The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-09
DARINGROUGHR RIDERS
MAGNIFICENT HORSEMANSHIP AT
BUFFALO BILLS WILD WEST.
Mexicans that LassO, COssacl<s with
Remarkable Riding Tricks and
Other Interesting Sights.

There was any amount of excitement in
store yesterday for the small boy who want
ed to see real Indians, as many as hun
dred of them in one band, cowboys, buffalos
and all the things that tell of the American
frontier life. now becoming so rapidly ex-
tinct. Buffalo Bits Wild West show, which
Is one of the greatest exhibitions that ever
Travelled. was encamped for a two days stay
on the old circus grounds across the river,
and in the morning an extensive street pa
rade was given through the downtown
streets.
1.-The Congress of Rough Riders of the.
World" is also part of the appellation by
which Col. w. F. Cody's entertainment is
known, and while it has very highfalutin
ring, the show fully justfies 1t, for 1t fur
nishes magnificent display of daring horse
manshp There is considerable divergence
from circus lines in these feats, as they rep
resent classes of people in their natural oc-
equations and lives and not professionals
trained merely for exhibition purposes. The
immense conical circus tent has been aban-
doned, as one would not permit the neces-
sary area and clear field for the riding.
Instead there Is spacious field surrounded
by quadrilateral of seats, with canvas
above the spectators only. and the blue sky
to canopy the performers. For the night
performance electric arc lights are strung
around the Enclosure, the show carrying a
complete portable electric plant
There were between four and five hundred
riders in the field yesterday, all of them
picturesque characters, from the cowboy of
the American plains to the odd Cossacks,
who took even more imminent risks than the
others. Colonel Cody himself appeared and
was not the least picturesque figure there,
his stalwart. graceful form seeming to mold
Itself to the horse he rode. No Sioux Indian
rode easier than Buffalo Bill. whose long
wavy hair is now beginning to take on the
shades of gray. although the mans eye is
yet as keen as in the days when he pursued
Indians sure enough. The group of Cossacks,
tall, 1.-THE men whose long gowns embar-
raised them not at all, attracted a great
deal of attention While riding their horses
at terrific gait. these men would swing
| low to the ground, suspend themselves by
one foot from the high saddle and bangle
their arms between the hind legs of the
horses. Some of them showed the position
bound. The R.ffian Arabs also exhibited
feats OF thrilling riding, but to a horsemans
| eye their prettiest work was in their sharp
control of their steeds. The Mexicans
| dashed into the Enclosure while the cowboy
band played a favorite mexican serenade.
The renarkable. lasso throwing of these
"greasers' was a novelty to the crowd and
the accuracy with which they threw the
long, looped rope while dashing at full speed,
or While the horses were cavorting or plung-
was no trick at all for one of the Mexicans
| to throw lasso underneath and around the
| several neat tricks of hurting the lasso. over
head were shown. The cowboys had their
| fun in picking objects from the ground, las
SONG wild horses and riding the FUCKERS"
Colonel Cody carries a number Of unbroken
| bronchos with him and they are used for no
| other purpose than to give the cowboys an
| Torrance of this kind can be made. There
| was no put on" about 1t and each cowboy
| that tried to mount one of the bronchos did
| so at a risk 10 life and limb but the men
| are accustomed TO this sort of danger, and
with muscles, hardened like Steel found
| themselves able TO keep their mounts. One
| man had close escape from falling under
| a pony that tried viciousiy to throw him
The old Deadwood coach. historical We
| the days when travel between Deadwood
| and Cheyenne was extremely perilous was
| brought out and applauded. An attack on
! half hundred naked braves grotesqueiy COW
cred with paint of various hues, howled
military musical drill, in which participated
| a detachment from the Seventh T. S.
Cavalry from Fort Riley, one from the
Dragons and one of the German Cuiras-
| sers, was one of the prettiest things of its
kind ever shown. These men are not can
vasmen dressed up for the occasion. but
| are regularly enlisted men, One of them in
| the United States troop is Corporal Weinert
/ who wears a medal presented TO him by
| Congress for conspicuous bravery at the
| battle of Wounded Knee. The evoutions of
| the troops were correct as to military tao
! tics. The men have all been picked for their
| ability in Craftsmanship and as they swept
| down the field at fast speed it seemed
| that the whole cavalry would sweep into the
spectators, but so finely drilled were they
| that they wheeled their horses about al
| most within foot of the ropes that sepa-
rated the field from the seats. The buffa,o
| hunt was another realistic scene. Colonel
| Cody has dozen so of these very rare
| animals He himself gave an exhibition of
| sharp-shooting while riding at full speed
| and the immense crowd showed its admra-
ton for the man by giving him very
| liberal applause. Miss Annie Oakley and
| Johnnie Baker also displayed accomplished
| feats in this line
| the performance. Running Deer, an old In
| dian chief. fell under his horse and had TO
/ be carried from the field. III feared
| his leg was broken. but an examination
| showed that no bones suffered.
/ Back in the quarters of the men who
| travel with the show a number Of interest
| ing things are to be ascertained. There are
number of characters among the members
/ OF the Irish Lancers and the German Cuiras-
| siers Some of the Irishmen have seen
| service In the British army in India "Buf-
| falo Bits Wild West is certainly one OF the
| great institutions in the American enter
| for il are not exaggerated. There will be
| two performances to-day, one in the after
| noon and the other at 5 O'Clock in the even
/ ing The evening performance will not be
| have the difficult labor which ordinary
| showmen have In removing immense cam
| vas tops.
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