleep on the
floor. Thf sheriff with his two
ocmpanions settled at ease in their
chairs. The cold February night
wore on. Suddenly a crash of
glass as gun barrels were thrust
thru the windows startled the
watchers. At the same time the
door was flung open and a body of
grim and disguised men appeared.
The regulators had come. .
The Kid was awakened and led
to his doom.
One story was that he trembled
with fear and asked to be spared
that he might have a chance to
mend his ways. Another was that
he implored his guards to give him
a pair of six shooters and he would
get away from the mob and come
into O’Neill and surrender. In
telling of the affair when he got
back to O’Neill Sheriff Hershiser
said the last words he heard the
kid say were: “I have been feeding
you fellows and now' you are going
to hang me.”
Did the Kid recognize his ab
ductors as his own band of outlaws
who resorted to a hanging to pro
tect themselves?
INMAN NEWS
Vere Butler who has spent the
past two months in Kansas City,
Mo., has returned home.
Considerable sickness is reported
in and about Inman, however noth
ing of a serious nature.
C. D. Keyes, who has been in an
Omaha hospital recovering from a
major operation, returned home
Wednesday night. He has been in
bed with a serious case of the flu
since his arrival home. Late re
ports are to the effect that he is
a little better.
Mrs. R. L. Sharp of Los Angeles,
Calif., who has been visiting among
friends here the past ten days, left
Sunday night for Battle Creek for
a visit with her sister, Mrs. Phil
Lund, before returning to her home
in Los Angeles.
Mrs. Minnie Grosser and son,
Elmer, left this week for San Diego,
Calif., for an extended visit with
relatives.
C. A. Rassemussen and Mr. Ring
ette of Norfolk, looked after busi
ness here for the C. & N. W. rail
way Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Maxcy went to
Winner, S. D., Sunday to look after
business there this week.
The cook car belonging to the
C. & N. W. railway which was on
the tracks near the station here,
caught fire Sunday afternoon. The
flames were extinguished before
any great damage was done.
Miss Donna Rae Jacox, who
works in O’Neill, was at home sev
eral days last week with the flu.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Haddin
Geary Sunday, Jan. 10, a baby boy.
Mother and son are doing nicely.
. Word wps received here this
week by relatives of the death of
Ed. Green at Missouri Valley, Iowa.
Mr. Green was born and grew to
manhood in Inman. For a number
of years he had made his home with
his daughter in Missouri Valley.
He was about 60 years of age.
Vaiden Eugene, infant son of Mr.
and Mrs. Martin Conard, is ill with
pneumonia here at the home of his
parents.
EMMET ITEMS
Mose Gaughenbaugh, Clarence
Earl Farr were in Emmet Monday
on business.
Miss Viola Haines will teach the
Wiliam Mullen school during the
absence of Mrs. Ralph Fritton, who
is ill in an Omaha hospital.
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Claussen of
O’Neill, were in Emmet Monday
calling on friends.
Mildred O’Connell was calling on
friends in Emmet Monday.
Helen Hoehne left Tuesday for
Omaha. She will go from there to
Denver, Colo.
Several members of the Frank
Sesler family have been ill the
past week. Mr. Sesler, who had a
bad attack of the flu, is much im
proved, as are the others.
Mrs. John Bonenberger was a
caller in O’Neill Tuesday.
Miss Anna Vequist was in Em
met on business Thursday morning.
Jim O’Connor has been ill with
flu but is able to be up now.
Bob Pease was in Emmet Tues
day on business. He reports that
the snow out his way has been so
deep that he has been unable to get
thru for a week.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Dallegge
and family left Friday morning for
their home in Kimball, Nebr., after
a weeks visit with his sister, Mrs.
John Bonenberger and family.
Margaret Cuddy has given up
her position at the Conard Store,
and returned to her home.in O’Neill
Mrs. Guy Cole and Mrs. John
Conard entertained Rev. and Mrs.
D. S. Jay of Dixon, Nobr., and Rev.
and .Mrs. A. J. May of O’Neill, at
dinner Sunday. While here, Mr. j
Jay baptized Mary Lou, infant
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John
Conard.
