The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-08-27
As a Snowman, Retiring
From Public Life.
LED A STRENUOUS EXISTENCE
Show Business Melted Him a
Fortune = Lately Was
Not Profitable.
FAMOUS CAREER BEGAN EARLY

Denver, COL, Aug. Z3.-COl. Will
liam F. Cody ("Buffalo Bill") an
nounoes that he has indefinitely re-
tired from public life. To-day, by
order OF the United States District
Court, the property of the Buffalo
Bill Wild West and Far East show
was disposed of at public sale in this
city to satisfy the claims of credi-
tors. The sale marks the end of
Col. Codys career as Snowman. So
far as public exhibitions are con-
eerned he has shot the ashes from
the last cigar and chased the last
Indian.
OF the hundreds of thousands of
young and old who have visited
Buffalo Bits Wild West show dur
ing the past quarter of a century,
there are probably few who will not
feel regret at the announcement
that because of financial difficulties,
the show has had it's final Ground
up
Col. Cody has turned his seven
tieth year. During more than half
his life he has been a prominent fig
ure in the public eye. Mule driver,
pony express driver, stage driver,
scout, soldier, hunter, Snowman
ere a few of the occupations which
made his career probably the most
picturesque of living men.
From the day that his father was
killed in a fight that gave bloody"
Kansas it's name, William f. Cody
was never idle. At the age of fif-
teen, already man in size and
strength, he had been herder, mes
senger and express driven and had
won a name as dead shot and a
horseman with few equals.
Under Gen. Albert Sidney John
son he saw his first Indian fighting.
The Civil War found him a private
in the 18th Kansas Cavalry, an active
"Jayhawker" regiment, and for
more than ten years after the close
of the war he saw service, first as
scout and later as chief of scouts, in
the Indian Wars. His commanders
included Gems. Sherman, Sheridan,
Miles, Custer, Crook, Ord and Fry
all famous Indian fighters of the
period. 1t was when he was chief
of scouts under Gen. Crook that he
won fame by killing in single COM
bat the Indian chief. Yellow Hand,
knife against tomahawk.
In 1867 he won his title of Buffa-
10 Bill. 1t was then that gang of
1900 men was laying the tracks of
the Kansas-Pacific across the plains
and furnishing for fresh meat. Col.
Cody volunteered to furnish the
meat and in eighteen months, with
his breach-loader ''Lucretia Bor-
gia," he killed 1880 bison.
In the '70s Col. Cody tried acting
in a melodrama of the West and it
was the success of this which led to
the formation of the "Wild West"
show, with which his name has been
linked for thirty years. The big
show was launched in earnest In
1888. The first performance was
given in Madison Square Garden,
New York City. when Henry Ward
Beecher introduced the famous
plainsman and scout to the public.
On the first presentation of the
show in Washington a few weeks
later Gen. Phillip Sheridan acted as
master of ceremonies, riding in the
Deadwood stage coach Tin which he
had travelled to the Black Hills) ac-
companied by President Arthur.
The army officers attended. and the
Speaker of the House found it nee
essary to adjourn on account of the
lack of quorum.
When Buffalo Bill first launched
his show the experienced men in the
business laughed at him and said
that it was wild scheme. but in
less than, six months he was making