Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Town Marshal vs Cowboy in 1902

Town Marshal vs Cowboy in 1902

Larkin Moses Stroup is best remembered as being a Town Marshal and for a near deadly run in with Dennis Sheridan, “one of the toughest cowboys ever to ride the ranges of South Florida.” Although Stroup was a livery stable proprietor, he took the law into his own hands and patrolled the area of Fort Myers as a self-appointed peace officer. Throughout the community he was known as “Dad.” He also, for a time, ran a ferry across the Caloosahatchee River and operated a schooner line plying freight between Tampa and Fort Myers.

Stroup’s devotion to law and order went far beyond the town of Fort Myers. During the Spanish-American War, he enlisted with Ray’s Immunes under Colonel Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders and saw action at the Battle of San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898. It was the bloodiest battle of the war and the greatest victory for the Rough Riders.

Stroup arrived in Fort Myers in 1886, just after marrying Claudia “Claude” Baxter. Three years later he was elected as Marshal and Collector, and again in 1891. He was known to have a “reputation for fearlessness” and was described as “a man with a fierce mustache and bristling eyebrows.” He left town only once for a short while. When his father-in-law fell ill and could no longer operate his plantation, Stroup and family moved up north. Upon the death of his father-in-law, Stroup and his growing family returned to Fort Myers in the summer of 1897, accompanied with his mother-in-
law, Charlotte (Grant) Baxter. He was again elected to the position of Marshal and Collector for 1902. It was during this tenure as Marshal that he came face to face with one of the roughest cowboys in all of southwest Florida – Dennis Sheridan.

On the Fourth of July, 1902, Marshal Stroup arrested H. O. Thomas for “being intoxicated on the
streets.” As he was transporting Thomas to the town jail, he was confronted by Sheridan and Dave Pool, who asked that Thomas be let out on bail. The Marshal replied that he had instructions from the mayor “to require either a written bond or the money for a prisoner’s appearance in the mayor’s court.” Pool then forked over ten dollars, and Thomas left with Sheridan and Pool.

Stroup then accompanied Philip Isaacs (editor of the News-Press), J. L. Culter (tannery operator), and Frank C. Alderman (attorney) who were sitting on the porch in front of Doc Williams’ Drugstore facing First Street, when Sheridan returned. Shaking his finger hollered, “Stroup, you are a damned liar.” The Marshal sprang from his seat and hit Sheridan over the head with his walking cane and a fight ensued.

Sheridan, who had been concealing a knife in his hand, began to stab Stroup, aiming for his throat. The men wrestled on the ground until Stroup was able to kick Sheridan off him. He then pulled a 32-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver and shot Sheridan just below the heart. The cowboy then made one last attempt at the Marshal and “leaped at [him] like a tiger, with the open knife in his hand.” Finally, two bystanders separated the men.

Sheridan died ten minutes later as Stroup was being treated by Drs. Hanson, Brecht and Winkler for multiple stab wounds. He recovered rapidly, and only days after the attack, Sheridan’s half-brother, Green Hodge, vowed revenge on Stroup. One story is that Hodge met Stroup on the street, and Stroup told him he was ready and offered Hodge one of his two 36-caliber pistols.

Hodge backed off, begging for his life and promising to leave the country - he was never seen again in Fort Myers.

Marshal Stroup also announced just weeks after the fight that he was going to run again for Marshal and Collector against Taff Langford. In what the paper reported as “one of the most hotly contested town elections ever held in Ft. Myers. . . Marshal Stroup came off with flying colors, defeating his opponent by the vote of 93 to 53.”

In the fall of 1910, three of Stroup’s children - Pearl, Grant and Loie May - were stricken with a serious illness. By June of 1911, the youngest of the children, Loie May was finally back to good health. Also in 1911, Stroup was elected to the City Council on which he served one year.

Stroup suffered a stroke in September of 1943. The day after, his wife died, and due to his medical condition, he was unable to attend the services. In a state of shock and overcome with grief by his wife’s passing, Stroup told his daughters, “I can’t go on without her. I am going to die of a broken heart.” Larkin Moses Stroup died just ten days later.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks Tim for a great historical story. You make the history of this area of Florida come alive. Because of people like Strout we have the wonderful city of Fort Myers, FL. I am looking forward to reading more of these interesting, colorful stories.

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  2. Thanks Carla. This was a test one. I have about 50 all set to post over the next two years (one every two weeks).

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    1. I love it. Also wanted to let you know that I put a link to this post on my website. Hope you don't mind, but it is such a great story.

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