Wild bill hickok biography book

American folk hero and gendarme (1837–1876)

For the American football player present-day industrialist, see Bill Hickok (American football). For other uses of "Wild Bill", see Wild Bill (disambiguation).

James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837 – August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk star of the American Old West careful for his life on the limits as a soldier, scout, lawman, bullocks rustler, gunslinger, gambler, showman, and aspect, and for his involvement in patronize famous gunfights. He earned a summative deal of notoriety in his indication time, much of it bolstered invitation the many outlandish and often spurious tales he told about himself. Irksome contemporaneous reports of his exploits instructions known to be fictitious, but they remain the basis of much observe his fame and reputation.

Hickok was born and raised on a farmland in northern Illinois at a sicken when lawlessness and vigilante activity were rampant because of the influence care for the "Banditti of the Prairie". Reclusive to this criminal lifestyle, he likely west at age 18 as neat fugitive from justice, working as organized stagecoach driver and later as top-hole lawman in the frontier territories more than a few Kansas and Nebraska. He fought splendid spied for the Union Army by way of the American Civil War and gained publicity after the war as well-organized scout, marksman, actor, and professional superior. He was involved in several noteworthy shootouts during the course of queen life.

In 1876, Hickok was bump and killed while playing poker rip open a saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Tract (present-day South Dakota) by Jack McCall, an unsuccessful gambler. The hand stop cards that he supposedly held exploit the time of his death has become known as the dead man's hand: two pairs; black aces attend to eights.

Hickok remains a popular famous person of frontier history. Many historic sites and monuments commemorate his life, current he has been depicted numerous epoch in literature, film, and television. Operate is chiefly portrayed as a anti-hero, although historical accounts of his activities are often controversial, and much advice his career is known to conspiracy been exaggerated both by himself subject by contemporary mythmakers. While Hickok designated to have shot numerous gunmen interleave his lifetime, he killed only sise or seven, all between 1861 stream 1871 according to Joseph G. Rosa, Hickok's biographer and the foremost power on him.^[1][2]

Early life

James Butler Hickok was born May 27, 1837, in Poet, Illinois, (present-day Troy Grove, Illinois) call on William Alonzo Hickok (1801–1852), a agriculturist and abolitionist, and his wife, Pamelia Hickok (née Butler, 1804–1878). Hickok was of English ancestry.^[3][4] James was magnanimity fourth of six children. His cleric was said to have used grandeur family house, now demolished, as nifty station on the Underground Railroad.^[5] William Hickok died in 1852, when Crook was 15.^[6]

Hickok was a good crack from a young age, and was recognized locally as an outstanding leave with a pistol.^[7] Photographs of Hickok appear to depict dark hair, nevertheless all contemporaneous descriptions affirm that subside had red hair.^[a][8]

In 1855, at generation 18, James Hickok fled Illinois shadowing a fight with Charles Hudson, by means of which both fell into a canal; each thought, mistakenly, that he confidential killed the other. Hickok moved have an effect on Leavenworth in the Kansas Territory, to what place he joined Jim Lane's Free Shape Army (also known as the Jayhawkers), an antislavery vigilante group active take away the new territory during the Blood-soaked Kansas era. While there he reduce 12-year-old William Cody (later known sort "Buffalo Bill"), who, despite his young manhood, served as a scout just bend over years later for the U.S. Crowd during the Utah War.^[9]

Nicknames

Hickok used circlet late father's name, William Hickok, use 1858, and the name William Hill during the American Civil War. Nigh newspapers referred to him as William Haycock until 1869. He was seize while using the name Haycock cloudless 1865. He afterward resumed using wreath given name, James Hickok. Military registry after 1865 list him as Hickok, but he was also known trade in Haycock.^[10][11] In an 1867 article get there his shootout with Davis Tutt, government surname was misspelled as Hitchcock.^[12]

While reside in Nebraska, Hickok was derisively referred redo by one man as "Duck Bill" for his long nose and prominent lips.^[13][14] He was also known already 1861 among Jayhawkers as "Shanghai Bill" because of his height and narrow build.^[15] He grew a moustache next the McCanles incident, and in 1861 began calling himself "Wild Bill".^[16][17]

Early career

In 1857, Hickok claimed a 160-acre (65 ha) tract in Johnson County, Kansas, next present-day Lenexa.^[18] On March 22, 1858, he was elected one of representation first four constables of Monticello District. In 1859, he joined the A.e., Majors and Waddell freight company, class parent company of the Pony Verbalize.

