"Red Bill" Jones

John Dean came into town yesterday afternoon and after getting a little full concluded that he was a second Henion, swore he would not be arrested in Caldwell. Some one discovering fire-arms on his person, informed the marshal [George Flatt] of the fact, he at once, accompanied by his deputy Wm. Jones, better known as 'Red Bill' proceeded to hunt him up and inform him of the fact that it was against the city ordinance to carry fire-arms in the city limits. Mr. Dean getting wind of their intentions and determined not to be disarmed, mounted his horse and started out of town firing his revolver promiscuously. The marshal started in pursuit and commanded him under arrest, he answered their summons with a shot from his six-shooter. At the crack of his pistol the marshal and deputy turned loose with their six-shooters. Dean being mounted and moving pretty lively, the distance between the parties became so great, the marshal and deputy being pretty well out of wind, they did no very accurate shooting, although they emptied their revolvers at him before he got out of the corporation. The papers are in the constable's hands for his arrest, for assaulting the officers with a deadly weapon. - Caldwell Post, October 30, 1879.

Bill Jones, better known as 'Red Bill,' turned himself loose for a little racket on Tuesday night [October 25]. Bill was taken in and locked up in the cooler, but upon going to that institution yesterday morning, Marshal [John Rowen] found the door broken open and the bird gone. A state warrant has been issued against William and the next time he puts in an appearance he will be arrested again and trotted through on high pressure. - Caldwell Commercial, October 27, 1881.

Red Bill got his dander up Tuesday night [October 25], kicked up a little row with his six-shooter, was arrested by Marshal [John] Rowen and Assistant [James] Roberts and locked up in the cooler. During the night the calaboose door fastenings were torn off and the prisoner set at liberty. This thing of having the doors of the city jail opened by outside parties, and persons turned loose, be the charge against them ever so small, is getting monotonous, and should be stopped. - Caldwell Post, October 27, 1881.

George Flatt became Caldwell's first city marshal in 1879 when the city was first incorporated. Flatt had proved to be a daring defender of law and order in one incident that year. He would later prove to have a bad side.
+ That year was also the last year Daniel William Jones spent on his Red Fork Ranch in Indian Territory (now Dover, Oklahoma). Jones was well-known to Caldwell residents because of his ranch on the Chisholm Trail. He would often visit Caldwell for news and supplies and made many friends there. In December 1878 he nearly died when he broke his ankle after his horse slipped on ice and fell on him. At the time he was several miles from his ranch trying to round up some cattle. He spent many hours dragging himself toward his ranch before one of his hired men spotted him. The doctor who treated him, by the way, had help from Mike Meagher, another of Jones' friends. Meagher had served as Wichita city marshal and would later become the Caldwell mayor. The Caldwell Post (January 2, 1879) ran an article about Jones' accident and ability to survive it. So the town leaders had good reason to pick Jones as an able assistant to Marshal Flatt. And these two lawmen are the only ones mentioned in Caldwell's first year. So I see no reason to doubt that "Wm. Jones better known as 'Red Bill'" was Daniel William Jones. Miller and Snell agreed.



+ Once you accept "Red Bill" as Dan Jones in 1879, it becomes much harder to deny "Red Bill" in 1881 was also Dan. To deny this identity, you have to believe that both town papers which described "Red Bill" in 1881 the same way he was described in 1879 were talking about someone else but saw no reason to clarify this. Also you have to believe there were two different "Red Bill" Jones in a small Kansas town within two years time. For these and other reasons, I find it harder to deny than to believe Dan Jones was "Red Bill."
+ Why were Miller and Snell reluctant to accept the 1881 incident as referring to lawman Dan Jones? A few weeks after the 1881 incident, town leaders offered the city marshal job to Dan Jones. Miller and Snell thought they wouldn't do this to a jail-breaker. But in light of Jones' character as shown in the previous blog and in light of how difficult it was to find a tough marshal in a tough time, Dan "Red Bill" Jones seems to make hisorical sense.