Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-12
Ehrntng Ulrat

1
| Buffalo Bill" was received with re-
gret in Harrisburg, where there re-
side number of men who were in
timately acquainted with the famous
old scout and who were proud to
claim him among their friends. Among
these is John S. Musser, head of the
Dauphin Electrical Supplies Company,
and former president of the Rotary
club. Mr.. Musser was in his youth a
practicing member of the bar in Me-
braska and was appointed lieutenant
colonel on the staff of the governor of
that State when Col. Cody was chief
of the staff with the brevet title of gen.
eral. As such Mr.. Musser rode with
Buffalo Bill' on Cody's last ride at
the mead of troops into hostile In
dian country. Directly after the battle
of Wounded Knee. Just over the border
in South Dakota, the governor of Me-
braska sent men of the National Guard
headed by Cody and his staff, into the
region of the uprising to reassure the
settlers and let them know that the
trouble was about over and the In
dams dispersed. Mr.. Musser vividly
describes the Wounded Knee battle
ground, at which Col. Cody and the
staff members arrived after hard,
long ride on horseback, few days af-
ter the fighting was over and just after
| a snowstorm had swept the region.
everything was desolation and death.
The corpses of unbured Indians and of
wrecked tepeeS, the bodies of dead
ponies and the wreck and ruin of war
We're everywhere. This was the last
distinctly military duty performed by
Butfalo Bill" although he was in the
employ, of the government several
tunes thereafter in dealings with dis
satisfied Indians.
! Another man who had an interesting
experience with Col Cody, or rather,
with the show that he headed for
many years, is Charles II. Mauk, the
undertaker, whose place of business
at the time was at Sixth and Boyd
streets. The Wild West show came
here for Sunday rest and Monday
eXhiblt many years ago and in the
early hours of the Sabbath little In
dian boy died in the tepee of his pa
rents. immediate burial was decided
upon and Buffalo Bill" through the
undertaken generously subscribed for
ground sufficient for grave in one of
| the local cemeteries. The father and
mother were permitted to select the
trimmings for the casket and after
they had looked with displeasure up
on all the subdued colorings the under
taker had to offer the mother sudden
ly pulled at the sleeve of her chief
and pointed brightly toward a pair of
gaudy, red and yellow curtains, and
nothing would do but they must be
used to cover the little coffin in which
| the papooSe was to be laid Fish
game and certain other articles were
to be buried with the little one. and
the parents could furnish all but the
fish 1t was Sunday the stores were
closed and the undertaken was in n
quandary. Finally he was compelled
to sacrifice a bowl of his own goldfish
land these, embalmed were put into
the grave with the baby. The funer-
al was the most picturesque ever held
IN HARRISBURG, headed by a cowboy
pand, delegation of Indians ON
horseback numerous stage coaches
and everybody in the show who want
ed to take part. For several days af-
ter the show departed the parents re-
mained in their tepee, in sorrow, and
every time the show has come back
this way they have visited the little
grave in the cemetery and decorated
it with flowers.
Many old Harrisburgers who attend
ed the first performance given by the
Buffalo Bill" show in Harrisburg re-
cail with thrill how Col. Cody and a
half dozen of his cowboys saved the
lives of a group of children threatened
! by a wild bull. The exhibit was given
IN Second street, near Hamilton, then
an open field, and while the people
were crowdtng into the entrance a bull
escaped and charged the assemblies.
made up largely of women and chill.
dren. Instantly Buffalo Bill' wheel
ed his horse, dashed between the ami
NAL and the people and assisted bv
cowboys roped and threw the beast
when it was headed directly into n
group that had been cut off from safe
ty
Edwin w. Weber, musician. 1t6
South Second street, can furnish anv-
| body interested with many interest
ing incidents concerning the life OF
buffalo Bill" He joined the big
WILD west aggregation at the Worlds
Fair opening at Chicago For 2I
years following the Harrisburg cor
netist was prominently identified with
the Cody enterprise. His ability as a
musician and attention to duty won
hlm great favor with Buffalo Bill"
For ten years he was private messen-
ger for Colonel Cody and superintend-
ent OF mail for the company He was
one of the best fellows on earth
wholesouled. charitable and one Of
the aDlest showmen that every lived
said Mr.. Weber to-day.
X X
An intimate friend of Colonel Will
liam F. Cody was Major John w.
Kirk, of New Cumberland, the veteran
indian scout and Civil war veteran.
now sergeant at the Soldiers Home at
washington, ID. c. When these two
OLD soldiers met many interesting in
cldents were recalled. Major Kirk
very much resembled Buffalo Bill in
appearance and frequently rode with
colonel Cody on parade. During Col
onel Cody's army career Major Kirk
mad occasion to meet him frequently.
X
During the first season of the "Buf
Ialo Biz show abroad. Colonel Will
liam f. Cody met Marie Decca. the
famous singer and former Harrisbur
ger. Madame Decca was then start
ing her career and was appearing at
concerts before the nobility in Eng
land and in various parts of France.
Later, when Madame Decca returned
TO this country and made her resi-
dence in Harrisburg the famous diva
and her friends were guests of Col
onel Cody at his big show and he in
turn was entertained at dinner by
her.
WELL KNOWN PEOPLE