Pony Express Rider W.S. Tough Archive, Incl. Letters from Buffalo Bill Cody, Johnny Baker, and More

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American History: Premier Auction

By Cowan's Auctions

Jun 22, 2018

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Cowan’s American History: Premier Auction, scheduled for June 22, 2018 is comprised of early photographs, documents, manuscripts, broadsides, flags, and more dating from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Late Indian Wars, World War I and II and beyond. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

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• Lot Description

  6 documents, 2 books plus background material related to the life, legend, and family of William Sloan Tough (1840-1904). William S. Tough served as a Pony Express rider, Kansas "Red Leg," and Civil War scout, then in later years as a U.S. Marshal from Kansas and prominent livestock dealer.

  In an extensive article in the Kansas City Daily Drovers Telegram from October 5, 1945, William Tough's son John Tough gives the history of his father's company, noting that his father eschewed publicity, so there really are no biographies available on him. A native of Maryland, William Sloan Tough came West at the age of 20. He and his traveling companions were noticed for their ability to handle horses and wagons. William was chosen to lead a wagon train, assembling at the time at the Missouri River. He rapidly gained recognition and was soon leading wagon trains from St. Joseph to various points west. When the Civil War erupted, it was obvious that the Army would need the skills of a man such as William Tough to transport supplies between outposts and forts along the frontier. He was soon made assistant provost marshal of Leavenworth (fort and city) with the rank of Captain, a title he carried the rest of his life, and in November 1863 became chief of scouts at Fort Smith for the region. It was while serving as a scout that he worked with William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and formed a lasting friendship.

  Captain Tough had a way with horses from his earliest years, and loved raising, training and owning the animals. His son relates a story about a horse named "Smuggler," which was being offered for $12,000. At least three millionaires were interested in the colt, which showed a lot of promise, but thought the amount being asked was too much for an untested animal. Captain Tough purchased the horse for the asking price while the eastern millionaires were trying to get the price lower. Tough refused many offers to sell the horse at more than the price paid, but finally agreed to bring him east for a trial mile. This could be the reference in the Rockefeller letter which is listed below. Before Tough could get the horse east, there was some interference by greedy individuals wanting a cut of the profits, so Tough, known for his honesty, cancelled the deal and sold Smuggler to someone in the West for $40,000.

  Eventually Captain Tough started selling horses and other livestock in the Kansas City Stockyards district. Previously about 14,000 horses and mules were sold in the Stock Yards, but Tough established his company pledging absolute honesty. His "motto" became: "All Stock Must Be As Represents or Buyer Need Not Take them." Within a short time, W.S. Tough & Sons was handling 56,000 horses and mules a year. He began procuring horses for the British Military during the Boer War. The travel took its toll, and William Sloan Tough died shortly after fulfilling his contract with England. His son, Littleton, died at the young age of 36, just six years after his father, leaving John Tough to run the company.

   

  The archive includes the following:

  Cody, William F. (1846-1917) ALS, 1p, on Buffalo Bill's Wild West letterhead, Wilimington (DE), May 21, 1902. To Captain William Tough, Lawrence, KS. Request for W.S. Tough & Sons to sell a few hundred head of cattle, plus two-year-old fillies and brood mares.

  Cody, W.F. ANS, 1p, Grand Rapids, MI, August 10 [1908 postmark]. This one to L.M. Tough, (Lyttleton Morgan). Thanking him for his letter and assuring him (Johnny) Baker is OK again (after an injury). With cover. Captain William Tough had a brother named Littleton, and apparently named one of his sons Littleton (or Lyttleton) (1874-1910).

  James B. Pond (1838-1903), ALS, 4pp, on his New York letterhead, April 4, 1901. To "Mr. Tough." Writing to William S. Tough's little brother, Lyttleton (sometimes Littleton) Tough, Pond reminisces about his days in service. "I remember seeing you ride by your brother Williams' side where there was danger & you seemed unconscious of it as I was just because we were in company with that brave brother." He goes on to describe the day William Tough shot Bill Gardner, "one of the most notorious & troublesome of my men" at Fort Scott. "He and you were grooming your horses, just in from a long scout." This event appears to still be part of the lore of Fort Scott. From the journal of Capt. Charles Porter, "Wednesday, July 29, 1863: On returning to camp (at Balltown, MO) I learned by some of the boys who had been to the Fort (Scott) that Wm. H. Gardner was shot twice in the forehead and killed by Capt. Tuff, a scout, last evening in a quarrel." (As quoted by Arnold W. Schofield, "Battlefield Dispatches No. 268: 'Fisticuffs and Whiskey' Prove Fatal" The Fort Scott Tribune, June 10, 2011)

  James Pond served with the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry during the Civil War. His unit fought Confederate guerrilla William Quantrill and his "raiders" at Baxter Springs, earning the Medal of Honor for his heroism in that battle. After the war he became a manager for a number of traveling speakers, such as Ann Eliza Young (52nd wife of Brigham Young), Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Henry Morton Stanley, Henry Ward Beecher, Arthur Conan Doyle, Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, and P.T. Barnum.

