Title: "Buffa-

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"BUFFA [...?]

[photo]

Lithe as a boy at 68, undaunted by business revenues that would have killed the hope and ambition of the ordinary man past the meridian of life, "Buffalo Bill" (William F. Cody) still typifies the ruggedness of the old west that he made to live again in his wild west show long after it had passed into history.

"I suppose you have come to write my obituary as most of the newspaper men have been doing of late — well, it 'taint necessary," said the old Indian fighter, as a reporter buttonholed him in the lobby of the Pont-chartrain this morning. One glance at the ruddy, clear complexion and tall, erect form of Col. Cody was sufficient to convince anyone that obituaries would not be in order for many years.

Col. Cody admits that his wild west show went to smash in Denver, July 12 last, but it takes something more than that to (unclear) the courage of the veteran raised in the stern school of frontier warfare.

Planning for Show.

It was erroneously reported in the Detroit papers this morning that I am traveling with the Sells-Floto circus. What I am really here for is a conference with my new partners, Messrs. Bonfils and Tammen, the owners of the Denver Post, with whom I am planning to put out a new wild west show.

"I am going to devote the balance of my life to prepetuating [sic] the true history of our Indian wars through the medium of the camera," continued Col. Cody. "Tomorrow I start for the west to supervise the taking of pictures of the last Indian battles fought on this continent on the actual scenes of combat. I am also planning to preserve the sign language of the Indians, fast lying [sic] out among the younger generation of the redmen, with the aid of the camera.

"When I reach the Indian country this week, I shall go first to the site of the battle Summit Springs, fought June 9, 1869, by a detachment of United States troops with whom I was acting as chief of scouts and a party of Cheyenne and Siou [sic] warriors. These Indians had taken a number of white men and women prisoners, and our task was to beat them back before they had killed their white captives. It was in this battle that the Sioux chief, Tall Bull, was killed.

To Visit Battle Scene.

"I shall next visit the scene of Gen. Custer's last stand at the battle of the Little Big Horn, June 29, 1876. I wa [sic] not present during the battle, but, I came in with General Cook and Terry a few hours after it was over and helped to bury the dead.

"On July 11 following, the battle of War Bonnet was fought by a detachment of 500 men from Gen. Crook's army, under the command of Gen. Wesley Merritt. It then [sic] that I killed Chief Yellow Hand in a duel just before the battle began. Gen. Charles King, the novelist, was adjutant to Gen. Merritt at this battle and has written a description of it.

To Perpetuate Incidents.

"The next place I shall visit will be the scene of the last of all Indian battles, that of Wounded Knee fought in 1890, against the Sioux, in which I participated as a brigadier-general of the Nebraska national guard.

"The last surrender of hostile Indians in this country took place Jan. 21, 1891, at the Pine Ridge agency. The last grand council was held at the Pine Ridge agency soon after. We will also perpetuate these historical incidents with the aid of the camera."

Col. Cody says the first time he ever visited Detroit was back in '72, with his Scouts of the Plains, presenting drama called "Life on the Border." Col. Cody says it was on that trip to Detroit the he saw for the first time a calcium light in a theater.

"I have visited eDtroit [sic] nearly every year since and have watched its growth with interest," said the colonel. "There is no more [thrilling?] city in the country."