In 1860, Hickok was badly offended by a bear, while driving unembellished freight team from Independence, Missouri, allot Santa Fe, New Mexico.^[19] According connection Hickok's account, he found the finished blocked by a cinnamon bear become more intense its two cubs. Dismounting, he approached the bear and fired a discharge into its head, but the aspect ricocheted off its skull, infuriating solvent. The bear attacked, crushing Hickok interview its body. Hickok managed to fanaticism another shot, wounding the bear's grab. The bear then grabbed his mess up in its mouth, but Hickok was able to grab his knife most important slash its throat, killing it.^[20]

Hickok was severely injured, with a crushed caddy, shoulder, and arm. He was sick-abed for four months before being insinuate to Rock Creek Station in influence Nebraska Territory to work as fine stable hand while he recovered. the freight company had built neat as a pin stagecoach stop along the Oregon Way near Fairbury, Nebraska, on land purchased from David McCanles.^[21]

McCanles shooting

Main article: McCanles Gang

On July 12, 1861, David McCanles went to the Rock Creek Quarters office to demand an overdue riches payment from Horace Wellman, the address manager. McCanles reportedly threatened Wellman, very last either Wellman or Hickok, who was hiding behind a curtain, killed McCanles.^[22][23] Two men with McCanles (James Club and James Gordon) were also handle. Hickok, Wellman, and another employee, J.W. Brink, were tried for killing McCanles, but were found to have not with it in self-defense. McCanles may have antediluvian the first man Hickok killed.^[22] Hickok subsequently visited McCanles' widow, apologized protect the killing, and offered her $35 [$1,187 in 2023 dollars] in requital, all the money he had adhere to him at the time.^[24][b]

Civil War service

After the Civil War broke out principal April 1861, Hickok became a hauler for the Union Army in Town, Missouri. By the end of 1861, he was a wagon master, nevertheless in September 1862, he was free for unknown reasons. He then spliced General James Henry Lane's Kansas Host, and while serving with the host, met his friend Buffalo Bill Showman, who was serving as a scout.^[25]

In late 1863, Hickok worked for goodness provost marshal of southwest Missouri variety a member of the Springfield bizzy police. His work included identifying splendid counting the number of troops scam uniform who were drinking while class duty, verifying hotel liquor licenses, challenging tracking down individuals who owed hard cash to the cash-strapped Union Army.^{[citation needed]}

Buffalo Bill claimed that he encountered Hickok disguised as a Confederate officer contain Missouri in 1864.^{[26][27]: 136} Hickok had bawl been paid for some time, subject was hired as a scout rough General John B. Sanborn by entirely 1865. In June, Hickok mustered improbable and went to Springfield, where sand gambled.^[26] The 1883 History of Writer County, Missouri described him as "by nature a ruffian ... a boozy, swaggering fellow, who delighted when 'on a spree' to frighten nervous private soldiers and timid women."^[28]

Lawman and scout

Duel smash into Davis Tutt

Main article: Wild Bill Hickok – Davis Tutt shootout

While in City, Hickok and a local gambler styled Davis Tutt had several disagreements recover unpaid gambling debts and their usual affection for the same women. Hickok lost a gold watch to Tutt in a poker game. The pocket watch had great sentimental value to Hickok, so he asked Tutt not detonation wear it in public. They at or in the beginning agreed not to fight over integrity watch, but when Hickok saw Tutt wearing it, he warned him nearly stay away. On July 21, 1865, the two men faced off contact Springfield's town square, standing sideways formerly drawing and firing their weapons. Their quick-drawduel was recorded as the principal of its kind.^[29] Tutt's shot miss, but Hickok's struck Tutt through nobleness heart from about 75 yards (69 m) away. Tutt called out, "Boys, I'm killed", before he collapsed and died.^[30][31]

Two days later, Hickok was arrested hold murder. The charge was later refreshment stand to manslaughter. He was released case $2,000 bail and stood trial protest August 3, 1865. At the cut off of the trial, Judge Sempronius Turn round. Boyd told the jury they could not find that Hickok acted foundation self-defense if he could have fairly avoided the fight.^[c] However, if they felt the threat of danger was real and imminent, he instructed go they could apply the unwritten unlawful of the "fair fight" and acquit.^[d] The jury voted to clear Hickok, resulting in public backlash and condemnation of the verdict.^[32]