  Rockefeller, Wm. (1841-1922). TLS, 1p, on Standard Oil Company letterhead, New York, May 27, 1885. To Littleton Tough, telling him that he will "...get to Long Island to see the horse at the first opportunity,..." William (Jr.) and John Rockefeller were the founders of Standard Oil.

  Baker, Lewis H. "Johnny" (1869-1931). TLS, 1p, on Buffalo Bill's Wild West stationery. Grand Rapids, MI, August 10, 1908. Also addressed to Littleton M. Tough, thanking him for his inquiry regarding Johnny's condition and assuring him that he is "much improved and am again at work although I experience some difficulty in shooting." He encourages Tough to visit and offers a tour of the "workings" of the Wild West Show. Baker became a foster son of Cody's after the death of Cody's own son. Baker grew up in show business, traveling and working with the Wild West Show from the age of 7. He later became a sharpshooter with the show. He worked as manager until Cody's death, when he founded the Buffalo Bill Museum.

  Hill, Isaac W. ALS, 1p, Alamosa, CO, November 22, 1883. To William S. Tough, regarding a deed for Littleton M. Tough. With a statement of payment of recording fee of $2.50. The deed is included for land (mining property) in Arapahoe County, CO. Dated November 16, 1882. It is accompanied by a typed statement from John that the handwriting on the deed is that of Captain William Sloan Tough.

  Accompanied by three typed copies "Statement of L.M. Tough Correcting Errors in the 'Poney Express.'" The first letter is clearly the draft with pencil corrections throughout. Two "clean" copies are on 2 pages of 8 x 13 in. legal paper. This letter was to Charles E. Murphy, in reference to the book Murphy gave him, included in this lot.

  Visscher, William Lightfoot. A Thrilling and Truthful History of the Pony Express or Blazing the Westward Way. Chicago: Rand, McNally & Co., 1908. 8vo, printed cloth, 98pp. "L.M. Tough" on front board. "L.M. Tough / with compliments of / Chas. E. Murphy / Aug. 9th 1908" on free front endpaper.

  Lyttleton Tough relates events at the October 1863 Massacre at Baxter Springs as he saw them:

  "Jonnie Fry came to Leavenworth just after the first and original Poney Express had been taken off. He and I ran together until he joined a party of quarter horse men and went to riding for them. By the by he was the best quarter horse rider I ever saw. Brother [William] at that time was chief of Scouts and was compelled to make his headquarters at Scott and, of course, his boys and I went with him, and I was placed on the route to carry the mail once a week between Fort Scott and Fort Gibson, one hundred and sixty five miles south of Scott. Shortly after the route was opened they found it necessary to make the deliveries twice a week. Brother found Jonnie Frye, brought him to Scott and started him carrying the mail and riding the opposite direction to me. ...[The author] states that Jonnie was killed by Inidan [sic] bushwhackers. I was in the country for a number of years and this is the first time I have ever hear of there being any Indian bushwhackers in that section. Jonnie was on his way north to Scott and had stopped as usual at Baxter Springs to change horses. Quantrell on his was south from the massacre at Lawrence overtook General Blunt on his way south with a small escort at Baxter Springs, massacred pretty nearly all of his command and then attacked the few troops stationed in the post. Jonnie was outside the fort cleaning up preparatory to his trip north and was shot by some of Quantrell's men as he was climbing up the bank from the springs to get to the post...."

  Also in the lot is An Autobiography of Buffalo Bill (Colonel W.F. Cody). New York: Cosmopolitan Book Corporation, 1924 (MCMXXIV). 8vo, illustrated brown cloth, frontis photo of a young Buffalo Bill, 328pp. Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth. "Lyttleton M. Tough Jr. June 1925" on ffep.

  Condition

  Most in good condition. The main flaws are separations starting along folds. Pony Express with sunned spine, moderate shelf wear. Toning on front and rear endpapers, but internally clean. Buffalo Bill with some wear, tear at head of spine. Frontis separated, but present. Volume slightly cocked.
  
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