1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class from house 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: stuff Works dot com. Hello, welcome to the podcast. My 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: name is Holly Fry and I have been here on 4 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: History for just a couple of podcasts and now we 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: are fully transitioning over to having another new co host, 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: and that would be I am Tracy V. Wilson. I'm 7 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: joining the History t Yeah. Which is super exciting for me. 8 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: Is some of you probably know Tracy and I hosted 9 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: pop Stuff together, which was really super fun, and so 10 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: now I'm delighted that I get more Tracy time. That's 11 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: very exciting for me. Also, it's it's like being paid 12 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: to just do a thing that I would like to do, 13 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: just chat about interesting stuff. And today's topic is one 14 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: that when I say it, people who will recognize it, 15 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: but I think i'm us they've done any real research 16 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: on it, they may not realize the depth of wildness 17 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: of this particular figure in American history. Um and it's 18 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: Al Swearingen, who uh, fans of Deadwood will immediately recognize 19 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: the name because he's character on that HBO show which 20 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: ran for a little while. Um and I think there 21 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 1: were awards one for that portrayal. But if there were not. 22 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: There was definitely a lot of critical acclaim I know 23 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: he was I know that I McShane was nominated, But 24 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: it's one of those rare cases where what you see 25 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: on TV, while dramatized, doesn't even scratch the surface of 26 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: drama of the actual historical figures life. Like I almost 27 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: think you could never do justice to this man's history 28 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: because it's so full and full of bizarreness, Like no 29 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: one would believe it if they saw it on the show. 30 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: He's a pretty distinctive character. I I haven't watched enough 31 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: of the show to speak super intelligently on it, but 32 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: he's a pretty distinctive character, and not a good guy, No, 33 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:11,519 Speaker 1: not a good guy, but his that that doesn't really 34 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: even scratch the surface of how deep that went in 35 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,519 Speaker 1: his actual life. Yeah, it's an amazing story and so 36 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: we thought we would share it today because he you know, 37 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: started out as a child of pioneers and became a 38 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: proprietor of a very popular and lucrative entertainment venue. But 39 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: there are so many other facets of his life that 40 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: shocked me when I was doing research, Like, I was 41 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: surprised by sort of how embedded he was in so 42 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: many pieces of American history, and so here we go. 43 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: So he was actually born Ellis Albert swear Engine on 44 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: July Eve, and he has had a twin brother, Lemuel Ellis, 45 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: which is what he went by as a child, was 46 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: actually born. Second, he didn't adopt the name al. He 47 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 1: didn't start going by al until much later, which could 48 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 1: have been an effort to kind of dodge people that 49 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: were looking for him. Right into all of that, he 50 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: had a lot of cause that he really did. Um 51 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: his parents, Daniel and Cazia swear Engine. I have read 52 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: two or three different accounts on how many children they 53 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: actually had, some say eight, some say ten. Uh. Four 54 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: of them did not survive their childhood that we know 55 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: of that are documented. Three passed away his infants, and 56 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 1: he had I believe it was a brother that died 57 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: of diphtheria when he was fourteen. That family was actually 58 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: one of only thirteen families that settled oscar Looosa, Iowa. 59 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: And that is where um Ellis slash al where swear 60 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: Engine and his twin brother were born, which is in 61 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: Majasca County, and their father was a farmer. He served 62 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: as sheriff briefly. Um but what's interesting to note here 63 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: in his early years is that they did briefly move 64 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: to California during the gold rush there, but it didn't 65 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: pan out, no pun intended. As it often was the 66 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: case with gold rush people. People would head out after 67 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: hearing news of a gold strike hoping to become rich, 68 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: and it would not work out. They would return home 69 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: or go somewhere else with no money left. Uh And 70 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: a lot of times the settlement that had formed would 71 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: just be abandoned and become a ghost town. And this 72 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: was a pretty typical thing that happened with a fair 73 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 1: number of people in that era, very common and UM, 74 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: but I kind of highlight that because there are some 75 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: historians that believe that that experience ended up kind of 76 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: coloring swear Engine's approach to moneymaking. Later on. Um, he 77 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: seemed to recognize that it was not likely that he 78 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 1: was going to make a wealthy reving as as a 79 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: gold miner, but that there were other things time to 80 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: there were sure things. Uh So Yeah. Once they did 81 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: not strike at rich and Howlifornia, the family moved back 82 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: to Oscaloosa and his father opened a meat market. UM 83 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 1: and his twin brother actually was trained to take over 84 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 1: that business. Um, and this is an actual meat market. 