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Territorial News www.territorialnews.com www.facebook.com/TerritorialNews Vol. 33, No. 9 Your Connection to the Old West November 27, 2019

Next Issue The Baxter’s Curve Wednesday December 11

Play Express Agent Foils the Tall Texan’s Plan Arizona Trivia By Michael Murphy convicted and sentenced to See Page 2 for Details fifteen years in prison. Af- t’s been said that Ben ter serving ten years at the Kilpatrick, AKA “The federal penitentiary in At- This Week’s I Tall Texan,” was pretty lanta, Georgia, Kilpatrick incompetent when it came to was released in June 1911. Question: robbing trains. As a member He immediately re- of both the Ketchum Gang turned to a life of crime and and the , Kil- pulled off a series of mild- Looming over the patrick had plenty of suc- ly successful robberies in East Valley, Four cess, but without the likes West . On March 12, Peaks is a part of of or Black 1912, The Tall Texan’s luck what mountain Jack Ketchum along for the would run out again. range? ride, well, not so much. Baxter’s Curve is locat- (8 Letters) The thing is, it wasn’t ed almost midway between that he couldn’t rob a Sanderson and Dryden, just train—in fact he had a re- east of Sanderson Canyon markable string of suc- in West Texas. It was a cesses in a short period of sharp bend in the railway’s Index time—it’s just that he could rail bed named for an engi- never quite secure enough neer who died there when funds from these robberies his train derailed. Arizona Kid...... 16 to make ends meet, which Kilpatrick and another Arizona Trivia...... 2 meant he had to keep rob- Ben Kilpatrick AKA “The Tall Texan” outlaw, Ole Hobek, who Business Directory...... 18 bing. Sooner or later his Kilpatrick met in prison, Classifieds...... 18 luck would run out. outlaws Sam Ketchum, his which led to the nickname boarded the Galveston, Jim Harvey...... 2 Kilpatrick was born in brother Thomas “Black “The Tall Texan.” Harrisburg and San An- Texas in 1874. As he grew Jack” Ketchum, and Wil- Later, he rode for a tonio Railway train after up, he worked as a liam Carver. He was about time with Butch Cassidy’s it had stopped in Dryden and eventually met up with six feet, two inches tall, Wild Bunch gang. The law for water. As the train caught up with him in No- vember 1901 and he was (See Kilpatrick on Page 4) Buffalo Bill Gets The pon the outbreak ing as under-secretary His First Scalp of the war with in the Department of the Spain in April Navy. Realizing that he uffalo Bill Cody according to his own ac- U 1898, Miguel A. Otero, was young and lacking was already a na- count. Others described the Governor of the Terri- in training, Roosevelt tional folk hero encounter as hand-to-hand B tory of , of- recommended, instead, when he called back into combat, and misreported fered his services to the that if Dr. service as an army scout the chief’s name as Yel- War Department as a vol- would serve as colonel of after Custer’s defeat at low Hand. Still others said unteer officer and wired a regiment to be raised in the Little Big Horn. Cody that Cody merely lifted the Washington on April 26: the Southwest, he would added a new chapter to his chief’s scalp after he had “Can raise a battalion accept appointment as the legend by fighting a “duel” died in battle. Whatever ac- of mounted riflemen in lieutenant colonel. with the chief tually occurred, Cody char- about a week.” As soon as recruiting Yellow Hair, whom he sup- acteristically had the event Then the Secretary was authorized, cowboys, posedly first shot with a embroidered into a melo- of War offered a military miners, freighters, and rifle, then stabbed in the drama--Buffalo Bill’s First heart and finally scalped command to Theodore Roosevelt, who was serv- (See Cavalry on Page 11) “in about five seconds,” (See Cody on Page 6) Buffalo Bill Cody Page 2 Territorial News November 27, 2019

Guide Me Lord Arizona - Web of Time Guide me lord, and beans. They used yuc- you are my heart you are my strength, Jim Harvey ca and bear grass leaves to you are my hope. make sandals, baskets and The Arizona Trail sleeping mats. And they Teach me Lord, and guide my way wore hair decorations, nose I love you more each passing day. Members of an 1885 mistake. The long, powerful and lip plugs, necklaces and U.S. Army detachment hind legs and massive hips, rings made of wood, bone scouting east from Arizona’s the short forelegs held with and stone. Fort into New Mex- the paws curving downward, Captain’s Bar Presents ico saw what they said was a the tapering forequarters and A Chinese man named black kangaroo. Lt. Charles neck, the erect head and up- Bill Yee who wore his long ARIZONA TRIVIA Gatewood later wrote that standing ears, in every re- hair in a queue down his This Week’s Question: Looming over the East Valley, Four the creature was moving in spect a kangaroo.” back owned 1898 King- Peaks is a part of what mountain range? (8 Letters) “calm, unhurried leaps across man’s most popular restau- the valley floor” ahead of the American Indian farm- rant where he served a lunch Last Issue’s Question: On September 4, 1886, Apache detachment. It finally disap- ers living northeast of pres- of meat, vegetables and des- leader surrendered to U.S. government troops peared into a canyon. Gate- ent-day Flagstaff 900 years sert for 25 cents. in Arizona. Where did it take place? wood added “There