The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-06
Buffalo Bill in Chicago Inter Ocean.

1HTs is not about myself. It is
 (0 about one of my friends and one
 of the greatest plainsmen of the century. He was "Wild Bill' Hickok.' His name 40 years ago was better known than that of the President of the United States. And by the way, his name was not "Bill' at all. It was James" He was called Bill by people who confused him with his elder brother, William.
 Hickok was six feet two in height. He had a 50-inch chest and a waist no larger than many school girls. His feet were small and shapely as a woman's. His hair was like spun gold and fell to his broad shoulders. He had the strength of a prize fighter and the quickness of catamount. In pistol or rifle shooting or knife fighting he had not his equal in all the west. I have sometimes been asked if "Wild Bill'' was a desperado. The question always makes me hot under the collar. He was, perhaps, the squarest, most honest man 1 ever knew.
 I first met him when he was scouting for Uncle Sam. Later in the civil war he was captured by the Confederates and condemned to hang. He killed his jailer and the officer of the guard with his bare hands, put on the officers clothes and calmly rode across to the Union camp.
 In Abilene, Kan, the bad men, were rampant. They caught United States marshal who was sent against them, put his head on block and chopped it off as they might chickens. After that the office of marshal in that district went begging till Wild Bill' announced that he was ready to fill it.
 As marshal, Hickok became a mighty power for law and order Bad men" and Indians alike felt the weight of his authority. Often he was forced to serve not only as marshal, but as judge, jury and execptioner, all In one.
 The ''hGd men" swore to down him. But it was a great deal like downing an angry hornet Little by little he made Abilene a decent place. An exciting book could be written just on his fights in bringing this reform about.
 At last the only bad men worthy of the name who were left in the neighborhood were the notorious Jake McCandles and his gang of nine blackguards. These 10 men were only waiting a good chance to ambush Bill where held couldn't reach him.
 One morning Hickok was riding to Fit. Hayes when he stopped for 2. drink of water at a friends cabin out on the prairie. His friend was not at home, but his wife was. She rushed to the door nd h ic gang had passed the house not 10 minutes earlier.
 Before Bill could get to his horse the whole gang (who had hidden in ambush just beyond the cabin) opened fire on him. He had barely time to jump indoors be- fore they made their rush.
 The woman of the. house thrust her husbands loaded rifle into his hands. This and .his two revolvers formed the mans armament of defense. By this time the gang was hammering at the dor. Bill flung the door open, leveed the rifle and shot McCandles through the heart, jumping aside before the rest could recover from their surprise at his unexpected move. It was lightning quick play, but left the odds g to 1 against him. There was no time to reload his rife, so he dropped it and pulled out his two revolvers.
 If he had thought to discourage the gang by dropping their leader, he was wrong, for the whole nine rushed through the door. It was to be fight to the death. As they surged across the thresh- old Bill emptied his revolvers into them, Killing four more. Then the remaining five threw themselves on him.
 One of them landed blow on his head with rifle butt that sent him reeling and nearly broke his skull. He was bleeding