The Deadwood saloon where Wild Bill Hickok made poker’s most cursed hand

The Murder of Wild Bill Hickok

Wild Bill Hickok broke his own rule and sat with his back to the door. Twenty minutes later, he was dead. Jack McCall shot him point blank while he played poker on August 2, 1876. The cards scattered, but two black aces and two black eights stayed in his grip.

Here’s how the West lost its most famous lawman, and where you can trace his final steps in Deadwood today.

Who Was Jack McCall?

Jack McCall was born around 1850 in Kentucky and grew up with three sisters. He had thick brown hair, a small sandy mustache, crossed eyes, and a snub nose.

As a young man, he worked as a buffalo hunter near Kansas before drifting through cow towns. He arrived in Deadwood during the 1876 gold rush using the fake name Bill Sutherland.

The Poker Game The Night Before

McCall joined a poker game with Hickok on August 1, 1876. He lost badly and spent all his money.

Hickok gave McCall money for breakfast and told him not to play again until he could afford to lose.

McCall took the money but felt embarrassed by Hickok’s handout in front of other players.

Hickok’s Fatal Mistake

Hickok came back to the saloon the next day for another poker game. As a gunfighter, he always sat with his back to a wall so nobody could sneak up behind him.

That day, Charlie Rich had Hickok’s usual corner seat. Hickok asked Rich twice to switch places. Rich refused both times, forcing Hickok to sit with his back to the door.

The Dead Man’s Hand

When he died, Hickok held two black aces and two black eights. This poker hand became known as the “dead man’s hand” and remains famous in poker history.

No one knows for sure what the fifth card was. Some say it was the queen of hearts, others claim it was the jack of diamonds.

Hickok might have been waiting for a new card when McCall shot him.

The Fatal Shot

McCall walked into the saloon while Hickok played cards. He ordered a drink at the bar, then moved behind Hickok without being noticed.

Hickok’s last words were about his poker hand: “The old duffer. He broke me on the hand.” McCall pulled out his .45 revolver, pressed it against Hickok’s head, and shouted “Damn you! Take that!” as he fired.

McCall’s Failed Escape

After the shooting, McCall ran out the back door. He tried to escape on a horse tied nearby but fell off when the loose saddle slipped.

He got up and ran down the street, hiding in a butcher’s shop. News of the killing spread fast through town. People found McCall within minutes of the shooting.

The Miners’ Court Trial

Deadwood had no real government or courts in 1876. The day after the shooting, locals set up a miners’ court at McDaniel’s Theatre to try McCall.

During his trial, McCall claimed he killed Hickok because Hickok had killed his brother in Kansas.

After two hours, the jury found him not guilty and told him to leave town right away.

McCall’s Boastful Mistake

McCall went to Wyoming after being freed. He stopped at saloons in Cheyenne and Laramie, bragging about killing Wild Bill Hickok.

His boasting reached the ears of lawmen who questioned his first trial. On August 29, less than a month after the murder, U.S. Marshal Balcombe arrested McCall in Laramie after hearing about his confessions.

The Federal Trial

Officials took McCall to Yankton, Dakota Territory’s capital, for a second trial. They argued that the first trial didn’t count because Deadwood was on Indian land without legal power to hold trials.

The new trial started on December 4, 1876, with Judge Peter Shannon in charge. Several witnesses testified they saw McCall shoot Hickok from behind.

The Verdict and Sentence

The jury talked for just over three hours before finding McCall guilty on December 6, 1876. Judge Shannon sentenced him to hang on March 1, 1877.

At his sentencing, McCall claimed he was drunk during the murder and didn’t remember it. He also admitted “Jack McCall” wasn’t his real name, proving his story about avenging a brother was a lie.

Visiting Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, South Dakota

You’ll find Mount Moriah Cemetery on Mount Moriah Drive in Deadwood, South Dakota. This historic cemetery from 1878 contains about 3,400 graves, including Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock.

Pick up a self-guided tour map at the Visitor Center (open May through October) to help navigate the grounds.

You can walk the cemetery trails to discover famous graves and enjoy views overlooking Deadwood. No pets are allowed except for service animals.

Read More from WhenInYourState.com:

• The Filipino religious group that bought a whole American town for $799,000
• The Crazy Horse Memorial That Refuses Federal Funding & Survives on Visitor Donations
• The Bloodiest Half-Hour in Native American History Happened at This Wind-Swept Memorial Site