85 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: We're not using that as a euphemism for anything. A 86 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: very typical They had livestock, they slaughtered animals and produced 87 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 1: sausage and cuts of meat for people, Like it was 88 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 1: a very successful, um, you know, butcher's shop grocery, but 89 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: it was considered bigger than a butcher's shop would be 90 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: because they did do all of the the animal um 91 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: care and slaughtering themselves. So that's why it's considered a 92 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: meat market and not just shop. And it was a 93 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: pretty standard pioneer world upbringing, not not a lot of 94 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: crazy excitement other than that one diversion to go to 95 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: California to try to make a million dollars. Yeah, I 96 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: think through the modern lens, pioneer upbringing seems full of 97 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: crazy adventure. But for the times, it was pretty much 98 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:57,919 Speaker 1: what a lot of kids were going well. And I 99 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: am perpetually surprised by accounts of the Old West that 100 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: absolutely match up with our imaginary view of what the 101 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: Old West was about. And we'll get into more of 102 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: that in this story. Like there's a lot of the 103 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: saloons and the gun slinging in the prostitution and all 104 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: that and that you sort of think of with the 105 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: wild West, and then it turns out a lot of 106 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: that is very much it's based in the truth of 107 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: what really happened. So then an interesting thing happened, which 108 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: is not often talked about. Uh to the best of 109 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: my knowledge, in relation to swear Engine's history, now, a 110 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: lot of his history kind of goes from childhood to 111 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 1: the saloon part skips a slight side. Yeah, but he 112 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 1: was actually part of the Civil War, uh not for 113 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: a long time. UM. For background, he was part of 114 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: the Hundred Days Men Initiative, which was um a project 115 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: sort of designed to add some manpower to the Union's efforts. 116 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: They were in pretty good shape, but they knew they 117 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 1: needed just more boots on the ground, and they needed 118 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: the more experienced soldiers to stop doing some of the gruntwork. Yeah. Uh, 119 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: So they came up with this plan where men could 120 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: enlist for a hundred days and they would relieve the 121 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: more seasoned troops of those mundane duties like working in 122 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: guard houses and you know, paperworky things, so that those 123 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: established troops that had experience that knew what they were doing, 124 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: could then march on to actual battles where they were 125 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: needed and could really have an impact instead of sort 126 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: of wasting their time doing yeah, doing stuff that had 127 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: to get done but wasn't necessary, like occupying forts is 128 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: one of the things that was a big part of it. 129 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: So in May of the eighteen sixty four, swear engine 130 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: enlisted in the forty seventh Iowa Infantry, which was right 131 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: around the time of Grant's Wilderness Campaign. And then on 132 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: June fourth of that same year, uh they got orders 133 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: to head the Camp Kinsmen, which is near Davenport, Iowa, 134 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: and they were only they are really for a quick 135 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: changeover to get their next set of orders, and then 136 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: they were sent to Helena, Arkansas, UM. The Battle of 137 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: Helena had happened about a year earlier on July four, 138 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: which was going on at the same time as the 139 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: Battle of Gettysburg, and they had successfully taken um Helena, 140 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: and so this infantry that Swarringon was part of was 141 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: sent to Helena just to hold the fort there so 142 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: that those troops could that had been occupying it that 143 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: were needed elsewhere could go meet up with Sherman and 144 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: head east. They did not see a lot of action, 145 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: but they did see a lot of casualties because of illness. Yeah, 146 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: malaria was really a problem. Uh. They lost seven percent 147 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: of their numbers, largely attributed to malaria, but most accounts 148 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: suggest that there were other illnesses that happened as well, 149 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:57,680 Speaker 1: which is not surprising at all. UH. And many of 150 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: the men were ill when they left and some die 151 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: after returning home, but they don't normally count those numbers 152 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: into the casualties during the hundred years or hundred years 153 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: hundred days of service, UM, So there were probably more 154 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: than seven percent that passed from just you know, gross 155 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: conditions and bugs. We don't really think of malaria as 156 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: a as an American disease anymore to mosquito control and 157 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: