Wild Bill Hickok was a man of strong character - a colorful and imposing
personality with a single-mindedness that made him stand out and
attract much attention. Not one of his friends or peers considered him
in a bad light, as this quote from his friend Captain Jack Crawford
states:
“…Wild Bill had his faults, grievous ones, perhaps… He
would get drunk, gamble, and indulge in the general licentiousness
characteristic of the border in the early days, yet even when full of
the vile libel of the name of whiskey which was dealt over the bars at
exorbitant prices, he was gentle as a child, unless aroused to anger by
intended insults. He was loyal in his friendship, generous to a fault,
and invariably espoused the cause of the weaker against the stronger one
in a quarrel.”
A striking and handsome figure, soft-spoken and
courteous by nature, easy-going and friendly, he would go out of his way
to help a friend in need. But, when roused to anger, and his patience
tested, he was a man to be feared, who would meet his foes with
overwhelming force, skill and confidence. A fearless and ruthless
gunfighter.
Wild Bill - The Story of James Butler Hickok is a
true story of the man, the lawman and the fearless gunfighter who made
his inevitable and famous mark in the Old West, and passed into legend.