was no ago raised corn, pumpkins, Answer: Skeleton Canyon 1905 was the year the Congratulations! You got the right answer! first motorcycle reached the Grand Canyon. It was rid- Leo Achin, Keith Adams, Charles Bean, James Case, Sid Clarke, Larry Damer, Serena Desylva, Doyle Ekey, Jeanne Finch, Kevin Gartley, Roger den by Dr. P.A. Melick of Kvammie, Robert Lidgett, Gerald Nelson, Bill Riordan, William Smith, Williams on a 60-mile un- Gary Swanson, Richard Valley. paved road so rough he said How to Play he nearly perished from ex- Letters are hidden in the advertisements. Find the letters to spell haustion. the answer. Submit your answer with your name, address & phone number on a postcard for the current issue’s question to Territorial Publishing, P.O. Box 1690, Apache Junction, AZ 85217. Look for The roads of northern the answer in the next issue. To have your name listed in the next Arizona still were so rough issue, cards must be received no later than 10 days past the current issue of the Territorial News. For example: submitted answers to in the summer of 1911 peo- the 11/27/19 question, deadline is 12/7/19. Limit one postcard per ple traveling by horse-drawn household per issue. Must be at least 18 years old. Remember to put wagon north of Flagstaff on your name on your entry! the other side of the Little River said it felt like the fillings were be- ing jolted out of their teeth. Canned food they carried looked like beaten eggs because of the bouncing. Crackers were broken into pieces small enough to roll oysters in. As the road de- scended to lower elevations, the weather got warmer and bacon melted and ran out of www.territorialnews.com the wagon box. Eighty-four elk from We’re On The Montana were delivered to Winslow by railroad and Internet! turned loose south of town in Check us out! 1913. They were brought to Arizona because hunters had www.facebook.com/TerritorialNews exterminated the native elk. Territorial News P. O. Box 1690, Apache Junction, AZ 85117 Phone 480-983-5009 Fax 480-393-0695 [email protected] For All Advertising Information: Linda Rae Stewart 480-522-7728 or [email protected] Ralph Henderson - Business Manager •David Stanfel - Editor Linda Rae Stewart - Ad Sales 480-522-7728 Michael Murphy - Layout & Design Richard Kimball - Writer The Territorial News is published by Territorial News Inc. The Territorial features Old West stories, photos and art that are part of our area’s rich and interesting past. The publisher assumes no liability for the opinions contained within this publication; all statements are the sole opinions of the contributors and/or advertisers. The Territorial’s East Valley coverage area includes areas east of Gilbert Road, including East Mesa, Apache Junction, Superstition Falls, Mountain Brook, Gold M Canyon and Queen Creek. Copies are distributed free at convenience and grocery stores, restaurants and bars, RV parks and subdivisions and libraries. Subscriptions are also available. Merchandise or services advertised in the Territorial News are expected to be accurately described and readily available at advertised prices. Deceptive or misleading advertising is never knowingly accepted. To find out if a contractor is licensed call the Registrar of Contractors at 602-542-1525.All classified ads must be paid in advance. Standard ad rate is $2.00 per line or $10.00 per column inch. Payment may be made by check or credit card. Mail to Territorial News, P.O. Box 1690, Apache Junction, AZ 85117 or E-mail [email protected]. The Territorial News publishes every other Wednesday. Ad deadline is one week prior to printing. November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 3 Arizona’s Meteor Crater asily the best pre- dates from long after this that the meteorite struck served meteorite impact. at a speed of up to 45,000 Eimpact crater in the The object that exca- mph, but more recent re- world is Arizona’s Meteor vated the crater was a nick- search suggests the impact Crater, located approxi- el-iron meteorite, which was substantially slower, at mately 43 miles 28,600 mph. It is east of Flagstaff, believed that about near Winslow. Cre- half of the meteor- ated some 50,000 ite’s bulk was va- years ago by an ob- porized during its ject about 50 yards descent, before it wide, the crater is hit the ground. The about 4,000 feet in meteorite itself was diameter, some 570 mostly vaporized; feet deep, and is sur- very little of the rounded by a rim that rises impacted the plain at a meteorite remained within 150 ft above the surround- speed of several kilometers the pit. ing plains. per second. The speed of The crater came to The crater was created the impact has been a sub- the attention of scientists during the Pleistocene ep- ject of some debate. Mod- och when the local climate eling initially suggested (See Impact on Page 10) on the Colorado Plateau was much cooler and damper. At the time, the area was an open grassland dotted with woodlands inhabited by woolly mammoths, giant ground sloths, and camels. It was probably not inhab- ited by humans; the earliest confirmed record of human habitation in the Americas Page 4 Territorial News November 27, 2019 Baxter’s Curve Robbery Kilpatrick As Trousdale later re- ter come out. I stood there ported: “The first I knew for a few seconds and the (From Page 1) of being held up was when robber told me to ‘fall out’ the train came to a stop at with my hands