Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-08-21
Wild Bill Hickok Nearly Lost His Life in Fiqh
With Cinnamon Bear Near Rock Creek Statio1

seize HickOk, wrestle with him and ther
( throw him down. Hickok could not helI
himself for he was still in pain a great
deal Of the time from his wounds. Nc
CanleS did not realize he was playing
with fire, that behind the quiet, giant
frame of the young man, burned a
flame that Sarah Shull was to in
tensify to white heat.
Soon after the advent of Wild Bill
to the Rock creek station, McCanles
sold the station to the Overland COM
/ pany, arranging for payment in month";
ly installments. The Overland company
now installed their own men putting
in Horace Wellman as superintendent.
I McCanleS went to live nearby at his
ranch on the Little Blue.
Payment Not Made
In June of that year, for some reason
the company failed to make their pay
ment. McCanleS was anxious to be off
no one was sure whether he intended
to go to the war or on to the west
but it was believed the latter was his
intention. He became greatly upset
over the failure Of the company to
make its payment and went daily to
the station to ask Wellman If it had |
arrived. He took it into his head that ]
payment had been made and that Wall /
man had gotten away with it. He be- /
came very antagonistic toward Wellman /
on account of it. Wellman was only
superintendent and in no way respons-
ible for the payments and he resented
McCanleS inSinuationS that he was in
any way to blame. The feeling between
the TWO grew stronger and probably
the only reason that Wellnan did not
fight McCanles was the fact that Nc
Canles was his superior in strength.
Finally, Wellman at McCanles' insis-
.ence agreed to go to the division Of
ice OF the company which was sta
Toned at Brownsville on the Missouri
liver, and there tried to get the money.
N case the money could not be Sc !
,ured in cash, Wellman was to get sup I
)lles II that arrangement could be ]
made. The fact that he was willing to !
axe supplies seemed proof that Nc Z
1anles intended going on west.
Sarah Shull, whom McCanles had I
rought to the Rock creek station still t
emained there after he had sold it to L
he Overland company. She had her q
irst serious break with McCanles when \
Re had allowed his wife and family to U
ONE on from North Carolina and when
ater, McCanles let the impression get S
bout that he was going to break off y
"
anne more bitter than ever. There is t
o fury like that of a woman scorned t,
nd though McCanleS had not yet brok-
with her, their QuarrelS on the sub
,ct were frequent.
Young Wild Bill Hickok had become .
lamOred of the beautiful Sarah y
hull and whenever she and McCanles .
larreled, he was there ready to step ~
and IN her revenge on McCanles, -
arab Shull pretended to change her -
Elections TO Wild Bill McCanles was q
lid with jealousy for he had no in - -
ntions of giving up Sarah Shull. In VI
.ct, he was more infatuated with her ~
Iery day, and it was believed by those q
no knew him best that he intended ~
king her with him to the west. Nc ~
anleS warned Wild Bill not to cross 81 81
Re creek to the west ranch house %
lder pain of death but Wild Bill could
more resist the charms of the woman an
an could McCanles. Sarah Shull put re
nth all her wileS and witcheries to
arm Wild Bill though she cared not
the least for him. For him on the NJ
ner hand, the sun rose and set in
rah Shull. To the end of his life -
ere was never another woman though
later married woman in Chey- m
ne. He confessed to close friends that rs
: him Sarah Shull was the only IL
man that would ever exist. There
where the matter stood, Sarah Shull
I'd with love for McCanles, NcCanles
torment of jealousy and Wild Bill
enamored that it transformed him
IN a pale, silent boy into a man of
reliance and assurance. It was BE
animation that could not last for
g.
When Wellman started for Browns