Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-04-04
HIS GREAT F!GAT.
The Fierce and Bloody Duel That
Won wild BiIr' His Name.
ATTACKED BY TEN OUTLAWS.

~ Boldly Faced the psspsradoss, U.s.
ing His ouns and His Bowie Knife,
and When the Smoke Of Battle Clear
Cd Eight Of His Foes Were Dead.
In the STORY Of the Outlaw" by En-
erson Hough. is thrilling account of
the desperate and sanguinary encoun-
ter against overwhelming odds that
won wild Bill his name and marked
him as one Of the most fearless and
reckless lighting men that ever faced
a mob. drew a gun or swung "a bowie
knife.
The real name of Wild Bill was
James Butler Hickok. He was eight
cen years old when he first saw the
west an fighting man under Jim
Lane. finally in the year 1861 settling
down as station agent for the Over
land at Rock Greek station. about fifty
miles west Of Topeka.
He was really there az guard for
the horse band. for all that region was
full Of horse thieves and cutthroats.
1t was here that occurred his great
est fight. the greatest fight of one man
against odds at close range that Is
mentioned in any history Of any part
Of the world.
Two border outla ws-the McCandless
boys-leading a gang of bad men. in
tended to run of with the stage COM
pany's horses. When they found that
they could not induce Bill to join their
number they left him with curses and
threats.
As they rode away Bill told them to
come and take the horses If they
could, and on the afternoon of Dec.
16. 1861. ten Of them rode to his dug
out to do so. Bill was alone. his sta
bleman being away hunting. He re-
treated into the dark interior Of his
dugout and got ready his weapons, a
rife. two six-shooters and knife.
The assailants proceeded to batter III
the door with log. and as 1t fell In
Jim McCandless who must have been
a brave man to undertake so foolhardy
q thing against a man already known
as killer, sprang In at the opening
He. Of course. was killed ut once.
This exhausted the rifle. and Bill
picked up the sixshoOters from the ia
BILE and in three quick shots killed
three more of the gang as they rushed
in at the door. Four men were deat
In less than that many seconds, bu
there were still six others left. all In
side the dugout now. and all firing a
him at a range Of three feet.
1t was almost IA miracle that unde
such surroundings the man was no
killed. Bill was now crowded too nue.
to use hts firearms and took to til
bowie, thrusting Mt one man and an
other as best he might. 1t must hav
been several minutes that all seven Q
them were mixed in a mass of shoot
ing. thrusting. painting and gaspin
humanity.
, Then Jack McCandless swung his ritl
barrel and struck Bill over the heat
t springing upon him with his knife q
= well. Bill got his hand on six shoot
er and killed McCandless Just as h
would have struck.
After that no one knows what hal
pened, not even Bill himself.
. II just got sort Of wild" Bill salt
It describing it. 81 thought my heal
. was on fire. l went out to the pun
then to get drink. and I was all C,
and shot to pieces"
They called him Wild Bill after tina
and he had earned the name. Thel
I were six dead men on the floor Of tt
~ dugout. He had fairly whipped tt
ten of them. and the four remainiI
G had enough and fed from that awf
hole In the ground.
Bill followed them to the door. Fl
own weapons were exhausted or n
ut hand by this time. but his stabl
u man came up just then with rifle
tn his hands. Bill caught 1t from hi
and. cut as he was. fired and killed OF
c. Of the desperadoes as he tried to mou
his horse. The other wounded mi
later died Of his wounds. Eight MI
were killed by the one.
1t took Bill year to recover fro
~ his wounds.