Gunfight at Hide Park--Newton, Kansas

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Here's one for you cap & ball enthusiasts, and for anyone who might think those old weapons weren't deadly.

http://www.ukans.edu/heritage/gunfighters/hidepark.html

I'm challenging OLD williamlayton (a sometime contributer to this forum) to come up with the alias subsequently assumed by James Riley, the main bloodletter in this historical event.

[williamlayton]

the shadow knows---old shadows know too, they just can't remember.  :oops:

[williamlayton]

i tried to let it go-but-tha stories got to be told--and remember you started it OLD hamp---years and YEARS ago, during a CHRISTmas break. some friends and i were together again, at home from some schools that had not kicked us ou yet--but they will-another story. i digress, just hanging out and goofing off.

how the subject came up and who brought it up is still being argued-i can assure the readers that it was not me, nosirree. the subject turned to girls and sex--see i told ya it wasn't me--i'm jest an innocent bystander--we was drinking beer by the way (don't guess that was a necessary explanation though) and someone said they knew two sisters who would be willin to entertain us. well enough of that explanation.

there were six of us in an old 1952 coupe--one of the more interested of the group inquired who they were. the leader of tha group said they had just moved to town and the leader was willing to introduce them to tha girls iffin they were interested. were they interested--yes, but only if it wasn't an inconvenience to anyone.

we drove three, very unsuspecting guys, out on the bold springs road to a meeting they were promised they would never forget. the girls were susposed to be living with their father in an old house--but it was gonna be alright-it was saturday night and he would be off somewhere. course we couldn't call ahead as they had no phone.

got to house-it was dark--one of the guys said looked like no one was home--not to worry-jest follow me-we're gonna party.

one of tha boys told the three others to wait by the front steps while he talked to tha girls. tha feller walked up to tha door and knocks---- from inside someone yells---are you back messin with my girls again--i told you what i was gonna do if you came back again---kabooom-kabooom-kaboom(can't shoot more than three times cause the 12 gauge has a plug in it) and the leader yells--i'm shot--run for it.

those three guys ran-did they run? they ran THROUGH a four strand bob wire fence-no problem-no slowing down--one guy jumps in the passanger side and trys to start the car--no keys--out the drivers side and into the woods on the other side of the road. i mean the doors on both sides seemed to open at the same time.

it took the better part of three hours to get those guys out of the woods. one of the funnier parts was the house was an old shack and one of the boys had help load it with hay the previous summer.
blessings from the shadow

ps--hamp you brought up the bob wire fence.

[Capt Hamp Cox]

I'm challenging OLD williamlayton (a sometime contributer to this forum) to come up with the alias subsequently assumed by James Riley, the main bloodletter in this historical event.

Here's a hint.  His Alias first name was "Doc".  Now don't get all tangled up in the bobwire again.  Concentrate.

[williamlayton]

well paz--look up dumb in tha dictionary, you will see my picture..i don't see the alias doc anywhere---only reference to to jim's nickname i see is mccluskie's shadow----ya got me here :oops:  :oops:
blessings

[williamlayton]

ok-i'm not bright--but i'm claiming an excetion--it was a ringer--not fair, not fair. well ifin it was fair it was pretty obscure as in invisible.
blessings doc, doc shadow, williamlayton doc shadow---whatever    :evil:

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Gosh, I knew it was kinda obscure, but I surely didn't want to insult you with an easy one.  OK, I'll 'fess up.  It was a ringer.  Many think that James Riley assumed the alias "Doc Middleton" after the Hide Park shootout, and made a name for himself as a successful horse thief.

[Doc Middleton]

Howdy Pards,

Capt Hamp, I didn't want to jump in the middle while you was calling out Old Williamlayton. As you can see by my alias, I knowed the answer.

I had a cousin that passed away a couple of years ago by the name of Harold Hutton. Cousin Harold was the author of several books that dealt with frontier life in the Dakotas. The books are all out of print now and getting hard to come by.

One of my favorites is "Life and Legends of the Notorious Plains Outlaw, Doc Middleton". Harold did a lot of research on "Doc" because he wanted the story told as accurately as possible and he did a jam-up job, thats fer sure.
His writings are a step back into history along with photos and interviews with people who lived the life on the Plains.

I'm sorry I can't claim kin to "Doc" on the blood line but, although he didn't tell it in his books, Harold WAS, on his Mama's side.
I reckon that's why he wrote them books. He was raised up, lived and died in the very same areas "Doc" did most of his hell-raising.