up. When I approached the iron bridge Baxter’s Curve. I did not got out of the car, he walked just east of Baxter’s Curve, go to the door, and did not up to me and searched me the outlaws ordered the en- know there was any trouble for arms; and then made me gineer to stop the train and until the train porter called stand back with the train uncouple the passenger me and asked me to come crew. He made the con- cars and the caboose. Then, to the door. I opened the ductor and the train porter while holding the Wells, door, and when I looked uncouple the baggage cars Fargo express agent, Da- out, there was a man with from the coaches and move vid Trousdale, at gunpoint, a mask on, standing there away about ten to twelve they then ordered the train pointing a rifle at me. The feet. He searched the help- to proceed farther down the porter told me that I was er, and gave the conductor track where the robbers had wanted out there; that there and porter instructions to stashed their horses. were robbers and I had bet- go back and stay with the coaches; the mail clerk, the helper, and I to go on the engine. One of the robbers rode on one side of the en- gine in the gang way and one on the other side. They carried us something like a mile from the place they held us up. “The robber going by the name of ‘Partner’ (Hobek) stayed with the en- gineer and fireman; and the other one going by the name of ‘Frank’ (Kilpatrick) had the mail clerk, the helper, and myself line up by the side of the engine tank and marched us back to the bag- gage car and made us get up into the car, holding our hands up. He then carried us over to the safe and had me open it. I only had seven money waybills in the safe, and out of the seven, I told hem that there were only two of any value to him. I got him to take two packag- es, one valued at $2.00 and the other $37.00. After he had looked over the car, he said he would go through and see what had and he carried the three of us back to the mail car.

(See Kilpatrick on Page 12) November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 5 Page 6 Territorial News November 27, 2019 Buffalo Bill’s First Scalp

Cody ping the scalp of his dead on the field that day ever foe. He later recalled that, recalled his dramatic ora- (From Page 1) swinging the grisly trophy tory afterward. above his head, he cried out Shortly thereafter, the Scalp for Custer--for 5th headed north the fall theater season. to reinforce Crook, Cody was riding but not before Mer- with the 5th Cavalry ritt had submitted a under Brevet Major lengthy report of his General Wesley Mer- campaign to Wash- ritt on their way to ington. Of the actual join General George fighting, Merritt said Crook when they ran only “...a party of into a small group of seven Indians were Cheyenne warriors discovered near the near Warbonnet Creek command, moving in . with the intention of Cody and seven or cutting off two cou- eight other soldiers riers who were ap- charged after the In- proaching from Sage dians. While Cody’s Creek. A party was companions scattered sent out to cut these the other Cheyenne, off, killing one of he reportedly ran forward in triumph, “The first scalp them....” with a and dis- for Custer!” And perhaps Back East, people saw patched one warrior, strip- he did, though no one else things much differently. The triumph at Warbon- net Creek was glorious, a just revenge on treacher- The internet has revolutionized the way companies try ous savages. Newspapers to sell you something you bought six months ago. played up Cody’s accom- plishment; the New York Herald, for instance, filled nearly a column with news of the faraway event. And for Easterners eager to learn more of the thrilling com- bat, Little Bat Garnier was able to add a few choice de- tails: The dead Indian was Yellow Hand, an important chief of the Cheyenne; his death at the hands of Cody was enough to make all the other hostiles turn tail and run. Alas for history, Gar- nier was not one to let the truth stand in the way of a good yarn. Cody’s victim was in truth Hay-o-wei, a T name which translates as Yellow Hair, so called for

(See Cody on Page 19)

A November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 7 The Marias Massacre hough receiving Piegan Blackfoot named track down and punish the little attention in Owl Child, who in 1867 offending party. Sheridan’s Thistory, the Marias stole some horses from order: “If the lives and Massacre of January 1870 Malcom Clarke, a white property of the citizens of has been described as the trader, as payment for his Montana can best be pro- greatest slaughter of In- own horses, whose loss he tected by striking Moun- dians ever made by U.S. blamed on Clarke. Clarke tain Chief’s band, I want troops. Declaring he did not and his son tracked Owl them struck. Tell Baker to care whether or not it was Child down and brutally strike them hard.” the rebellious band of Indi- whipped him in front of Sheridan’s plan was a ans he had been searching a group of Blackfeet. In dawn attack on a village for, Colonel Eugene Baker retribution, on August 17, in heavy snow, when most ordered his men to attack a 1869, Owl Child and a few of the Indians would be sleeping camp of peaceful other Piegan warriors shot sleeping or huddling inside Piegan Blackfeet along the and killed Clarke, and se- to keep warm (a strategy Marias River in northern riously wounded his son he had employed