Leonidas Nicholls O'Dell

From "An Old-Timer's Story of the Old Wild West. Being the recollections of Oliver Perry Hanna, pioneer, Indian fighter, Frontiersman, and first settler in Sheridan County [Wyoming]." Compiled: June, 1926 by his grandson Charles Hanna Carter [Book available from Sheridan Stationery, Book & Gallery, 206 North Main Street, Sheridan, Wy 82801. 307.674.8080] page 86

KEMP AND O'DELL FIGHT

The first prize fight was pulled off in Big Horn City. It was fight all right, and not a boxing match. The contestants were Jim Kemp, an Englishman, and Lon O'Dell. Neither one of them had a streak of yellow. They were both real fighters. So, when they had a falling out, every one looked for trouble. Jim Kemp, however, was of the "Old School" and thorough believer in the manly sport as a proper method of settling disputes between gentlemen. As a result, he challenged O'Dell to a fight, Marquis of Queenesbury rules. O'Dell accepted and the men came together in a saloon in Big Horn. Everything was done according to rule. There were seconds, referee, time-keeper, and bottle holders, but no gloves. When the gong sounded the men went at it hammer and tongs, and kept it up until the referee called "Time!". They then washed off the blood and went at it again. After the first round both men were covered with blood and half the time neither could see his opponent, but neither would say, "Enough!" Round followed round until both men were exhausted. The referee called it a draw. The next day Lon O'Dell was in the saloon when Kemp came in. The faces of both men were so swollen and disfigured their mothers would not have recognized either of them. Jim Kemp had a big piece of fresh meat bound over his eye and when someone told him that O'Dell was in the room, he raised the bandage and peeped at his late opponent; then walking up to O'Dell, he stuck out his nad and said, "It was some jolly sport we had yesterday, don't cher know?" O'Dell, ye're a chap after me own 'heart, so he are." They shook hands and from that time on they were the best of friends.

For a number of years Kemp lived in this country and was a good citizen. Later he went to Montana and was killed by a broncho. Lon O'Dell became a balloonist and one of the nerviest men I ever knew. One time at Miles City he made an ascension and in landing broke his leg. He was under contract to make another ascension and the company refused to pay him unless it was made. O'Dell had no assistant and he needed the money badly. All the company agreed to give him the money except one man, so after failing to talk him over, O'Dell had himself carried to the balloon and up he went. When he came down he broke his leg over again and, as the company came up to him, he demanded his money. When he got it in his hand, the first thing he did was to land on that committeeman square on the nose. Another time O'Dell made an ascension, he took up fireworks to shoot off and in some way the ropes leading from the balloon ring to the bar took fire. He finally made it, but by the time he reached the upper ring all the ropes but two had burned.

A number of years later I saw him in Hardin, Montana. I asked what business he was in. He said, "I have a tent down here and a side show, come and see my animals and reptiles." I went down to the tent. We went in. O'Dell took the cover off a big box and a big, long snake ran its head up about three feet high and stuck his black tongue about six inches long out at me. I fell over backwards and crawled out of the tent. Lon tried to get me to come back in. He assured me the snakes wouldn't bite. I told him to go to the devil with his show and snakes, I had seen all I wanted to. That was the last time I ever saw Lon O'Dell.