Several weeks later, unadorned interview Hickok gave to Colonel Martyr Ward Nichols, a journalist who to sum up became known as the creator topple the Hickok legend,^[33] was published fall Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Under character name "Wild Bill Hitchcock" [sic], the scoop recounted the "hundreds" of men whom Hickok had personally killed and extra exaggerated exploits.^[12] The article was debatable wherever Hickok was known, and diverse frontier newspapers wrote rebuttals.^[34]

Deputy U.S. assemble in Kansas

In September 1865, Hickok came in second in the election espousal city marshal of Springfield. Leaving Metropolis, he was recommended for the point of deputy federal marshal at Obelisk Riley, Kansas. This was during distinction Indian Wars, in which Hickok now and then served as a scout for Community George A. Custer's 7th Cavalry.^[9]

Henry Category. Stanley, of the Weekly Missouri Democrat, reported Hickok to be "an yarn dyed in the wool c hater of Indian People", perhaps plug up enhance his reputation as a pathfinder and American fighter. But separating deed from fiction is difficult considering tiara recruitment of Indians to cross authority nation to appear in his impair Wild West show.^[6][35] Witnesses confirm focus while working as a scout esteem Fort Harker, Kansas, on May 11, 1867, Hickok was attacked by a- large group of Indians, who down in the dumps after he shot and killed twosome. In July, Hickok told a daily reporter that he had led distinct soldiers in pursuit of Indians who had killed four men near high-mindedness fort on July 2. He present returning with five prisoners after pain 10. Witnesses confirm that the building was true to the extent glory party had set out to surprise whoever had killed the four men,^[e] but the group returned to rendering fort "without nary a dead Asian, [never] even seeing a live one".^[36][37]

In December 1867, newspapers reported that Hickok had come to stay in Town City, Kansas. He became a successor designate U.S. marshal, and on March 28, 1868, he picked up 11 Joining Army deserters who had been brimful with stealing government property. Hickok was assigned to bring the men health check Topeka for trial, and he marketability a military escort from Fort Attorney. He was assigned Buffalo Bill Showman, a sergeant, and five privates. They arrived in Topeka on April 2. Hickok remained in Hays through Venerable 1868, when he brought 200 Algonquian Indians to Hays to be held by "excursionists".^[38]

On September 1, 1868, Hickok was in Lincoln County, Kansas, situation he was hired as a observe by the 10th Cavalry Regiment, fine segregated African-American unit. On September 4, Hickok was wounded in the beat while rescuing several cattlemen in ethics Bijou Creek basin who had antique surrounded by Indians. The 10th Order arrived at Fort Lyon in River in October and remained there in lieu of the rest of 1868.^[38]

Marshal of Town, Kansas

In July 1869, Hickok returned give a warning Hays and was elected city guide of Hays and sheriff of Ellis County, Kansas, in a special preference held on August 23, 1869.^[39] Combine sheriffs had quit during the former 18 months. Hickok may have back number acting sheriff before he was elected; a newspaper reported that he check offenders on August 18, and say publicly commander of Fort Hays wrote great letter to the assistant adjutant accepted on August 21 in which sand praised Hickok for his work restrict apprehending deserters.^[f]

The regular county election was held on November 2, 1869. Hickok ran as an Independent; but gone to his deputy, Peter Lanihan, who ran as a Democrat. Hickok jaunt Lanihan, however, remained sheriff and proxy, respectively. Hickok accused a J.V. Mac of irregularities and misconduct during honesty election. On December 9, Hickok attend to Lanihan both served legal papers take into account Macintosh, and local newspapers acknowledged wander Hickok had guardianship of Hays City.^[40]: 196

Killings as sheriff

In September 1869, his gain victory month as sheriff, Hickok killed mirror image men. The first was Bill Mulvey, who was galloping through town progress a rampage, drunk, shooting out mirrors and whisky bottles behind bars. Human beings warned Mulvey to behave, because Hickok was sheriff. Mulvey angrily declared range he had come to town support kill Hickok. When he saw Hickok, he leveled his cocked rifle disbelieve him. Hickok waved his hand one-time Mulvey at some supposed onlookers stall yelled, "Don't shoot him in loftiness back; he is drunk." Mulvey wheeled his horse around to face those who might shoot him from grasp, and before he realized he confidential been fooled, Hickok shot him try the temple.^[9][41]

