W. N. HUBBELL.

ALSO MENTIONED: GEO. W. REILLY.

Caldwell and Geuda Springs.

From the book entitled Great Gunfighters of the Kansas Cowtowns, 1867-1886, by Nyle H. Miller and Joseph W. Snell.

P. 141.

HOLLISTER, CASSIUS M. (1845-1884)

Caldwell’s first mayor, Noah J. Dixon, died suddenly on September 23, 1879. A special election was called for Tuesday, October 28, to fill the vacancy. Cash Hollister resigned as clerk of the St. James Hotel and ran for the office against W. N. Hubbell. The Caldwell Post, October 30, 1879, reported the result.

“C. M. Hollister was elected Mayor by a majority of eleven, on Tuesday last, over his opponent W. N. Hubbell. The contest was close and everything went off smoothly, with a general good feeling among the candidates and people in general.”

Hollister did not run for re-election at the regular city election and was replaced on April 6, 1880, by Mike Meagher, the successful candidate.

P. 360.

On July 28, 1881, the Caldwell Commercial announced Mike’s appointment. “At the request of Mayor [W. N.] Hubbell, M. Meagher consented to act as City Marshal for the present.”

Mike served as marshal of Caldwell for only five days. At a council meeting held August 1, 1881, the mayor placed both Mike’s name and that of James Roberts in nomination for the position. Roberts received three council votes to Mike’s one.

FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.

Arkansas City Traveler, August 25, 1880.

SHEEP FOR SALE.

Twenty-two thousand sheep for sale from Southwestern Kansas viz:

11,000 ewes, one to five years.

6,500 wethers, one to four years.

4,500 lambs.

Half of these sheep will arrive about the first of August, the other half one week later, at Caldwell, where they will be held a while, then moved on to Howard, Elk County.

We will sell for cash or bankable paper.

Apply to W. N. Hubbell & Co., Caldwell, Kansas. HASSARD BROS.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 15, 1881.

Trail for Through Cattle. Agent John D. Miles writes Mr. [W. N.] Hubbell that it is not through any negligence or mismanagement of J. W. Chastain, nor of the office of Cheyenne Agency, that the new trail has not been authorized to be laid out through the Territory, but to that of the Indian Department in not attending to it sooner. Mr. Miles instructed Mr. Chastain to proceed on his locating and opening business, and that he would stand the consequences himself, as he was very anxious to have the trail located definitely. Mr. Chastain is now out on the line of the trail, piloting the incoming heads through. This will be pleasant news to many of our local cattle men, as they were anxious to have the trail established, so that the through cattle would not pass over their ranges and thereby impart the Texas fever to the wintered cattle. Caldwell Post.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 14, 1881.

W. N. Hubbell has been authorized by the local stock men to offer a reward of one hundred dollars for the apprehension of the party or parties who set the prairie on fire in the Indian Territory about six miles southeast of Caldwell on the night of August 30th, and also on Thursday last. Evidently the fire was started by someone intent on destroying the range in a certain locality; and we can see no reason for such dastardly work, unless it is to keep Territory cattle from water in Bluff Creek near the State line. If the fire was set out by anyone holding cattle along the line for the purpose of keeping Territory cattle from encroaching on the range, it shows a low, contemptible, disposition, and one that will land him in the pen before many years, if he does not die with his boots on. A man, or thing that would do such a deed, would steal, and should be branded on the forehead with a curry comb brand. It will not be healthy for anyone caught by the stock men of these parts setting out fire in the Territory. Caldwell Post.

Cowley County Courant, February 9, 1882.

To the Kansas City Sunday Times: We have noticed through the columns of your paper the account of the so-called cut-throats. You are aware of the fact that every story has two sides, so we wish to inform the readers of the Times that we have been very basely misrepresented. In the first place, we were not drunk at the time of the fight. In the next place, we never rode into the city of Caldwell. We had been in town about one month and had always abided by its laws, and as far as helping ourselves to anything, it is false. We never molested anything that was not our own.

As for Meagher, when he was killed, we were not mounted. He had two six shooters in his hands at the time he was shot; and more, he went to Hubbell’s store and borrowed the pistols. It seems to be the general opinion that Meagher was a leading man in Caldwell. Do you know his business? He was nothing more than a saloon keeper and ran a keno table. Just a few days before the row, he was arrested and had to give bond for selling whiskey in Caldwell.

