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On August 20, 1871, oneof the largest gunfights

ever to take place in theAmerican West was foughtin Newton, Kansas. Knownas the Gunfight at Hide Parkor the Newton Massacre, theshootout claimed more livesthan any other Old Westgunfight, including theGunfight at the O.K. Corral.Background. The incidentbegan with two locallawmen, Billy Bailey andMike McCluskie. Bailey wasa Texan. McCluskie was anIrishman from Ohio. Shortlyafter his arrival in Newton,McCluskie befriended 18year-old James Riley, whowas dying of tuberculosis.Riley would play a major rolein the massacre.

Round 1! On August 11,1871, Bailey and McCluskiewere in the Red FrontSaloon arguing about localpolitics. The argumentturned into a fist fight.McCluskie knocked Baileyout of the saloon and intothe street. He followed, drewhis pistol and fired two shotsat Bailey. The second shothit Bailey in the chest.Bailey died the next day and

McCluskie fled town to avoidarrest. McCluske returned afew days later, having beentold the shooting wasconsidered self-defense.Although Bailey neverproduced a weapon, he hadkilled two men in previousgunfights and McCluskieclaimed to fear for his life.Round 2! Several cowboysfrom Texas were in town andvowed revenge against

Agarita Ranch Lockhart, Texas

A Chronicle of the Plum Creek Shooting SocietyOctober 2016

Find Delta Raider ………………… 8 Long Juan Here …………………… 3 Match Photos ……………………… 9 Pics from Jake Jones ………..…. 7 President’s Word ………………… 2 Stories from Jake Paladin …… 6

Contributed by Texas DrifterNewton Massacre or Gunfight at Hide Park

by Frederic Remington

President - Dragon HillDaveDavid DonaldsonAustin, TX [email protected]

Vice President - JoeDarterTom MorrisSeguin, TX [email protected]

Secretary & Editor, Agarita Gazette- Long JuanJohn SouleAustin, TX [email protected]

Treasurer & ScoringMarshal - GeneralBurlesonStarr Kealhoffer IIISan Antonio, [email protected]

Territorial Governor -Jake PaladinJ.P. ForageAustin, TX [email protected]

Range Marshal -Safety and Flag Marshal -ArtimanJay DavisLockhart, TX [email protected]

www.pccss.org

Plum Creek PresidentDragon Hill Dave

It was “a pretty day for making thingsright” at our October shoot based onthe movie Open Range. We had 48shooters enjoy the day with us at theAgarita Ranch. We had 2 new shootersjoin us—Marshal Bob and AsupSleeve. They aren’t new to SASS, butthis was their first trip to Plum Creek.Glad to have them!A big thanks to our setup crew,Manchaca Kid, Joe Darter, MarshalBob (he needed directions to the range, and after I showedhim where it was I put him to work.) and Delta Raider, forputting the range into shape for the shoot. Thanks too toLucky Nickel for cleaning up our paint room and paintingthe targets for us and to Three Fingered Dutchman forsetting up Saturday morning. Also want to thank Six Goin’South and Kickshot for filling in for our regular check-increw and General Burleson for overseeing the overalladministration in the Saloon.Our top ten shooters were Rusty Shackleford, Kickshot,Skyhawk Hans, Joe Darter, Dutch Van horn, ManchacaKid, Flaco Jimenez, P.T., Six Goin’ South, and PicosaKid. We had 4 clean shooters: Charlie Reynolds, FlacoJimenez, Scooter, and Texas Sarge.And thanks to the take-down crew. I know it wasLightning McQueen, Manchaca Kid, Joe Darter andMarshal Bob. I am sure there were others who helped pickup the stages, clean the range up and shut it down after wefinished. Even if you are unnamed, you are thanked.