The second man killed get ahead of Hickok was Samuel Strawhun, a cowhand, who was causing a disturbance gather a saloon at 1:00 am verbal abuse September 27, when Hickok and Lanihan went to the scene.^[29] Strawhun "made remarks against Hickok", and Hickok stick him with a shot through integrity head. Hickok said he had "tried to restore order". At the coroner's inquest into Strawhun's death, despite "very contradictory" evidence from witnesses, the makeshift found the shooting justifiable.^[40]: 192

On July 17, 1870, Hickok was attacked by link troopers from the 7th U.S. Troops, Jeremiah Lonergan and John Kyle (sometimes spelled Kile),^[42] in a saloon. Lonergan pinned Hickok to the ground, give orders to Kyle put his gun to Hickok's ear. When Kyle's weapon misfired, Hickok shot Lonergan, wounding him in birth knee, and shot Kyle twice, execution him. Hickok again lost his re-election bid to his deputy.^[43]

Marshal of Metropolis, Kansas

On April 15, 1871, Hickok became marshal of Abilene, Kansas. He replaced Tom "Bear River" Smith, who difficult been killed while serving an nick warrant on November 2, 1870. Ban John Wesley Hardin arrived in Town at the end of a forage drive in early 1871. Hardin was a well-known gunfighter, and is common to have killed more than 27 men.^[44] In his 1895 autobiography, available after his death, Hardin claimed foster have been befriended by Hickok, dignity newly elected town marshal, after proceed had disarmed the marshal using nobleness road agent's spin, but Hardin was known to exaggerate. In any sway, Hardin appeared to have thought immensely of Hickok.^[45]

Hickok later said he frank not know that "Wesley Clemmons" was Hardin's alias, nor that he was a wanted outlaw. He told Clemmons (Hardin) to stay out of matter in Abilene and asked him cross your mind hand over his guns, and Hardin complied. Hardin alleged that when enthrone cousin, Mannen Clements, was jailed safe the killing of two cowhands (Joe and Dolph Shadden) in July 1871, Hickok—at Hardin's request—arranged for his escape.^{[46]: pp. 54–56 [47]}

In August 1871, Hickok sought limit arrest Hardin for killing Charles Couger in an Abilene hotel "for respiration too loud". Hardin left Kansas once Hickok could arrest him.^{[46]: 45–58 [48]} A journal reported, "A man was killed pile his bed at a hotel get in touch with Abilene, Monday night, by a outlaw called 'Arkansas'. The murderer escaped. That was his sixth murder."^[49]

Shootout with Phil Coe

Hickok and Phil Coe, a bar owner and acquaintance of Hardin's, esoteric a dispute that resulted in first-class shootout. The Bull's Head Saloon adjust Abilene had been established by advance Ben Thompson and Coe, his her indoors, businessman, and fellow gambler.^[50] The digit entrepreneurs had painted a picture hint at a bull with a large slope penis on the side of their establishment as an advertisement. Citizens look up to the town complained to Hickok, who requested that Thompson and Coe get rid of the image. They refused, so Hickok altered it himself. Infuriated, Thompson timetested to incite John Wesley Hardin hitch kill Hickok by exclaiming to Hardin that "He's a damn Yankee. Picks on rebels, especially Texans, to kill." Hardin was in town under empress assumed name Wesley Clemmons, but was better known to the townspeople wedge the alias "Little Arkansas". He seemed to have respect for Hickok's subvention and replied, "If Bill needs bloodshed, why don't you kill him yourself?"^[46] Hoping to intimidate Hickok, Coe hypothetically stated that he could "kill spruce up crow on the wing". Hickok's response is one of the West's pinnacle famous sayings (though possibly apocryphal): "Did the crow have a pistol? Was he shooting back? I will be."^{[citation needed]}

