Caldwell, Kan., in 1883 was a cattlemen’s headquarters, especially for cattlemen grazing their great herds south of the Kansas border in Indian Territory.

The famous Chisholm Trail was the main thoroughfare to Caldwell’s State Line Stock Yards. Cattlemen organized the Cherokee Strip Stockmen’s Association to lease more than 6 million acres of prime grassland from the Cherokee Nation with uniform guidelines for all members.

The stockmen had met annually for the past two years as a loosely organized association. However, on Tuesday, March 6, 1883, they met at Caldwell to establish a “permanent organization” with a constitution and bylaws. A large delegation from the Cherokee Nation attended the convention along with the leading cattlemen of the day. By one account several hundred cattle owners attended the proceedings, “and perhaps a thousand employees and resident Territory ranchmen (were) present.”

A roundup committee was formed to identify boundaries for the coming spring roundups. The livestock inspectors were recognized for their work in identifying cattle of questionable ownership both on the trail and in the stock yards. Discussions were held referencing a competing party that was negotiating grazing rights with the Cherokees. Representation was appointed to the state railroad commission. Even a proposal for a telephone connection between Caldwell and Wellington was discussed.

Ultimately the Cherokee Strip Stockmen’s Association formally organized as the Cherokee Strip Live Stock Association with an official charter and bylaws. A $10 membership required an accurate description of all the marks and brands on the animals owned “or held” by the subscribing member.

A first-rate banquet was planned for the evening of Wednesday, March 7. The tables were “ornamented with fine bouquets of choice fresh flowers, while in the way of edibles nothing was left to be desired.”

A grand ball was planned to cap off a memorable evening.

Robert V. Dodd was one of hundreds drawn to town for the convention. Dodd was foreman of a ranch on the Washita River and had recently been employed as a cattle inspector in the stock yards at Hunnewell, Kan. To a cattleman of Dodd’s worth, the convention offered a delightful diversion from daily affairs. However, by Wednesday afternoon, a woman was on his mind.

Latham Samuel Records, a fellow cowboy, recalled that Dodd had become “enamored” with Ada Day, one of Caldwell’s “soiled doves.” Her marriage to Pat Hanley didn’t seem to dampen Dodd’s desire. Hanley wore long, curly hair that flowed down his back. He and Ada made their home in Hunnewell, a cattle town that was as wild, if not wilder than Caldwell.

Records had seen Dodd in action on a big roundup in the Territory and described him “as Albino ... the type of fellow who wanted the world to know he was bad.” Dodd had cut a cow out of a Colson and McAtee herd. The boys from Colson and McAtee were determined to keep her. In anger Dodd announced that if they got that cow, it would be over his dead body.

That’s when the Colson and McAtee boys “put up a job” on Dodd to keep him from hurting anyone. When one of the cowboys turned the cow back into the herd, Dodd charged in to keep the cow out of the herd. On cue Bill Larkins rode in next to Dodd, reached over the hip of Dodd’s horse, “and jerked his gun out of its scabbard.” Just then, George Davis rode in front of Dodd with his pistol in his hand. When Dodd discovered that his pistol was missing, he spurred his horse, dashing at Davis in an attempt to disarm him. Davis immediately fired. The pistol was so close to Dodd’s outstretched hand that Records could see gun smoke “roll out from the armholes of Dodd’s vest but he was not hit.” Dodd didn’t get his cow. Larkin extracted the cartridges from Dodd’s pistol then handed it back. There would be no dead bodies that day.

That incident had happened months before the Caldwell convention and on the fateful day of March 7 cows were far from Dodd’s mind. Having gotten pretty-well “tanked up” on Caldwell booze, Dodd didn’t stick around for the Wednesday evening supper and ball. Instead, during the afternoon he acquired a team and buggy from the livery of “Big George” Kalbflesch and headed toward Hunnewell. As Dodd left the livery he swore he would return to Caldwell with Hanley’s head tied by his long hair to the buggy axle.

When he arrived at Hanley’s place Dodd audaciously ordered Hanley to leave his own home. Dodd jumped Hanley, hitting him over the head with his pistol. “A protracted scuffle ensued in which pretty much all the furniture in the kitchen was turned topsy turvy.” Hanley drew his revolver and shot. Dodd lived about an hour before he “left this mundane sphere forever.” Hanley immediately surrendered to authorities, but was released a short time later when the coroner’s jury found that Pat Hanley had killed Robert Dodd in selfdefense. Pat Hanley would later find himself running from the law, but that is another story to be told on The Way West.

“The Cowboy,” Jim Gray is author of the book Desperate Seed: Ellsworth Kansas on the Violent Frontier, Ellsworth, KS. Contact Kansas Cowboy, 220 21st RD Geneseo, KS. Phone (785) 531-2058 or kansascowboy@kans.com.