New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-12
FROM THE FRONTIER no 4 CITY TRUCK
A GLIMPSE OF THE CAREER OF AN OLD MAIL COACH
DRIVER OF THE PLAINS.

A GLIMPSE OF THE CAREER OF AN OLD MAIL COACH
DRIVER OF THE PLAINS.
There is a man in this city who claims to
be Bret Hartes original Yuba Bill" His name WILL
lam Hitchcock seey, his occupation truckdriver, and
"heher the novelist has drawn upon him for matter or
not he is singular parsonage Every evening, when his
days work is done, find him iu cosy little
Dutch lagerbeer shop HudsoH.st, putting away at
clay pipe In advanced OF color and relating to
choice circle OF friends and admirers episode OF
MS checkered career. Physically he is q fine specimen
OF manhood. On enormous pair OF shoulders rests
welshaped head, Hth short thick neck. Tho face Is
bronzed BY exposure, and the mustaehe is coal
black aud wiry. There wild. at times savage. glare
In the large dark eyes, which like those of
cusomed to looking distances In the mountains
and prarea His gait Ia awkward and he explains 1t by
saying that until he entered James Fisk's service
master OF teams he anything his feet but
mOccasins.
TRIBUNE reporter visited the beershop o few days
ago and found the In the act OF exhibiting to
number Of bystanders an arm that any prize-hghtor
would have been proud oi-amost large as an ordi-
nary mans thigh and Ike iron In hardness Sealy at
hrst positively refused 70 be interviewed" "Y0u
can't act nothing out Of worth cent" he Growled in
answer to all questions But after while he softsned.
and was then Induced to give concise account Of his
life.
Il was born guess, somewhere about 1920. which
makes me- just sixty years old, though don't eOk it,
Ny birthplace Springfield, NO.. which makes
me Srcesh though Amt secesh-nO. nothing 1t.
We'll, when turned six the Cherokee Indians made
raid in neighborhood and carried me OF with them
WAS taken the Of the Six Nations and
mained there about eight years. OF learned the
SIX Indian diaecs-here, shall 1 give you specinsnl
'TOms woma to-"
Pray DON'T" gasped the reporter.
"well' continued soely " got tired of indian life
after the eight years over and away from the
reservation. only lad Of fourteen then. but
knew how to take care OF myself Later joined
Frem0nts * pediton OF should say two expeditions.
up Platte River to Eiyer Mountain In 1872 and
the other all the ire Kansas to suffers Fort the
Sacramento Ialnt gong to toll you anything about
these expeditions because ye've only open history
OF the United states TO learn ell there is to them. But
what ye can't find In any history OF United States
ths Here Just draw your finger this way, across my
heed. &c. Now did ye feel that threench scar running
along my skull This Is how got It When the Texas
Revolution broke out OF the arst TO volunteer.
and when tue United States declared Mexico
also volunteered. My regiment fought under Zach
Taylor until after Buena Vista. Then fought under
old Scott just As we were stormng that portan OF the
City Of Mexico between MAln and Puerto del Rey bit
OF smell the foot and nOUred me. / felt
pretty miortbe and grsaasd loud that cue OF
my pard.-Jack Billings guess his Rame-asEsd
thought he EougO hasa me his hask, and bright
enoJ up We began fumbing about IN bis cartridge
hauled outa solitary cartridge his last enc but IL was
wet, aud NJ threw 1t away. After second or two
heard him mutter D. this business, and before
ave groau Eo my skull split open with
buttend VI his musket Thats Wnat he called PIT
ting Of my misery. Bus ne ony made II worse,
and ted him when met hin after leaving the mill
ta;y hospital.
'Did ever drive \ MALT You bet did, and the frat
one tuat WAS ever between Fort LeAyenWOrtb and
san Francisco. Tue Indiana we're tough customers In
those days can tell you, and its time that they
went for the But they never got nuen out OF II
vhiie Yub4 Bin the bOX-eKcspt bullets. Tbese
ihey re uiVcd graA aud In unlOited quantity. they
got SQUARE with me once, however can't deny thAt:
My home a ranch ak miles iron Topeka, ana
after EACH return trip paid my old woman aud my Two
ohlldrru visit Que night on nearing the old
nomca cad heard heavy nrng, and when reached II
ing over their bodies with bullet In her eve ana
musket her baBd sac had just Dad three
hours nRhi with hall dozen Lndan catlie-tsrA The
evening started Ia pursuit or the neDds In cOin
pzny with friends, afBenE whom was Kit Carsea-
hea III ELI i-and before tho went up next day
turee OF swinging from the highest TIVE we
cou aud. Ny old Ia still living minis An eye.
mallcOach driving took 10 hunting and
mining All OF things. When the war broke ont
served as scout In the Union Army didn't ten you
yaspt a Secesn d under General Thomas. Whom that
waa over gOt JlA Fisks employ At 500 month,
board lodging and pm mouey. Tits old velvet coat
n uearng belonged 10 jim FskJust look II his Dame
in tho lining. Alter Flsk's death became truck.
uriVer. Now you know all about me-aro you sashedf
ssely present only cue hubltion-tO go 10 the
TrausyaA ana light tBe English. do Will probably be
sent mere the ainbuiauces purchased by the Trans
y. al lyluInttffD,