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Old West Lawmen - Last Name Starts With "B"

More Lists: Explorers | Gunfighters | Lawmen | Native Americans | Others | Outlaws | Outlaw Gangs | Scoundrels | Soldiers | Trail Blazers & Cowboys | Vigilantes | Women

 

 

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Elfego BacaElfego Baca (1865-1945) - Born in New Mexico, Baca and his family later moved to Topeka, Kansas when he was still a boy. After his mother's death in 1880, he returned with his father to Belen, New Mexico where his father became the marshal. In 1884, at the age of 19, Baca stole some guns and bought a mail-order sheriff's badge, intending to follow in his father's footsteps. He soon appointed himself a deputy sheriff in Socorro County, an untamed, lawless land in southwestern New Mexico. In no time, Elfego became embroiled in a shoot-out after arresting a cowboy who had been shooting up the town of Frisco (now Reserve.) A standoff ensued when Baca took shelter in the tiny house of Geronimo Armijo. The standoff resulted in a furious attack by over 80 cowhands, in which over 4,000 rounds were fired into the house by those outside. Elfego Baca managed to kill four of his assailants and wounded eight others. Thirty-six hours after it began, Elfego Baca walked out unharmed. Baca was admitted to the Bar in 1894 at the age of 29 and later became a Deputy United States Marshal, an assistant district attorney, the held the positions of both sheriff and mayor of Socorro County. Elfego Baca died in 1945. More ...

 

William "Billy" Bailey, aka: Bill Wilson, William Baylor (18??-1871) - A lawman and cowboy, Bailey was thought to have been from Texas before winding up in Newton, Kansas in 1871. A career cowboy, and sometimes lawman, he probably wound up in the Kansas cowtown after a cattle drive. Though he was reportedly easy going and even-tempered, he also had a reputation as a gunfighter. having known to have been in three gunfights, where he killed two men.

 

During the August elections of 1871, Bailey was hired by the Newton authorities as a Special Policeman to help keep order. On August 11th, he and another Special Policeman by the name of Mike McCluskie argued over local politics in the Red Front Saloon. The dispute soon turned violent and Bailey was knocked outside the saloon into the dusty street. McCluskie followed, drew his pistol, and fired two shots at Bailey, hitting him in the chest. The wounded man died the next day.

 

McCluskie immediately fled town to avoid arrest, but returned just a few days later, after he heard that the shooting would most likely be deemed self defense. Though Bailey never produced a weapon, McCluskie claimed he feared for his life, because of Bailey's reputation as a gunfighter. In no time, Bailey's Texas cowboy friends vowed to revenge his death which ultimately led to the famous Hyde Park Gunfight on August 19, 1871.

 

Andrew "Andy" W. Balfour (or Belfour) (18??-1891) - A Deputy Sheriff in Kiowa County, Kansas,

Balfour was tracking Zip Wyatt, who had shot up the town of Mulhall Oklahoma in June, 1891. Having wounded two citizens, and with a warrant out for his arrest, Wyatt fled to Kansas, where he stole some riding gear in Greensburg, in Kiowa County in July. Balfour tracked Wyatt to Pryor's Grove 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 and on his left side.

Deputy Sheriff Balfour left a wife and six children. In the meantime, Wyatt escaped to return to Oklahoma, formed a gang, and terrorize the territory for the next several years. He was finally captured after a gunfight, in which he was wounded, and died in jail in Enid, Oklahoma.

 

David Monticello "Bud" Ballew (1877-1922) - A noted gunfighter and deputy in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Ballew first made headlines when he killed Pete Bynum who was in the middle of a holdup in Wirt, Oklahoma. Catching Bynum in the act, Bud intervened, was shot in the stomach and returned fire, killing Bynum. Later he killed a wanted outlaw named Steve Talkington, when he resisted arrest. Next it was an outlaw named Hignote, followed by a man named James Perle when he attempted to escape custody, and another man named Mills, who was in a gunfight with Buck Garrett. But it wasn't just outlaws that Ballew killed. In a long standing feud with fellow lawman Dow Braziel, Ballew shot Braziel when he pulled his gun on him. But, as thing tends to go full circle in the end, Ballew was shot down by Wichita Falls, Texas Police Chief, J.W. McCormick, when he tried to arrest Ballew for disturbing the peace. Ballew died on May 5, 1922.