It has been published that the row grew out of the killing of George Flat, this is also false. It never entered our minds. The very reason that the row came up was that the honorable Marshal of Caldwell, John Wilson, was on a protracted drunk and stationed a posse of men in the Exchange saloon and told them to shoot every man that moved: that is, cowboys. Then arming himself with two pistols and throwing them down on everyone of the cowboys, telling them to throw up their hands, which they refused to do. He then withdrew his weapons and proceeded to organize a mob to take or kill us. We went and got our guns and marched to the front and engaged in a fight, which lasted about an hour. We then went and got our horses and started to leave the town, and then we were fired on from every and all concealed places imaginable.

The second skirmish lasted about thirty minutes and then we were forced to ride. We were pursued by about 100 armed men. They at length got us rounded up in a washout and there we stayed until night; then we got together and left. After the mob had dispersed Wilson turned to shoot one of the boys in the back, and this is why the row came up. George Spears was shot by the town mob. He was a friend to the cowboys and that was the cause of his death. He was just as honorable a citizen as Caldwell had. The assistant marshal acknowledged that Wilson was drunk, and that if he (Wilson) had let things alone, everything would have been all right and there would have been no row.

We did take the freighters’ horses and told them that we would return their horses in six or eight days, and on the seventh day we took them back. They told us that if they were situated in the same position that they would do the same thing and did not blame us. Caldwell citizens seem to think that Talbot was one of Billy the Kid’s gang. This is a bare falsehood, as he has never seen the kid and has never had any acquaintance with him whatever. We notice that it was stated we had a fight at a ranch on Wagon Creek; this is a mistake. We never was at Wagon Creek and took any horses and saddles. We never took any horses but the freighters’. We are willing to go and stand our trial if we thought we could get justice, but this we know we cannot get. This is the true facts of the row.

(Signed) JIM TALBOT, BOB BIGTREE, DUG HILL, BOB MUNSON, JIM MARTIN.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 12, 1882.

THROUGH CATTLE TRAIL. The Route Which Cattle Coming From Texas Must Follow Through the Indian Territory.

The following letter has been handed us for publication, in order that it may be clearly understood by what routes cattle from Texas may pass through the Territory. The trail business should have been attended to ere this, but with prompt action on the part of those interested, and if satisfactory to all concerned, the trail as laid out last season might receive the approval of the Commissioner of Indian affairs.

CHEYENNE & ARAPAHO AGENCY,

DARLINGTON, INDIAN TERRITORY, April 1, 1882.

W. N. Hubbell, Caldwell, Kas.

DEAR FRIEND: All cattle herds will be required to follow the old Chisholm trail east of this agency, or on the trail west of Cantonment. The trail passing between this Agency and Cantonment in the vicinity of the Red Hills, over which a few herds passed last season, was not authorized by the Indian Office and cannot be used this season except it first be authorized by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

You will please give this notice to cattle men.

Very respectfully, JNO. D. MILES, Indian Agent. Caldwell Commercial.

W. N. Hubbell and Geo. W. Reilly become residents of Geuda Springs...

Cowley County Courant, April 20, 1882.

Typo sends us the following items from Geuda Springs, which will no doubt be of interest to most of our readers.

“The springs have taken a new boom within the past ten days, houses are springing up in every direction. Two new, two-story, boarding houses, and a number of residences have been commenced this week. The Chicago Lumber Co. have opened a yard here, and have built a neat office. Messrs. Hubbell and Riley [Reilly] of Caldwell have just identified themselves with the new town. Mr. Riley [Reilly] bought the Ward place (ten acres) between the old and new town, on Tuesday, for $1,000. They let the contract for a business house opposite the springs, and have obligated themselves to build a two-story stone or brick house this summer. We have now five boarding houses, all two-story but one, but the need of a larger hotel is felt more and more every day. Why is it that some man with money does not see this chance for a splendid investment? Some two or three hundred visitors were at the springs Sunday, and the number will increase every week from this time. We have now three groceries, two dry-goods, and two drug houses, and nearly fifty dwellings built and contracted for. Dr. Perry is just finishing the last of his ten cottages, he will furnish them all. Mr. McCarty of Wellington is building a small hotel, and quite a number of strangers are here looking out for a chance to invest.”

[GEUDA SPRINGS CORRESPONDENT: “G. W.”]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 26, 1882.

Geo. W. Riley [Reilly], of Caldwell, is building a good business house, which will be occupied as a store by Mr. Hubbell, formerly of Caldwell. Riley [Reilly] has also bought the O. J. Ward ten acres at $80 per acre.

We need a large hotel badly. Someone with capital can here find an investment that will pay more interest than any we know of. It is only a question of a short time when capitalists will take hold of a large hotel here, as a house with 200 rooms would be filled to overflowing in thirty days, and would remain full the year round.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 14, 1882.

GEUDA’S BOOM. The Coming Health Resort of the South West, Its Business and General Prospects.

