The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-14
WILD BILLS FIRST FIGHT.
From Everybody's Magazine.

Forty years ago. in December, ten
men on bay horses galloped across
the dry bed of Rock creek, skirted a
little clump of cottonwoods, and drew
rein before the bars of the Overland
| Stage Companys horse corral on the
| California trail. a few miles north Of
| Manhattan. Bill McKandlas, jumping
from his horse, put his hand on the
top bar. A tall, slender young man
stepped to the door of the dug-out a.
few yards away with a gun in his
| hand and eyed the McKandlas gang
with dark disfavor He called out with
some emphasis that he would shoot the
| first man who took down a bar and
made some comments on their parent
age.
few hours before they had gone by
| his quarters jerking an old preacher
at the end of a lariat. AS they passed
they announced that they would come
back for the stage horses in the corral
at o'clock in the afternoon. The
young man with the gun had replied
that he would be there when they came
back. He was paid to feed, harness and
protect the companys property and in
tended to earn his money. The ten
visiting gentlemen tied their horses to
the corral, and turned to the more
cheerful duty of DISCRIMINATING the i'm
prudent and forward young Waterman.
He retired into his dug-out domicile.
| barred the door and stood waiting with
rife in his hand. Even then he had
the habit of not shooting until the oc-
casion really demanded IL. The high
waymen hunted up a log from among
the cottonwoods, and with praise
worthy industry proceeded to batter
down the door.
Jim McKandlas with a revolver, a
bowie knife. a whoop and a yell, leaped
across the threshold and into eternity.
AS the others rushed through the door
the man inside fired three shots, with
that accuracy of aim for which he was
so much admired in the years that were
to come. The six somewhat startled
horse thieves who remained alive
swarmed across the dugout floor. and
piled upon the young stationkeeper, with
revolvers and bowie knives. One beat
him over the head with a gun; and Bill
McKandlas struck with a bowie knife,
only to bury it in the table, and with
a bullet in his heart to suddenly term
mate a career which had furnished an
infinite variety of interest for the sher-
ifs and vigilantes of several counties.
The rusty stove fell from its insecure
foundation across the surging combat
ants. mixed in inextricable and san
culinary confusion. Outside a horse
broke his hitching strap and galloped
away. The little table broke down be-
meath the weight of a thousand pounds
of shooting, stabbing, swearing from
tiersmen. The latest bandit rolled to-
ward the door, and catching a glimpse
of the brown prairies outside, which
looked good to him, suddenly reached
- 49, l..
need any stage company horses in mis-
business and bolted
BY this time the affair had ceased
to have for the other four horse fan
ciers that enticing interest which had
drawn them into it. AS one afterward
expressed it, the young man had gone
wild" Covered with wounds and free
killed. with bullet holes he had lost ev-
cry thought and instinct except the
lust of death and victory. AS they
fought he struck the sixth man in the
throat with a bowie, and the man fell
across the little pile of blankets. The
three who were now on their feet re-
treated through the door and toward
their horses.
That morning his associate in the
companys service had gone hunting,
to return on the run barely in time to
witness the close of the tragedy. Doc
Mills, the associate, had lost golden
opportunity. While he was out shooting
quail fame had knocked at the dug
out door. handed a laurel to James
Butler Hickok. and passed. on. Hickok
wrested the gun from Mills hand, and
killed another OF his fleeing foes before
they were fifty yards away. One, bad
ly wounded. sped down the little creek.
found his way to Manhattan, and died
within two days. The ninth more for
tunate. mounted a horse and followed
the fat deserter across the prairie.
When the stage from the East came
rumbling in, half an hour later. its oc-
cupants found this hero OF the most
savage and the most remarkable con-
flict in border annals insensible, but
with his reputation made.