 

William “Bill” Dudley Banks - U.S. Deputy Marshal commissioned in Oklahoma Territory and assigned by Marshal Evett Nix to the Cheyenne District on July 15, 1893. In 1894, Deputy Bank rode with Heck Thomas, Bill Tilghman and Chris Madsen to try to apprehend the Bill Doolin Gang, but were unsuccessful. In February of 1895, Banks rode with several other deputies in pursuit of outlaws, Jim Harbolt and Dan McKenzie, who were charged in the murder of Canadian, Texas Sheriff Tom McGee who was killed on November 24, 1894, during a robbery. Banks and the other marshals were successful in apprehending the two outlaws. After the Doolin Gang robbed the Rock island train at Dover, Oklahoma, Banks and other officers pursued them once again. The officers caught up with the gang about 30 miles west of Hennessey, Oklahoma where a gunfight erupted. In the melee, Banks killed outlaw "Tulsa Jack" Blake and collected the reward. The following year, in July, 1895, Banks, along with numerous lawmen from various jurisdictions participated in the manhunt for notorious outlaws, Zip Wyatt and Ike Black. In July, 1898, Banks was riding with U.S. Deputy Marshals Alberty and Dobson when they killed Bill Nail of the Moose Miller Gang.

 

W.H. Barbee - U.S. Deputy Marshal commissioned in the Western District at Fort Smith, Arkansas on December 14, 1891 by Marshal Jacob Yoes. By 1895, Barbee was living at Braggs, Oklahoma. In April, 1895, outlaws Sam “Verdigris Kid” McWilliams, George Sanders and Sam Butler, who were wanted for robbery and murder, rode into town ordering everyone to put up their hands. The trio of outlaws quickly marched their prisoners Madden General Store and when the store clerk panicked and ran into the street, the outlaws shot him down. As their hostages stood waiting, the thieves robbed the general store and exchanged their clothing and boots for new ones. One of the hostages was then sent to bring a horse to the store, exchanging it for one of theirs.  Fortunately, the owner of the store was not present but could see the robbery taking place and quickly reported it to two law officers, one of which was U.S. Deputy Marshal Barbee. When the two officers arrived, they shot the Verdigris Kid and Deputy Marshal Barbee opened fire on the rest of the gang. George Sanders was also killed, and Sam Butler, though wounded, escaped.

 

J oe I. Barnett (18??-1882) - A Creek Lighthorse Policeman, Barnett was a part of the National Constitutional Party during what was known as the "Green Peach War," a civil war which occurred in the Creek Nation of Indian Territory in 1882. On July 30, 1882, Barnett was one of a group of Creek Lighthorse Polecemand that tried to arrest a group of "Loyal Creeks" (the opposing party,) when the officers were attacked. Both Officer Barnett as well as the officers' leader, Captain Sam Scott were killed.

 

Adolph P. Barrier (1844-??) - A Deputy Sheriff of San Miguel County, New Mexico during the Lincoln County War , Barrier was born in France in 1844 but immigrated to the United States somewhere along the line. He worked as a paper hanger and painter before being made a deputy sheriff and though not a Lincoln County official, got involved in the their problems when Alexander McSween was ordered into court by Judge Warren Bristol, a Murphy /Dolan proponent. Barrier was tasked with arresting McSween and turning him over to Lincoln County Sheriff William J. Brady for transport to La Mesilla, New Mexico in January, 1878. However, rather than turning him over to Brady, he brought him in himself, which probably saved McSween's life. After McSween's hearing, Barrier accompanied him back to Lincoln County and intervened when James Dolan and Jesse Evans approached John Tunstall on February 6th, trying to goad him into a fight. This action probably once again saved a life, when Deputy Barrier ordered James Dolan away. A short time later, Barrier placed Alexander McSween on John Chisum's ranch for his own security, an action for which, he was charged with contempt of court. though Barrier's actions were noble, they would be in vain, for both Tunstall and McSween . John Tunstall was killed on February 18, 1878, which "officially" started the Lincoln County War. Alexander McSween was killed on July 19, 1878, when his home was besieged the Murphy /Dolan faction.