before, Montana. In the aftermath at their home near Hel- when George Custer at- of the attack, a hasty count ena, and then fled north to tacked ’s band by Baker’s men showed join a band of rebellious of in the Battle 173 dead (mostly women Blackfeet under the lead- of Washita River). and children) with 140 ership of Mountain Chief. Strengthening his cav- women and children cap- Outraged and frightened, alry units with two infan- tured, while only one cav- Montanans demanded that try groups from Fort Shaw alryman died, after falling Owl Child and his follow- near Great Falls, Baker led off his horse and breaking ers be punished. The Unit- his troops out of Fort Ellis his leg. ed States army demanded (near present day Bozem- The Marias Massacre of the Blackfeet that Owl an, Montana) into sub-zero occurred in the midst of Child be killed and his winter weather and headed the massive white Ameri- body delivered within two north in search of Mountain can westward expansion. weeks. When the two week Chief’s band. Soldiers later Relations between the deadline had passed with reported that Baker drank Blackfeet and whites had no sign of Owl Child, Gen- a great deal throughout been hostile for years. The eral sent the march. On January 22, events leading up to the out a band of cavalry led massacre involved a young by Major Eugene Baker to (See Blackfeet on Page 9) Page 8 Territorial News November 27, 2019 Canadian Fur Trade he fur trade in Cana- aroused interest in France, son’s Bay Company had da had its roots in the and King Henry IV granted established posts to which T16th century, when charters to fur-trading com- Native Americans brought French fishermen sailed to panies with the double aim furs, the Scots and French the Grand Banks, landing of competing with English went out and transacted on Newfoundland and Cape colonial ambitions and pro- business directly with the Breton Island. The furs they viding a profitable industry Indians. This resulted in brought back from trad- for France. their expanding the trade ing with the local natives Young Frenchmen who westward and south, into the wanted excitement or chal- Louisiana Territory. In fact, lenge took to trading goods French traders had reached with Native Americans for the Dakotas by 1738, before the furs France wanted. English settlers to the south Meanwhile, although the had reached the Allegh- French claimed , the enies. Competition among British had given a charter the French and Scots traders to the Hudson’s Bay Com- was fierce, but in 1779 they pany in 1670, and it soon agreed to consolidate their controlled the fur trade in interests. This was formal- northern areas. When Cana- ized in the winter of 1783- da became a British posses- 84, and the North West Com- sion in 1763, the Hudson’s pany was born. For nearly Bay Company became the four decades, North West dominant fur-trading or- and Hudson’s Bay fought for ganization, though many control of the fur trade. The French trappers continued Nor’Westers created an effi- on an individual basis. They cient system of transporting were joined by Scotsmen, furs whereby trappers and who brought in new ideas traders from met of trading. While the Hud- supply canoes from Mon- treal at Fort William, on the western edge of Lake Supe- rior, and exchanged furs for trade goods and supplies. (The later mountain men used the same system with their annual rendezvous.) The bitter rivalry be- T tween Hudson’s Bay and North West led to violent clashes, and in 1821 the British government forced the two companies to join together. In any event, the fur trade was in serious de- cline by this time due to Scientists have observed that when one over-trapping and the clear- pizza delivery guy trips and falls over, ing of land for farming. By several others also fall over. the 1870s, it had all but This is known as the Domino’s effect. ended. November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 9 The Marias Massacre Blackfeet Kipp if he tried to warn the many Americans were out- sleeping camp of Blackfeet raged. One angry congress- (From Page 7) and gave the command to man denounced Baker, say- attack. ing “civilization shudders Baker discovered an Indi- Baker’s soldiers began at horrors like this.” Bak- an village along the Marias blindly firing into the vil- er’s superiors, however, River, and, postponing his lage, catching the peaceful supported his actions, as attack until the following Indians utterly unaware and did the people of Montana, morning, spent the evening defenseless. Heavy Runner with one journalist calling drinking heavily. himself was killed as he Baker’s critics “namby- At daybreak on the left his lodge with his gift pamby, sniffling old maid morning of January 23, of an American flag given sentimentalists.” 