DEADWOOD LIVES
I heartily applaud Mary Franz’s well-written article “The Real Men of Deadwood” in the August 2006 Wild West. I especially appreciated the author’s comparisons of the Deadwood television production with the realities of life in the early mining camp of Deadwood. The HBO show makes an effort to view life as it actually was in regard to styles of clothing, firearms, Victorian-type dialogue and the locale. However, the language on the show has bothered me. In all the years I have been reading about Western culture, I never heard it said that so much off-color language was actually used. That was one point Franz didn’t mention, but you addressed it well in the P. 6 editorial in that issue.

Victor A. Albanese
Kingman, Ariz.

The editor’s remarks on the language in HBO’s Deadwood are quite amusing. I have never seen the show, although I have heard about all the filthy language. Lord knows, as an old combat infantryman, I am not shocked by bad language, but I don’t want it in my house, and I sure won’t pay HBO to bring it in. The doings in Deadwood have always interested me, and I would have liked to have seen a decent TV series dealing with the goings-on there in the 1870s, but not if I have to listen to that “fumadiddle” language…especially when I believe that kind of talk is the norm in 2006 Hollywood but not in 1876 Deadwood.

Bob DeArment
Sylvania, Ohio

I was amazed at reading the interesting real history of Deadwood in the August issue. It seems like the HBO show is right on the money. It’s fascinating how Seth Bullock became the sheriff in this wild town; he had his hands full. I enjoy the characters on Deadwood such as Bullock, Charlie Utter and Calamity Jane. Of course, it was the murder of Wild Bill Hickok that really placed Deadwood on the map.

Kendra Larry
Elk Grove, Calif.

I was impressed with your August 2006 issue, especially Mary Franz’s article “The Real Men of Deadwood.” Your most important asset is information, and I sincerely believe in your magazine’s integrity. I’m very interested in Wild Bill Hickok and in the precise and true story of the Gunfight at the O.K Corral (October 2006 Wild West).

Merlin Ray Elliot
Deer Park, Texas

BURYING CALAMITY
Calamity Jane was fond of Wild Bill Hickok and perhaps she did express a wish to be buried beside him, as mentioned in the enjoyable article “The Real Men of Deadwood.” But here’s what Wyoming pioneer Russell Thorp wrote about it for my grandfather, historian Pat Flannery, and recently published in The Diaries of John Hunton (Heritage Books, Westminster, Md.):

A few leading citizens of Deadwood were gathered in Mike Russell’s saloon for their usual mid-afternoon drink when word of Jane’s death reached them. They talked it over and decided to give her a big last sendoff in appreciation of what she did nursing miners through the smallpox epidemic. The idea of making this a really memorable funeral grew and grew, with a few more drinks, and word was sent forth calling on all business houses to close during the services. Then came the question of where to dig her grave, and it was concluded as appropriate that she be buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery, alongside Wild Bill Hickok. Now Wild Bill had absolutely no use for Jane, but this distinguished, self-appointed committee decided it would be a good joke on the old boy to make him “layup” with her for all eternity. I knew four of the men who planned the funeral (Albert Malter, Frank Ankeney, Jim Carson, and Anson Higby), and all of them told me the same story.

Michael Griske
Hicksville, N.Y.

NO MORE JUMPING
I am a member of SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) and a subscriber. I enjoy reading about the Wild West. One problem I’ve continued to have is to be interrupted in my reading because it tells me to jump to so & so. I am tired of this. I want to read the article in its entirety without going traipsing through the rest of the magazine.

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