and that sort of thing. But it was really a 158 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: big problem in those years, especially. I mean, they were 159 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: never fired upon while they were there. They you know, 160 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: never had to do any battle, but they were still 161 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: losing soldiers due to parasites, because of parasites. But so 162 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: he served his hundred days. UM. By all accounts, they 163 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: were very successful. They did their job well even though 164 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:50,199 Speaker 1: they were losing them to disease. And then on septembery 165 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: UH Swearingen was relieved. He was discharged and so he 166 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: returned to Oscaloosa, And for context, that's just before Sherman 167 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: started his March to the Sea, So that's where we 168 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: were in the era of the Civil War. So it 169 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: was a brief service. But again, I think it's interesting 170 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: that people tend to gloss right past the fact that 171 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: he served the Union in the Civil War. Nobody ever, 172 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: really it never comes up. Nope. A lot of what 173 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: I read before we started recording this skips completely from 174 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: childhood to saloon. Yeah. Literally is like he was a 175 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: pioneer child and then he then opened up the bar 176 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: and it's like, wait, surely something happened in there and 177 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: did so then comes his career. Uh, this is really 178 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: where his career takes off once he had had finished 179 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: his brief stint in the service. Uh, there were developments 180 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: going on in the United States at the time that 181 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: sort of led directly to how he came into what 182 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: he would become known for. And believe it or not, 183 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: that was actually the railroad. Um, it was the railroad. 184 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: And at the same time, it was still the war. 185 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: Because a lot of the people who normally would have 186 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: worked on the railroad, a lot of the people who 187 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: would have done that labor were instead off fighting. Yeah. 188 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: So a lot of the railroad work was done by 189 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: kind of a rough and tumble group of workers. A 190 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: lot of them were immigrants who weren't necessarily educated, didn't 191 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: necessarily know the language at all. Um. So a group 192 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 1: of people who were thought of as course and dirty 193 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 1: and uneducated to some extent that may have been very 194 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: true and in need of entertainment. Yeah. Uh. And so 195 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: what would happen as railroad tracks were being laid through 196 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: the Des Moines Valley. Uh, they would you know, be 197 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: working up to a certain point, which is called an 198 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: end of stop point before they finished that section, and 199 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 1: then would further extend it, and those end of stop 200 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: sort of pop up townships. Um. We're really where swear 201 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: Engine first started working. And he initially began there as 202 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: an apprentice bar keep late in eighteen sixty four, so 203 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: just after he discharged. Um, and for five years he 204 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: rode the rail, following it to the end of the line, 205 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: and the end of the line and the end of 206 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: the line, work in the work in the bar, trading 207 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: in on the lucrative commerce it was available there because again, 208 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: these are people that need entertainment. There's not really an 209 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:22,479 Speaker 1: established township for them to like go to that entertainment, 210 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: and so they were just perfectly situated to just need 211 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: you know, beverages and gambling and um, well theoretically probably 212 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: some other underbelly kind of activity. Well. And part of 213 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: the reason that this could be so lucrative is that 214 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: since a lot of the workers were immigrants and didn't 215 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: necessarily know the language very well, didn't really know the 216 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: value of the money that they were using, it was 217 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 1: pretty easy for people who weren't very scrupulous to set 218 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: up their business in such a way that it was 219 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: sort of more like extortion. Yeah, they really took advantage 220 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: of people. Yes, and again it's in a situation where 221 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: there aren't many other amenities. It's not like they have 222 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: another choice to take their money elsewhere. So it's like 223 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: you can drink here or not drink at all. Right, 224 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: all right, you have sort of the company store in 225 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 1: this pop up business that maybe is charging an arm 226 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: and a leg for things that are not that expensive. Yeah. 227 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 1: So for those uh five years in the latter part 228 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: of the eighteen sixties, he really learned his trade as 229 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: a mar keep um. But then in eighteen seventy two, 230 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: major developments were happening. One, the Iowa railroads were really 231 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: booming um and the area near swear Engine's hometown of 232 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:46,199 Speaker 1: Oscaloosa had become one of the primary end stops. Um. 233 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: There were a lot of railroads kind of leading towards 234 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: that same area, so there were a lot of people 235 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: coming in from different directions. And then to a rich 236 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: coal source was discovered in south central Iowa. Uh And 237 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: since they were building tracks for trains that needed coal, 238 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: the expansion of the railroad was really driving a big 239 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: need for coal that had not existed before. Yeah, they 240 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: had known there was coal there previously, but it wasn't 241 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:16,199 Speaker 1: really that valuable. But now it was becoming a huge commodity. 