Our next shoot will be November 5th. We will also be votingon some proposed bylaws changes. You will be seeing someemails from Long Juan on that process. Mainly these arechanges that we seek in anticipation of a potential sale ofthe Ranch. No sale yet, but the good news is that many ofthe potential buyers have expressed interest in continuingCowboy Action shooting at the ranch should they proceed.We continue to hope that this will be the case in the eventof a sale.While we previously announced that we would also holdour annual meeting and officer elections in November,some of the bylaws changes would add some new officers.We need to see if the bylaws changes are approved before

mailto:[email protected]

we can be sure of the officermakeup. So we have movedthe annual meeting andofficer elections to theDecember shoot.Some good news on theofficer front is that GeneralBurleson, who is alreadyworking as our ScoringMarshal, has agreed to serveas our interim Treasurerand will run for that positionin December. GeneralBurleson (a former bankerin his real life) has been thetreasurer in every otherCowboy club andorganization he’s been a partof, so we are pleased to havehim help us too. Because heis so well-qualified astreasurer, we need somegood volunteers who canhelp us with score-keepingto relieve some of his dutieson check-in and posseforming and tallying up thescores after the shoot.Please let General Burlesonknow if you can help.

Also on officer elections andinterest in those positions,you may recall that Imentioned in my lastPresident’s Word thatManchaca Kid (at myurging) had said he wouldrun for Treasurer. Well, hewas very happy to hear wehad a real life Treasurer. Heis much more interested inrange duties, where he hasexcelled.All that being said, we stillneed some folks to step upand run for Vice Presidentand to take over for ourSecretary Long Juan who isresigning to free up time totravel. You still have sometime to mull it over, but weneed some fresh blood andguidance to keep the clubvibrant. So please consideradding your name to the listof those running for anoffice. We will be electing aVice President and Treasurerin any event. We will also beelecting a Range Marshal if

the proposed amendmentsto the bylaws are adopted.SASS is looking to re-alignsome of the regions thatdefine who can be a regionalchampion and where theregional championshipsmight be held. There aresome emails going aroundthat address this issue, andit is also being addressed onthe SASS Wire. YourTerritorial Governor JakePaladin needs to hear fromyou on your thoughts sothat he can vote PlumCreek’s position.Speaking of Regionalmatches, this month severalof our shooters will betraveling to Oklahoma Cityto compete in the SouthwestRegional “Red DirtRampage.” We wish themluck and hope theyrepresent us well.See ya’ at the Agarita!

The Plum Creek Shooting Society will be making some importantdecisions when we vote on proposed changes to our bylaws. There areseveral groups of amendments proposed by the Board in anticipation ofsale of the Agarita Ranch and to provide for improved governance of theclub in the future - mostly expanding the number of elected members ofthe Board. There are also some amendments proposed by Delta Raider.

A detailed email was sent to members on Friday, October 14th. Explanations of theproposed amendments were in documents attached to the email. Ballots for voting on theBoard proposals and Delta Raider’s proposals were also attached. Members can vote viaemail before our match on November 5th or during registration for the match. I encourageall PCSS members to educate themselves about the proposed amendments and to vote. Ifthere are questions, feel free to contact any Board member or Delta Raider.We are still looking for someone to take over as PCSS Secretary. If willing to considerserving in that capacity, please contact Dragon Hill Dave or me as soon as possible.

McCluskie. On August 19th,McCluskie and two friends,Jim Martin and James Riley,went into Tuttle’s Dance Hallto play some Faro. Thedancehall was located in a

part of Newton called HidePark, thus one of the names,Gunfight at Hide Park.Enter the Texas Cowboys!Just after midnight, three ofBailey’s friends, BillyGarrett, Henry Kearnes andJim Wilkerson entered thedancehall. All were armed.They mingled in the saloon,waiting and watchingMcCluskie gamble. Soon,another Texan, HughAnderson, entered the

