News – Sheridan Media
‘Wild Bill’ Hickok was one of the more colorful characters in this area during the ‘Wild West.’ James Butler Hickok was a spy during the Civil War, later was a frontier scout, lawman, gambler and (briefly) a showman. He was born in Northern Illinois, and at the age of 18 he left home and settled for a time in Kansas. He later became a deputy U.S. Marshall in Hays City. He came to the Deadwood area during the gold rush, looking for gold.
Display at the Historic Saloon #10 Museum (with thanks)
He was a friend of Buffalo Bill, as we see in this article from the Cheyenne, Wyoming Tribune on June 26, 1907
Defends Hickok: Buffalo Bill Says Wild Bill Was A Law-Abiding Citizen When Possible. Had Forty Notches on his Gun but Shot Only When Forced to Do So— Tells of Famous Character Who Formerly Lived in Cheyenne and Was Married Here. Buffalo Bill, in recent interview, gave out the following story in regard to “Wild Bill Hickok, the former Cheyenne resident who was married in this city and was known to many old timers of this section:
“Did I know Wild Bill’ (J.B.) Hlckok, Yes, most intimately from boy-hood. ‘Never was there a man more misunderstood by the people of the present day who are Impressed by the nickname, as it intimates crazy thirst for human life. This is a wrong impression. Some consideration must be given to the peculiar conditions that existed in a section that was more politically and socially volcanic, disorganized locally than even the Balkan regions of Europe today.
Besides the natural wild conditions, the Indian tribes lined up to oppose the traffic toward the Pacific, the strife of the brewing free state and slavery question that resulted in the Civil War, the drifting toward that quarter of all kinds of adventurous and vicious men from the older sections evading justice….having no legitimate occupation, added to the difficulties.
…..Wild Bill and I grew up on the plains together and were in the Mormon War, which took place in 1887, working for the government freighters, who were hauling supplies for Albert Sydney Johnston’s army, which had been sent against the Mormons. The train that we were with was burned by the Mormons on Ham’s Fork, about 100 miles east of Salt Lake City. After the burning of our train, we returned to the Missouri River, a distance of 1000 miles. We walked, and beingwell armed, killed game and by strategic instinct avoided disaster.
Bill was a little older than I. (Hickok was nine years older than Cody, he was born May 27, 1837 and Cody was born February 26, 1846 ) I was a mere boy at the time, and he was very kind, assisting me in many ways. In 1859 and 1860 we were both riding pony express. It was while riding pony express that ‘Wild Bill’ was forced into a fight with the desperado gang that was lead by ‘Jake’ McCandles. In that that fight, Bill killed eight men and mortally wounded one other one. The fight was exploited in detail in an article by a United States army officer in Harper Magazine printed in 1907. It was the greatest single handed fight ever made to my knowledge. This combat gave Bill a wonderful reputation and caused him to get in to many rows which he never would have been obliged to take part in had he not had the reputation of being a man killer.
Acted as Spy. “When the Civil War began he joined the Union forces, not as a regular soldier, but served under such men as Pleasanton, Blunt and others as a spy, sometimes being with the Southern Army and gaining valuable information for the Union army. During the Civil war he ran many dangerous rinks and was obliged, as a matter of self-preservation, to kill a great many men. He was regarded as a dead shot with the revolver, and always preferred the revolver to the rifle. It was during the Civil War, while at Springfield, Mo., and while he was a spy and scout for General McNeil of the United States army, that he fought his celebrated duel with “Dave” Tuttle. In which duel he killed his opponent.
After the Civil war he naturally drifted back on the frontier, and was a scout under Generals Hancock, Custer and others. At times he acted as city marshal for several of the towns on the frontier. This was really more dangerous work than hunting Indians. One of the most desperate fights he had while city marshal of Abilene, Kan., was when he killed ‘Phil’ Cole and three other men ‘Many desperate conflicts were forced upon him by gun fighters who had become notorious. Their ambition was to kill Wild Bill, but these men generally died with their boots on at the hands of Bill.’
In 1873, Buffalo Bill asked Hickok to be a part of of his new Wild West show. But Wild Bill did not enjoy acting and left the show after a few months.
