The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-26
HOW WILD BILL DIED.
The sureat shot In tho West Killed with
Bullet from Hts Partners Pistol.

from me Isrvr htpuoHonr
Mr.. Adler has known almost all the pioneers
OF the West. and was a friend OF that pictu-
rescue figure In Western history. Wild Bill. He
was within half a dozen PAGES Of Bill whe n
Jack McCaull shot him In the back OF the
head in a Deadwood saloon. He tells the
story more infinitely than 1t has ever been
told in print. To paraphrase the quaint wora-
ing OF tho old pioneer. the killing fell about in
this way:
Bill and McCaull occupied the same cabin
together ut Deadwood In 1915 Bill came into
camp with notoriety he had been acquiring
in all the border towns. He was a gambler by
profession and q desperate by nature. He
was the surest shot with pistol in the West.
lie had been Marshal Of Hayes City In it's
palmy days OF lawlessness. and was afterward
Marshal OF .Abien whom that little city ha d
almost as hard q name lie had killed so
MANY R men nat ne had Ioss the cSSR
his long yellow hair pouring down on his
shoulders his mbrero cooked sideways on
his head and with two ivory handled pistols
in their holster. swinging at either side. peo-
ple were naturally very respectful.
But Bill was man to be feared rather than
respected. lie was AN inveterate card player.
and cheated and robbed at the tables with the
became chtms and patched together in a
cabin. Mct aull had lust as bad II character
rs lill. but he had never the opportunities to
prove 1t, and II he had he would probably have
been dead before Deadwuod came into exist
encc. At any rate. he and Bill used to play
brace against every one they could get to put
hi legs under the tanle with them. While
this process Of fcocing was going on Bill and
his partner pretended to be perfect strangers
to each other.
One day they were at their usual tricks wi n
a gresnhorn in q canvas saloon on the main
street. McCRull broke out and Quit the game.
Directly he came up to Bill and said: say,
Bill. gimme u quarter to buy II drink" Bill
look ed up ut him as II he had never seen him
before. II don't know you" he said. "
guess you're good Ht tho bar" McCaull went
to the bar ami asked for n drink. but the bar
kgep"r. th.nking he was Joking. would not
let him hAv" it,
Then McJauil sulkcd about the stove for
little Finally he went TO Bill again and said (:
Gimme MY cents. Bill; | want 10 get a
meal And Bill, still carry ing out his role OF
stranger. said, with pretended heat: Go to
- for your meal
Ne, aulps fac, flushed. lie was not willy
enough to SEQ what lil was driving at lie
wont straight out II the saloon down to his
cabin and got n siK-shoutor When he came
huck he had 1t cooked in hls coat pocket with
his hand upon Il. He walked right VI to Hill
and quick as a Hash stuck the muzzie OF the
gun against Eli s head and pulled the trigger.
There was a leap Of lire from the barrel. re-
sounding report and Wild Bill fell oyef with
his face amunG tho poker chips stone dead.
MctHull was arrested and trie before a
miners court and acquitted for the story he
told was n plausible one. But one day when
in his cups he boosted OF tho deed. detectives
Investigated his -rO~y and found 1t false and
eventually he WAS hanged