Mr. W. N. Hubbell has an Ice-cream and Confectionery establishment, and almost opposite the Bath House we noticed a Photograph Gallery, which affords newcomers an opportunity to test the effects of the water upon them by being “took” upon their arrival and at departure.

Cowley County Courant, June 29, 1882.

The following charter was filed in the office of secretary of state yesterday: Geuda Spring Hotel Company, Capital stock $50,000. The following named persons are the directors for the first year: J. R. Musgrove, W. N. Hubbell, O. M. Bieles, C. R. Mitchell, S. L. Allen, F. L. Davis, and Geo. A. Cutler, all of Geuda Springs, Kansas.

Caldwell Commercial, Thursday, October 26, 1882.

Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Hubbell were in town last Monday. They report Geuda Springs flourishing, and destined in the near future to be one of the most popular health resorts in the West.

It appears that W. N. Hubbell did not stay long in Geuda Springs...

Caldwell Commercial, Thursday, December 14, 1882.

A Trip to the Territory. Taking advantage of an offer from the Vaile, Miner & Co., stage line, the COMMERCIAL man took a seat in one of the company’s coaches on the 27th ult., and struck out on his first visit to Cheyenne Agency and Fort Reno. A pleasant lot of passengers were aboard, consisting of W. N. Hubbell; Rev. A. E. Funk, a Mennonite minister, who is to have charge of the mission at Cantonment; P. A. Smith of the Mumford Johnson trading ranch on the South Canadian; and a Mr. Stokes of Philadelphia.

The stage left Caldwell at 2 p.m. and arrived at the Agency about half past 2 o’clock the following afternoon, after an all night drive. At the Agency we had the pleasure of meeting Agent Miles, Will Darlington, Capt. Connell, and Doc. Mann, formerly of Wichita, who has taken a clerkship in Agent Miles’ office.

Entertainment was found at the City Hotel, kept by Messrs. Murphy & Kellar, and after a good wash and an excellent dinner, the Agency and its surroundings were examined.

The next day, a visit was made to Fort Reno, which was found to be one of the neatest posts in the West, finely located on a high knoll and supplied with water works, the water being pumped up from the North Fork into two immense tanks. Pipes from these tanks extended all over the post, furnishing plenty of water for all purposes, and giving security against fires.

At Reno we met Capt. Bennett, commander of the post, and one of the oldest captains in the service. We found him a most agreeable gentleman, and an officer who enjoyed the good will and respect of citizens and soldiers alike. Also, we had the pleasure of forming the acquaintance of Neal Evans, of the firm of N. W. Evans & Co., post traders, and Herman Hauser, chief clerk in the quartermaster’s department. Mr. Hauser has been in the Q. M. Department for twenty years, and ever since Reno was established, whatever the changes in its officers, has always been retained in his present position. This fact alone is sufficient testimony of his abilities and the faithfulness with which he discharges all the duties of his position. Messrs. Evans & Co., carry a large stock of goods and the appointments of the store are complete in every particular. We found Neal up to his eyes in business; but under it all, a genuine, affable gentleman.

Time and space will not permit a lengthy report of our experience while in the land of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, but it will not do to close without referring to a trip down the Canadian under the guidance of Tom Donnell, to whom we are under many obligations for courtesies shown. Tom procured an outfit, and on Friday we whirled out in fine style, down the valley of North Fork, taking in both sides of the stream to a distance of about fifty miles east of Reno. Thence, we crossed over to Deep Fork, and followed the rough and rugged banks of that stream west to the old Chisholm trail, thence to the place of beginning. The trip was a delightful one in every particular, and during its progress, Tom pointed out the different locations of the Payne boomers, and gave us an outline of his experience in scouting through that country in all sorts of weather. But little game was seen on the trip, though we were assured that deer, turkey, quail, and grouse were numerous on all of the many streams running through what is called the Oklahoma lands.

The North Fork has many fine, large bottoms, the soil of which is rich and deep. The valleys on Deep Fork are also rich, but small. On the uplands the soil appears to be of the same character as that of the uplands of Western Kansas; but we can’t say that the country is an agricultural one in any sense. It is a splendid country for all kinds of stock, but the distribution of rain is too uncertain to make it a success as a grain growing region. From seven to ten miles east of Reno, several Arapahos have fine farms and this year have raised a fine crop of corn, but it is the first crop they have had in several years.

