Dawes-Douglas County NeArchives Biographies.....Dahlman, James Charles December 15, 1856 - January 21, 1930 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ne/nefiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 June 18, 2018, 9:29 pm Source: The Narka News Fri Apr 13, 1900 Author: The Narka News TERROR TO BAD MEN _____________________ FRONTIER SHERIFF WITH STRONG NERVES _____________________ Small in Body and Easy in Speech But Never Failed to Take His Man--Taming a Cattle Rustler--Made The Cowboy Dance. _____________________ Small in body and easy in speech, but a terror to "bad men" in the days when the frontier towns of the west were overrun with toughs of the worst sort. James C. Dahlmam, now a leading business man of Omaha, Neb., and a secretary of the state board of transportation, has a record which he made while sheriff of Davies [should be Dawes] county which stamps him as one of the coolest men who ever drew a gun. Chadron was the county seat and when he became sheriff it was a literal hell. Dahlman began his term of office by notifying all concerned that Chadron would no longer be a harbor for horse thieves and cattle rustlers, that men with notches on their guns would be permanently laid to rest in the sand dunes if they failed to emigrate toward the setting sun, and that gambling would have to be conducted on something like a genteel basis, instead of being a drunken orgy, with painted female attachments. When the notice was posted the bad men laughed and the painted women shrieked with delight at the audacity of the consumptive looking tenderfoot. A week after Dahlman issued his order a noted cattle rustler named Hindman came to Chadron, drank his fill of frontier whiskey, and remarked in a loud voice that he would like to see that "sawed off little runt of a sheriff" arrest him. After so remarking Hindman proceeded to shoot up the town. The toughs expected to see Dahlman leave town on important business, but he had business in Chadron. He let Hindman vociferate for an hour or two and then prepared to clip his wings. Hindman went into Buck Sweeney's dance hall, and after shooting up the place inquired as to the whereabouts of the sheriff who was going to do such great things. No sooner had he made the inquiry than he felt a ring of cold steel pressing against the back of his neck, and then a quiet, rather lisping voice said: "Hindman, if you move a muscle you are a dead man. I'm Dahlman, the sheriff, and I want you to shuck your weapons and lay them on the bar. One false move and you are as dead as the late lamented J. Caesar." Something in the tone of the voice imparted to the drink-crazed mind of Hindman that he was up against it. He weakened and disarmed without a protest, and when Dahlman had gathered up the discarded weapons Hindman was marched to the jail and locked up. One of Chadron's gambling halls had been the scene of several cold-blooded murders, the victims being tenderfeet who had lost their money and then made a "holler." They were beaten to death, and as the self- defense theory was always set up, the murderers managed to escape justice. Dahlman tried several ways to close up the disreputable joint, but without success. One night he walked into the hall and quietly bought a stock of blues, paying for them with $1,000 in gold. He then unloaded $4,000 in greenbacks and announced that he would play it all providing the roof was lifted. This meant removing the limit. Dahlman had never been known to play far, and the men backing the game nearly fell dead from sheer delight. They removed the limit and the game began. At the end of nine hours the dealer turned the case, remarking: "Bank's broke." Dahlman pocketed his winnings, which were over $11,000, and turned to go. As he stood in the doorway he said: "I want this to wind up this place of business. The room is needed for a Methodist meeting house. I want all your traps removed by noon tomorrow and if they are not I'll make trouble." Hare-Lip Charley's place was closed for good that night. The following Sunday an itenerant Methodist minister presided within its walls over the first religious meeting ever held within the corporate limits of Chadron. One night a cowboy named France killed a female attache of a dance hall. France was impelled by jealousy and whisky, but when he saw the dead girl lying at his feet he sobered up and immediately fled. Dahlman started after him within an hour. It was a long chase and Dahlman did not come up with the fleeing cowboy for two days. When France saw that further flight was impossible, he killed his broncho and lay down behind it, throwing his Winchester over the animal and announcing that he would die before being taken prisoner. "All right," shouted Dahlman, who rode back about 500 yards and dismounted. After hobbling his horse he made a fire and prepared his supper. Twilight fell, and as darkness came on France tried two or three shots at the sheriff, but the distance was too great. When morning came Dahlman was rubbing down his horse and France was sitting on his dead animal. The murderer took several shots at the sheriff, but Dahlman, having nothing but his revolvers, did not fire in return. During the day Dahlman quietly gathered a pile of dry prairie grass, and, when night came he removed his clothes