The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-07-10
THE WIFE OF WILD BILL
Twice Married and Twice Made a
Widow by Murder in Seven
Years Time.
A Loye-Letter From Clusters Scout
in His Honeymoon Just
Before His Death.
From a Special Cor. OF the World.

now STAYING IN this city woman whose
matrimonial experer &c has been suth
GENTLY singular She has had two hus-
bands, both in measure public charac-
tiers, and both doomed to violent death.
In lS47, then girl Of fifteen she mar
ried William Lake, a well-known clown
and Snowman, whose circus was famous
all over the Union in the earlier days OF
the business before msmmOtn aggrega-
lions like Barnum's took the field. She
was financial manager OF the concern,
and, being woman OF natural parts and
positive character, proved very success
tul tinar cler. August u, 1859, while
the circus WAS exhibiting at CRANKY,
Newton county, Mo, losfer named
Jake kilhan slipped in without paying
Lake noticed thus, and, summonIng n
couple of men, elected the dead head,
who armed himself, returned to the
tent, PAID his way in, and, seeking out
Lake shot him dead. The murderer eS-
capped, but Was tracked, captured, tried,
convicted and senterced to three and Il
half wears Imprisonment in the Pentiten
usryl After her husbands death Mrs.
which she conducted for three seasons,
visiting all parts OF the Union. She then
sold of her menaGerle, apparatus aud
stud, and settled in some
Western city - Chicago think-whence
in the winter of 1886 she proceeded to
San Frauri co. There she remained but
\ few "" -, coming to Cheyenne q year
10 WI hi Ia
wards sue married again. her second hus-
1and being w. B. Hickok, so widely
nuown as wild Bill"
Custer has given q graphic picture OF
wild Bill" and Eastern readers may
remember sketch OF his adventures
which appeared in Ha1PeT'S. "He WAS, .
SAYS Custer, ~ plalnsman n every
sense OF the word, yet unlike any other
OF his class. la person he was about SIX
feet one In height, straight ms the
straightest OF the warriors whose implac-
able foe he was; broad shonldere1, well
formed cnest and limbs, and q face strik-
ngIy handsome; sharp, clear, blue eye
which stared you straight IN the face
when in conversation; hnely-shapcd
nose inclined to be acquIline; II we'll
turned mouth, with lips only partially
.1Lce4led by handsome mustaChe. HIS
4air and complexion were those of the
perfect blonde. The former WAS worn i'll
ncut ringIets, falling csrelessly over his
powerfully. formed shoulders. OF his
.uurage there could be no question; 1t had
,~ea brought to y test on too many oCca'
IONS 10 admit of doubt. His skill in
he use of the rife and pistol was uner-
ing, while his department was exactly
he opposite OF what might be expected
rom u man OF his surroundings. 1t WAS
.ntrely tree from all buster or brsvado
/ He seldom spoke of himself unless re-
auested to 90 so. His conversation
| strange to say, never b0rGered either on
| the vulgar or the blssphemous. His
/ influence among the trOntierS.men wa:
| unbounded, his word was law, and many
are the personal qusrrc.s md disturb
/ auces winch he has checked among his
comrades by his simple announcement
! This has gone lar enough, followed II
need be, Dv the ominous warning that II
Dersisled in or renewed the quarrellel
| must settle IL with me- Wild Bill /:
ANYTHING but a quarrelsome man, yet nc
| one bat himself can enumerate the many
conflicts in which he has been engaged
and which have almost Invariably re-
suited in the death OF his adversary. He
always escapes unhurt. Wild Bill NJ
wavs carried two handsome ivory hand
led revolvers OF the large size; he Wa
never seen without them. In all OF the
many affairs III which ne mas been en-
gaged which have come 10 my knowl
cdge there is not single instance II
which the verdict OF twelve lair-mludec
men would not be pronounced in hi
favor
With this AdonIs O! the plains, As
have already SAID, Mrs. Lake tell mad !!
In love. HIckok certainly recIprocateC
her passion. rs the following letter writ
ten mo-, long alter their marriage, wher
he bad gone to the Bisck Hills L
seek fortune and adventure, will testify
DEADwoOD, BLACK HILLS,
DAKOTA TERRITORY, July Il, 1876.
My OWN DARLING WIFE AGNES:
have hut n few moments left before thl
letter starts. | never was so well IN M
life. You would laugh to see me now.
have lust got IN from prospecting. vii
90 out again tomorrow. Will writ
again in the morning, but God know'
when It lthe letter will start. NJ!
friend will take this 10 Cheyenne II n,
lives. don't expect to hear from you
but it is all the same. know my Agne
and only 1--we TO love her. Never mind
net, we will have home yet. Then W.
will be SO hsppy. l am almost sur
| will do well here. The man is hurryln!
me. Good BY, dear wife. Love TO Emma
W. B. HICKoK wild Bill
Such letter betraylng the most lover
ike aspirations and q strong vein o
romance was 10 be looked for from such
- man as Custer had described and anal
wed. though it will read oddly to any
one A. the East accustomed to regard tn
trontiersman of many brawis as o
necessity bully and blackguard.
This was probably the last letter " TIC
Bill wrote. Tor his death ensued a tort
night later. No Sioux took his coveted
scalp. no nero OF the frontier "got tn
drop on him. 1t might be SAID of hin
as of the Jewish warrior, "Died Abner q