Doc Middleton was a kind-of-outlaw Robin Hood of the day, well known and liked by the locals, but someone you didn't cross trails with and come away winner.
He carried a pair of nickel-plated, pearl-handled .45 Colts and a Sharps on his saddle for that occasional long-range shot he was known for.

Although I can't live the life of "Doc", I can take up his name as my alias, in honor of my kin Harold Hutton for writing the history, and his kin Doc Middleton for living it.

Thanks all, for putting up with my rambling.

Doc Middleton
CASS# 49363

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Well, Doc, it is always a treat to meet someone who has a connection of whatever kind with one of these old characters we try to learn about.  Certainly hope you'll continue to toss us a few crumbs every now and then.  You've gotta get that "Posts" count out of the single digits real soon.  Since we've got your ear, do you know anything else about James Riley before he changed names?

Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to OLD Williamlayton, who should have hat in hand when he finally makes your acquaintance.

Finally, don't be a stranger around here.

Hamp

[Doc Middleton]

Thanks for the welcome Hamp, and I look forward to meeting up with "OLD" williamlayton.I can't say much about old, cause i'm about as old as dirt and most the time, dumb as a fence post.
I bet we all got some TALL tales to tell and some of them are best left untold!

In answer to your question, James M. Riley was born on Feb. 9, 1851 in Bastrop, texas.
His mama's name was Nancy Cherry and his papa's name? Could of been John G. Shepherd or "Uncle" Bill Middleton. Nancy later married J.B. Riley (a gunsmith) who took her children as his own.
James took a liking to horseflesh during his young teens, along with his cousin Louis Bell, getting in trouble with the law on several occasions.

When James was 18 he killed his first man. A man school teacher had molested and seduced his sister during the school term. When James found out about it, he hunted the man down and shot him dead. This is a problem we have today that could be solved by the very same method.
His second killing was a black cowhand. They got in a fight at a corral during a roundup and the cowhand came in second at the gunfight.
The third to die by his hand was the brother of his first wife. His brother-in-law was beating his grandmother in an attempt to take her money when James showed up with a length of fence rail and beat him to death (1869 or 1870).
After this, things got a little warm and James moved north out of Texas.

Some of the alias James M. Riley used are:
Jim C. Riley
James M. Sheppard
D.C. Cherry
James Cherry
David C. Middleton

On his tombstone is engraved:
David "Doc" Middleton
Feb. 9, 1851 - Dec. 27, 1913

And so, the story continues......!!

Doc

[williamlayton]

well boys i got my -er-ah--cap in my hand, aint got no hat nohow--caps the best i can do. tha thread is good info--enjoyed it right down to my comeuppances :oops: . blessing toya doc fer joinin tha party--but ya got to be careful about lettin everbody know ya associate with OLD hamp--he can be honery, as you can tell. it's his back ya know--makes him a real pain when it's actin up--but he's goin to have it worked on--and the lord is gonna bless him real good soins he will be nicer to folks.
blessings
ps-hamp i can't use doc---guess i will have to stay with tha shadow--don't make no never mid anywho--folks normally call me sob anyway(silly ol bill), i hope.

[Doc Middleton]

Mighty pleased to meet up with you Ol Bill,

Ain't no need for no cap-in-hand. I've had a few laughs at you and Hamp going at it but I see he don't cut you much slack.

Have you heard anything on Hamp today? My bride has gone through back surgery a few years back and shes' still mean as a snake.

I raise my glass to you and Hamp, may we all see happy trails. I may live in Mississippi but, I was born in Victoria and my Pa was born in Goliad and raised up around Refugio.
I got a passel of kin folk living in Texas and I might as well say it (all my X's live in Texas).

I'll continue the saga of Doc's life in the Nebrasksa hills and plains later if the Good Lord allows it.

Doc

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Hey Doc,

You said:  "I'll continue the saga of Doc's life in the Nebrasksa hills and plains later if the Good Lord allows it."

When?  Been waitin' quite a spell.  Hope you haven't disremembered.

Hamp

[Doc Middleton]

Howdy Hamp,

I ain't forgot and I'm not eggnoring anybody, I just been too busy here of late.

My stepdad passed away this past month and I been looking in on my mom and helping out as much as possible. I made the trip down to Natchez this weekend to visit her, and did a little horse-trading with a friend while there.

I came away with a little Winchester 94AE Carbine in .45 Colt.

I'll get back to the antics of "Doc" soon. Doc lived into his 60's and never had a necktie party in his honor. He was known as The Luckiest Outlaw and there are many stories and legends of his life.

Please bare with me while things settle down to the normal rat-race.

Doc

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Sorry to hear of your loss, Doc, but glad to hear you're doing well otherwise.  Hang in there.  

Hamp