The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1912-03-22

The Fierce and Bloody Duel That
Won "Nild BilIv His Name.
ATTACKED BY TEN OUTLAWS.

He Boldly Faced the Desperadoes, Us
ing His Guns and His Bowie Knife,
and When the Smoke Of Battle Clear
I'd 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 fighting men that ever faced
a mob, drew gun OF swung a bowie
knife.
The real name Of Wild Bill was
James Butler Hickok. He was eight
cen years old when be first saw the
west as lighting man under Jim
Lane. finally In the year 1851 settling
down as station agent for the Over
land at Rock Greek station, about hfty
miles west Of Topeka.
He was really there as guard FOR
the horse band. for all that region was
full of horse thieves and cutthroats.
lit 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 on 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
Tout 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,
rife, two six-shooters and knife.
The assailants proceeded to batter in
the door with log, and as it fell in
Jim McCandless. who must have been
a brave man to undertake so foolhardy
thing against q man already known
as killer, sprang In at the opening.
He, or course, was killed at once.
This exhausted the rifle, and Bill
picked up the sixshooters from the ta-
BILE and In three quick shots killed
three more OF the gang as they rushed
In at the door. Four men were dead
In less than that many seconds, but
there were still six others left, all in
side the dugout now, and all firing at
him at range Of three feet.
Il It was almost miracle that under
such surroundings the man was not
killed. Bill was now crowded too much
to use his firearms and took to the
bowie, thrusting at one man and an
other as best he might. It must have
been several minutes that all seven Of
them were mixed in mass Of shoot
ing. thrusting, painting and gasping
humanity.
Then Jack McCandless swung his rifle
barrel and struck Bill over the head,
springing upon him with his knife as
well. Bill got his hand on six shoot
er and killed McCandless just as he
would have struck.
After that no one knows what hap
pened, not even Bill himself
Il just got sort Of Wild" Bill said,
describing it. Il thought my heart
was on fire. went out to the pump
then to get drink, and was all cut
and shot to pieces,
They called him Wild Bill after that
and he had earned the name. There
were six dead men on the floor Of the
dugout. He had fairly whipped the
ten Of them. and the four remaining
had enough and fed from that awful
hole in the ground.
Bin followed them to the door. His
own weapons were exhausted or not
ut hand by this time. but his stable
man came up just then with rifle in
his hands. Bill caught it from him
and, cut as he was, fred and killed one
= the desperadoes as he tried to mount
ls horse. The other wounded man
hter died Of his wounds. Eight men
were killed by the one.
It took Bill year to recover from
his wounds.