Life and marvelous adventures of Wild Bill, the Scout: being a true an exact history of all the sanguinary combats and hair-breadth escapes of the most famous scout and spy America ever produced.Buel, James W. (James William)
History
Life and marvelous adventures of Wild Bill, the Scout: being a true an exact history of all the sanguinary combats and hair-breadth escapes of the most famous scout and spy America ever produced.
Buel, James W. (James William)
Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.); Hickok, Wild Bill, 1837-1876
The prisoner was at once liberated, and several of the model jurymen
who had played their parts in this burlesque upon justice, and who had
turned their bloodthirsty tiger loose upon the community indulged in a
sickening cheer which grated harshly upon the ears of those who heard
it. The first vote taken by the jury resulted in eleven for acquittal
and one for conviction, and the single man who desired justice was so
intimidated by his fellow-jurors that he was induced to sanction the
iniquitous verdict. It was even proposed by one of the jurymen that the
prisoner be fined fifteen or twenty dollars and set free.
After the inquest the body of the deceased was placed upon a litter
made of two poles and some boards; then a procession was formed, and
the remains were carried to Charley Utter’s camp, across the creek.
Charles Utter, better known as Colorado Charley, had been the intimate
friend of the deceased for fifteen years, and with that liberality
which is a feature among mountaineers, had always shared his purse with
him. Charley was much affected by the death of his friend, and incensed
at the villain who had murdered him. A tepee was pitched at the foot of
one of the giant trees which rise so majestically above Charley’s camp.
Preparations were at once made for the funeral. The following notice
was printed and sent out:
“FUNERAL NOTICE.--Died in Deadwood, Black Hills, Aug. 2, 1876, from
the effects of a pistol shot, J. B. Hickok (Wild Bill,) formerly of
Cheyenne, Wyoming. Funeral services will be held at Charley Utter’s
camp, on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 3, 1876, at 3 o’clock. All are
respectfully invited to attend.”
At the time appointed a number of people gathered at the camp--Charley
Utter had gone to a great deal of expense to make the funeral as fine
as could be had in that country. Under the tepee, in a handsome coffin,
covered with black cloth and richly mounted with silver ornaments,
lay Wild Bill, a picture of perfect repose. His long chestnut hair,
evenly parted over his marble brow, hung in waving ringlets over the
broad shoulders; his face was cleanly shaved excepting the drooping
moustache, which shaded a mouth that in death almost seemed to smile,
but in life was unusually grave; the arms were folded over the stilled
breast, which inclosed a heart that had beat with regular pulsation
amid the most startling scenes of blood and violence. The corpse was
clad in complete dress-suit of black broadcloth, new underclothing and
white linen shirt; beside him in the coffin lay his trusty rifle, which
the deceased prized above all other things, and which was to be buried
with him in compliance with an often expressed desire.
A clergyman read an impressive funeral service, that was attentively
listened to by the audience, after which the coffin-lid hid the
well-known face of Wild Bill from the prying gaze of the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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