Cherokee Dan was a buffalo hunter referred to in the newspapers of the day as a “half-breed” was often drunk and “shooting up the town.” One evening he was standing across the street from the Bull’s Head Saloon, between 4th and 5th streets in Newton, and decided to shoot up the bull painted on the sign above the door. There, night marshal Charles Baumann, walking up Main Street after supper, heard the shots. Demanding that Cherokee Dan stop, Marshal Baumann fired his pistol but missed, and then dropped to one knee for a better aim and fired again, but only grazed Cherokee Dan enough to make him turn around and return fire. Dan’s first shot hit the marshal in the right thigh and the second shot took off Charlie’s right thumb. Dr. Gaston Boyd then intervened, standing between the two men requested each to tuck away their pistols, which they did. It is certain that one or both of the targets would have been shot to death but for Dr. Boyd’s timely intervention and, being respected by all concerned, his admonition was heeded to end the affair. Marshall Baumann recovered from the wounds, albeit without a thumb.
