The morning call., 1894-07-22
BUFFALO BILLS STORY.
A Stage Trick Gets an Actor Out OF a
Bad Scrape.

Colonel William F. Cody Buffalo BID has
number OF friends in this city and is afrequent
visitor here. Years ago he became very IN
innate with Robert Nell. the actor, but they
had not met for long time. Colonel Cody and
Neil renewed their acquaintance the other day
and INDUCED in a number OF old-tlme remnls-
cences.
Finally Colonel Cody said: "Neil, do you re-
member that night on the Mississippi River
when YOU had such narrow escape from be-
ing thrown oyerboard?" Neil flushed and tried
to turn the conversation into another channel.
but several of the group sitting around scented
story and insisted on It being told. Colonel
Cody laughed so heartily at the recollection
that it aroused the interest OF those present.
He said that al Bob was the central figure. he,
doubtless, had the same VIVID remembrance;
but Bob wouldn't tell the story al first. so the
colonel started 1t.
"As far as l can remember it was abouE
fifteen years ago. and Bob was MEMBER OF
my theatrical company. We were gong down
the Mississippi River on steamer. Inc
boat was pretty we'll filled with passengers.
and the "trip was uneventful until BOD mere
created the biggest Kind OF row. 10 Det'eI
understand the story / should explain that
about this time gang of thieves system
atically piled their trade on hese ooats'
and several big rObberies had taken place.
Their manner of working was 10 create
disturbance by fighting, yelling 'hfe or
shouting man overheard J ana during 'He
excitement that followed the thieves got III
their work. This mad happened so frequently
that the regular passengers and bOatmen were
waiting chance to deal summary justice. we
were telling stories when 1t came Bob's turn 10
spin yarn and he started in: forget what
the story was-what was It, BOb?"
81 don't exactly remember" SAID Neil, "DuG
know it was something about fire in the old
Ode0n in Newark"
'.TnaI's it," said Cody. "Bob was telling his
story in that highly dramatic style lie uses
when he spu rs the villain and tells him 10 do
his worst. Well, in one part of his story BOD
was describing the confiagration. as they say IN
the Western papers, and he cried out IN mighty
dramatic manner, Fire! fire?
THAT story was never finished. In less than
a minute all the passengers were 10 hieh STATE
OF excitement. At the first cry of fire woman
screamed another linted and then there was
the deuce 10 pay. Women and children were
shrlekng and crying. men were shouting ana
bawling, until one of the deckhands cried out:
There is no fire; thieves are on board; look
ont for your Valuables.' That supsided 1.-THE
excitement somewhat until Dig siX-footer,
pulling pistol, said with some western em0el'
li~hments, 'LpPs look for the thieves The
deckhands and dozen men began the search
by inquirng for the man who started the alarm.
We knew it would be useless TO try and make
any explanations while they were excited, so
we Just kept mum. "a ell The story would end
here only for mulatto girl who had been sit
ting opposite us. She gave an accurate de-
scriptIon OF Bob to the searchers. and when we
heard that we crowded around Bob to hide him
until he could climb over the rail and hide be-
behind the paddie-Wheel box.
1.-The gill gave such Il good description OF
Bob to the men that it would have been i'm
possible for him 10 nave Sneaked down 10 DIS
stateroom without Deing detected. There he
sat behind the wheeloOx, and If the searchers
once saw him he WOnld be In the river or full OF
bullets before we could do anything.
the searcherS were doing their work thor
oughly, and it was only a question OF time when
they would come to where we WERE To get
Bob out of his bad box a member OF the COM
paDy thought of an old stage trick that has been
used In dozen plays as uart of the business.
1t is one OF the strong points of Uncle Toms
Cabin where Eliza makes her escape from
Legree. ACHING on tn whispered suggestion,
we formed ourselves In a double file near the
wheelbox, and this actor spoke out so that Bob
could hear him, Now, If l was the man who got
into this scrape would get out of IL right away,
for the searchers will soon be on him. would
ct out of there just he way Eliza does when
Legree is after her. and would get down and
walk between my friends to my stateroOm.'
And he du,' continued Buffalo Bill. bob
heard what was said, recognized the old stage
ruse, and climbed down from his hiding place.
We gathered around him and hid him from the
watchers until he got TO his stater0om." New
ark SDecial,