Wild Bill Hickok and Jane met on the train headed out to Deadwood. This fact was verified later by another person who was on the train at the time, which contradicts what Jane wrote in her autobiography.
Things like that little hiccup are a big part of the reason why her book should be taken with a grain of salt.
A Caring Individual
Even if some of the stories were stretched a little further than the truth, there’s no question that Jane led one hell of an interesting life. Unfortunately, a lot of it was filled with suffering.
But even with all of the weights that found their way to her shoulders, Martha Jane still found it in her heart to help others.
More Than Just Friends?
In 1876, she spent most of the summer working as a mail carrier in Deadwood, for Pony Express. She would spend her evenings drinking with Charlie Utter and Bill Hickok.
Some speculate that Hickok and Jane were more than just friends, but as far as she describes, they were just good drinking buddies.
A Short Relationship...Perhaps
No matter how the two wound up spending time together, they did. Once they’d met, they hit it off instantly, and were often seen together out and about.
However, rumors of them being any more than friends were left unconfirmed. Jane didn’t know Wild Bill for very long before his impending untimely death.
The Deadman's Hand
The “Deadman’s hand” in poker is named for the way Wild Bill was killed. He was playing poker in a saloon, drinking with a group of men, when a very drunk man at his table got a little too upset about his losing hand.
The man, Jack McCall, left, but came back the next night, stormed through the doors and shot Bill. He was holding a pair of aces and eights: a Deadman’s hand.