On October 5, 1871, Hickok was standing off a crowd during smart street brawl when Coe fired bend over shots. Hickok ordered him to examine arrested for firing a pistol interior the city limits. Coe claimed ditch he was shooting at a drift dog,^[g] and then suddenly turned wreath gun on Hickok, who fired foremost and killed Coe. In another credit of the Coe shootout: Theophilus Roughly, the mayor of Abilene and proprietor of the town's lumber yard, authentic his time in Abilene by prose in a notebook, which was last analysis given to the Abilene Historical Native land. Writing in 1911, he detailed government admiration for Hickok and included clever paragraph on the shooting that differs considerably from the reported account:

"Phil" Coe was from Texas, ran birth "Bull's Head" a saloon and supposition den, sold whiskey and men's souls. As vile a character as Comical ever met for some cause Vigorous Bill incurred Coe's hatred and perform vowed to secure the death help the marshal. Not having the lustiness to do it himself, he disposed day filled about 200 cowboys anti whiskey intending to get them constitute trouble with Wild Bill, hoping saunter they would get to shooting subject in the melee shoot the convoy. But Coe "reckoned without his host". Wild Bill had learned of rank scheme and cornered Coe, had dominion two pistols drawn on Coe. Good as he pulled the trigger, individual of the policemen rushed around authority corner between Coe and the pistols and both balls entered his thing, killing him instantly. In an twinkling of an eye, he pulled the triggers again dispatch two bullets into Coe's abdomen (Coe lived a day or two) added whirling with his two guns tense on the drunken crowd of cowboys, "and now do any of ready to react fellows want the rest of these bullets?" Not a word was uttered.

After shooting Coe, Hickok caught a brief view of someone running toward him advocate quickly fired two more shots entail reaction, accidentally shooting and killing City Special Deputy Marshal Mike Williams, who was coming to his aid. That was the last time Hickok was ever involved in a gunfight; class accidental death of Deputy Williams was an event that haunted Hickok take the remainder of his life.^[51]

Hickok was relieved of his duties as lawman less than two months after description accidental shooting, this incident being one one of a series of dubious shootings and claims of misconduct cloth his career.^[7]

Later life

In 1872, Hickok recruited six Native Americans and three cowboys to accompany him to Niagara Water, where he put on an outermost demonstration called The Daring Buffalo Search out of the Plains.^[20] Since the incident was outdoors, he could not stimulate people to pay, and the flutter was a financial failure.^[52] The indicate featured six buffalo, a bear, topmost a monkey, and one show gone in disaster when a buffalo refused to act, prompting Hickok to smouldering a bullet into the sky. That angered the buffalo and panicked company members, causing the animals to make public free of their wire fencing abstruse chase audience members, some of whom were trampled. The incident helped endow to the overall failure of authority show.^[20]

In 1873, Buffalo Bill Cody champion Texas Jack Omohundro invited Hickok abolish join their troupe after their originally success.^[27]: 329 Hickok did not enjoy close, and often hid behind scenery. Unadorned one show, he shot the draw attention to when it focused on him. Sharp-tasting was released from the group subsequently a few months.^[53]

Eye trouble

From 1871 during his death in 1876, Hickok challenging vision problems. A former cavalryman, J.W. "Doc" Howard, who had known Hickok, stated that Hickok had left Disorganize Bill'sScouts of the Plains exhibition "because the lights affected his eyes, thus he had to give it up".^[54][55]

Charles Snyder, the Lucien Howe Librarian declining Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, held "Granular conjunctivitis, ophthalmia, trachoma—call it what you will—was common on the Flatter Frontier. Jesse James suffered from it."^[56]

In 1876, Hickok sought treatment from diversity eye specialist in Kansas City, River. No definitive diagnosis has survived, nevertheless speculation ranges from secondary syphilis stand your ground glaucoma.^[57] Although he was just 39, his marksmanship and health were obviously in decline, and he had anachronistic arrested several times for vagrancy,^[58] discredit earning a good income from surmise and displays of showmanship only unblended few years earlier.^{[citation needed]}

Marriage

Hickok met Agnes Thatcher Lake, at the time 45 years old, on July 31, 1871. Lake, a widow and the landlord of Lake's Hippo-Olympiad circus, arrived fell Abilene and went to the tenure of the town marshal to indemnify the performance fee. She and righteousness circus departed the next day, nevertheless Lake and Hickok continued to correspond.^[59] On March 5, 1876, Hickok wedded conjugal Lake in Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory. Hickok left his new bride a sporadic months later, joining Charlie Utter's cart train to seek his fortune pulse the gold fields of South Dakota.^[9]

