1871-14 This episode paints a vivid picture of Newton, Kansas, in the early 1870s, initially describing it as an exceptionally lawless “hardest looking town” characterized by violence and vice, including its infamous “Gold Room” dance house. However, the narrative swiftly shifts to detail the town’s remarkable transformation toward morality and order, highlighted by the establishment of a thriving Sabbath school.
Concurrently, the newspapers of the day track the tumultuous career of Billy Brooks, Newton’s city marshal, a fearless yet controversial figure known for his tenacity and violent encounters, ultimately meeting a violent end himself. The collection also briefly mentions other individual cases of violence involving figures like Frank Mason, Daniel Waddam, and Mr. McClelland, further underscoring the prevalent dangers and rough justice that defined this frontier period before Newton’s reform took hold.
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