August 2, 1837
- Aug 2, 2023
- 1 min read
On this day in history in 1876 "Wild Bill" Hickok was murdered.
Earning a Wild Reputation
"Wild Bill" was born James Butler in 1837 in Illinois. In 1861 he began his rise to notoriety as a gunfighter when three men shot at him and he killed all three. Six years later he rose to national fame when Harper's New Monthly Magazine published an embellished account of the gunfight. Despite this exaggeration, Hickok's gunslinger reputation was deserving as he had a string of impressive gunfights. He stopped fighting gun battles after he mistakenly killed a deputy during a shootout in 1871. His life took a downturn after this. Although he lived off is reputation for a few years eventually he wandered the West gambling to make a living and occasionally being arrested as a vagrant.
"Wild Bill" Meets His Match
In the spring of 1876 "Wild Bill" moved into the Black Hills of South Dakota. He continued his gambling life style and became a regular poker player at the No. 10 Saloon. In August of the same year he was at his usual poker table when Jack McCall, a young gunslinger, walked up to Hickok and shot him in the back of the head. He died immediately. McCall was tried, convicted, and hung for the murder.
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