Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-21


Is about one Of my friends and one
Of the greatest plainsnfen OF the cen
fury. He was wild Pill. Hitchcock.
His name forty years fgo was better
known than that OF the President OF
the United States. AMI. by the way,
his name was not pin" at all. HE
was called Bill by people who con-
fused him with his leIder brother.
William.
EiickOk was six feet two In heiSht'
He had a 50-inch chest and a waist
no larger than many p school girls
His feet we're small and. shapely as
a wOman's. His hair vas Ike spun
gold ond fell to his brpad shoulders.
He had the strength OF P prize nsntef
and the thickness of a Icatamount. In
pistol or rife shooting DR. knife fight
ing he had not his eqpai IN all tue
West. have something's Deen askeo
II wild Bill was desperate. Inc
question always makes me not uhde'
the collar. He was perhaps the sQuar
est, most honest man ever knew.
first met him when ne was scout
ing for Uncle Sam. Later IN the CFn
War he was captured byl the Sohieu
crates and condemned 70 hang. ne
killed his taller and the bficer Of tn.
guard with his bare hands, Dut Oh
the officers clothes and calmly ro'e
across to the Union car hp.
In Abilene, Kan, the lad men
were rampant. They caught ohiteu
States Marshal who was lsent agaihsl
them put his head on block anu
chopped it OF as they might q CHICK
ems. After that the ONCE OF mar
shall in that district went peseihg I'LL
wild Bill" announced that he was
ready to fill n.
As Marshall Hitchcock pSecame a
mighty power for law and order BAD
men" and Indians alike felt the weigho
OF his authority Often he was iorced
to serve not only as Marshal out as
Judge, jury and executioner' all In
one II 49,
The bad men" swore 70 0owh hi".
But is was a great deal pke 6owins
an angry hornet. Little ~ little ne
made Abilene a decent place. An
exciting book could be written just
on his fights in bringing the reform
about. q
At last the only bad men worthy OF
the name who were left In ltne heisn-
borhood were the notoriOut AXE NC
Candles and his gang Of name piaen
guards. These ten men we're ON!
waiting a good chance to afnousn Dill
where help couldn't reach ain.
One morning Hickok Was riding
to Fort Hayes when b. stcpped lot
a drink Of water at friends CABIN
out on the priarie.. His friend was
not at home but his vie aG Sne
rushed to the door with the news tnat
McCandles and his gang hhd pesse'
the house not ten minates eafnef.
BEFORE Bill could get to Als aor.e
the whole gang (who had ridden IN
ambush lust beyond the cshln) open
cd fire on him. He had barely tihie
to Jump indoors befo e they na"e
their rush.
The woman of the house thrust nef
husbands loaded rife :nt1 his ns1 -
This and his two revolvers f6fmea the
the mans armament ii 1eftnse by
this time the gang WIS haynner'ns
a, the door. Bill flung tho loer open
leveled the rife and shot NcCandies
through the heart, jun, lug arae N
fore the rest could recover No.
surprise at his unexpected speye ~
was a lightning quick play ~ ta'
the odds nine to one agat1R AZ
There was no time to reload M rs
60 he dropped it and pulled sat q
sso revolvers. M
n he had thought to Dist "
gang by dropping their lead ne va
vronx. for the whole rusheo
through the door. It was t'ha a hsnt
TO the DEATH As they suStox ac'o'"
the threshold Bpi emptied nis re-
' TO- .,or, tuIinx fo more.
Then the remaining i've tire them
selves on him.
One of them landed Q blow on n'
head with a rife but that NJ nfm
reeIinc and nearly bdoke hi Skull.
He was bleeding at the nj Pc ana
mouth and wounded by bul ana
buckshot.
But. like Paul Jones. he n Jus.
begun to fight" Bowie knife nann,
he was among his foes. sla4n an"
stabbiag with all his trim ndops
strength.
The small room was full d P"oe'