dancehall gun in hand.Anderson was the son of awealthy Texas cattle rancherand had ridden with JohnWesley Hardin. He walkedup to McCluskie withmurder in his eyes and hisfoul mouth filled with oathsand epithets. Jim Martinjumped up and tried toprevent the fight. Andersonignored Martin, drew hispistol and shot McCluskie inthe neck. Seriouslywounded, McCluskie fell tothe floor while attempting toshoot his own pistol, whichmisfired. Anderson pumpedseveral more bullets intoMcCluskie’s back as he layon the floor. While all of thiswas going on, Kearns,Garrett and Wilkerson alsoopened fire, perhaps in aneffort to join in Anderson’srevenge, perhaps to keep thecrowd back.Here comes James Riley!McCluskie's friend, JamesRiley, then pulled his twoColt revolvers and openedfire. By now, the Texascowboys had used all oftheir ammunition onMcCluskie. Their guns wereempty and they were notable to return fire. ThoughRiley had never been in agunfight before and probablycouldn't see in the smoke-filled room, he unloaded hisguns into the melee, hittingseven men. Would-bepeacemaker, Jim Martin,was hit in the neck. Hestumbled out of the saloonand died. Billy Garrett was

shot in the shoulder andchest. He died a few hourslater. Henry Kearnes wasmortally wounded and dieda week later. Others, whohad no part in the squabble,also took some of Riley'swild bullets. A Santa FeRailroad brakeman namedPatrick Lee was shot in thestomach and died two dayslater. Another Santa Feemployee named Hickey wasshot in the leg, but survived.Wilkerson was shot in thenose and the leg, butrecovered. Anderson tooktwo shots in the leg and alsorecovered.James Riley simplydisappears! With both ofhis Colt's empty and sevenmen lying on the floor or inthe street outside, JamesRiley simply walked out ofthe smoke-filled dancehalland was never seen again.Some say Riley left the areaand changed his name tobegin a new life elsewhere.

Billy Bailey

James Riley

More likely died fromtuberculosis not long after,probably under an assumedname.The Final Round! But itwasn’t over. A warrant wasissued for the arrest of HughAnderson, but his father anda friend smuggled himaboard a train to KansasCity and he was later able tomake his way back to Texas.He was never brought totrial, but Arthur McCluskie,Mike's brother, wantedrevenge. For two years,Arthur and his friends kepta lookout, but Andersonremained safe in Texas.Then in 1873, Anderson

made the mistake ofreturning to Kansas. Arthurtracked him down inMedicine Lodge, whereAnderson was working atHarding's Trading Post as abartender. Arthurchallenged Anderson to aduel, giving Anderson thechoice of weapons: guns orknives. Anderson chosepistols and emerged fromthe trading post. Anincredibly brutal and bloodybattle ensued. Both menemptied their guns into eachother and then went aftereach other with knives.After much lashing andhacking, both men died.

The Aftermath! Althoughthe Gunfight at Hide Parkreceived much publicity atthe time, it has received littlehistorical attention, despiteproducing a higher bodycount than more famousgunfights. Unlike otherwell-known gunfights of theOld West, it involved nonotable or well-knowngunfighters. Nor did itpropel any of its participantsto any degree of fame. It islegend, however, at leastpartly because James Rileysimply walked away, neverto be seen again.

Why Newton, Kansas?

It was called “The Gunfight at Hide (or Hyde) Park” or the“Newton Massacre.” The Emporia News (Kansas) headlined it as

“Wholesale Murder at Newton.” The White Cloud Kansas Chiefcalled it an “affray” and the Lawrence Daily Journal called it a“riot.” Whatever it was, it was one bloody gunfight, but why inNewton, Kansas?

In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad extended itsline beyond Abilene, Kansas to Newton. The first trains arrived

in Newton on July 17, 1871 and trouble soon followed. Newton became “cowboy central,”succeeding Abilene as the end of the Chisholm Trail. In a pattern repeated many times inthe Old West, arrival of the railroad, much like the discovery of gold or silver, quicklyturned Newton from quiet and peaceful to boisterous and disorderly. When the cowboyscame to town they wanted to be entertained. Places like the Do Drop Inn, the Red FrontSaloon, the Side Track, Tuttle’s Dance Hall and the Gold Room, twenty-seven saloons,eight gambling parlors and too many brothels to count, quickly filled the need forentertainment of often became the places for trouble.