 

James R. Barton (18??-1857) - Barton was elected sheriff of Los Angeles County, California in 1851 and filled the position from 1852 to 1855. However, he refused to run for the 1856 term after a vigilante group lynched one of his prisoners. After a year off, he evidently changed his mind, as he was once again filling the role in 1857, a time when the county was rampant with violent crime, averaging one violent death per day. However, for Barton and several other men, their terms would be short. On January 22, 1857, he, along with Deputies William H. Little, Charles K. Baker, Charles T. Daly and three other men set out to capture the notorious Flores-Daniels Gang, who had recently raided the town of San Juan Capistrano. The posse headed south, resting for the night, before stopping for breakfast at the main house of the Rancho San Joaquin southwest of the present-day Santa Ana. Owned by Don Jose Sepulveda, the ranch owner warned the men that they were extremely outnumbered and should get reinforcements before continuing their pursuit. However, Barton and his men ignored the warning and continued on.

 

After traveling about 12 miles south, they were ambushed by gunshots in a canyon. They tried to return the fire, only to discover that someone (thought to have been a ranch servant) had removed the ammunition from their weapons. Unarmed, the lawmen began to flee, but Sheriff Barton, Constable Charles Baker, Deputy Charles Daly, and Constable William Little were shot and killed, the first lawmen in Los Angeles County to lose their lives in the line of duty. The other three men were able to escape to tell of the ambush. Within two hours, another posse was formed of some 60 men, who once again went after the outlaws. Under the leadership of James Thompson, who would later become Los Angeles County's new sheriff, the posse found the mutilated bodies of the four officers. With renewed enthusiasm, the posse continued the search for the outlaws, arresting 52 of them. Another posse, led by General Andres Pico, immediately lynched two of the most notorious of the gang when they came upon them.

 

Housed in the county jail, eleven of the men were eventually hanged, including Juan Flores on February 14, 1857. Pancho Daniel, who had eluded arrest, was captured the following year and was hanged on November 30, 1858. Before it was all said and done, more than 100 gang members were either captured or killed in pursuit.

 

Charlie Bassett, Dodge City LawmanCharles "Charlie" C. Bassett (1847-1896) - One of the many men who served the law in the wicked little town of Dodge City, Kansas, Bassett hailed from New Bedford, Massachusetts and fought with the Union Army during the Civil War. Mustered out at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Bassett stayed out west, settling in Dodge City. On June 5, 1873, he became the Ford County Sheriff. Working with Under-Sheriff, Bat Masterson, the pair pursued Sam Bass following his holdup of a Union Pacific train in Big Springs, Nebraska in 1877. Bassett served two consecutive terms as sheriff, but when a local ordinance prohibited him from running for a third term, Bat Masterson became the Sheriff, appointing Bassett as his under-sheriff. When Bat's brother Ed, who was serving as Dodge City Marshal, was killed in April, 1878, Bassett replaced him. During the time he worked as marshal, both Wyatt and James Earp worked as deputies for him. Bassett was on hand for the Loving-Richardson Shootout in the Long Branch Saloon on April 5, 1870. After resigning as Dodge City's marshal in November, 1879, he moved to New Mexico, where he worked as a guard for Adams Express Company. The next year he was mining for gold in Montana, before wandering about Colorado and Texas and making frequent trips back to Dodge City. Finally, he settled in Kansas City, were he worked in and owned a number of saloons. He returned to Dodge City in 1883 when Luke Short was in a dispute with city authorities and called in all his friends for support. Bassett died at Hot Springs, Kansas on January 5, 1896.