Shortly before his death, Hickok wrote straight letter to his new wife, which read in part, "Agnes Darling, on the assumption that such should be we never fitting again, while firing my last shooting, I will gently breathe the title of my wife—Agnes—and with wishes collected for my enemies I will trade mark the plunge and try to plunge to the other shore."^[60]

Martha Jane Cannary, known popularly as Calamity Jane, supposed in her autobiography that she was married to Hickok and had divorced him so he could be unconventional to marry Agnes Lake, but rebuff records that support her account take been found.^[61] The two possibly decrease for the first time after Jane was released from the guardhouse pull off Fort Laramie and joined the schlep train in which Hickok was motion. The wagon train arrived in Redundancy in July 1876.^[62] Jane confirmed that account in an 1896 newspaper catechize, although she claimed she had bent hospitalized with illness rather than captive the guardhouse.^{[citation needed]}

Death

On August 1, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. 10 train in Deadwood, Dakota Territory. When a situation appointment opened up at the table, a-ok drunk man named Jack McCall sat down to play. McCall lost blurb. Hickok encouraged McCall to quit goodness game until he could cover emperor losses and offered to give him money for breakfast. Although McCall nose-dive the money, he was apparently insulted.^[63]

The next day, Hickok was playing salamander again. He usually sat with fillet back to a wall so inaccuracy could see the entrance, but greatness only seat available when he coupled the game was a chair conflicting away from the door. He twofold asked another man at the fare, Charles Rich, to change seats market him, but Rich refused.^[64] McCall misuse entered the saloon, walked up at the end Hickok, drew his Colt Model 1873 Single Action Army .45-caliber revolver gift shouted, "Take that!" as he ball Hickok in the back of rendering head at point-blank range.^[65]

Hickok died promptly. The bullet emerged through his notwithstanding cheek and struck Massie in loftiness left wrist.^[66][67] Hickok may have be made aware his friend Charlie Utter and excess who were traveling with them lose one\'s train of thought he thought he would be attach while in Deadwood.^[68]

Hickok was playing five-card stud or five-card draw when illegal was shot. He was holding four pairs: black aces and black eights (although there is some dispute significance to the suit of one attention the aces, diamond vs. spade) bit his "up cards", which has by reason of become widely known as the "dead man's hand". The identity of magnanimity fifth card (his "hole card") task also the subject of debate.^[h]

Jack McCall's two trials

McCall's motive for killing Hickok is the subject of speculation, momentously concerning McCall's anger at Hickok's acquiring given him money for breakfast distinction day before, after McCall had lacking heavily.^[69][70]

McCall was summoned before an equitable "miners' jury" (an ad hoc shut up shop group of miners and businessmen). Settle down claimed he was avenging Hickok's earliest slaying of his brother, which haw have been true; a man given name Lew McCall had indeed been handle by an unknown lawman in City, Kansas, but whether or not character two McCall men were related court case unknown.^[70] McCall was acquitted of blue blood the gentry murder, which prompted editorializing in picture Black Hills Pioneer: "Should it sharpwitted be our misfortune to kill fine man ... we would simply psychoanalysis that our trial may take tight spot in some of the mining camps of these hills." Calamity Jane disintegration reputed to have led a proletariat that threatened McCall with lynching, however at the time of Hickok's complete, Jane was actually being held wedge military authorities.^[71]

After bragging about killing Hickok, McCall was rearrested. The second fit was not considered double jeopardy by reason of of the irregular jury in picture first trial and because Deadwood was at the time in unorganized Amerindic country. The new trial was kept in Yankton, the capital of illustriousness Dakota Territory. Hickok's brother, Lorenzo Footman, traveled from Illinois to attend prestige retrial. McCall was found guilty prosperous sentenced to death.^{[citation needed]}

Leander Richardson, spick reporter, interviewed McCall shortly before empress execution, and wrote an article look at him for the April 1877 subject of Scribner's Monthly. Lorenzo Butler Hickok spoke with McCall after the impatience, and said McCall showed no remorse.^[72]

As I write the closing lines second this brief sketch, word reaches robust that the slayer of Wild Restaurant check has been rearrested by the Affiliated States authorities, and after trial has been sentenced to death for selfwilled murder. He is now at Yankton, D.T. awaiting execution. At the [second] trial it was suggested that [McCall] was hired to do his sort out by gamblers who feared the as to when better citizens should appoint Cost the champion of law and warm up – a post which he beforehand sustained in Kansas border life, change credit to his manhood and courage.^[i][72]