Of the return home but little need be said, further than that owing to the blizzard which came down on Wednesday afternoon, three out of the crowded stage deemed it prudent to hold over at the company’s station on Kingfisher, where they were properly cared for by Tom Cluney, the station keeper. Tom is a Vermont Yankee, one who served during the late war, logged in Minnesota, drove a team in the Boston Mountains of Arkansaw, worked in California, and can turn his hand to most anything. He lives alone at the station, caring for all the stock, furnishing breakfast for passengers on the down coach, and makes himself useful in a thousand and one ways that only a Green Mountain boy can. We must also acknowledge obligations to Captain Bennett, Mr. Hauser, Agent Miles, Messrs. Murphy & Kellar, Henry Schweitzer, Hauser’s foreman, who gave us a splendid Thanksgiving dinner, Capt. Connell, and John Poisell, at whose ranch we camped one night, and last, but not least, to Tom Donnell.

Caldwell Commercial, Thursday, December 21, 1882.

The Cheyenne Transporter of last week has the following items. We offer the suggestion to Lafe Merritt that he put date lines at the head of the editorial and local pages. It will save a heep of trouble to his readers.

“The Canadian River Cattle Company has bought the Bugbee ranch, with 12,000 cattle, and the Turkey Track ranch, with 11,000 cattle, both adjoining the double H or horseshoe ranch, in the Panhandle, already owned by the aforesaid company, and the three are now consolidated, making the whole a herd of about 35,000 cattle.”

“Service commences today under the new mail service from Darlington to Cantonment. The mail leaves Darlington on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 6 a.m., and returns on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 9 p.m. The fare from Darlington to Cantonment is $6.00, and the express rates two cents per pound.”

“W. N. Hubbell, an old Indian trader formerly of this agency, and W. B. Hutchison, of the Commercial, were down from Caldwell last week, spending several days here and at Reno, and in company with Tom Donnell, took a hunt out through what is known as Oklahoma land. “Hutch,” being an old newspaper man and editor of the best paper on the border, of course made his lodge at the Transporter office while at the agency, and is one of those fellows whom we like to have happen around for what he don’t know about the newspaper business is not worth learning.”

“On Saturday last the prairie fires were sweeping the country north of the Agency, and for a time the Cheyenne mission was in danger. Seeing this, Agent Miles, with a large force of employees, went out to the scene of danger, and succeeded in checking the progress of the flames before extending east of the stage road, and the fire passed westward up the river without doing but little damage, save sweeping the range before it. Mr. A. M. Walker also had two of his men on the field to assist in keeping the leaping fire from the range which lies east of the stage road.”

Caldwell Journal, June 14, 1883.

D. H. Doty, of Leavenworth, passed through town last week on his way to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agency, where he expects to start a trading store. He was accompanied by W. N. Hubbell, who, we understand, will be associated with Mr. Doty. It will make a strong team, because there is no man who has more friends in the lower country than W. N. Hubbell.

Arkansas City Traveler, July 18, 1883.

Messrs. Reynolds, Doty, and Hubbell have been awarded a license to open an Indian trading store at the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agency.

Caldwell Journal, July 19, 1883.

John Baldwin left yesterday for Cheyenne Agency to work with Crimble on Reynolds, Doty & Hubbell’s buildings.

Caldwell Journal, July 19, 1883.

W. N. Hubbell and wife returned from Leavenworth yesterday, and will shortly proceed to the Cheyenne Agency.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 19, 1883.

Mrs. Hubbell, of Cheyenne Agency, John Whistler and his niece, and Mrs. Capper, of Sac & Fox, and John Gooch, of Otoe, were here this week.

Caldwell Journal, September 27, 1883.

Wm. Crimble came up from Ft. Reno last Saturday, and reports everything running along smoothly on the North Fork. He has some work to finish up for Reynolds, Doty & Hubbell, and also a building to put up for Evans & Co., which will necessitate his return, and possibly keep him at the Fort until about Christmas.

Caldwell Journal, October 4, 1883.

W. H. Doty, of the firm of Reynolds, Doty & Hubbell, Darlington, Indian Territory, came up on Tuesday, to look after some delayed freight. He reports Mr. and Mrs. Hubbell in good health, and that the firm is doing a good business.

Caldwell Journal, October 25, 1883.

AD. A. E. REYNOLDS, D. H. DOTY, W. N. HUBBELL. Reynolds, Doty & Hubbell

INDIAN TRADERS, CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHO AGENCY, DARLINGTON, INDIAN TERRITORY. DEALERS IN GENERAL MERCHANDISE, RANCH SUPPLIES, AND EVERYTHING PERTAINING TO THE TRADE. OUR STOCK IS ENTIRELY NEW! Especially Selected in Eastern Markets by Experienced Buyers for the Indian Territory Trade. Come and Examine our Goods and Prices. We intend to Sell to Ranchmen, living within a reasonable distance of us, at Prices that will not Justify their going to Caldwell for Supplies alone.

[Above item was the last one found on W. N. Hubbell. MAW]