The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-28
COL. CODY'S WILD WEST"
THOUSANDS WITNESS "BUFFALO
BILLS" ENTERTAINMENTS.
New and Unique Features Added Since
Last Year-Last Nights
Performance.

Thousands of people attended the two
performances yesterday of Buffalo Bill's
wild West and Congress of Rough Rid
ers,' given at the circus grounds. west of
the river. Excursions were run TO the city
and great many people came in from the
outside towns.
At 10 O'Clock yesterday morning the entire
show turned out in street parade and per-
formances were given in the afternoon and
night 1t was said by the management last
night that the big canvas covered twelve
thousand people by o'clock. The crowd
in the afternoon was large, but the great
mass of people waited till evening to see
the exhibit in the glare of the electric light
Colonel Cody has added a number of new
features since the show was here last year
One of the most interesting and striking is
the United States artillery drill by veterans
from Captain Thorp's Battery j, Fifth
Regiment. United States Artillery, now To-
Gated at Fort Hamilton. The drill is
perfect and marvellous exhibition of mill
tary maneuvers. The artilerymen execute
the different evolutions with marked pre-
cisiOn. Two siX-pound guns are used in The
drill. Both are historical pieces. One of
Atlanta and the other was in active serv-
ice aboard the gunboat Jasmin during the
stormy days. This artillery drill was given
Immediately after the grand review in
which the entire list of entertainers, in
Guiding Indians cowboys, soldiers, Mexi-
cans and scouts pass before the spectators.
Col. W. f. Cody, Buffalo Bill" with
the show hale, hearty and as keen of eye
and 1.-the of limb ever. He continues as
the bright particular star of the Wild
West" and his unique feats of sharpshoot-
ing while riding at full speed across the
field do not grow old to the people. The
colonel made several remarkable shots last
night.
Another of the really interesting events
on the wild West programme is the ap-
pearance of the Sixth United States Cav
airy most of them veterans from Colonel
| Summers celebrated regiment at Fort Myer,
Va. These men have all seen active serv-
ice in the field, and many of them have dis
tinguished themselves on the frontier. One
of the skilled riders is Paul Weinkert. who
yet wears medal for gallantry at the bat
tie of Wounded Knee, near Pine Ridge
agency, several years ago. Many of these
men are on leave of absence from their
post of duty. Since Colonel Cody has been
at the head of the present venture he has
always had a troop of cavalrymen about
him. Some of them get three months fur
Tough from the department and travel with
the wild West until the time is up. Then,
if Colonel Cody desires their service longer,
it is an easy matter to get the furlough
The detachment of English troopers and
the Garde CuirasserS from the army of
Kaiser William II are procured in the same
manner. The Englishmen belong in the
Fifth Royal Irish Lancers. One of the
troop, Major Hardy, has seen thirty-two
years of service in the British army. A
number of these clever English riders are
not long from Englands forces in India.
The friends of Johnnie Baker, the young
cowboy, whose sharpshooting excited such
interest last year, were disappointed at his
failure to appear last night Baker is a
service on Cody's Nebraska ranch, and
there learned to fight Indians and shoot
buffalo Baker injured himself a few days
ago while mounting mustang and has
ley on the programme, however, and
Illustrated her dexterity in the use of fire.
arms. There were cowboys galore and
plenty of Indians to engage the attention
of the spectators.
THE REAL MR.. INJUN.
The red men came in for a good share of
attention. 1t is said that many of them are
we'll educated as a result of the frontier
missions. The management of the Wild
West is under heavy bond to the gov
eminent for the return of the Indians to
| the reservations. The cowboys with Buff
falo Bill are the real Western article.
That's the beauty about this whole
thing" said an employee of the enterprise;
everything is genuine and there is no fake
about it. But there is a mistaken impress
sion as to these cowboys. The common
idea of a cattle 'puncher is a long haired
fierce-looking individual with a half-dozen
knives in his boots and revolver or two
at his belt. That is all a mistake. This
sort of cowboy is only found in the yellow
back novel. We haven't that kind with
this show. A great many of these fellows
are college graduates mean the men we
find on the plains with the cattle. We find
them refined and even polished sometimes
This is usually the class of men who leave
the cities and wealthy homes to go West in
search of health. Then there are others
who drift into the life through love of
adventure. Buffalo Bill carries them be-
cause they are clever in the use of firearms
and in mounting the vicious mustang. They
are not exhibited because they represent
the common idea of the cowboy tough"
There was something on the programme
last night to interest and instruct every
body. Many were delighted with the prairie
emigrant train crossing the plains, its at
tack by the Indians and the prompt rescue
by Buffalo Bill and his brave band of
scouts Then the Cossacks, those skllful
pie with feats of Craftsmanship; also, the
group of Arabian horsemen, and the Mexi-
cans who threw the laSSo with unerring
skill The attack on the Deadwood mail
coach by a band of Indians and the rescue
of the passengers by Buffalo Bill was re-
ceived with riotous enthusiasm. The orig
inal Deawood coach swept across the field
with the genuine John Higsby on the box
handling the reins. The Indians came and
there was a rush of horsemen. chorus of
wells from the red devils and a score of
muskets ''belched forth a deadly fire But
the brave men on the coach held the red
skins down until the welcome appearance
of Buffalo Bill. In five minutes there
wasn't an Indian in sight The rescue of
the Deadwood coach wound up the per-
Torrance.
To-day the Wild West will be given at
LAFAYETTE The show will open shortly for
a season of several weeks in Chicago.
GUITAR, EITHER AND MANDOLIN