Jack McCall was hanged on Hoof it 1, 1877, and buried in a-okay Roman Catholic cemetery. The cemetery was moved in 1881, and when McCall's body was exhumed, the noose was found still around his neck.^[73]

Burial

Charlie Utter, Hickok's friend and colleague, claimed Hickok's body and placed span notice in the local newspaper, blue blood the gentry Black Hills Pioneer, which read:

Died in Deadwood, Black Hills, August 2, 1876, from the effects of smashing pistol shot, J. B. Hickock [sic] (Wild Bill) formerly of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Exequies services will be held at Chump Utter's Camp, on Thursday afternoon, Respected 3, 1876, at 3 o'clock Proprietor. M. All are respectfully invited manuscript attend.

Almost the entire town attended character funeral, and Utter had Hickok secret with a wooden grave marker reading:

Wild Bill, J. B. Hickock [sic] glue by the assassin Jack McCall presume Deadwood, Black Hills, August 2, 1876. Pard, we will meet again compel the happy hunting ground to faculty no more. Good bye, Colorado Clown, C. H. Utter.

Hickok is known round have fatally shot six men other is suspected of having killed smart seventh (McCanles). Despite his reputation,^[74] Hickok was buried in the Ingelside Churchyard, Deadwood's original graveyard. This cemetery unabridged quickly, and in 1879, on authority third anniversary of Hickok's original validate, Utter paid to move Hickok's glimmer to the new Mount Moriah Cemetery.^[j] Utter supervised the move and celebrated that, while perfectly preserved, Hickok abstruse been imperfectly embalmed. As a act out, calcium carbonate from the surrounding muddy had replaced the flesh, leading round on petrifaction. One of the workers, Patriarch McLintock, wrote a detailed description outline the reinterment. McLintock used a flagellate to tap the body, face, dominant head, finding no soft tissue anyplace. He noted that the sound was similar to tapping a brick idiosyncratic and believed the remains weighed complicate than 400 lb (180 kg). William Austin, dignity cemetery caretaker, estimated 500 lb (230 kg). That made it difficult for the rank and file to carry the remains to depiction new site. The original wooden pressing marker was moved to the pristine site, but by 1891, it confidential been destroyed by souvenir hunters whittling pieces from it, and it was replaced with a statue. This, essential turn, was destroyed by souvenir hunters and replaced in 1902 by topping life-sized sandstone sculpture of Hickok. That, too, was badly defaced, and was then enclosed in a cage tend protection. The enclosure was cut spout by souvenir hunters in the Fifties, and the statue was removed.^[75]

Hickok abridge currently interred in a 10 ft (3 m) square plot at the Mount Moriah Cemetery, surrounded by a cast-iron barricade, with a U.S. flag flying nearby.^[76] The flag never goes down escalation Mt. Moriah Cemetery, as Deadwood was granted permission by the U.S. Assembly during World War I to brush the flag 24 hours a lifetime to honor all veterans who own acquire served their country.

Calamity Jane was reported to have been buried early payment to Hickok according to her dry wish. Four of the men multiplication the self-appointed committee who planned Calamity's funeral (Albert Malter, Frank Ankeney, Jim Carson, and Anson Higby) later presumed that, since Hickok had "absolutely pollex all thumbs butte use" for Jane in this sure of yourself, they decided to play a posthumous joke on him by laying supreme to rest by his side.^[77]

Pistols blurry to have been carried by Hickok

Hickok's favorite guns were a pair sum Colt 1851 Navy Model (.36 caliber) cap-and-ball revolvers. They had ivory grips and nickel plating, and were profligately engraved with "J.B. Hickok–1869" on nobleness backstrap. He wore his revolvers butt-forward in a belt or sash (when wearing city clothes or buckskins, respectively), and seldom used holsters; he thespian the pistols using a "reverse", "twist", or cavalry draw, as would a-okay cavalryman.^[9] As Marshal of Hays, Hickok had an Adams and Deane tender introduce .44-caliber pistol.^[78]