1870, Baker ordered his to him as a promise for his General Sheridan ex- men to surround the camp camp’s safety. Knocking pressed his confidence in in preparation for attack. down lodges with fright- Baker’s leadership, and As the darkness faded, ened survivors inside, the managed to prevent an of- Baker’s scout, Joe Kipp, soldiers set them on fire, ficial investigation into recognized that the painted burnt some of the Black- the incident. Conflict be- designs on the buffalo- feet alive, and then burned tween the settlers and the skin lodges were those of the band’s meager supplies Blackfeet declined after a peaceful band of Black- of food for the winter. By this incident. The Black- feet led by Heavy Runner. the time the brutal attack foot Nation, already badly Mountain Chief and Owl was over, Baker and his weakened by smallpox, Child, Kipp quickly re- men had, by the best esti- did not have the numbers alized, must have gotten mate, murdered 37 men, or support this late in the wind of the approaching 90 women, and 50 chil- Indian Wars to respond. soldiers and moved their dren. The troops initially The public outrage winter camp elsewhere. captured about 140 women over the massacre did de- Kipp rushed to tell Baker and children as prisoners rail the growing movement that they had the wrong to take back to Fort Ellis, to transfer control of Indi- Indians, but Baker report- but when Baker discovered an affairs from the Depart- edly replied, “That makes many were ill with small- ment of Interior to the War no difference, one band or pox, he abandoned them Department--President another of them; they are to face the deadly winter Ulysses S. Grant decreed all Piegans and we will at- without food or shelter. that henceforth all Indian tack them.” Baker then or- When word of the agents would be civilians Pavlov walks into a bar. The phone rings, and he says, dered a sergeant to shoot massacre reached the East, rather than soldiers. “Darn, I forgot to feed the dog!” The Merchants of Historic Florence Welcome You! Page 10 Territorial News November 27, 2019 Meteor Crater Impact nic steam explosion. Gil- cal meteorite was missing. bert had assumed that if it Further there were no mag- (From Page 3) were an impact crater then netic anomalies. Gilbert the volume of the crater, as argued that the meteorite following its discovery by well as meteoritic material, fragments found on the rim European settlers in the should be present on the were coincidental. . It was dubbed rim. Gilbert also assumed a In 1903, mining en- the Canyon Diablo crater, large portion of the meteor- gineer and businessman after Canyon Dia- Daniel M. Barrin- blo, Arizona, the ger suggested that closest community the crater had been to the crater in the produced by the late 1800s, about impact of a large 12 miles northwest iron-metallic me- of the crater. It was teorite. Barringer’s originally thought company, the Stan- that the crater was dard Iron Company, caused by volcanic received a patent forces. This was signed by Theodore not an unreason- Roosevelt for 640 able assumption, acres around the as the volca- ite should be buried in the center of the crater in 1903. nic field lies only about 40 crater and that this would In 1906 Roosevelt autho- miles to the west. generate a large magnetic rized the establishment of a In 1891 Grove Karl anomaly. Gilbert’s calcu- newly named Meteor, Ari- Gilbert, chief geologist for lations showed that the zona, post office (the clos- the U.S. Geological Sur- volume of the crater and est post office before was vey, investigated the cra- the debris on the rim were 30 miles away in Winslow). ter and concluded that it roughly equivalent, so that was the result of a volca- the mass of the hypotheti- (See Impact on Page 13) November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 11 The Rough Riders

Cavalry nel Wood soon was coupled rush.” Actually, those eager with the “Rough Riders.” beavers attacked recklessly, (From Page 1) Early in June the men against needless odds, as if and horses boarded trains for they were trying to win the troopers of the territorial mi- Tampa, Florida, where they war by themselves before litia hastened to enlist. New were to embark for Cuba on other troopers could catch up Mexico provided the largest with them. As a result, they contingent, nearly forty per- incurred heavy casualties, cent of the eleven hundred about seven times as great as volunteers. Approximately those of other volunteer regi- ten percent were Easterners, ments. Admittedly, they did derisively dubbed the “Fifth accomplish their objectives, Avenue Boys,” and the states thereby contributing materi- of Texas, Colorado, and the ally to the quick victory that territories of Arizona and summer. Oklahoma provided the re- During the campaign mainder. Leonard Wood was promoted Colonel Wood went at to the rank of general, and once to , Texas, Roosevelt was advanced to where he prepared a train- his place as commanding of- ing camp and mustered in ficer; therefore it was in fact the recruits. When Roosevelt a transport ship; but unfor- Colonel Roosevelt’s regiment arrived in May he found the tunately the ship could not when it was mustered out in boys “working like beavers” accommodate the regiment’s New York in September. and added that he had “never horses. They had to be left Nearly a year later, in seen such riding.” Officially behind, excepting those of June of 1899, several hun- this was the First Regiment the officers. Undaunted, dred of the young veter- of Volunteers; the Rough Riders fought as ans met in Las Vegas, New but soon the newspapers “dismounted cavalry” at Las Mexico, for their first annual were referring to the regi- Guasimas and charged on encampment and reunion. ment as “rough riders.” Be- foot up San Juan Hill near Roosevelt, then governor of cause of Roosevelt’s renown Santiago. Roosevelt boast- New York, rode in his ser- for spectacular deeds, his ed, “I waved my hat and vice uniform at the head of name instead of that of Colo- we went up the hill with a