Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-11

(Continued from Page 0Bel
ment followed. Then the colonel
thought il he could get out more and
take the baths and drink the water
at Glenwood Springs, Colo, he would
make further improvement. He went
to the resort on January 3. On jan
uary he suffered nervous collapse
and his physicians hurried him back
to Denver
Sketch OF an Active Life.
Mule driver, pony express driver,
stage driver, scout, soldier, hunter,
showman--are a few OF the occupa-
tions embraced in the picturesque
career of Colonel William Frederick
Cody, better known throughout the
world as Buffalo Bill" From the day
that his father was killed in hight
that gave bloody Kansas" its name,
William F. Cody was never idle.
Colonel Cody was born in Scott
county, Iowa, February 70. lS4o. At
the age of Is years, already a man in
size and strength, he had been
herder, messenger and stage driver
and had won a name as a dead shot
and a horseman with few equals, I'm
der General Albert Sidney Johnston
he saw his FIRST Indian fighting. The
civil war found him private in the
Seventh 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 Cen
erals Sheridan, Sherman, Miles, Gus
ter, Carr, Cook, Ord and Fry-all the
famous Indian fighters Of the period.
II was when he was chief OF scouts
under General Crook that he won
fame by killing in single combat the
Indian chief, Yellow Hand, knife
against tomahawk.
Wins His Title.
In 1867 he won his title Of Buffalo
Bill" 1t was then that gang OF ZOO
men were laying the tracks OF the
Kansas Pacific across the plains and
were furnishing for fresh meat. Cody
volunteered to furnish the meat and
in eighteen months, with his horse,
Brigham, and his favorite breach
loader, 'Lucretia Borgia," he killed
4,280 Bison.
Between times he was deputy
sheriff, justice Of the peace in tur-
bulent Nebraska town and served In
the Nebraska legislature. After the
expiration OF his term as law-maker
he accepted the job OF guiding the
Russian Grand Duke Alexis and his
party on hunt in the far west. Cody
was richly rewarded, for he brought
the party through the toughest and
most dangerous country, and they
shot all kinds OF game.
Late in the '70s Cody had tried act
ing in melodrama of the west and
II was the success of this which led
to the formation of the wild West
show, with which his name was linked
for more than three decades. He col
lccted a motley company of Indians,
cowboys, scouts, trappers and animals
and produced his show first in
Omaha on May IL, 1888. More than
5000 people turned out to see the
novelty. After that he travelled
the country. He was wildly greeted,
for his fame had preceded him, and
Buffalo Bill" made a fortune. In
1887 he took his show to Europe
and won great success in London and
the big cities on the continent. He
later made another successful tour Of
Europe with his troupe.
Brings Army Men.
But Buffalo Bill realized that
without changes and improvements
his show could not live forever. So
he imported from Europe whole
companies Of English lancers, French
and German light cavalry and South
American vaqueros. For a season or
two these helped to hold up receipts
and every time Buffalo Bill bestrode
his horse and took off his sombrero
with that wonderful sweep oil, his he
stood for the king OF the picturesque.
In 1910, at the age OF 81, he made
what he called his farewell tour"
He had secured for himself a big
ranch 10 Wyoming, near the town
named in his honor, where he
could resume as much OF his early
life as he wanted to. But the fire Of
adventure was still burning within
him. Now and then he would invite
company Of friends for long hunt
ing trip in the Rockies, and on these
trips he would try to soothe his
fighting nerve But these did not
avail, and Buffalo Bill at the age of
20 years again joined his old show,
the ownership Of which had come into
the hands Of the circus firm of Ring
ling Brothers. In 1916 he changed his
allegiance and toured the country as
the leading feature Of the "l0l Ranch
show. He was still as straight as an
arrow, vigorous and commanding.
Colonel Cody was married in 1866
in ST. Louis to Miss Louise Fred.
erici, daughter of prominent French
merchant. In March, 1916, the couple
celebrated their golden wedding al
the Codv ranch in Wyop,;po