“Trial of Jack McCall For Murder of Wild Bill”

At Deadwood on August 2, 1876, Jack McCall shot ‘Wild Bill’ Hickock in the back of his head. When a vigilante court tried him, he claimed Bill had killed his brother and the vigilantes let him go. Later, due to his boasting, at Laramie City, US Marshall Balcombe of Nebraska arrested him and turned him over to US Marshal Burdick of Dakota. In October a grand jury indicted him and he was tried December 4-5-6, 1876, found guilty by a jury before Trial Judge Peter C. Shannon who sentenced him to hang. William Pound was US Attorney, Gen. W.H. Beadle and Oliver Shannon, court appointed defense attorneys. The US Court room was on second story of Morrison Building, directly back of this marker. The story of the hanging is on a marker 2 miles N of US 81. Four witnesses told of the shooting in Mann & Lewis saloon in Deadwood where Bill was playing poker but not with his back to the wall. As he toppled over, the Deadman’s hand, black aces and eights, was displayed.

Yankton County, on Capital Street between 3rd and 4th in Yankton (1988)