242 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 1: And so now they not only had like the regular 243 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: workers that worked on the the tracks, they also had 244 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: miners coming in. And then there was kind of a 245 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: third group, which was cowboys that were using a nearby 246 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: town called Eddieville as a shipping terminal. So they were 247 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: like herding animals there and then putting them on trains 248 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: or sometimes handing them off to other people. And so 249 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: they had these three groups of primarily men that all 250 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: needed entertainment and beverages, and they were perfectly poised. Uh 251 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: So Swarington decided that he was going to seize that 252 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: moment because he recognized that this was this had the 253 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: potential to be something really big. Yeah, that us was 254 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: really maybe where he could cash in. And so, according 255 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: to local legend, the swyring Ine Twins opened the saloon 256 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: opened a saloon up in spring of eighteen seventy one. Um, 257 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: there is some mythology that hints that Jesse James actually 258 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: drank there after one of his big heists, but that 259 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: has never been I don't think fully verified. Uh, there 260 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: are a lot of sort of circumstantial yes that would 261 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: work out kind of things, but I don't know that 262 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: anyone has gotten ever hard evidence of yes, he was 263 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: here at this time. But I think it's interesting that 264 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: allegedly his twin was involved, since he had been being 265 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: groomed to take over the father's meat market. But he 266 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: Lemuel kind of falls out of the record after that. 267 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: He's we don't really hear much about him, and that 268 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: he ends up I think going back to to run 269 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: the shop and handle the family business, right and and 270 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: al definitely winds up with all of the notoriety. Yes, 271 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: notoriety is one word um. But the problem is that 272 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: in December of that same year, there was some really 273 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: weird um legal stuff going on around prohibition. So we 274 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: think of prohibition happening in the nine but there was 275 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: actually that is not the first time that prohibition was 276 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: happening in the United States. There were other individual states 277 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: were passing law. Yes, so Iowa had had a prohibition law. 278 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: It had been um determined that that was unconstitutional in 279 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: a follow up hearing, and then the Iowa Supreme Court 280 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: then determined that the judgment that that law had been 281 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: unconstitutional was thrown out. So now prohibition was back on, 282 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 1: and swarandein saloon was illegal in you know the sound 283 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: of a gabble, right, And even before the saloon itself 284 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: became illegal, one of his challenges had been getting enough 285 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: liquor to serve, Like he had to go to other 286 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: states where where it was legal to distill, yeah, the 287 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: liquor that he wanted, and and so he was pretty 288 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: deeply in debt when this happened. Yes, accounts very a 289 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 1: little bit. You'll sometimes see ten thousand dollars listed as 290 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: the amount and sometimes twelve. Um. That's a lot of 291 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 1: money back then, right, I mean, that's substantial. It sounds 292 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: not that huge for like a business owner starting out today, 293 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: but at the time, of course, it was a significantly 294 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: large amount. Uh So, he was in debt, He had 295 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: no income because his business was shut down. He owed 296 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: all this money, and he apparently did not really intend 297 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 1: to pay it back, so he took off. I started 298 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: imagine this is kind of a he hears about the ruling, 299 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 1: throws some stuff in a bag, and leaves under cover 300 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: of night. I mean, there's not really documentation of his 301 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: flight away from town, but I kind of imagine it 302 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: is that, Oh I'm out of here. Yeah see yuh so, yeah, 303 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: he took off and he actually headed to Denver and 304 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: thought he would get an you start and also dodge 305 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: out on his debt. Um. That didn't work entirely, no, 306 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: so he um he got to Denver. He evaded his 307 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: debtors for several months, but nothing lasts forever. So on 308 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 1: May second of eight seventy two, he was in an 309 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: Arapahoe County courtroom and defending against fraud charges because they 310 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: alleged that he never had any intentions to pay any 311 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,439 Speaker 1: of the money that he owed for all