Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-03
MAJOR BURKE
HAS NEW STORY
49, $500 rs.
Veteran Associate of Buffalo Bill.
Comes to Town With
A Stock.
TELLS YARN OF AN ELK HUNT
F'onr Hunters Aim ut Heart Of biggest
Animal and Each Claim
The Game.

Maj. John NJ. Burke who is here To-
| day representing the Buffalo Bill Wild
4 West show in advance Of the exhibition
has himself something OF the reputa-
ton of scout and was closely con-
nectcd with many of the princlpai
| characters OF early western life. lie
! has been associated with Col. Wlllialh
| r. Cody since 1881.
! The major was a frequent visitor to
| salt Lake in the early days and WAS
well acquainted in his day with the
| stage routes and Indian fighters he
| has not been here for some years ana
| his visit caused him to grow reminis-
| cent of the characters and times OF the
| past. Especially In reference to Col,
| Cody who at one time drove a stage
| in to salt Lake.
Col Cody is the only surviving mem
| Der Of the famous trio, Wild Bill, Texas
| Jack and BuffiLo Bill, said he
And Is probably the best known
man iii personality and representation
today. He has travelled with his eNhl-
bition in nearly every part of the civ
ilized world. and has undoubtedly met
personally more crowned heads than
any private citizen of all times Ho
has borne the personal fr1cndShlp,
trust ana respect. OF SftiS piC9i'ieiil "
the United States since the time of.
Grant, and no one is at this day a
sincerer friend OF the famous scout
than President Roosevelt. He will be
remembered when kings, queens ana
presidents are forgotten.
Wild Bill, whose name was not sBlll
at all, but plain James b. Hickok, he
being named after an elder brother,W<s
one of the most celebrated scouts dur
ing the war AS plainsman ana
marshal he gained a countrywide repu-s
tation, being Il man absolutely without
fear. Some OF his deeds were really
Of such nature as to exceed belief
1t Is a historical fact that he in one
hand to hand fight killed ten men, be-
ing terribly wounded in the encounter.
He was assassinated in Deadwood, ).
D.. in 1876.
1t Is q strange coincidence that Wild
Bill should be buried in a state in the
north--the side on which he fought
and that Texas Jacks remains should
rest In a state bordering on the south
the side in whose cause he spent his
early youth.
HE WAS BORN IN VIRGINIA.
Jack was born in Virginia. The blood
of noble families coursed through his
veins. He was a direct descendant OF
the Pcwhatan Indians of which tribe
Pocahontas of Jamestown fame, was a
the family of John Randolph, who prid-
ed himself on hts Indian lineage.
Omohundro is not an Irish name. 1t
is purely Indian, and translated means
where salt and fresh waters meet.
During his life Texas Jack took pains
to impress these facts upon persons
who were inclined to believe otherwise.
Like all Virginia boys, Jack became
an expert shot and rider. His outdoor
life and travel made him familiar with
all the territory in and around lSlch-
mond.
knowledge made him a favorite with
Gen. "Jeb' Stewart. the confederate
cavalry leader, with whose. command he
was connected during the war.
After the war, which had naturally
educated him in a spirit of adventure,
Jack, like many others. "skidaddled
following the remnants of the Confed-
crate army to Texas. This brought
him in close connection with the cat
tie trade.
After time he graduated as first
class cowboy, With all that the term
implies in its original sense. The term
then meant a man who had good
horse and COW sense sand and grit,
who could fight Indians, find grass and
water; could handle cattle. transport
safely across plain and stream, ana
avoid the many dangers which beset
the men of his calling previous to the
building of the railroads. In that
capacity, he was known as Happy
Jack"
Coming from the Lone Star state in
the early seventies. he met Buffalo
Bill on the plains of Nebraska. He /
Joined the great scout, and was az
once dubbed Texas Jack"
Jack was a remarkable hunter and
a very extraordinary shot. One can
imagine what mighty Nimrods these
three men We're, as an instance We'll
known to many persons here goes TO
show.
Cody, Hickoll and Omohundro met at
Denver There they We're joined by
yellowstone Kelly" another noted
scout The foothills outside of Den
yer were field With roaming elk and
buffalo, and the men proposed hunt.
FIRED AT ONE BUCK.
It was agreed that when they cam,
upon a herd of elk, each man should
pick out his buck and fire in response
to a signal.
They came within u safe distance, |
and at the signal, fred. But one buck
fell. 4 couundrum presented itself. |
Each hunter was sure he had brought |
down ris quarry. A smile illuminated |
the faces of the four as they APP |
the ground It was noted that the
buck was the largest and noblest ami |
nal in the lot.
AS they dsmounted Col. Cody said,
That's my carcass. You fellows must |
have missed.
Il guess not. answered Kelly. Il |
shot that criter.'
That's the one l picked out added |
Jack
Wild Bill was sure that he had shot
him.
Now, Wen settle this thing sug-