the parade. Page 12 Territorial News November 27, 2019 Baxter’s Curve Robbery Kilpatrick Grande) with him. out. In this way I gained “I thought if there his confidence and he quit (From Page 4) was any chance for me to treating me as roughly as get the advantage on him, he had been. Before this, he He cut one mail pouch open it would be by taking him would jab me with his rifle and put all of the loose reg- back through my car where and command me around in isters in it; and threw it out I could find some means of a boisterous manner. When with four others, filled with turning the table on him. I we passed by a stack of oys- registers; and told me that told him that I was not get- ters, I had an empty packer he would take me across ting fighting wages and did standing in about the center the river (meaning the Rio not care how much he took of the car, and the robber and I had to pass between the oysters and the packer, and this crowded me close to the oysters; and as we passed, I picked up the ice- maul which was lying on them. I placed it behind my overcoat so that he could not see it and got him away from the door and showed him a package which was going to Sanderson, and told him that the package was worth more than all he had gotten, I thought. He rested his rifle against his leg and started to pick up the package in his right hand. While he was in this position, I saw my chance, and so the first blow I struck him was at the base of the skull, adjoining his head from his neck. Then I struck him two more blows in the top of the head after (See Kilpatrick on Page 15)

My idea of living off the grid is when I forget to bring my phone into the bathroom. November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 13 Meteor Crater Impact than a billion 1903 dollars. promoter of impact cra- Impact physics was poorly tering, argued Barringer’s (From Page 10) understood at the time and case in an article in Science Barringer was unaware that in 1930 Standard Iron Compa- most of the meteorite va- It was not until 1960 ny conducted research on porized on impact. He spent that later research by Eu- the crater’s origins between 27 years trying to locate the gene Shoemaker would 1903 and 1905. It conclud- meteoric iron, and drilled confirm Barringer’s hy- ed that the crater had in- to a depth of 1,376 feet, but pothesis. The key discov- L deed been caused by an im- no significant deposit was ery was the presence in the pact. Barringer’s arguments ever found. crater of the mineral stisho- were met with skepticism, Although many ge- vite, a rare form of silica as there was a reluctance at ologists remained skeptical found only where quartz- the time to consider the role of the crater’s meteoritic bearing rocks have been of meteorites in terrestrial origins as recently as the severely shocked by an in- geology. He persisted and 1950s, the concept became stantaneous overpressure. It sought to bolster his theo- more acceptable as plan- cannot be created by volca- ry by locating the remains etary science gained in ma- nic action; the only known of the meteorite. Barrin- turity. Professor Herman ger, who in 1894 was one Leroy Fairchild, an early (See Impact on Page 17) of the investors who made $15 million in the Com- monwealth silver mine at I work out almost every day. Friday I almost Pearce, in County, worked out, Saturday I almost worked out, Arizona, had ambitious Sunday I almost worked out... plans for the iron ore. He estimated from the size of the crater that the meteorite had a mass of 100 million tons—the current estimate is about 300,000 tons. Iron ore of the type found at the A crater was valued at the time at $125/ton so Barrin- ger believed he was search- ing for lode worth more Page 14 Territorial News November 27, 2019 Short-Courtright Duel uke Short was a gun- an example of Short, who block until they were in front fighter, gambler and owned a saloon called the of bar and brothel owner Ella Lbar owner who had White Elephant, and who Blackwell’s Shooting Gallery drifted down to Fort Worth, also had a sizable reputa- Saloon. There, facing one an- Texas, from Dodge City, tion as a mostly other, Courtright said some- Kansas. While in Dodge due to an 1881 gunfight with thing in reference to Short’s City, Short had dabbled a gunslinger named Char- gun, apparently to give the in gambling, and became lie Storms, at the Oriental impression that the inevitable friends with several other Saloon in Tombstone, Ari- gunfight was in self-defense. noted Old West figures such zona. Most historians tend Short stated he was not armed, as , Jim Mas- to support the claims that although he was. Short then terson and , who Courtright had previously indicated that Courtright had also become friends with offered his “protection” to could check for himself, and Jim Courtright. the White Elephant, and that walking toward Courtright, Courtright was at vari- Short informed him that he he opened his vest. When he ous times was a jailer, deputy didn’t need his protection. did so, Courtright said loud- sheriff, deputy U.S. Marshal, Whatever the case, the two ly, “Don’t you pull a gun on hired killer, private detective men did not get along. me!” and quickly drew his and racketeer. In February On February 8, 1887, at pistol. 