The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-07
Adventurous Career of Bill" Reedy
Now Local Theater Policeman
Recalls Incidents of Eu-
ropean Tours...B e eha-
vior Of the India n S
and a Contest in
Horsemanship in Italy

reason that Colonel Cody seldom takes the
same Indians out for the second season.
OF course, he had Indians with him that
had been with the show for a number OF
years. but they are few. The reason that
they are no good the second year Is that
they learn too much. An Indian is very
quick to learn, and about one season on the
road generally spoils him.
THE Indians that with the show
were tribes of the Ogailalas. This Is a
part of the Sioux nation. You understand
of tribes and each tribe speaks a different
language. The reason that Colonel Cody
always selected the Ogallala Indians was
that they were more easily governed than
the other Sioux. They are not quarrel
some, are very intelligent and are the best
all-round Indians that exist.
You understand" went on Mr.. Reedy,
that he took the reservation Indians with
him, and to do this he had to give bond
TO the government for their return. The
law is that reservation Indian cannot
leave his territory without having his hair
cut, but Colonel Cody always put up Dond
for their safe return in the winter. Colonel
Cody was the shrewdest man in picking out
Indians that ever was. When ii came time
for him TO select his Indians he would send
them word that he was coming. When the
day arrived he would get on box and
pick out the ones he wanted from the
crowd.
INDIANS LIKED CODY.
'"These people all thought great deal
gave them plenty to eat and plenty of
money. He speaks the different Indian
languages, and they call him Pahaska,
which means long hair. and he can govern
them better than any man 1 ever saw.
Whenever an Indian got bad and would
not stay on the lot, he would be sent i'm
mediately back to the reservation.
This Ogallala Indian" said Mr.. Reedy,
''is the best looking OF all of the tribes.
He has light brown skin, a face like
full moon, a square, heavy-set jaw, and
has the best nature of any Indian in ex-
istence. Whenever you find an Indian with
a long. straight nose. high cheek bones, a
long, narrow chin with very red lips, he is
not TO be trusted, and he will cut you the
first chance he gets. In Colonel Cody s
show he always had from 100 to l35. and
there was seldom any trouble with them.
Reverting to his favorite topic, his old
employer, Mr.. Reedy said:
Colonel Cody was one of the best men
have ever known. He is as tender hearted
as woman, and will go further out of his
way TO do a man a friendly turn than any
person / ever met. All of his men have
the greatest respect for him. He. how
ever, has certain rules that govern the
show. and these must not be disobeyed, for
If they are, the man will be discharged
without warning. i remember of one in
cident where the United States cavalry
troop disobeyed the rules and he discharged
the whole lot Of them and cut the entire
act out until he could get more troops. He
was the greatest disciplinarian that ever
lived. If he and General Miles could have
got to the West when Sitting Bull was
killed there would have been no trouble
with the Indians that time, for they loved
both Miles and Cody and would have done
whatever they told them to do"
Reedy has been in a number of the In
dian wars and was for some time scout
employed by the government No doubt he
has many interesting stories to tell in con-
nection with this work, but when asked
about IL he will only laugh and say ii was
nothing out of the ordinary.