Distinctly Montana Magazine

67 w w w. d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m Sam claimed to be a distant relative of Wild Bill Hickok, which has not been proven, but one thing that seems to be true about him is that he was pretty darn honest about what he would say. He knew famous outlaw Jim Cummins from the notorious Quantrills Raiders in the Civil War, and then Jim rode with the James-Younger gang after the war. Sam stated that he was really surprised that Jim died before him since Sam had been in many gun battles through the years and had escaped death too many times. In the late '90s and early 1900s, he knew Diamond Johnny, who was famous for his diamond ring of 3 karats with 2-karat diamonds on the side, very flashy. Sam swore one day if he could find some fine diamonds, he would have one made for him. Dia- mond Johnny was sentenced to 20 years in Leavenworth follow- ing a conviction on a white slavery charge. Later on in years, Sam did find some fine diamonds and had his ring made, which was a match of Diamond Johnny's ring. The diamonds were a bit smaller than the doorknobs that Dia- mond Johnny had, but friends and acquaintances admired that ring and stated that it was finer than the bigger ring. Sam was also a musician and played the banjo for friends, and he collected canaries. He loved his pet dog that he had for almost a decade. When he and the pup were walking by the Great Northern depot, a woman accidentally hit the old girl. The woman was beside herself, but Sam, with hat in his hand (he was well known to respect a good woman), told her with misty eyes, "Madam, you have done me a favor. The old girl was getting weak. I was just a thinkin' I would buy some chloroform and put the dog out of her misery. Don't feel bad. I'm glad she died instantly." Samuel Maider Russell had a stroke in April of 1928 that left him partially paralyzed. He closed up his barber shop for good and went to live with his sister, Mrs. Lucy W.D. Hill, in Miles City. On December 10, 1929, this picturesque character of old Mon- tana, Sam Russell, the "Powder River Kid," passed away. This is just a small glimpse of the life of Samuel M. Russell, my great- great-great-uncle. There are many more stories of his life through newspaper articles, though too many to put down in this story. He knows guns from A to Izzard and is rated as one of the quickest men on the draw in the West. His eyes are still as bright and clear as those of a boy. In the cow camp or on the trail, he could sling a rope with the best of them. And friends still maintain Sam can ride anything from a grizzly bear to a range critter! His sympathy was always with the down and outer. He always saw the good in men and women that the world called bad, and many a good story of heroism and generosity he told concerning women who played a man's part of the up building of the west and to whom he ascribed much credit. Billings Gazette, Saturday, April 28, 1928. 1931 West Stevens Street Unit B Bozeman, Montana 406.587.4332 www.rmpharmacy.com O U R N E W L O C AT I O N ! NOMINATE US WIN $1000 FOR YOUR CHANCE TO of B E S T M O N TA N A A S V O T E D B Y R E A D E R S O F 2023 W I N N E R !

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