Zip Wyatt - Notorious Oklahoma Outlaw

OLD WEST LEGENDS

Zip Wyatt - Notorious Oklahoma Hombre

<< Previous 1 2 Next >>

One of the most notorious outlaws in the Territory of Oklahoma was Zip Wyatt, who also went by the names of Dick Yeager and Wild Charlie.

Born as Nathaniel Ellsworth Wyatt in Indiana in 1864, to John T. and Rachel Quick Wyatt, he was the second born of 8 children, which included seven boys and one girl. The family moved around a lot before finally settling about 14 miles northeast of Guthrie, Oklahoma in 1889. The family was poor, his parents almost illiterate, and Nathaniel Wyatt came by his bad habits legitimately as his father, known as “Old Six-Shooter Bill,” was frequently arrested in Guthrie for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, while his older brother, Nim, known as “Six-Shooter Jack,” was a known professional gambler, who would be later killed in a saloon in Texline, Texas in 1891.

Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory, 1889, photo by D. S. Mitchell.

Somewhere along the line, Nathaniel acquired the nickname of “Zip” from a man who lived near Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was best known throughout his life by that moniker, or by his alias, Dick Yeager.

Zip’s mother, Rachel, died in February, 1890 and the following year, Zip married a woman named Annie Bailey near Mulhall, Oklahoma. The pair had one daughter. However, life for his wife and child would be far from “normal,” as on June 3, 1891, Zip shot up the town of Mulhall, wounding two citizens, and fled north to the Cherokee Outlet, before making his way to Kansas.

With a warrant out for his arrest, Zip made his way to Kiowa County, Kansas where he stole some riding gear in Greensburg. Deputy Sheriff Andrew Balfour soon tracked down the outlaw to Pryor’s Grove, Kansas, about ten miles north of Greensburg, where he attempted to arrest the fugitive, only to be shot in the abdomen, with the bullet striking the officer in the spine and killing him. However, the deputy rallied before he died, shooting Wyatt twice, but only wounding him slightly in the hand on his left side. Deputy Sheriff Balfour left a wife and six children.

With yet another warrant on his head and a $1,000 reward for his capture, Zip fled to his native Indiana, where he hid out with relatives. Several months later; however, he was apprehended and after a long extradition proceeding, Zip was returned to Guthrie, Oklahoma to face charges on his spree in Mulhall. The outlaw was able to escape from jail once but was quickly recaptured. Undaunted, he tried again on December 31, 1892, and this time, was successful.

He soon joined up with Ike Black and the two formed a gang, making numerous robberies in the area, including the robbery of the Hightower Store and post office in Arapaho, Oklahoma in November, 1893. As Black and Wyatt hid out in the Gypsum Hills, they were often aided by their wives, who brought them food and supplies. The gang was soon blamed for almost every crime committed in the territory, and a reward was placed on Wyatt’s head of $5,000 for his capture.

On January 20th, 1895, Fred Hoffman, the treasurer of D County (now Blaine County) Oklahoma was killed and though it could never be proven, the gun that killed the treasurer was reportedly traced to Zip Wyatt.

Zip Wyatt was pursued by numerous posses before he

was finally captured in 1895.

Around this same time, Zip Wyatt and Ike Black were thought to have joined up with the Doolin-Dalton Gang, participating in the Rock Island train robbery in Dover, Oklahoma on April 3, 1895.

On June 3, 1895, an outlaw gang robbed the store and post office at Fairview, Oklahoma, taking everything of value and three horses. The outlaws were quickly pursued by U.S. Deputy Marshals, Gus Hadwinger and J. K. Runnels, and Woods County Sheriff Clay McGrath and Deputy Marion Hildreth. Catching up with the robbers the following day, they surprised the gang who were hiding in a cave near the county line. In the ultimate gunfight that broke out, Ike Black was hit in the foot and Zip took a shot in the left arm, but the outlaws were able to escape. The pressure continued from the lawmen, which now numbered almost 200 looking for the pair.

On July 26th, the outlaw pair robbed the Oxley, Oklahoma post office and store, but only gained about $35 and some supplies. However, during this robbery, they were recognized and the next day a posse went after them, tracking them to a site near Salt Creek, about six miles northwest of Oxley. When gunfire erupted once again, Black received a flesh wound to the head, but both men were able to escape once again, however, their horses had run off and they were now afoot.

Continued Next Page

<< Previous 1 2 Next >>

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Photo Print Shop - Travel the trails of the American West with our many photographs! Just take a look at our galleries or purchase prints at very reasonable prices! Here you'll see photographs of Route 66, ghost towns, scenic and historic views, and roadside stops.