The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-12-02
The i" Bill' Heroes.

The most astonishing crop the plains
ever produced was the one of "Bill"
heroes. If an ambitious frOntiersman
named William CHANGED to see an Indian
or kill q few bison, he at once took unto
his name an addition, and became a char
acter. But let it not lie supposed he was
a hero among his companions. To them
he ever remained plain Bill, or, at the
best, with a Jones or Brown added, as the
case might be. remember one particu-
lar teamster whose name was William
Hobbs. He could not have placed a bull
let from his carbine in barn door at 100
PAGES. And yet, without any provocation
whatever, he seized upon the word Cali
fornia and wore it, although that wonder
full State had never, to my certain knowl-
edge, been favored with his presence.
This man had not been cut out for hero.
His becoming one was in direct violation
Of natures laws. He was fat, short of
wind, red faced and timid as hare. AS
the frontiersmen expressed it, having
never lost any Indians, he could not be
induced by any consideration to find one.
However, by lying in wait for tourists
and correspondents, he often managed to
get business as guide. He had donned
suit of buckskin made in st. Louis, and
would state to the gaping stranger: My
names California Bill here; over thar it's
'Pache, on count of my fightin' the tribe.'
He could not have told one of the latter
from Digger; yet soon the Eastern pa
pers came back with thrilling descriptions
of this noted scout and Indian slayer.
Iron muscles wrapped in buckskin,
piercing eyes, dead shot at redskins"
etc. And yet have known this dead
shot to miss, four times in succession, a
bison at fifty yards; and on one occasion,
having mistaken a Mexican herder for an
Indian, he fled so fast and far that he lost
hat and pistol and ruined his horse. Aft
er this he was fain to go East and per-
ambulate Broadway in long hair and dirty
buckskin, and be heralded by opened
mouthed newsboys as "Forny Bill, the
Teller what chaws up the 1njun nation"
These specimens are also apt to fall upon
some cheap story-writer, who embalms
them as heroes, and gives them the entree
Of saloons and hotels. But when forced
back by want to the haunts of the frontier,
the breeches of skin, broad hat, and swag-
ger are put away, and the usual garments
of the plain adopted. Out there, where
the poverty Of spirit lurking beneath is
known, lions skin does not change the
CudI dCLCl VI tuC CSululdl UOIIONIA IL.
Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill, whom 1 met
often on the plains, much more fairly de-
served their names. The former [ knew
first as teamster, then bartender and
finally scout. He certainly knew more
about the plains than anyone l ever met.
Wild Bill, during the years that was
cognlzant of his actions, filled at intervals
the positions of scout, saloon-keeper,
refugee and Sheriff. The number of per-
sons knew him to kill was five, three at
Hays and two at Abilene. 1t seems as if
such men as Bill were designed by Provi-
dence to act as a sort of carnivore for
keeping down the increase of their species
In all of my residence upon the frontier,
during which time sixty-two graves were
filled by violence, in no case was the muir
der other than a benefit to society.-E. W.
Webb, IN Ha,per's Magazine for Norember.