1887, he was the marshal of about 8:00 p.m., Courtright However, Courtright’s Fort Worth with a reputation called Luke Short out of the pistol hung on his watch- as being fast with a gun. White Elephant. Courtright chain for a brief second, at Some claim that Mar- reportedly had been drink- which time Short pulled his shal Courtright was running ing. Some words were passed pistol and fired one shot. The a protection racket at the and the two men walked bullet tore off Courtright’s time, and needed to make down the street about one right thumb, rendering him incapable of firing his single- action revolver. As he tried to switch the pistol to his left hand, Short fired at least four more times, killing him . Short was placed on tri- al for the shooting, but it was ruled justified self defense, and that was the end of it. The gunfight would become famous, due to the notoriety of both men as gunmen, and is what both men would be- come best known for. Unfor- tunately for Courtright, that fame was posthumous Short continued his life as a gambler, investing in other saloon interests, and Keep the dream alive: Hit the snooze button. traveling to several other over the next five years. He died peaceful- ly in bed in Geuda Springs, Kansas, on September 8, 1893. The cause of his death was listed as dropsy, the 19th century term for congestive heart failure. November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 15 Baxter’s Curve Robbery Kilpatrick ing through the end of the sengers. When I found that car. After waiting about an there was no one out there (From Page 12) hour, we pulled the air and to harm me, I opened the the engineer backed the en- door and admitted the train he had fallen, and knocked gine and baggage cars back crew. his brains out the third to the coaches. The fireman “After getting the train blow. came back to the coaches coupled up, we moved up “I took two .45 caliber and called me. I told him to to where the US mail had Colt revolvers and a 401 get the conductor and some been unloaded and found Model Winchester off this of the passengers before everything there as it had man. I gave the mail clerk I could open the car, that been unloaded, and I got and the helper each a re- I had killed two men. In a the two sealed packages volver and I kept the rifle. I few minutes he came back that had been taken out of sent the mail clerk and help- with the conductor, porter, er to the rear end of the car. and fifteen or twenty pas- (See Kilpatrick on Page 18) I turned the lights out and then joined them. I waited something like two hours for the second man to come back. He did not show up for sometime, and I fired a shot through the top of the car, and in a few minutes, he came to the door and called the name ‘Frank’ three times; and waited about five minutes, then I saw his head sticking out from be- hind a trunk forty feet from me. I fired one shot – the bullet striking him about an inch and a half above the left eye, passing through his head and started go- Page 16 Territorial News November 27, 2019 The Beaver ou can make the case for the beaver lives along constructs a dome-shaped, that it was the beaver streams and lakes, eating mud-covered aquatic lodge Ythat started the great water plants and willows, of interlaced branches that migration of settlers to the aspen and alders. With over- provides a nest for its family. West. The treasure that lured size lungs and fleshy valves This unique home has two or eastern adventurers north- that keep water out of its ears three underwater exits. They west in the early 1800s was a and nostrils, it can swim un- open below the ice in winter, thickset, placid, industrious derwater for ten minutes. Its the beaver’s breeding season, rodent, Castor canadensis, tail acts as a rudder, and its allowing the animals to gnaw whose glossy tan-to-dark- webbed hind feet propel it at on a food supply of timber brown underfur has a natural two miles per hour. stored outside its door. tendency to mat, or “felt.” A sociable, mostly To maintain an even wa- This oily coat is waterproof, monogamous mammal, it ter level for the lodge, the ro- dent dams its lake with stones, mud, and trees that it fells and then tows along canals it has dug from the pond to outly- ing groves. Its long incisors can topple a five-inch-thick tree in three minutes. Easterners craved the stylish hats made from bea- ver pelts to such an extent that hat makers bought over 10,000 pelts each year. Dis- carding the long, coarse guard hairs, the hatter shaved the soft underfur from the skin, then twanged the string of a huge bow through it. The vibration of the string made the hairs hook together. The matted pile was flattened, covered with wet linen, and kneaded into a conical hood that was shrunk and thick- ened by being boiled, treated with acid, and beaten. While hot, the felt was molded into the desired shape over a wooden block, then dried and ironed; its nap was raised with a wire paddle. A dog has an owner. A cat has a staff. Overtrapping and re- duced demand for pelts marked the end of beaver trapping in the West by the 1840s. By then, however, the mountain men and fur trap- pers had ranged throughout the West and were the first of the easterners who would soon travel in droves to the wide open western territo- ries. November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 17 Meteor Crater Impact from the crash site remains and observation areas with visible to this day. The cra- views inside the rim of the (From Page 13) ter was also used as a loca- crater. It also features