The following article by Publisher Jim Gray is from the March 2002 issue of "The Kansas Cowboy"
newspaper. The old-West history newspaper of some 20 pages is published six times a year
for $19. Write to Publisher Jim Gray, 119 North Douglas, Ellsworth,
Kansas 67439. 785-472-4703 His email is [email protected]
Kansans are proud of their western heritage.
Abilene began as a small prairie village along the Smoky Hill Trail. It was platted at
the east side of the crossing of Armistead Creek in 1861. Following the entrance into the
Civil War, the name of the creek was changed to Mud because its namesake had joined the
Confederate forces. He was Gen. Lewis Armistead of Gettysburg fame.
The name of Abilene was chosen from a verse in the New Testament meaning, "City of the
Plains." For six years, the settlement had little resemblance to a city, being just an
assemblage "of a half dozen huts."
Joseph McCoy would change all that with his vision of a great cattle "depot" on the plains.
Texans were searching for a safe and accessible market for their wild Texas
Longhorn cattle. Everywhere they turned they were met with resistance. In 1867,
McCoy's Great Western Stockyards welcomed them eagerly with open arms. The trail to Abilene
was far west of settlements on the open prairie, with lots of room to graze the cattle
comfortably until a sale could be made.
With the first drives of Texas cattle to Abilene, the sleepy little town became the first
of the "end of trail" cattletowns in Kansas. The Drovers Cottage was the headquarters of the
Texans and the cattle buyers from the East. The following spring of 1869 saw the town's
population swell with an influx of businessmen, gamblers, gunmen, pimps, and prostitutes.
Cowboys were encouraged to share their pay with one and all. But no law was prepared for
the onslaught of Cowboys just in off the trail. Galloping horses and frantic gunplay were
commonplace on Abilene's streets.
According to Joseph McCoy's own account, the Cowboy would often "imbibe too much poison
whiskey and straightway go on the warpath. Mounting his pony, he is ready to shoot
anybody or anything, or rather than not shoot at all would fire up into the air, all the
while yelling as only a semi-civilized being can. At such times it is not safe to be on the
streets, or for that matter within a house, for the drunk Cowboy would as soon shoot into a
house as at anything else. "
The July edition of the Topeka Commonwealth declared, "At this writing, Hell is now in
session in Abilene." For the next couple of years the Texan and the merchants of sin
reined supreme in Abilene. But that would soon change.
The town was promoted to became a third class city in the fall of 1869. By the following
spring, Abilene prepared to meet the Cowboys with a new marshal and a "No Gun" law. The
girls of the dance halls were required to stay south of the railroad tracks. Abilene hoped
to contain the uncivilized element in an area known as the Devil's Addition.
The Cowboys had other ideas. They ripped down the "No Gun" signs. They threatened the civic
leaders and demolished the newly built city jail. The marshal resigned, followed quickly by
the deputy.
The city sought out a pair of police officers from St. Louis. They stepped off the train and
headed for Texas Street to survey the situation. The saloons were filled with wild, unruly
Cowboys. It was reported that their experiences in the various saloons was, to say the least,
unpleasant. They boarded the eastbound midnight train and were never heard from again.
Abilene's salvation came in the form of a man straight out of a Western movie script. "Bear
River" Tom Smith arrived on the train with his horse "Silverheels." He rode through town
in the middle of the street, sitting tall in the saddle.
The "No Gun" signs were again posted. But this time Marshal Smith backed up the law with
an uncommon boldness. When challenged by a surly Texan, the marshal beat him into submission
with his fists! Abilene was no longer the realm of the Cowboy. It belonged to
Marshal Tom Smith. The summer of 1870 passed in unusual calm.
Then on November 2, 1870, Marshal Smith accompanied Deputy Sheriff J.H. McDonald to a
homesteader dugout in the country. There, they were ambushed and Smith was killed.
Abilene knew it could not endure a return to the uncontrolled days before Marshal Smith.
The search was on for a man to fill Smith's uncommon boots. That man was soon found in the
form of Wild Bill Hickok. Hickok's reputation as a government scout and unparalleled
gunman would serve Abilene well.
There were those among the Texans with reputations to match. Ben Thompson was reported to be
the fastest gun in the West. He was a partner with another gunman, Phil Coe, in the
Bull's Head Saloon. Thompson's reputation also served him well, as few were willing to
confront him and his lightning quick hand.
Then there was a young Texas Cowboy just in from the Chisholm Trail by the name of
John Wesley Hardin.
Hickok met Hardin in the street, demanding his pistols. There, according to legend, Hardin
got the drop on Hickok with a trick draw of the pistol. Hickok made a quick remark that
won over the young man and they became guarded friends.
Later, Hardin reportedly shot and killed a man through a hotel wall to stop his snoring.
Marshal Hickok scoured the town for Hardin as he made his escape in his nightclothes, out
onto the prairie.
Toward the end of the 1871 cattle season, a mob of Cowboys celebrated in the streets before
returning home to Texas. Phil Coe was among them as a stray dog ran though the street.
Coe pulled a pistol and shot at the dog, drawing Hickok's attention. Coe next drew on
Hickok, and in a flash the Marshal's pistols were called to action. As Coe fell mortally
wounded to the street, a man approached from Hickok's rear.
Hickok wheeled and fired and the shadowy figure fell to the street. Drawing near the body,
Wild Bill discovered he had killed his own deputy.
It was the last time that Hickok drew his weapons in a fight.
By that fall, the cattle trade was waning in Abilene. Settlers were taking up homesteads
all around on the fertile prairie. The Great Western Stockyards would grow silent. The
Drovers Cottage would be moved to the new "end of the trail." Wheat would soon become
the new King of Abilene.
Notes from Archie - - -
There was good money in shipping Texas Longhorns. From 1867 through 1884, some 15 new Kansas
towns were built on railroad spur lines. Estimates are that 6,000,000 Texas cattle were
shipped, but this was only a guess.
Holding pens for cattle, a hotel, and a saloon with some rooms upstairs were always
provided.
Cattle raisers, cattle buyers, and railroad men thrived on this business. But the other
citizens of Kansas were not pleased.
Texas cowboys were often ages 16 to 26. After 85 to 90 days on the trail, they were paid
in Kansas. They wanted a bath, a shave, whiskey, and one of those rooms upstairs for
visiting, but not necessarily in that order.
They shot their pistols everywhere.
We believe that the extensive run of Hollywood movies, those Westerns, the horse operas
with major stars featured, were originally based on Texas cowboys driving Longhorns to
Kansas.
In addition to drunk cowboys shooting with great abandon in those towns, there came the
Texas tick fever that devastated Kansas dairy cattle and stock cattle. Texas Longhorns
were wild animals, and were immune to earthly diseases.
In 1885, the Kansas State Legislature banned all Texas cattle from the entire state
of Kansas.
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