New Britain Herald Newspaper, July 19, 1929, Page 30

30 WILD BILL HIGOK NOT A REAL HERO “Gentlemanly” Cowboy Shown As Cowardly Murderer —_— Fairbury, Neb., 19 July 19 (UP)— Sixty-eight years ago—July 12, 1861 —Wwild Bill Hickok committed the first killings of a bloody career that won him the name in fiction as 2 gentleman gunman. Just how many he killed before his life was ended in 1876 at the gambling table in Deadwood, S. D., is not known, but in his purported words, “I suppose I have Killed con- siderably over a hundred.” Soj gentlemanly was Wild Bill, accord- ing to some of his biographers, that he even paid the funeral expenses of several of his victims. Whether Wild Bill deserves this heroic name given him in fiction and movie thrillers is questioned by George W. Hanson, Fairbur: h., pioneer and banker, whose inves gation of Hickok's Killings on July 12, 1861 reveals Wild Bill in an un- favorable light. The results of his| research are on record with the Ne- | ate Historical Society Lincoln, i 1 Under Hansen's debunking inves- tigation, Wild Bill atest single handed fight in America in which | he claimed he killed ten members | of the “notorious McCanles gang dwindles to the “cowardly slaugh- tering” of three unarmed men— David C. McCanles, James Wood, | cousin of McCanles, and a farme: named Gordon. el From all accounts of kiilings in | which Hickok subsequently took | part, T have bee ble to find one si authentic instance in which he fought a fair fight," Hansen de- clares. “To him no human life W sacred, He was a cold-blooded kill- er without heart or conscience. The moment he ‘scented a fight he pulled his gun and shot to kill. So great was his fear of personal harm, and so quick was he to pull the trigger that on one occasion at Abilene, K. he killed Mike Me- Williams, his most intimate hefore he recognized him.” True Account Gathered The first killings of Wild carer occurred at East Rock Creek Station, Nebraska Territory, sis | miles east of the present city of Fairbury. From interviews with pioneers and with William Monroz McCanles, of Kansas City, son of one of the murdered trio and the only surviving eye witness to the slaughter, Hansen pieced together what he believes is the true story. Two years previous to the killings David McCanles migrated from North Carolina, where he had serv- ed as sheriff, to near Fairbury, Neb. The life of the Oregon Trail flow ed by his Rock Creek ranch and a group of buildings he had erected, known as the East Rock Creek sta- tion, was leased to the Central Overland and Pikes Peak Express| Company, generally called the| Overland Stage Company. Horace Wellman and his wife ! were placed In charge as keepers and J. W. Brink, nicknamed “Doc,” was stock tender. In 1861, the | Stage Company sent James B. “Wild Bill” Hickok, 23 vears old, from its headquarters at Leavenworth, Kas., to Rock Creeik station, as assistant stock tender or stable hand—not as a peace officer as some of his bio- graphers state. | Financial difficulties embarrass the Stage Company which were to be made to N les for the East Rock Creck station | could not be met. The payments were to be made through Wellman. On July 1, Wellman agreed to a trip to the river at once for sup- plies and to collect the payments for McCanles. William Monroe McCan- les, David's 12-year-old son, was to g0 with him. i Returning to the station late July 12, Wellman found David McCanles waiting. Sensing that Wellman ap- parently had been sful in collecting the money, McCanles went to the kitchen door of the station and demanded that Wellman come out. When told by Mrs. Well- man that her would not come, McCanless replied would drag him out Wild Bill Steps In To the astonishment of McCan Wild Bill then stepped to the Kitchen door. McCanless walked to Bill's unsuc; hushand | ven | class of 192 |afternoon by Officer Joseph K NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD, FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1929. while, Hickock fired two mor at Gordon, who managed to craw away although wounded. A when he wounded man, @and ife. Soon after the Kkillings, versions of the murders were pub- lished. In the Brownsville (Neb ka) Advertiser of July 1861, ap- peared a story to the three men were Killed Creek as the result of a the distribution of one wagon loads of arms and ammuni- tion. The acconnt was copied in th Nebraska City News, The the I Maga ticle by be an in at fight Ro ov ory grew, however, bruary number ne of 1867 w. rview with Wild Bill, pictures himself as a leader de hment f cavalry, and claimed McCanless the of