Salt Lake Telegram | 1906-05-30 | Page 5 | "Dead Wood Dick," Hero of Dime Novels and Boy's Delight, No More

W00D DICK," HERO OF DIME NOVELS AND 60VS DELIGHT, NO MORE , DENVER. Colo., May 30. A special from Cripple Creek says that Frank , Palmer, said to be the original -Dead-wood Dick of dime novel fame, died in the county hospital there yesterday y.of pneumonia. According to the spe-j spe-j clal. Palmer was born in Jackson, I1L. a nephew of ex-Senator John M. Palmer, Pal-mer, and claimed relationship to the late Potter Palmer of Chicago. When 17 years old Palmer left home and drifted West. He went, to Dead-wood, Dead-wood, S. D., in the early days of that camp and became a successful gambler. He was known as a square gambler, and the sports of the raining camp dubbed him "Dead wood Dick, the plunger. At the age of 21 Palmer returned to Illinois and one year later went to Chicago, Chi-cago, where he married the sister of a prominent Episcopal minister of that city. One child was the issue of the marriage, but family differences arose and one year and six months later the husband and wife separated and Palmer Pal-mer came West again. He drifted Into Cripple Creek nine years ago. Reverses in fortune came, and for eight years he sold chewing gum and candy, which he carried around In a shoe box. It is thought that Palmer's wife and child still are In Chicago. Undertaker Un-dertaker Hunt, who has charge of the remains, is trying- to locate relatives In Illinois.