The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-21
CODY'S CLOSE CALL
A Desperate Battle With Outlaws in
Which he Killed Six.
AN UNWRlTTEN CHAPTER
The Desperadoes Pursued Him for
the Purpose of Killing tiim-The
Fight In the Cabin-Flve Fell
Under His Revolver
Washington Cor. of the Philadelphia

W dSHlUSlOn 1OT. Oh the HQliaQGlD0ld
Times.
There is one chapter in the history
of the life of Buffalo Bill which is not
often narrated and which / do not
think has ever appeared i'm print" says
a prominent army officer who served
on the frontier with Colonel Cody for
a number of years and is now on duty
in the war department here. Colonel
Cody's name is generally associated
with tales concerning warfare with In
dams and buffalo hunting. but do not
think the great scout has ever been re-
garded as a killer of white men.
THE story which l am about to re-
late, however, is concerning the expo
rience of Colonel Cody when he had
narrow escape from losing his life, as
a result of which six white men of the
West paid the penalty with their lives
for their folly in interfering with him.
1t was just at the close of the civil war
that Buffalo Bill was appointed to the
position of United States deputy mar
shall and assigned to duty in Kansas.
At that time the country was by no
means in the advanced state of civil
ization that it is to-day and there were
probably 10 or a dozen outlaws and
cowboys in every frontier county. The
Kansas Pacific railroad was being pro-
jected and the Union Pacific was also
being built
AS result there was a strong tide of
immigration West, and crowds from
the East were flocking to Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Nebraska and other western
states. The Indians were at large in
those days, and ii was necessary to
protect the settlers against them as
we'll as against the outlaws and des-
peradoes. Buffalo Bills chief duty was
to look after the outlaws and arrest
them when it became necessary to do
l. +. e.. hi,
easy task. Death with the boots on
was then a very common thing, and
many crimes were being committed, so
that an officer of the government had
lots to do to keep him busy in the per-
Torrance of duty. Colonel Cody was,
of course, a young man then, for that
was 80 years ago, and he is not very
old to-day. 1t was serious work for
him to undertake when only youth,
for he had to operate against old ana
experienced outlaws. There was
force of border pillagers then who oper-
ated extensively and were a great ter-7
ror to the settlers. 1t was with the
men who belonged to this class that
Buffalo Bill as deputy marshal had to
contend
His reputation as a scout and fight
err had already been established and he
was known as the friend of the federal
authorities, civil and military, and the
enemy of the law-breakers. AS the
outcome of the hatred which the pill
layers entertained for Cody the deter
mination was made by a band of them
to free themselves from his surVeil-
lance, and this could only be accom-
plished by his death. This conclusion
was reached soon after it was shown
that he had been appointed deputy
marshal, and that he would operate
against them with authority from the
federal government to back him up.
The plans were fairly well prepared,
but the six outlaws did not succeed in
entrapping Buffalo Bill. The young
fellow was out on one of his trips of
investigation when he learned that the
band of six desperadoes was on his
trail and that they had determined to
find him and If possible kill him.
Buffalo Bill was apparently uncon-
cerned about the expedition of those
who were after him, and he stopped at
a log cabin on his way to get his din
ner. There was an old woman living
in the house who. at the request of the
young officer. began the preparation of
his meal She was, of course, willing
to serve him, but warned the young
man that the six murderers were after
him and that If they found him in her
house, as no doubt they would, they
would make quick work of them both.
Buffalo Bill did not seem worried, how
warned of the approach of the six muir
derers. There were no houses in sight
and he saw them coming across the
field on their horses. All that he did
was to lock the door of the cabin.
When the six men arrived they de-
manded admittatnce, but this was re-
fused by the young officer. The spokes-
man of the crowd then announced that
II the door was not opened they would
all shoot through the door and the
walls of the house. They tried this and
several shots were fired, but no dam
age was done, and Buffalo Bill still re-
fused all requests for admittance. for
he knew that the men were treacherous
and would kill him if they got a
chance. They then threatened TO tear
down the door If they were not allowed
to come in, but to this Buffalo Bill re-
piled that he would kill the first man
who entered after the door had been
knocked down. The work of destruc-
ton began and in the meantime Buff
falo Bill prepared for the fight which
he knew was coming. He had his rifle,
his six-shooter and a knife with him,
and these he made ready for use. With
a big crash the door went down and
one of the desperadoes thrust in his
head. Buffalo Bill did not hesitate or
falter. but blazed away with his rifle
and shot the man dead. He next pulled
out his revolver and continued the
shooting He occupied a place of want
age. while the others were only able TO
show up one at a time at the door.
I'm a brief time Buffalo Bill had four
of the other desperadoes lying dead in
the doorway. One man remained alive.
Buffalo Bits pistol would not work
after that as he tried To shoot and
could not make IL go. He was appar-
emily in a dazed condition and did not
know what 10 do TO protect himself
against the last man. His rifle was
empty and his pistol was out of order.
He felt sure that the other fellow
would show fight. but much TO his sur
prise he turned to run away from the
house. The young officer was no doubt
desperate, and he evidently was deter
mined TO revenge in the fullest manner
possible the effort which had been
made to take his own life. He grabbed