The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-08

not a single instance I'm which the YER
diet of twelve fair-minded men would
not have been pronounced in his favor
WILD BILLS DEATH.
This extraordinary man met his
death by assassination i'm Deadwood. $.
D.. in 1876. The place was then as law
less as Hays City or Abilene had been,
ewing to the thrush of Adventures to
the Black Hills, and it had been re-
ported among the gamblers, saloon-
keepers and desperadoes who wanted a
few old-fashloned killings now and
then to keep up the good name OF the
camp that Wild Bill was about to be-
come the marshal of Deadwood. A low
character named Jack Mccall under
took the job of killing him. mainly to
achieve the notoriety that would come
to the man who had brought the life of
the great frontersman to a close. Bill
was playing cards in a saloon when
Mccall, in the most cowardly fashion,
crept up behind him and discharged
his revolver directed at. the back of his
victims head. True to the instinct of
a lifetime the scout clutched his re-
volver and half-rose from his seat to
wreak his vengeance-when he fell
dead.
Mccall was tried for murder by a
Deadwood jury. Judge Shannon. who
presided, still lives in South Dakota,
and not long ago related the queer
story of McCalls trial The prosecu-
tion showed that it was a cold -blooded
murder, but when Mccall arose to his
defense he shrewdly played on the only
chord that could have vibrated in his
int l..
that he killed Bill because years be-
fore, when both lived in Texas. the
scout had abused his friendship and be-
trayed his sister. The jury were i'm
pressed by the story and returned the
curious verdict that they We're no, sure
of McCall's guilt and so had decided to
give him a chance for his life. The
prisoner was then led from the court
room, placed upon "a fast horse, with
his pockets full of bread and cheese,
and given one minutes start for his
life. All around were excellent horse
men armed with Winchesters and re-
volvers who were to pursue and try to
Kill him as soon as the minute was up.
1t was most extraordinary judicial
proceeding and erudite men will see in
1t revival of the medieval practice of
lIldl ny IRE, water, etc, TO uelellllne
the guilt or innocence of the accused.
The word given, Wild Bilfs muir
derer started for his fife. Before the
minute was up he began swaying rap
idly to and fro in his saddle to spoil
the aim of his pursuers. At the end oc
sixty seconds the fusilade began and
like a pack of hounds the horsemen
leaped forward in pursuit. Strange as
it may seem, Mccall escaped and ran
into Wyoming. But within three weeks
he was arrested again at Cheyenne by
United States marshal, who turned
him over to the marshal in Dakota,
| Tried now by the United States court
MCCalls story of Wild Bill's BETRAYAL
of his sister in Texas was proved to be
a pure fabrication and the fellow was
| hanged by the government officials.
AS the years pass and the epic period
to which this remarkable character be-
longed becomes mellowed by the softly
fading glow of distance it is apparent
that no Rob Roy nor Alan Breck has
offered a more heroic figure nor finel
material for romance. " here is the
| American Scott or Stevenson who viii
| immOrtalize Wild Bill?