a gang of horse thieves appeared an ar- was Never a Soldier “Hickok was never a soldi did not enlist in the Civil Wa the comment of Hansen. In the Wild Bill of how he nles and four his followers as many sec- onds; the sixth killed with his fists; t seventh he shot, and the tabbed to death with hand to hand interview, shot M in he last three h bowie kn neounter, in a Dur detachn : this despe it of cavalry posed within of the struggle, failed* to come to the aid of leader. “There were eleven buckshots in to be a stone's throw me, T was cut in thirteen places, all of them bad enough to let the life out of a man,” Wild Bill modestly narrates. “Dr. Mills pulled me saf: through it after a bed of many a week." siege But court records show that three days after the “fight'- 1861—Wild Bill was “recovered” to appear at [ the court of T. M. Coulter, justice of the peace, on a charge of murder. Hickok, Wellman and Brink acquitted at a “sham” tria young Monroe McCanles permitted to testify were which was not Auto Chase Is Vain But Man Is Arrested Joseph Stuka, 25, of 11 Oak street, placed under arrest this after- noon on the charge of reckless driv- ing and was locked up in default of $50 bonds for his arraignment in po- lice court tomorrow. Officer James M. McCue mandeered an automobile on West Main street yesterday and chased a car which, it is said, Stuka was driv- ing, but he was unable to overtake it after a race through several streets. The officer suspected the driver of being under the influence of liquor, com- On ascertaining that the car was registered in Stuka's name, the po- lice looked for Officer John M. Liebler having the case. When Stuka reported at police headquarters he was arrested. Carl Hansen Is Awarded Fourth Yale Scholarship Carl H. Hansen of 67 Russwin road was notif that he has awarded a sc hip of at Yale University. Mr. Hansen is a senior at Yale, having been awarded a scholarship each year that he has Leen at the school. . He was born and educated in this city and graduated from the New Britain Senior High school the He is the Adolph Hansen in and Mrs. Prisoner Goes to Sleep Before Giving Address Joseph Sullivan was arr ed this medy on charges of breach of the peace and drimkenness after he had an- noyed his wife, who is employed in a Main street department store When searched at police headquar- ters he was found to have 8204 in crisp new bills, and after being lock- ed up he went directly to sl¢ fore his address was lea Bandits Get $21,300 In New Oileans Case New Orleans. La., July 19 (UP)-— Firing a mac gun in the air, six bandits today held up two employes of the Hibernia Bank & pany and stole their hich contained $21, securities, p be- Trust com- 1 truck )0 in cash and armor the other door of the cabin. Hickok stepped behind the flimsy calico curtain which separated the rooms of the cabin and as McCanless told | him to come out and fight it out, | he shot McCanles from his con- | cealed po using the rifle Me- | Canles had l¢ age station.” | Hearing th Woods ani Gordon ran 1o cahin. Hickok wounded Woods with shots from a Colt's revolver, and finished Woods by skull with a “Let’s kill them all," of Mr. and Mrs, W man struck his hoe Wellman avy hor role McCanless, w After forcing Thomas J rd and Herbert Clark. driver, rom the truck, two of the handits climbed into the driver's seat and drove No on¢ gun slugs. Dooer, away was struck by the machine BEATS MAYOR'S SON New Orlear 19 (/P Williams of A g of 0K when son of Mayor he 1 on the rec n apology POOR PA BY CLAUDE CALLAN “Ma was real proud of me the day that stock T bought went up, but she talked like 1 wasn't right bright when I finally lost all I put into i “Copyright 1929, Pubirsners Byndicate) sneakin' in but I ain’t never ona dressin’ an’ called it “I may b some wavs, poured ms on table scray a salad.” ‘Copyright 1 shots blood hound was used to track down the was found, a load of buckshot ended his 1 various | effect that | three until in | of Harper's ichols purporting to who | of a| who | leader | him this afternoon, | $400 | son of Mr. when she | of Paris’ latest stylcs which proves t | the sun. At the | eynosure repeated the | A pale pink | sleeves and a full | threads weaving | hat was a modified strings tied 1 I trim, in the form of recent Etyle faille taffeta frock i a gor poke ear. f fine a spray of cous pattern olor with a deep quilted bonnet of white Swiss braid featured the Fashion Peeks Into the Past was a girl? Not at all. hat there really is nothing new under rench races, a group of mannequins were the of interested eyes as they paraded