of that 312 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: liquor that he had had brought into his saloon, but 313 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: he had borrowed money that he just never had any 314 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 1: intent to pay back, Which is not cool that that 315 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 1: will echo many times throughout his life. Yeah, we could, 316 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: we could, and we will not do this, but we 317 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: could pretty much follow all of the sentences from here 318 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: until the end within that was not cool. Yeah, well, 319 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: and we could also probably do an entire podcast, not 320 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: just the people that he promised to pay that he 321 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: never even meant to ever give a sense um. But 322 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: so he had hoped to get out of this um 323 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: this case on a technicality. His lawyer cited the main 324 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 1: law m A. I n. E. Law of at Um. 325 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 1: Section fifteen dash ninety one of Iowa's prohibition law states 326 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: that and I quote, all payments or compensation for intoxicating 327 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 1: liquors hereafter sold in violation of this Act will be 328 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: null and void, nor shall any action be maintained for 329 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: the recovery or possession of any intoxicating liquor of the 330 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: value thereof. So he was hoping that his lawyer could say, well, 331 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 1: it was illegal for them to have to sell the 332 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: liquor anyway, so he should never have to pay them back. 333 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: Um that is a pretty interesting provision to have and 334 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: a law. It basically says, if you bought a whole 335 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: bunch of liquor, that didn't really happen. And since almost 336 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: all of the debts were just for alcohol for stocking 337 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 1: the saloon, they really thought that they had it that 338 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: they were going to get out of the case on this. 339 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,400 Speaker 1: But the plaintiffs, lawyer yours, countered that the main law 340 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: wasn't actually in effect when these goods changed hands. So 341 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: they're saying this does not retroactively, right. You can't the 342 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: money not be actually spent on liquor, right, And that 343 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,639 Speaker 1: law had actually been, you know, on the books in 344 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:17,879 Speaker 1: an earlier stage of prohibition, but when that was deemed 345 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 1: unconstitutional was the period when they purchased the liquor, so 346 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 1: they couldn't like it was. The argument was that you 347 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 1: could not maintain that law throughout the time when it 348 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: was then legal to sell alcohol like it wasn't the 349 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: switch was flipping on and off. You couldn't just apply 350 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: the law to stuff that happened in UM one. And 351 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: then there was a kind of a window where that 352 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: law would not have applied. Right. Swear Engine's defense was 353 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: a little bit shaken by this. I don't know why 354 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: they wouldn't have seen that coming, but they kept requesting 355 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: continuances and like saying, oh, could we we were still 356 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: working on the case because that really threw us for loop. 357 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: And eventually it just dragged on for so long that 358 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: both sides we're willing to just say, let's just throw 359 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:08,360 Speaker 1: this all in front of a judge and let them 360 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: decide um. We don't want to do a jury trial. 361 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 1: We don't want to keep dragging this out. Let's just 362 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:16,679 Speaker 1: settle this. It's almost like settling out of court, but 363 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: you're in court. It's just kind of like going to 364 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: the judges chambers and letting them decide um. But the judge, 365 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: of course sounds swear Enging guilty. Yes, And an appeal 366 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: was filed by swear Engine's lawyer, I think, but swar 367 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: Engin didn't show up for that so much as he 368 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: had no intention of paying any of the money back. 369 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: I think he had no intention of showing up for 370 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: that court date because that would have involved paying the 371 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:44,640 Speaker 1: money back to so he took off. That's another one. 372 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: Every chapter of his life really ends with. So he 373 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: took off. He just left. He next headed towards Helena, 374 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: which is Helena, Montana and not the Helen and we 375 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier. During his Civil War time, Um, there had 376 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: been a goldfind in Helen, uh, and so a mining 377 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 1: camp had started up there, and Helena was kind of remote. 378 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: You had to cross mountains to get there. And so 379 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,360 Speaker 1: he thought like, ha ha, this is like an eight 380 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: day journey minimum. I can go hide out there and 381 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: they won't find me for at least a while. Surely 382 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 1: if I go there, I can become anonymous and start again. Um. 383 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: You might have he might have done well to maybe 384 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: change his name at the point. That's the first name 385 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 1: also like the last name that never seems to have 386 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 1: been And so you know, because the mining camp was new, 387 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,440 Speaker 1: he thought he could blend in. But I'm sure also 388 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 1: that the mining camp of the miners that needed entertainment 389 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: there were also a little bit of a draw for him. Um. 390 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: And he wasn't in Helena very long. But while he 391 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 1: was there he did manage to acquire a wife. Yes, 392 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 1: her name was Annett Walton and she went by Nettie. 