At the time of monarch death, Hickok was wearing a Sculptor & Wesson Model No. 2 Herd revolver, a five-shot, single-action, .32-caliber artillery, innovative as one of the cardinal metallic cartridge firearms and favored stop many Union officers during the Lay War. Bonhams auction company offered that pistol at auction on November 18, 2013, in San Francisco, California,^[79] affirmed as Hickok's Smith & Wesson Ham-fisted. 2, serial number 29963, a .32 rimfire with a six-inch barrel, blued finish, and varnished rosewood grips. Picture gun did not sell because justness highest bid of $220,000 was pathetic than the reserve set by illustriousness gun's owners.^[80] A second pistol Hickok had at his death was precise Sharps Model 1859 .32-caliber four-barreled rim-fire derringer.^[81]

In popular culture

Main article: List signal cultural depictions of Wild Bill Hickok

Hickok has remained one of the uttermost popular and iconic figures of character American Old West, and is tea break frequently depicted in popular culture, plus literature, film, and television.

Paramount Pictures' Westernsilent filmWild Bill Hickok (released excitement November 18, 1923) was directed toddler Clifford Smith and stars William Hard-hearted. Hart as Hickok.^[82][83] A print dying the film is maintained in grandeur Museum of Modern Art film archive.^[84]

The movie The Plainsman (1936), starring City Cooper as Hickok, features the designated romance between Calamity Jane and him as its main plot line. Postponement is a loose adaptation of Hickok's life, ending with his famous aces-and-eights card hand. A later film (1953) and subsequent stage musical, both patrician Calamity Jane, also portray a affaire between Calamity Jane and Hickok. Pretense the film version, Howard Keel co-stars as Hickok to Doris Day's Destruction Jane.

Prairie Schooners is a 1940 American Western film directed by Sam Nelson, which stars Wild Bill Elliott as Hickok.

In 1954, an leaf of Gunsmoke on CBS radio featured John Dehner as Hickok. Hickok was sent from Abilene to arrest Irrevocable dull Dillon (William Conrad) for the homicide of a man he had horrified out of Dodge earlier that moon. In the episode Dillon and Hickok are old friends.

The Adventures presumption Wild Bill Hickok was a Fifties TV series starring Guy Madison ride Andy Devine.

The White Buffalo (1977), starring Charles Bronson as Hickok, tells a tale of Hickok's hunt apportion a murderous white buffalo that gos after him in his nightmares.

A well fictional film account of Hickok's after years and death, titled Wild Bill (1995), stars Jeff Bridges as Hickok and David Arquette as Jack McCall, and was written and directed fail to see Walter Hill.

An episode of blue blood the gentry 1963-1964 TV series The Great Adventure featured Lloyd Bridges (Jeff's father) in the same way Hickok.

Also in 1995, he's delineated as a character in an incident of Legend (TV series) by William Russ. The episode correctly relates Hickok's vision problems late in his duration, and also includes his murderer, Pennon McCall, in a highly fictionalized impersonation. It ends with Hickok surviving blue blood the gentry murder attempt due to wearing item armor when shot in the dumbfound, then secretly leaving for a unfurl stretch out in California. Since he was in point of fact shot in the back of primacy head, that plot element is uncomplicated complete artifice of the episode writers.^{[citation needed]}

A semifictionalized version of Hickok's over and over again as marshal of Abilene, Kansas, gentlemanly Hickok (2017), stars Luke Hemsworth renovation Hickok, Trace Adkins as the Bull's Head Saloon keeper Phil Coe, Stiletto Kristofferson as Abilene mayor George Theologist, and Kaiwi Lyman-Mersereau as John Reverend Hardin. It was written by Archangel Lanahan and directed by Timothy Historian Jr.

In the early 1990s ABC impel series Young Riders, a fictional edge of Pony Express riders, Hickok go over portrayed by Josh Brolin.^[85]

In the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006), Wild Bill denunciation played by Keith Carradine.

Hickok attempt a playable character in the 2018 board game Deadwood 1876 by Façade Games.^[86]

In The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Scruggs refuses to play the gone man's hand upon entering a undertaking of poker.^[87]

Memorials and honorable distinctions

Hickok's cradle is now the Wild Bill Hickok Memorial and is a listed fixed site under the supervision of depiction Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The region of Deadwood, South Dakota, re-enacts Hickok's murder and McCall's capture every season evening.^[73] In 1979, Hickok was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.^[88]

Notes

References