Mr. and Mrs. Vern Swick and
children of Clinton, returned home
Sunday after spending several days
visiting at the home of her father,
W. R. Tenborg, and sister, Mrs.
Anne Cadman.
Mrs. Frank Sesler, Mrs. Jessie
Higgins and Raymond Thompson
were in Atkinson Monday on busi
ness.
J. B. Ryan wus a business caller
in Emmet Monday.
Evelyn Ressel of Chambers, is
working at the Guy Cole home.
Eugenia Luben returned to
O’Neill New Year’s day after
spending the Christmas vacation
with her grandparents, Mr. and
Mrs. William Luben, Sr.
Mary Welsh is staying in Emmet
at the home of her aunt, Mrs. Jesse
Wills, while going to school.
Mrs. Tom Welsh vyited at the
home of her sister-in-law, Mrs.
Jesse Wills, Tuesday.
W. P. Dailey attended the live
stock sale Tuesday at Atkinson.
Clyde Allen was in O’Neill on
business Tuesday afternoon.
Mrs. W. P. Dailey was visiting
in O’Neill Tuesday.
Guy and Arthur Cole were at
Stuart Monday to attend a live
stock sale.
Miss Marion Holbert returned
Saturday from Sedalia, Mo., where
she spent Christmas and New
Years.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Puckett and
son, Jimmie, were visiting Tuesday
in Emmet.
Mrs. Ruth Wagnon and Joe Luth
were in O’Neill Tuesday on busi
ness.
Marie Bonenberger visited at the
home of her brother, John, from
Thursday to Sunday.
Duane Bonenberger spent the
week-end with his grandmother,
Mrs. Ella Dallegge, in Atkinson.
Miss Theresa Pongratz spent the
week-end in Atkinson at the Givens
and Clarence Gilg homes.
Andy Brown of Sioux City, ar
rived in Emmet Tuesday on a busi
ness trip.
Mrs. Frank Foreman tailed on
ARE You Planning a Farm
or Ranch Auction?
I am now booking dates for the winter and spring season. If
you are planning a farm or ranch sale and would like my services
as auctioneer, please arrange early for a suitable date, as I will
be able to accommodate only a limited number.
Terms:—No higher than anybody else. Phone, Atkinson
M9-R2—Day or Night.
ERNIE WELLER, The Auctioneer
ATKINSON, NEBRASKA
the Emmet teachers, Geraldine
Harris and Viola Kellar, Sunday
afternoon.
George Krohardt of Atkinson,
was a business caller in Emmet
Tuesday.
Larry Tenborg made a business
trip to Stuart Sunday afternoon.
(Continued on page 8, column 2.)
$400 CAR TO MAKE
40 MILES ON ONE
GALLON OF
GASLOINE
Dealers are being estab
lished now to handle sales of
the Aironiobile, the full-sized,
streamlined, aircooled auto
mobile being built in Syra
cuse, New York, by the en
gineers who built Franklins.
Honesty and some capital re
quired. Wire or write com
pany representative for par
ticulars. R. R, Pierce, 916
Terminal Rildg.. Lincoln, Ne
braska.
YOU CAN GET
The Frontier
i Hy
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/or $ ■
• <2 r i hHHBHbBB
^1 a year
IN HOLT AND ADJOINING COUNTIES
TN THE face of increasing costs we are offering you an opportunity
to get your weekly newspaper at the low price of $1.00 per year.
We make this price again this year because of the continued drouth,
that farmers, and others, may have a paper at the lowest possible sub
scription price. The dollar-a-year rate is only for subscriptions in
advance. If you have a past due, unpaid, subscription account,
all arrears must be paid at the regular price of $2.00 a year,
then you may have a years subscription in advance for $1.00.
i
If you spend only fifteen minutes a week reading
your paper you have over twelve hours of enter
tainment at the low cost of $1.00. Where else can
you get so much for so little?
i j
This Offer Closes Saturday, February 27
