Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-02-17
WAYS OF THE WILD WEST

Jack McCan has been condemned TO
BE- hanged tor the murder Of Wild Bill.
From what has driited TO US from those
diggngs, the Judgment would appear to
lee righteous. The murder grew out Of
the law OF retaliation, which is at the
heart, core OF every man who takes his
life IN his hand, and "mingles with So
cietv " on the hcrdors OF civilization, of
which such new place, as Dcadwood aud
Caster City are the eNpouents. That
law has but ono c'ause--''An eye for nm
eve; Tooth Tor tooth; blood for
blood." Not man In the Black Hills,
or amid am the Wild scenes Of frontier
life from Cheyenne to the guches on the
Pacific side og The Sierra Nevada, that
does not understand and fully accept the
responsibilities Of the code, the organic
basis OF which is " life Tor life"
Is the percentage Of murder greater
there than in the cities in which higher
civilization prevails Road the Eastern
kilograms Of morning and judge. No,
it is not, nor does robbery moro prevail
or any other criminal meanncss which
unfortunately shames the life of hrge
cities Life on tho frontier is Wild, and
men go "hoeled ''--armed like batteries
of death, but they carry the coae in their
memories for constant reference. There
are few towards among them, and when
lhe inevitable Ginlcuty comes, as como
it will and does, it all depends ON the
"dropn The quicker on the trigger has
slight advantage he hits his man.
II he misses tho luck IA against him, and
the coroner sits ON him instead OF the
other man. That j. all there is Of it, 1t
is considered fair stand up fight and
thero is an end. 1t may be the victor's
turn to pass in his checks tomorrow,
and the boys turn out respectfully to give
their late friend a good send-oti to the
happy hunting grounds.
Jhis affair OF Jack McCann and wild
Bin does not appear 70 have been fair
stand up contest. Wild Bill has been
known for years as desperate and II
game man. Perhaps he had not large
stock Of morality ON hand to boast of,
but he didn't boast OF it. His was
rough life and was mixed up with rough
men of the frontier. He was n dead shot,
and it was said ofhim that henever turn
ed his back on n friend or IL foe. 1t was
n good thing to say of u man anywhere.
In ono Of .hc savage scummages which
onlivons society in the gold regions Wild
Bill killed his man. 1t was not his nrst
man, so it did not make him proud. The
dead had friends too. One of these was
Jack McCann. Ile swore to be even
with Bill-lite for life. We do not know
how long Jack MeCann kept this grudge
stored II bis yongetu memory, but his
purpose mover slept One day last SUM
mer Wild Bill was playing cards in IL
saloon at-somowhere in the Black Hills
when Jack McCaun went behind him
and shot the life instantly out Of IN. 1t
was life for life, but the debt was not
claimed according to the code. 1t was
not fair stand.up fight. 1t was cow
ardy murder. So tho friends of Wild
Bill said, and SO everybody seems to have
thought. McCann escaped, but one OF
Biu's friends, man like to himself,
brave and desperate If occasion needed,
took Vengeance in hand and the murder
er was arrested and tried. We have tho
verdict, Jack MoCann, unless he escapes
or is lynched, will lnaugurate the gal
lows In the poldpn country of the Sioux
81. Louis HepUbiican.