(Jones that is:)Which story to believe?I have run out of ditties for now and have switched to pics.This month, it all started with this photo and the caption:From the driver’s seat ofa 40-horse team. These

rigs were used to haul Borax out of Boron Ca. & thenloaded onto railroads for manufacturing. All this so youcould do the laundry!My first thought was, WOW, look at all those horses.Then I thought, “man, don’t lay those lines down.”Finally, I asked myself, “Can you imagine even holdingall those lines?”After dong a little research, I discovered that the photo isprobably not of a borax rig, but rather a large teampulling a "bandwagon" as part of a circus attraction.20 Mule Team Borax was and is a brand of cleanermanufactured in the United States. The product wasnamed after the 20 mule teams that were used to moveborax out of Death Valley, California, to the nearest railspur between 1883 and 1889. See photo lower left. The20 mule team symbol was first used in 1891. After themule teams were replaced by a new rail spur, the name20 Mule Team Borax was added to the famous sketch of the mule team already on the box.

The Pacific Coast Borax Company sponsored Death Valley Days, a radio and televisionanthology dramatizing true stories of the Old West, particularly from the Death Valley area.The radio program was created in 1930 and was broadcast until 1945. From 1952 to 1975,Death Valley Days was produced as a syndicated television series. President Ronald Reaganacted in several episodes and was series host for the 1964-65 season.Although not really a photo of a 20-mule team hauling borax, it’s an interesting photo andthe borax story is interesting. Next month, more about the 40-horse team.

Photo to the right is of anold Borax ad painted on a

brick building in FortDodge. Photo circa 1985.

Not many readers found Delta Raider in lastmonth’s issue. See him left doing some dental workduring the Civil War. Mentioned in the Dispatchesfor finding him are: Six Goin’ South, HossRoonwright, Artiman, Hairtrigger Hayes andPreacher Man Lee. Let’s see who can find DeltaRaider this month. If you have looked at thephotos on the PCSS website for October shoot, youalready know what photo of him I have hidden.Good luck to all!

Kickshot, sending lead downrange.Thanks, Kickshot, for your help withregistration this month!

Mia Jameson (left), Three-FingeredDutchman (right) and a sleepy Kidd

James (below

Marshal Bob (left),first shoot at the

Agarita Ranch, andSix Goin’ South

(right). Thanks Sixfor helping with

registration!

Scoring Marshal and new PCSSTreasurer, General Burleson. Thanksfor coordinating registration for the

match!

PCSS President Dragon Hill Dave and VicePresident Joe Darter

“Caught in the Web”

Another first-timer at the Agarita Ranch- Asup Sleeve

Yuma JackCooler weather brings out some

fancy duds Not to be completelyoutdone by Yuma Jack,Rusty Shackleford looks

pretty dapper too AND hefinished the shooting first

overall too!

Mia Jameson showing goodconcentration and techniquereloading her shotgun

Hopalong Herbert(left) getting ready

to put thatknockdown DOWN!

Flaco Jimenez(right) shucking

those shells

Mad Dog McCoy getting’ DOWN to make some smoke. Spotter, Three FingeredDuctchman, making sure of the hits. Rusty Shackleford on the timer.

Kickshot was clearly disappointed to havefinished only second overall. Most of uswould just like to finish in the top half!

Abilene (left) looking startledby someone/thing

Texas Sarge (below) withgreat hat, giving his bestimitation of Sam Houston

Lucky Nickel andTexas Reb (left).Thanks Lucky forhelping to painttargets before thematch.

Cimarron Jonesgiving his bestimitation of an

attentive spotter

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