393 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: And at the time he was twenty nine and she 394 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: was twenty two, and she had always lived at home, 395 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 1: so he kind of plucked her from her family and 396 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: married her. That will also be a theme later. Yeah, 397 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: we don't hear a whole lot about Eddie until kind 398 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 1: of later in the game. But um, So in spring 399 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: of uh swearing, Jin and his wife were then on 400 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: a steamer headed to Bismarck in Dakota Territory, UH, with 401 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: the intention that they would then make a connecting stagecoach 402 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: to the Black Hills because it was rumored that gold 403 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: was plentiful, um and that meant there would be lots 404 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: and lots of hopeful minor. He wasn't after the gold, 405 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: he would need alcohol, um. And he was also in 406 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,679 Speaker 1: search of land. He had really learned from his father's 407 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 1: Oscaloosa success because his dad had actually purchased land before 408 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: they went to California for the the attempt at the 409 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: gold rush there, and so when that didn't work out 410 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: and they went back to Oscaloosa, they had land he 411 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: could set up his shop without having made those purchases. 412 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: I think it would have been a lot harder for 413 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: the family returning from the just picked up and and 414 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 1: start their life to start something and then be pretty 415 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: successful with it. And so there is this combination. It 416 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: comes up periodically that he he learned a lot from 417 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: that in terms of wanting to purchase property, and that 418 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: he had also learned from his time as an apprentice 419 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: bar keep that don't mind the mind mind the minor, 420 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 1: like that's a sure thing. You don't know if they'll 421 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: find goal, but you know they'll want to drink at 422 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: the end of the day. Uh. So he had really 423 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: sort of developed this kind of like what he thought 424 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: was best practices for business in terms of, you know, 425 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,360 Speaker 1: being able to make money and uh you know, keep 426 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: a steady inflow of income. And so he kind of 427 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: bases all of his decisions from here on out on that. So, 428 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: as we said, when we got to Dakota, he was 429 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 1: looking for land, um and initially he set up a 430 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: home and Custer and he was actually credited in the 431 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: Bismarck Daily Tribune as one of the people who established 432 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 1: Custer City, which is another thing we don't really hear 433 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 1: about him. It seems almost like upstanding citizen e. But 434 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: that kind of gets obscured because one, it was a 435 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 1: very brief time in his life and too um, there 436 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: are other things that far overshadow go forward, and there 437 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 1: I read one historian account where he suggested that a 438 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: lot of people have kind of, um guess that what 439 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: might have been the case here where he has this 440 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 1: weird sort of civic community mindedness, is that he was 441 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: freshly married and he may have thought like he was 442 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: going to become a responsible, you know, businessman and a 443 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: community leader to some degree. And that's why he was 444 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 1: focusing a little bit more on land at that point. 445 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: But we don't really know. That's just um, you know, guesses. UM. 446 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: And in any case, it didn't really last um partially 447 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 1: because Custer kind, Custer City kind of emptied out. Um. 448 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 1: There was a big gold find in Deadwood Gulch, and 449 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 1: people started moving out of Custer City and to Deadwood. 450 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 1: And then once again he got in trouble for selling liquor. Yeah, 451 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: in um and I'm using the air quotes because this 452 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: is actually quoted. It's an Indian country. Um. So, according 453 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,880 Speaker 1: to the Sioux Treaty of eighteen sixty eight, the Black Hills, 454 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: which are considered sacred to the Sioux, we're still owned 455 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: by the suit. But um u s citizens could explore 456 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 1: that area and could pay in there, but they could 457 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: not sell alcohol there. They couldn't have businesses there and 458 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 1: he was selling alcohol um in in Indian country. So, uh, 459 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:40,600 Speaker 1: he became a fugitive again. I mean, it never really ends. 460 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: He's sort of always a fugitive. This is just stage two. 461 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: Um it is another layer of things that he is 462 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: on the run from. Yeah, it's interesting because later on 463 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: he kind of he still is avoiding a lot of things, 464 00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: but he doesn't run from it. He just dodges it 465 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:02,679 Speaker 1: in kind of crafty way. And this is the point 466 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 1: at which he really has a shift in his life 467 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 1: story because he really does kind of set down roots. 