From the Omaha Evening Bee - July 17, 1873.
Yesterday William Cody, otherwise known as Buffalo Bill, and J.B. Omohundro, or Texas Jack, arrived in the city from the east, accompanied by E.B. Overton of Brevoort Place, New York; E.P. Green of Amsterdam, New York, and Scott, the hatter, of Chicago.
Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack, as is well known, have been treading the sensational stage for the last six months, and have in that short time made a comfortable fortune, which they intend to increase to mammoth proportions during the fall and winter season. These two noted scouts and hunters left Omaha in November last for Chicago, and there met Ned Buntline, who had originated the idea of a sensational drama, in which these celebrated men of the plains should take leading parts. Bill and Jack arrived in Chicago on Thursday, Buntline wrote the play "the Scouts of the Prairie" on Friday in four hours, on Saturday the troupe (consisting of twenty-six previously engaged persons) had a rehearsal, and on Monday evening the play was produced at Nixon's Amphitheatre to a crowded house.
After playing a week with immense success, the company went to St. Louis, and thence to all of the principal Eastern cities, the final performance being given at Port Jarvis, New York, two weeks ago. Everywhere they were greeted with immense audiences, especially in Philadelphia, where Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack drew larger crowds than ever did Forrest in his palmiest days.
Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack, and Ned Buntline each cleared $30,000 during the past eight months. Bill thinks this more remunerative than the honor of being a Nebraska Legislator, while Texas Jack is of the opinion that financially it eclipses buffalo hunting and scouting. Bill has invested some of his money in a place at Westchester, twenty miles from Philadelphia, where his family now resides.
Both men are looking exceedingly well, and sport considerable jewelry, especially Jack, whose immaculate shirt bosom is ornamented with a $1,200 diamond pin, and diamond studs, and he wears a $1,000 chain and a magnificent gold watch, while his little finder on his left hand is encircled by a valuable diamond ring. During Jack's trip in the East, he was presented with a $650 breech-loading gun by the Earl of Dunraven. He also has a splendid rifle, given to him by Remington, the great manufacturer. Buffalo Bill also had one given him by the same gentleman. Jack has the most beautiful six-shooter that was ever manufactured in this country. It is of Smith & Wesson pattern and is over a foot in length.
Jack, by the way, is the best shot with a six-shooter now living. Mr. Mahlon H. Brown, of this city, in whose employ Jack was for two years engaged in driving cattle from Texas to the plains, testifies that he has seen him shoot with a six-shooter the heads off of four quails out of five while they were running in the grass. Jack will hunt the buffalo with the six-shooter in a match with any man in the world for any sum from $1,000 to $5,000. He acknowledges that Buffalo Bill is the best shot and hunter in the country with the rifle, but claims to rank next and to be the best shot with the six-shooter.
The whole party left on this morning's train for Fort McPherson, from which place, on the 20th, they intend to go on a grand buffalo hunt. The buffalo hunters are well-armed, and will be absent on the hunt two weeks.
Next fall, Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack will appear in an equestrian drama, entitled "Alexis in America," the grand feature of which, we suppose, will be the Grand Duke's buffalo hunt when he was in Nebraska. It is quite possible that the Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack combination will play two nights in Omaha early in the fall.
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