 

Addison M. Beck (18??-1883) - U.S. Deputy Marshal commissioned out of Fort Smith, Arkansas court about 1875. In the summer of 1883, he promised his wife that he would resign his commission and take a safer job after one more trip to Indian Territory. He would never return. On September 27, 1883, he was riding with posseman, Lewis Merritt, looking for a Cherokee Indian named John Bart, who was wanted for whiskey violations. They came upon him east of Webbers Falls working in a cornfield with a man named Johnson Jacks. However, Bart had been warned and as the officers approached Bart and Jacks opened fire, killing Beck with a shot in the head. Lewis Merritt returned the fire, only to be hit in the chest. However, he managed to hit Johnson Jacks twice in the stomach, before receiving another shot in the head. While lying almost dead on the ground, Jacks then approached the prone man, shooting him several more times and beating his head in with a gun. Bart then helped the wounded Jacks to a nearby cabin before making his escape. The U.S. Deputy Marshals were then out in full force and later arrested Jacks, who confessed to killing both officers.

 

John Beckwith (1853-1879) - A native of New Mexico, John was born on January 14, 1853 and along with his older brother Robert, ran a cattle ranch on the east side of the Pecos River in Lincoln County. Both John and his brother were working as deputies under Sheriff William Brady, when a posse was sent out to attach rival faction leader, John Tunstall's cattle. When the posse met up with Tunstall, the rancher refused to give over his herd and was killed on February 18, 1878. This event set off the infamous Lincoln County War Billy the Kid and the rest of the McSween "Regulators," John's brother, Robert was killed during the climactic battle in Lincoln in 1878. John was shot to death the following year by John Jones.

 

Robert "Bob" W. Beckwith (1850-1878) - The son of a rancher, Bob was born on October 16, 1850 and when he grew up he worked as a rancher with his younger brother John in Lincoln County, New Mexico. By 1876, the pair had established a ranch of their own. When the bitter rivalry that would spawn the Lincoln County War began, the two became involved in the Dolan- Murphy faction and were deputized. On February 18, 1878, the brothers were with a group of deputies who stopped rancher John Tunstall, killing him and setting off the infamous Lincoln County War. Bob was killed in the climactic battle in Lincoln on July 19, 1878.

John X. Beidler (1831-1890) - Born in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, Beidler was raised at Chabersburg where he went to school for a brief time and worked as a shoemaker and a brickmaker. Later he made his way west, landing in Kansas where he worked a small farm. During his time in Kansas, he became friends with the abolitionist John Brown and joined with other "free-soilers" in making attacks on border ruffians during the Kansas-Missouri Border War. After Brown was executed after his raid on Harper's Ferry, Beidler moved to Texas and Colorado before finally landing in Montana. During these transient times, he worked in a number of positions including store clerk, prospector, pack train operator, and freighter. In Montana, he worked as a stagecoach shotgun guard a soon joined a local Vigilante Committee to help control the lawless territory. Enthusiastic in this role, he quickly became the group's chief hangman and participated in a number of executions, including that of Henry Plummer. As a "reward" for his work on the Vigilante Committee, he was given the jobs of Customs Collector and U.S. Deputy Marshal. He remained in Montana until he died on January 22, 1890 and is buried in Helena.

James W. Bell, aka: Lone Bell (18??–1881) - Bell served as a Texas Ranger in the mid 1870's in San Saba County, Texas. Some time later, he moved to New Mexico, where he worked as a deputy under Pat Garrett in Lincoln County during Lincoln County War. When Garrett apprehended Billy the Kid in December, 1880, the outlaw was convicted and sent to Lincoln County to await execution. The following year, when Billy was being held at the jail, Bell actually befriended the young outlaw and was extremely kind and considerate to him. But for Bell, his consideration wouldn't matter. In April, while Pat Garrett was out of town on business, Billy was left in the hands of Deputies Bell and Bob Ollinger. Somehow, Billy obtained a smuggled gun and on April 28, 1881, he killed both deputies and escaped.

John Bird (1795-1839) - Born in Tennessee in 1795, Bird served with the Jackson and Creek campaigns during the War of 1812. In 1829, he married and the couple had four children. He later moved his family to Texas where he received a land grant in Burleson County. In 1836, Bird fought the Mexicans during the Texas Revolution. Having already acquired a reputation as an Indian Fighter and soldier, he joined the Texas Rangers in 1839 and was immediately made a captain. After serving for only one month, Bird was commanding a company of about 35 Rangers on May 26, 1839, when they attempted to catch up with some Comanche braves who they believed had been raiding the area. Unable to catch the Indians, they retreated only to be ambushed by about 200 Comanche, Caddo and Kickapoo Indians at what would later become known as Bird's Creek. Fighting a fierce battle, the Rangers reported to have killed about 30-40 Indians and wounded about as many. However, five Texas Rangers also lost their lives including John Bird.