and stuffed them full of grass. He made a head for the dummy by rolling up his saddle blanket, and upon the top he set his hat. He propped up the dummy and then crawled away. He worked around behind France, and got within thirty yards of him before dawn came. As soon as it was light France peeped up over his dead broncho and saw what he believed to be Dahlman, sitting up on the prairie a full half mile away. He stood up and fired at the supposed body several times, anxiously looking after each shot to see if he had hit the mark. Suddenly he was paralyzed to feel a touch on his arm, and hear a gentle voice say: "France, the jig's up. If you move Ill have to bore a few holes through you." France did move and two revolver shots rang out. The first broke France's right arm, the second one his left. Then Dahlman, chilled to the bone, left the wounded cowboy and went over to where his clothes were and dressed. Then he took his prisoner back to Chadron, seventy miles away. One day a young minister of the gospel came to Chadron and announced that he wanted to preach. There was no church in Chadron, and no unoccupied buildings. The owner of the most orderly saloon in town finally proposed to close up his bar for one hour and let the preacher use the saloon as a church. The idea took well, and at that appointed hour the saloon was jammed to suffocation. The young preacher delivered an excellent sermon and at the close took up a collection. Soon the bar resumed business. A bad cowboy thought it would be fun to make the preacher dance and sent a bullet into the floor close to the ministerial feet as a hint to begin at once. Dahlman who was a witness of the assault, knocked the thug's revolver from his hand and sent him staggering against the bar with a stiff right-hander. Before the cowboy could recover and draw another gun Dahlman had him covered with a revolver. "I know the preacher does not approve of dancing," drawled Dahlman, "but perhaps he would not object to seeing a cowboy dance. Now, dance, you blankety-blank cur." The cowboy objected and Dahlman planted a bullet so near his feet that the bully felt the draught. "Dance, and dance a plenty!" yelled the sheriff. The cowboy danced. Whenever he showed signs of stopping Dahlmlan spurred him on with a revolver shot that almost grazed the skin. The cowboy danced until his tongue protruded from his mouth and his feet each weighed a ton. Then Dahllman made him get on his knees and beg the preacher's pardon. Dahlman served three terms, and refused another reelection. He declined on the ground that the community was becoming so moral that there was no fun in being sheriff. He may be seen on the streets of Omaha nearly every day, and a stranger would pick him out as being the last man to face a revolver with a smile and go up against a gang of men with records for murder as long as the moral law. But the man who tries to impose upon Dahlman because he is small and quiet and given to keeping in the background is bound to meet with a surprise that will turn his hair gray. Additional Comments: James Charles Dahlman Born: Dec 15, 1856 Yorktown, TX Died: Jan 21, 1930 Excelsior Springs, MO Buried: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, NB 1860 DeWitt, Texas Charles Dahlman 40 Mary Dahlman 35 Rosley Dahlman 9 Mary Dahlman 7 Caroline Dahlman 5 Charles Dahlman 3 <--James Charles Dahlman Harman Dahlman 8/12 1870 Precinct No. 3, P.O. Clinton, DeWitt, Texas page 254 Charles Dahlman 50 Merchant Prussia M. E. Dahlman 41 Wurtenburg Rosa Bree 18 Texas Arnold Herman Bree 1 Texas Mary E Dahlman 17 Texas E Caroline Dahlman 15 Texas Charles Dahlman 13 Texas Herman E Dahlman 10 Texas Albert Dahlman 8 Texas 1880 N.C. Hill Abt 1857 Texas Herder 1880 Unorganized Territory Keith Nebraska J. Ehersman Abt 1855 Texas Germany Germany Herder 1880 Unorganized Territory Keit Keith Nebraska E.S. Lyons Abt 1858 Missouri Herder 1880 Unorganized Territory Keith Nebraska J.R. Smith Abt 1857 Indiana Herder 1880 Unorganized Territory Keith Nebraska 1885 - Nebraska, State Census Collection, 1860-1885 Gordon, Sheridan, Nebraska J C Dathman 28 Stockman TX Germany Germany Harriet Dathman 25 Missouri Mo MO 1900 Omaha, Ward 7, Douglas, NB ED74 sheet 8 James C Dalhan 44 Dec 1855 TX Germany Germany Livestock Commission Harriett A Dalhan 40 Apr 1860 ME ME ME Ruth Dalhan 14 Sep 1885 ME TX ME Dorothy Dalhan 1 Sep 1898 NB TX ME Cheekla Dalgren 19 Feb 1881 NB 1910 Omaha, Douglas, NB James C Dahlman 53 TX German German Harriet Dahlman 48 Maine, Maine, Maine Dorothy Dahlman 11 NB TX Maine 1920 Omaha, Douglas, NB James C Dahlman 59 Texas Austria Texas Harriet A Dahlman 58 Maine -- Maine Dorothy Dahlman 20 NB TX Me Iowa Marriage Records Name: James C. Dahlman Gender: Male Age: 29 Birth Year: abt 1855 Birth Place: Texas Marriage Date: 20 Dec 1884 Marriage Place: Hardin, Iowa Father: Chas Dahlman Mother: Mary Schloso Spouse: Hattie Abbott See obituary: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ne/douglas/obits/d/dahlman17nob.txt submitter is not related and has no further information Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ne/dawes/photos/bios/dahlman2nbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ne/dawes/bios/dahlman2nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/nefiles/ File size: 11.0 Kb