in new afternoon frocks that | iemes of the long ago, only with 1929 changes. leg-o’-mutton | had a tight bodice, horder in silver of hig wild ros fine open-wor and gold and leaves. The straw, with velvet under-the-brim ful roses, ~ INSINGLE COURSE Medford Man Refuses fo Grad- | uate From Fiction School | By NEA Service | "Medford. Mass., July 19 kind of scholastic record has been achieved by Frederick H. Sidney, | who, when he isn't studying. | towerman here for the Boston | Maine railroad. He just | ceived his 20th succe: | for completing the pondence course in writing. And that isn't spend the rest o in where t enrolled in 1 fect grades in the extension course | conducted by Boston Public Library don’t m a thing to Sid- ney. He just f oes aft another, ems to have learned to | tion. —A new and has re sive same short corres- story all. He his life he the diploma and enty years may see | time to spend in the same to continuc Mr. hi | one has just begun to lear and the publishe tuff better every year. | “Some day I hope to devote all my time to fiction. I hoboed the length and breadth of this continent n my youth, an experi- an excellent The litera- I'm pretty ing as I live ed in discussit | I long | to wri |like my { for 10 years ence that affords | background for writing tiive ¥ me course. now that amiliar with how is a| certificate | [to capitalize that experience.’ | Frederick Sidney’s literary efforts have enabled Towerman Sidney to send his children through college— two boys through Harvard, and a irl through Normal school. Sidney has been most of his life. contributor to more than a of newspapers and magazines f quarter centu |ed =s an authority on New England | railroading histo | active score |Hydroplane Air Line | Will Begin Operation (Special to the Herald) New York, July 19—A new com- petitive air line between New York and Boston will begin operating on July 22, it was announced today by the Airvia Transportation company. Hydroplanes will be used and the route will be over water the en- tire The route chosen nave been the selection of Q. Williams and Lewis A. who recently flew to Rome. over Long Island Sound, Cape Cod nal, and Ma chusetts Bay to Boston. The Ne York ter- minus wili be in the North River off Ilast 42nd street. The distance be- een the two cities is scheduled to covered in one hour and 20 min- distance. is said to ) Yincey, T will be Boston and New York will be the first American cities having competi- tive r = is that of the operating over Colonial Air land. ANE STILL UP | Texas, July 19 Houston, (P— Nearing the end of its second day in | he air, the Billion Dollar City 1. Loomis and Jo aloft carly today The plane took off Wednesday. endurance monoplane piloted by Glen Glass at 1:49:54 a. m. This is one | railroad man | He has been an | v, and is regard- | still was | DELEGATION VISITS | INWOSCON TODAY {“Star Spangled Banner” Played for American Travelers | Moscow, July 19 (UP)—The Star Spangled Banner {ook preference | over the Volga Boat Song and other | | airs here today all for the benefit | of the visiting American delegation of business men touring Russia, | The hotel band, at the hostelry | where the members of the delega- | | tion were banqueted in royal man- ner the musicians put in the best part of the day practicing America’s | national anthem. { A number of important memters {of the soviet government partici- | pated in the evening program. Dele- gates told the United Press that they | were charmed with the hospitalities | they had received in Moscow. Tt | was learned today that = larger | tourist group numbering nearly 500 | Playing Safe With Dry Agents Americans will arrive here shortly. | This will be. it is said, the largest | single gathering of Americans ever | witnessed east of Berlin. | MARRIAGE 1IN TIONS | and Irene S. Anderson ofy766 Arch| street; Eugene Muhliesen of 119 49 Woodland street. e The Stamp That old adage about “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ Applications for marriage licenses | IS taken literally by have been filed Ly the following: | the papers Charles G. Fletcher of 6 Lake court, | decided that a fellow named Butterfield, who lived in Los Angeles would never bhe shot by a dry Fairview street, and Louise. Meier of | When he goes riding, the sign pictured above is always to be seen gn his Wholesale NEA Los Angeles Bureau M. Butterfield, of Los Angeles. Having “read in of prohi killings in various sections of the country, Butterfield gent through a case of mistaken identity. And automobile. 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