Slain by a Coward. Bill killed at least forty men, but I have never known of an instance where he provoked the fight or where he didn’t give the man a fair chance and an opportunity to kill him if he could. Bill was finally killed in a saloon in Deadwood, S. D., in August, 1876, He was shot in the back of the head by a man named ‘Jack’ McCall, who was afraid to meet Bill face-to face. Bill had befriended the man, but McCall was hired by others who wished him removed.’ McCall was tried, convicted and hanged. ‘Wild Bill’ now lies buried in the Deadwood cemetery. His name will always live in a romantic history stranger than fiction.” — New York Herald
Bill was married to a widow, Agnes Thatcher Lake, the proprietor of Lake’s Hippo-Olympiad circus. They met in Abilene, in 1871, and corresponded for several years before marrying in March of 1876. A few months later, Hickok joined a wagon train and headed to the gold fields of South Dakota. Bill became well known around Deadwood.
On August 2, 1876, while playing poker at Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood, he was murdered by a man name of Jack McCall. According to legend, Hickok was holding the infamous, “Deadman’s Hand” aces and 8s, when he was shot. He was also sitting with his back to the door, which he usually avoided doing, preferring to sit with his back to the wall.
The saloon was destroyed by a fire in Deadwood but has been rebuilt. There are two ‘Saloon #10s’ in Deadwood. One is the Old-Style Saloon #10, and the other “The Historic Saloon #10,” across the street, and it is on the historic site where Wild Bill was shot.
The infamous Death Chair that Wild Bill supposedly set in is on display, but it is not authentic. Bill was sitting on a stool, not a chair, when he died. One can tour the area underneath the saloon, where Wild Bill was actually shot.
Display at the Historic Site of Saloon #10 (With Thanks)
His murderer was arrested, but was found not guilty in Deadwood. Upon his release and fearing retribution, McCall fled to Wyoming, and gave an interview shortly after the shooting.
Laramie Daily Sentinel, August 30, 1876 – WILD BILL. An Interview With the Man who Shot Him. His Arrest Here. Considerable excitement was created yesterday by the news of that John Sutherland, who shot Wild Bill in Deadwood, sometime ago, was in the city. We, therefore, took some pains to get an interview with him in order to learn the particulars of the shooting. We met Sutherland—and with several who were more or less acquainted with him at Deadwood – drew him into conversation upon the matter, the substance of which we give our readers: “It seems that on the day previous to the shooting, Sutherland and Wild had an altercation, the former claiming that Bill had stolen his dust in a “poker game” The trouble increased until Sutherland struck Wild Bill in the face. Bill did not resent it, however, but smiled and said,”that is all right. the next afternoonbetween 8 and 4 o’clock, Sutherland went into the “Cricket Saloon”where Wild Bill, in company with several others, was playing cards, and after walking up and down the hall a few times, stepped up to Wild Bill and telling him to”look out!”shot him; the ball entering in the ear…….”
Since writing the above, we learn that Sutherland, or McCall, as he sometimes calls himself, has been arrested by the authorities here and is now in jail… We hope that substantial justice may be meted out to him.
According to some sources, such as this story in the Cheyenne Daily Leader, November 23, 1876, McCall was a hired killer.
WILD BILL. A Strange Sequel to the Tragedy. The Black Hills Pioneer of November 11th, says: From Mr. Sheldon we learn that following fact regarding the Wild Bill tragedy: A deputy United States Marshall with a posse of five men have started in pursuit, of John Varnes, now out on the “nowout on the new stampede,” who is charged with having procured the death of Wild Bill, by paying a sum of money to Jack McCall alias Sutherland, for the committing of the deed. It appears that sometime ago Wild Bill and Varnes had a difficulty in Denver, and the animosity between the two was augmented by a dispute over a game of poker at the “Senate” a saloon in this city, a short time previous to the death of Wild Bill, at which time Bill interfered in a dispute between Varnes and another man. Bill covered him with his pistol and arrogated to himself the position of umpire, after which friends interfered and ended the difficulty. It is not necessary to speak of the arrest and trial of the murderer McCall; suffice to say that he was arrested by the United States authorities at Cheyenne and taken to Yankton for trial. It appears that he now desires to turn state’s evidence. And charges Varnes with having paid him money to murder Wild Bill.
Wild Bill was laid to rest in the Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, and his grave can still be visited today.
Whether it was a simply a murder due to a disagreement in a poker game, or a murder-for-hire, will probably never be known for sure. But, a Wild West Legend, who is still larger-than-life, was murdered in a cowardly fashion on August 2, 1876, nearly 150 years ago.
More Like this
Last modified: August 4, 2025