468 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 1: And that is actually where we are going to break 469 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 1: for this particular story, because there is so much that 470 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: happens in the next part of his life that it's 471 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,920 Speaker 1: a whole episode on its own. There is a two parter. Well, 472 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: there's so much that's happened up to this point that 473 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 1: gets glossed over, and most accounts of his life they 474 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: are it's just they really jump right to deadwood. Is 475 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: why we wanted to do this first part. Like all 476 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:39,360 Speaker 1: of the other sort of wild adventures he had, I mean, 477 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 1: they weren't as wild as what's to come, but they 478 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: are interesting pieces of the puzzle that I think people 479 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: don't always take into account. I mean, like I said, 480 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: it's his service and his you know, his marriage and 481 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 1: possible weird shift to try to be you know, a 482 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 1: above board guy for a little while, and um, you 483 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: know sort of how those things really shaped his business mindset, 484 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 1: you know, in his experiences with his parents and his 485 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: father's success. It's kind of interesting. I think it's good 486 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: to lay that groundwork so that when we get to 487 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: this this next part where things really go a little crazy, 488 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 1: it's not craziness that's happening in a vacuum. We have 489 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:25,919 Speaker 1: a better sense of what brought him to this point. Yeah. So, uh, 490 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:29,360 Speaker 1: that is phase one of Al Swarrenton's life. Buckle up, 491 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:31,640 Speaker 1: you might want to put on safety gear for the 492 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:35,160 Speaker 1: next episode because it really does get a little bit wild. 493 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: It really in all things where you consider the wild 494 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: West and the settling of America, whatever weird crazy stories 495 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: you've heard, it's kind of like that and maybe bigger. 496 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: So that's phase one of Al, and we will we 497 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 1: have so much more to tell you. So I hope 498 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: you are excited for this next part because that's where 499 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: it really is juicy. I believe you also have some 500 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 1: fantastic listen man, I do show. Um. We did a 501 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: podcast on Walter Potter and taxidermy recently and we got 502 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: a lot of really fun responses to it. I think 503 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: it's one of those things that just kind of captures 504 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: people's imagination and both there. Um, there's a fascination with death. 505 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 1: There's a horrific fascination level to it. Yeah, it's a 506 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: little bit of a you can't look away thing. Um. 507 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: But we had, like I said, some very very fun emails, 508 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: and I have a few very brief ones. The first 509 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 1: one is from our listener Helene, and she says, Hi, 510 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 1: I just finished listening to your podcast on Walter Potter 511 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: and you mentioned that you were not aware of many 512 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: movies on taxidermy. I had one that came to mind instantly. 513 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: Even though taxidermy is not quite the main theme, Psycho, 514 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 1: I had completely forgotten about this. Uh. It does not 515 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: paint taxidermy in the most flattering way, obviously, no matter 516 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: how creepy one thinks, stuffed pets are stuffed. Mom takes 517 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: the cake. I greatly enjoy your podcast. I'm looking forward 518 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 1: to more. I agree, so I right, mounting human being 519 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,959 Speaker 1: as a work of Taxidermy arn't is creepy? I con 520 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:14,479 Speaker 1: curtain uh. And then another one is from our listener, Margie, 521 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 1: and this is in reference to something Sarah mentioned about 522 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: a two headed snake that she has seen at the 523 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: She used to see at the Georgia State Capitol that 524 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 1: fascinated her, and she says, Dear Sarah, I thought I 525 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: would tell you something more about your favorite two headed 526 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:30,160 Speaker 1: snake at the Georgia State Capitol. My brother and his 527 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: friend caught that snake when they were eight years old 528 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: in a creek in our neighborhood in West End. They 529 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: caught it in a jar and brought it home, thinking 530 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: they had quite the prize. Our mother had a fit, 531 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: but our father thought it was cool. Because it was 532 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: a water moccassin, they were not allowed to keep it. 533 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 1: That is the sentence I read about eight times in 534 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 1: that email. Because it was a water mocks in, they 535 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 1: were not allowed to keep it if it weren't potentially dangerous. Well, 536 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: I'm kind of amazed that some eight year olds managed 537 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: to catch a water mocks in in a jar because 538 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 1: they tend to be very aggressive. Yeah, they do, but 539 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 1: maybe the maybe right, Margie, if you have additional information 540 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: about the behavior of the snake were very curious. Yes, 541 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: two headed animals often do not live in the wild. 542 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: Maybe that helped and then not be bitten by watermarks. 