the tion for the 1984 film Star- American Astronaut Wall mechanism of creating it is man. of Fame, and such artifacts through an impact event (or The Meteor Crater on display as an Apollo artificially through a nucle- Visitor Center on the north program test space cap- ar explosion). rim features interactive ex- sule, a 1,406 pound mete- A Shoemaker’s discov- hibits and displays about orite found in the area, and ery is considered the first meteorites and asteroids, meteorite specimens from definitive proof of an ex- space, the solar system Meteor Crater that can be traterrestrial impact on the and comets, and includes a touched. Guided tours of Earth’s surface. Since then, movie theater, a gift shop, the rim are offered daily. numerous impact craters have been identified around the world, though Me- teor Crater remains one of the most visually impres- sive due to its size, young age and lack of vegetation cover. One of the interest- ing features of the crater is its squared-off outline, believed to be caused by pre-existing cracks in the ground at the impact site. Meteor Crater is today a popular tourist attraction privately owned by the Bar- ringer family. Despite its importance as a geological site, the crater is not pro- tected as a national monu- ment, a status that would require federal ownership. It was designated a Nation- al Natural Landmark in No- vember 1967. The crater continues to be a focus for scientific research. During the 1960s, NASA astronauts trained in the crater to prepare for the Apollo missions to the Moon. On August 8, 1964, a pair of commercial pilots in a Cessna 150 flew into the crater for a closer look, but were unable to climb out due to downdrafts. They ended up circling the interior until their fuel was exhausted and crash-land- ed. They survived their or- deal and a small portion of the wreckage not removed

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(From Page 15) Z my safe. I transferred all of my money run to Helper Reagan and went as far as Sanderson and un- loaded the dead bodies with the six guns taken from them.” Stopping at the Sanderson Train Depot, the robbers were posed for a photograph and thrown together into a grave in the local cemetery. The local sheriff, David L. Anderson, notable for having been a member of ’s gang, later captured a third accom- plice in the robbery attempt—a young boy who had been recruit- ed to hold the horses at Baxter’s Curve. It’s interesting to note that Townspeople pose with dead outlaws Kilpatrick and Hobek the bandits’ horses were found to after the robbery have been shod backwards, pre- sumably so that when they made and a gold watch from Wells, Far- their escape their tracks would ap- go, another $1,000 from the fed- pear to be going the opposite way. eral government, and another $500 As for Trousdale, the passen- from the railroad. gers passed the hat at the scene and The Terrell County Histori- gave him $51 for his bravery. They cal Commission erected a marker also later presented him with an en- on the outlaws’ grave at the Ce- graved gold watch fob inlaid with a dar Grove Cemetery in Sanderson, diamond inside the star of Texas. which has become something of a He also received a $1,000 reward tourist attraction. An Old West Epitaph Remember friends as you pass by As you are now so once was I As I am now so you must be Prepare for death, and follow me.

--A verse found in many cemeteries in the Old West. However, on a tombstone in the Pioneer Cemetery near Colorado Springs, Colorado, someone scribbled a bit of graffiti below the inscription:

To follow you I’ll not consent. Until I know which way you went. Business & Services November 27, 2019 Territorial News Page 19 Buffalo Bill’s First Scalp Cody new gift she eagerly reached the 5th Cavalry. Still, a man inside. Upon pulling out the can be forgiven for bragging (From Page 6) rancid scalp, poor Louisa to his own wife. However, fainted dead away. She lat- since everything he did or a blond scalp he had once er made Cody promise he said was grist for the popu- taken. Yellow Hair was the would never again scalp an- lar press, the legend over- son of a chief named Cut other Indian. Yellow Hair’s took the truth in short order. Nose, but was himself of no accoutrements, including his Within a few months, Cody particular importance--that missing topknot, can still be was treading the boards once is, not until he had the ques- seen today in the Buffalo Bill more in a stage production tionable luck to be killed by Museum at Cody, . titled The Red Right Hand; Buffalo Bill Cody, thereby Cody’s famous fight or Buffalo Bill’s First Scalp instantly becoming a leg- was, of course, single-handed for Custer. The show was a end. only in a loose sense; he did success almost everywhere As for Cody, he started have some small help from Cody took it. the ball rolling the very next day following the incident. He wrote his wife Louisa: “We have had a fight. I killed Yellow Hand, a Chey- enne chief, in a single-hand- ed fight. [I am going to] send the war bonnet, shield, bride [bridle], whip, arms and his scalp....I have only one scalp I can call my own: that fellow I fought single- handed in sight of our com- mand, and the cheers that went up when he fell was deafening.” Unfortunately, Cody’s parcel reached his wife be- fore his letter. Thinking her husband had sent some fine Page 20 Territorial News November 27, 2019