Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck, July 7, 1896 Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917 Johnston, Jeremy Christianson, Frank Seefeldt, Douglas, 1964- Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. 2013 William F. Cody Archive University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
319 Love Library University of Nebraska–Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-4100 cdrh@unlnotes.unl.edu
Lincoln, Nebraska
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-4100
wfc.css00491

BBWW performed in Springfield, Ohio, on July 7, 1896. "E. R. Goodman" was Edward Robert Goodman (1868-1949), Cody's nephew and son to Julia Cody Goodman. Lewis H. Baker, a/k/a Johnny Baker (1869-1931) was Cody's foster son and a sharpshooter in BBWW. William Sweeney (1856-1917), cornet player, organized and directed the Cowboy Band in BBWW; Sweeney was with WFC for the entire run of the show, from 1883 until the 1913 "Farewell Tour" with the "Two Bill's Show." M. F. Polhamus remains unidentified. 'Berch' is likely BBWW Chief of Cowboys George Burch, who tended stock at BBWW's winter quarters [Russell, p416]. Snyder is likely William "Okie" Snyder, WFC's ranch manager and "...one of the Colonel's men who had taken 160 acres near Irma..." [Bonner; p64, pp 278n5] Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917 Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck July 7, 1896 3 pages University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Buffalo Bill Letters to George T. Beck (Acc. #9972) ah031371-73

3 hand-written pages

 3 pages

Media: black ink

Texts Correspondence Buffalo Bill's Wyoming Beck, George Washington Thornton, 1856-1943 Goodman, Edward Robert, 1868-1949 Baker, Lewis H., 1869-1931 Sweeney, William, 1856-1917 Polhamus, M. F. Burch, George Snyder, W. O. "Okie" Weakly, Laura K. Added annotation Weakly, Laura K. Initial encoding Houze, Lynn Proofing Johnston, Jeremy Proofing Clark, Linda Proofing Boyce, Gary Transcription Adams, Deb Transcription Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders.of the World.

Col. W. F. Cody. (Buffalo Bill), President.

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.

John M. Burke. General Manager.Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.Jule Keen, Treasurer. Springfield. O1 July 7th 96 My Dear Beck—

I dont know whether I am doing this right or not or whether you can understand it. So I want you to answer me at once and let me know. If I am wrong I will correct it. Annother thing I fear without you have a good functional reliable man to handle the sales of water rights Lots &c— Our co sooner or later will have trouble on their hands that they cannot say letslet's pocket the losses and let it go. But it will involve not only our company into endless trouble but the purchaser and the state, and finalyfinally the government— So I wish you would please let me know who has charge of this department.

Now as Alger is in the Basin— I send you $500 payable to him. Now please be careful and understand & make no mistake Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders.of the World.

Col. W. F. Cody. (Buffalo Bill), President.

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.

John M. Burke. General Manager.Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.Jule Keen, Treasurer. and if I am wrong correct me—

William Sweeny2 $200.— to pay on his $160. first payment and $1 of $160. and $40 to go to the state. George. Berch3— $200. same as Sweeney.

The $100 check is to pay the State charges on the lands of William Snyder4 Louis H. Baker. each 160 acres $40 each— and $20 to pay on M. F. Polhamus5 80 acres— The $160 each from Snyder & Baker and the $80 Polhamus charge to me personalypersonally. as the company owe me they can give me credit for it. And I will take chances on collecting it from Snyder Baker Polhamus.

Now as I wrote you as E. R. Goodman6 is to act as Agent for these parties he expects the 10% commission but should not receive but 5% out of first payment. The Snyder. Baker & Polhamus commission. I will pay him for. So you can charge me up with half what their first payment on water rights come to— And I will pay Goodmans Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders.of the World.

Col. W. F. Cody. (Buffalo Bill), President.

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.

John M. Burke. General Manager.Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.Jule Keen, Treasurer. commission to him. he can give receipt for same.

Please have this answered fully & at once—

Yours Very truly W. F. Cody

P.S. Please show this to any of the company who are there. if itsit's not right I will correct it—

I sent H. C. Alger Treasurer $3000 to day as per his telegram of yestardayyesterday—

 W. F. C. Note 1: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in Springfield, Ohio, on July 7, 1896. The day's entry in the 1896 Route Diary: "Springfield, Ohio. / Tuesday, July 7. Arrived in town at 5 A. M. Two-mile haul to lot. If ever Anderson prayed for still weather he did to-day. We could not get a stake down over twelve inches anywhere and the least wind would have blown us down, but with our usual good luck we came out all right. Refreigo Carrello, a Mexican, was thrown in the grand entree to-day; his left shoulder was badly hurt and sprained and he received a lot of small bruises and was badly used up. Master-Mechanic Dan Taylor left to-day for Columbus, Ohio, to get the grounds ready for our next Monday's engagement. / Business at both performances good. / Lot, Columbus and Isabell streets. / Arena, 182 x 368." Note 2: "Sweeney" is William Sweeney (1856-1917), a cornet player who organized and directed the Cowboy Band in Buffalo Bill's Wild West, remaining with Buffalo Bill's Wild West from 1883 to 1913. Note 3: "Berch" is George Burch who was Chief of Cowboys for Buffalo Bill's Wild West in 1896 and later. Note 4: "William Snyder" is William "Okie" Snyder (b.1856), one of Cody's men and a cowboy in Buffalo Bill's Wild West during 1896. Note 5: "M. F. Polhamus" is not fully identified but was likely also a member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Note 6: Edward R. Goodman was the agent for the members of Buffalo Bill's Wild West for whom Cody was reserving land parcels.