Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-02-24
WILD BILLS DEATH.
How McCaull Put the Finishirg Touches
on That Celebrated Bad Man

now McNRult the
on That Celebrated Bad Man
Rather portly old gentleman, with
Il tawny mustachc and Il strong Ro-
man face, sat comfortably among II
group of friends in tie Union hotel
corridor, in Denver, and grew rrmu
isccnt over Il fragrant bowl of nicer
Schaum. 1t was George w. Adler one
of the pioneers of the western cnun-
try, the man who opened up the Black
Hills and built the first cabin on the
site of Dcldwood. n hero of half II
hundred Indian fights, a hunter, trap
per, scout and guide in the old days
when the West was Il wilderness.
Mr. Adler has known almost all the
pioneers of the West and WAS II friend
of that picturesque figure in wCStr. II
history, Wild Bill. He was within Il
half DOZEN PAGES of Bill when Jack Nc.
Caull shot him in the back of the head
in Il Dcadwood saloon. He tells the
story more infinitely than it has ever
been told in print.
TO paraphiaSc the quaint wording of
the old pioneer, the killing fell abnnt
in this way, says the Denver 'Rcpuh-
lean: Bill and McCaull occupied
the same cabin together at Dcldwoud
in 1876. Bill came into camp w.ti II
notoricty he had been acquiring in all
The border towns. He was Il gambler
by profession and Il desperate by m
turc III" was tn" SurcSt shot with II
pistol in the West. He had brcl IN IT.
shall of Hays city in its pllmy a.; v ui
laWlcSSlrSS. and was afterwards IN II
shall of Abilene. when that little city
had almost as hard Il name. He had
killed so many men that he had lost
hn -, l.,
D,adwood one day. with his long vel
low hair pouring down on his Sho.l
'lrrS. his Sumhrrro cooked sideways
on his head. and with two ivory-hnn-
died pistols in their holsters swinging
1T either side. people We're naturally
very respectful.
But Bill was II man to he feared
rather than respected. He WAS an in
vrtrratr card player. and cheated and
robbed at the tables with the pleas mt
est grace imaginable. He aud Nc
tHu'l became chunlS and patched to-
grthrr in Il cabin. McCHull had lust
us bad character rs Bill. but he had
never the opportunities to prove it,
and if he had he would probably have
en- dead before Dradwood came into
existence. At any rate. he and Bill
used to play brace against every one
they could get to put his legs under
the table with them. While the pro
cess of tcccing WAS going ON. Bill and
his partner pretended I" be perfect
strangers to each other.
ON" day they were at their usual
tricks with Il gr"cnhorn in Il canvass
saloon on the main street. McCau1
broke out and quit the game Directly
he came up to Bill and said Say
Bill, gimme Il quarter to buy drink. ."
Eli looked up at him as if he had
never seen him before. Il don't know
YOU. he said. Il guess you're good at
tender. thinking he WAS jokin.
wouldn't let him have it,
Then McCaul Sulllcd about the stove
for Il little Finally he went to Bill
again and said: Gimme 30 cents.
Il II: want to get Il meal" And Bill
St,ll carrying ont his role of stranger.
said. with pretended heat 'Go to
h for your meal
Ma'aullS face flushed. He WAS not
willy enough To see what Bill WAS driv.
ing at He went straight out of the
saloon down to his cabin and got II
SiN-ShoOtcr When he came back he
had il cooked in his coat pocket with
his hand upon it. lie walked right up
T." Fill and quick us Il flash stuck tho
muzzlr of the gun against Bills head
and pulled the trigger. There WAS n
leap of fire from the barrel. Il re-
sounding report. and Wild BIZ fc!l
over with his face among the poker
chips. stone dead.
Mctaull was arrested and tried be-
fore Il miners court and acquitted for
the story he told was Il plausible one.
But one day. when in his cups. he
huaStcA of the deed. detectives invcS-
ligatrd his story. and found it false.
and eventually he was hanged.