543 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: I love this next part as well. I remember that 544 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 1: one head was dominant and would bite the other. This 545 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 1: might have led to its death, though I do not know. 546 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 1: I really want more information, Margie. We need follow up. 547 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 1: We need like a whole background on that. Maybe it's 548 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: aggression was solely taken out on the other head and 549 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: not on the eight year old and just busy fighting 550 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 1: itself in like a sort of beautiful Freudian snake life. 551 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna have to have some kind of existential snake 552 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 1: dreams tonight. And then our last email is from our 553 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: listener Gavin uh And he says, Hi, guys, I was 554 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 1: just listening to the podcast about Walter Potter and his 555 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: Texader me and it got me thinking about bass pro shops. 556 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: We have those here as well. He's in Canada, he says. 557 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: Bass pro shops are these very large outdoor type shops which, 558 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: on the inside of many locations feature a large number 559 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: of taxidermy specimens indigenous to the area the store is located. 560 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: In the closest store to where I live is about 561 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 1: three hours away and is filled with deer, bighorn sheep, 562 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 1: and more. Dear when you first walk in. On the 563 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 1: ceiling is a sort of fresco that features a big 564 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 1: Alberta sky with at least twenty specimens sort of jumping 565 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: from the ceiling. Another popular feature is a polar bear 566 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: standing on its hind legs. That is a very popular 567 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: place for children to take pictures standing in its arms. Um, 568 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 1: we have those here. Yeah, I've only been in too. 569 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 1: I think we have a lot of them in Georgia, 570 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: especially once you leave the Metro Atlanta area and you're 571 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: just outside the city where it's close enough for big 572 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: stores to still be, but far enough out that people 573 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: want more sportsman type thing. Yeah. Things have become pretty 574 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 1: rural outside of And I know one of ours has 575 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 1: a bear, not a polar bear. Um, like a it's 576 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:59,160 Speaker 1: a brown bear. But I don't know what species it is. 577 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: I'm embarrassed to a mint. I didn't pay close attention. Uh, 578 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: And I know we have some that have a lot 579 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 1: of birds. There's one that has like geese and stuff. Yeah, 580 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: it's weird. I never thought about it. Because I haven't 581 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 1: heard the one in a long time. But the second 582 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 1: I read his email, I was like, oh, man, yeah, 583 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 1: we have both, and they do have the birds mounted 584 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 1: in the windows. I listened to that episode. I listened 585 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: to a number of episodes leading up to recording this 586 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,800 Speaker 1: episode today because I know I have some giant shoes 587 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:29,480 Speaker 1: to fill and I want to make sure I feel 588 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:32,480 Speaker 1: them well. Um, and I immediately in that episode was 589 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 1: reminded of a family heirloom in my family which is 590 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 1: not taxid or made. It is, in fact a dead 591 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: puppy with two bodies and one head preserved in a 592 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: jar from Aldeheid. Yeah it's a little it's a little terrifying, 593 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: but yeah, upon hearing about all these animals and they're 594 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 1: strange bodies and and all of that, that is immediately 595 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: what you immediately came to mind. If Walter Potter were 596 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 1: alive today, he would put a little suit coat on 597 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 1: the puppies two suitcoat, it's I guess, and come up 598 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 1: with some adorable tableau. Um. So, yeah, I loved hearing 599 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 1: about everybody's taxidermy thoughts. There were many, which is really cool. 600 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 1: It's one of those things where I find it really 601 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: interesting and fascinating, but at the same time, like, are 602 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 1: people just gonna be horrified by this topic? But no, 603 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,880 Speaker 1: you guys appreciate the weird and wonderful history of it. 604 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: If you would like to write to us about taxidermia 605 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,279 Speaker 1: or anything else we talk about, you can do so 606 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 1: at History Podcast at Discovery dot com. And you can 607 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 1: also touch base with us on Twitter at mist in History, 608 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: and we're also on Facebook. If you would like to 609 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:37,400 Speaker 1: learn a little bit more about something we've talked about today, 610 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:39,920 Speaker 1: you can go to our website and type in Civil 611 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: War in the search bar, and you will get a 612 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 1: whole package of content on the Civil War from so 613 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:47,960 Speaker 1: many different angles that you'll get a pretty thorough picture 614 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:51,200 Speaker 1: of the situation as it was unfolding. If you would 615 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 1: like to research almost anything else your mind can conjure, 616 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:55,919 Speaker 1: you can do that as our at our website as well, 617 00:34:56,040 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 1: and that website is how stub works dot com for 618 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:03,360 Speaker 1: more on this and thousands of other topics. Is it 619 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com. M m m m mmmm.