Bisbee daily review., 1907-07-03
"BUCKY DWELL IS HONORED
 TODAY
Heroic Bronze Statue of Rough
 Rider Will Be Unveiled at PreScott-Bnef History Of
 Man and Monument.

PhOENlA, July Z-OH Juiy z, 1898, in a Cuban jungle, Capt. Wm. o. O'Neill fell by an unaimed Spanish bullet. On Wednesday, July 3, the people of Arizona propose to dedi- cate at Prescott a monument erected in his honor. and in honor also of the other Arizona Rough Riders who died under the colors in Cuba.
 The monument, on the Prescott Plaza is on the very spot where Arizona's first two troops of the Fdst United States Volunteer Cavalry were paraded May 1, 1898. to recelve their formal farewell O'Neill, affection ately known as "Bucky," then was Mayor of Prescott. The city govern ment, lacking time to procure a sa- Der, armed him for the fray with the best revolver that could be found at home To the squadron the ladies of Phoenix presented a homemade six flag that served as regimentu coIors during the brief war, and wn4ch now, bullet-rent, has an honored place in the Territorial Capitol.
 The flag presentation was by Gov. M. H. McCord. There wesrs short cx- pressions of acknowledgement from the senior officers and then was put in motion what is believed to has 2 been the first military coiuT,a st1Tte'! for the front Maj Alex O. Rrodie Hate Governor of Arizona.l was ir command The captains were o.Neiil and McCotlinck, and the lieutenants U. L. B. Alexander, Frank Frantz. George B. Wilcox and J. B. Patterson. When Troop c. was formed, Alexan- der was made its captain and Frantz (now Governor of Oklahoma,) sue ceeded to the command of Trop A. on O'Neill's death. Later, also T. H. Rynning, J. D. Carter and Samuel Greenwald were promoted to lieuten- ancies.
 It is believed that O'Nein was the first to suggest the idea of the for nation of a western cowboy regiment at the time when war with Spain first began to be a possibility. He and his associates had enrolled nearly 1000 suitable men for enlistment even a month before the declaration of hos tiIities. They didn't call them Rough Riders" for the term was not known in the Far West in those days. But when war came, instead of a regi- ment, the War Department allotted Arizona only two troops of cavalry, with total strength of 214 men.
 So down to that limit there had to be elimination. much to the disgust of the hundreds of available Arizona ans necessarily left bIlind. It t5 probable that no organization of vol unteeT soldiery ever had more rigid examination for enlistment
 O'NeilPs only military experience had been as a militia captain, in con- mand of the Prescott Grays, about 1887. In the field he proved an ex- celent officer, alert and painstaking, with the strongest hold on his men. ] It is history how, after passing un- hurt through the hot fight at Guasi- mas, he was killed at San Juan. I'm | plored by his men to use the cover of a sunken road they were hugging, while in reserve. as shelter from the stray bullets that sang angrily | through the trees. he rolled his last cigarette and airily observed, with a wave of his hand, ,"The Spanish bull let isn't molded that will hit me '' Then it was that he was struck down by the messenger of death. He died as bravely and as recklessly as he had lived.
 1 Much has been written concerning an alleged utterance of ONeiiPs Who would not die for a starr" This has been interpreted variously as meaning the annexation of Cuba and the placing of Arizona's star of State hood on the nations flag. It Is prob. able that it's basis can be traced back to dramatic presentation of com. missions to the Arizona officers in Phoenix. when Adjt-Gen. R. Allyn Lewis, lifting his glass of wine, ex claimed: Here we drink the soldiers toast: Death or a stari" Lewis then explained that he meant that a sol
 Jier's ambition should be attainment of the star that marks generals
 rank
 | OsNeill was 3S years of age, borr
 and reared in Washington and there leducated in Georgetown College. Witt
 knowledge of typesetting and sten ography as his capital, he came to Ari
 zona in September, 1879. to be com tpositor on the Phoenix Herald H.
 was printer and court stenographe
 for years, working both in Arizon; and New Mexico, even then noted fo a reckless Iiberality that made hin a friend in every man down on hi luck" Finally, in Prescott, he wa elected Probate Judge, later gainini the lucrative office of Sheriff at time when the notorious Tonto Basil war was on and things were doing It is proud local history how O'Neil
 brought in a batch of Basin outlaw
 and how he ran down the Canyol
 Diablo train robbers About 1902 h
 became dissatisfied with the way tn
 Mormons were asailed in a Territoria
 Republican convention and turne
 from the Republican party to PopJ
 lism It is worthy of note that i
 that convention the successful oppos ton was led by R. E. Morrison, Ho'
 a leader in the movement toward hoT
 oring the hero's memory. As Popl list, O'NeilI twice ran for Congress
 in one contest narrowly approachin
 election. Despite the fact that h.
 gave away his loose cash to any cou
 boy or prospector who asked. he bs
 came even wealthy in his latter day
 through the sale e an onyx min
 near Prescott and of copper claim
 near the Grand Canyon of Arizons
 The money he realized he place
 in Phoenix realty, still held by hi
 widow.
 The idea of a monument to tn
 Rough Rider dead is believed to hay
 been preached first by M. J. Hicke
 Of Prescott. one of O'Neilfs ofdes
 friends. To private subscription
 made has been added a donation c rf of.f. ls.r &1. I l.&,