Leslie F. Blackburn - A U.S. Deputy Marshal in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881-82, Blackburn reportedly killed a "bad man" named Dunne in Virginia City, Nevada before coming to Tombstone in 1881. He was named a U.S. Deputy Marshal in March, 1881 and served along with Virgil Earp in that capacity. Blackburn’s primary duties were working as a Customs Collector for Judge Wells Spicer, the U.S. Court Commissioner for southeastern Arizona , but had other duties as well. In the summer of 1881, he formerly charged Doc Holliday with attempting to rob the U.S. Mail and though Holliday was briefly jailed, nothing came of it.

Allen A. “Gus” Bobbitt (1862-1909) - U.S. Deputy Marshal commissioned in 1888, under Marshal John Hammer. Prior to pinning on the badge, Bobbit owned a saloon in Corner, Oklahoma , but when he became a deputy marshal, was living in Center in the Chickasaw Nation. During his career, Bobbitt brought in a number of criminals including Jim Harbolt, who was wanted for train robbery and killing a sheriff. Sometime after the turn of the century, Bobbitt retired as a deputy marshal, but was causing trouble for two men by the names of Jesse West and Joe Allen, who were conning area Indians by getting them drunk and buying their land the nearly nothing. When Bobbitt tried to get the their unethical practices stopped, West and Allen hired gunman “Deacon” Jim Miller to kill him. After Miller had been paid a fee of $1,700, he shot Bobbitt, when the ex lawman was riding home on February 27, 1909. Bobbitt survived long enough to make his way home and identified his killer to his wife. Miller was arrested in Texas by a Texas Ranger and extradited to Oklahoma to stand trial alongside Jesse West, Joe Allen and Berry Burrell, who had acted as a middleman in the killing. While the four men were awaiting trial in Ardmore, Oklahoma , the jail was stormed by a vigilante mob who removed the four men and hanged them.

David E. Booker - U.S. Deputy Marshal working out of the Southern District Court at Paris, Texas . Over the years of his service, Booker brought in a number of criminals and in June, 1894, rode with several deputies in a manhunt for notorious outlaw, Bill Dalton, second in command of the Doolin-Dalton Gang. In 1902, Booker killed a whiskey runner named Doug McAlister who swore he would not be taken alive. Later, Booker was riding the Santa Fe train near Thackerville, Oklahoma when Deputy Marshal Tom Smith was killed when he got into an argument with several black men who questioned why the deputy marshals were riding in the colored passenger car. Booker, then killed Marshal Smith’s killer.

Joe Bowers (18??-1898) - U.S. Deputy Marshal commissioned in the Western District at Ft. Smith, Arkansas under Marshal Thomas Boles. In May, 1887, U.S. Deputy Marshal Dan Maples was killed and the murder blamed on Cherokee Indian, Ned Christie. For five years, Christie avoided capture, but on October 12, 1892, a posse of some 25 men stormed his cabin in the Going Snake District. In the melee, Joe Bowers was seriously injured in the leg, U.S. Deputy Marshal John Fields was killed, and the elusive outlaw was assassinated. Years later, it would be found that Christie had not killed Marshal Dan Maples in 1887. In December, 1898 when Bowers got into an argument with ex-U.S. Deputy Marshal, Joe Pentecost in the Ritterbausch Saloon at Guthrie, Oklahoma, Pentecost shot and killed him.

H. E. Bowling - U.S. Deputy Marshall commissioned in the Southern District of Indian Territory at Paris, Texas under Marshal Sheb Williams. Living just north of Allen, Oklahoma, Bowling came to Indian Territory in 1894, where he was headquartered at Stonewall, Chickasaw Nation and later moved to Center, also in the Chickasaw Nation. Bowling was working with Deputy Marshal Bill McCall in the mid 1890s when the pair came across a mean hombre by the name of Bruner. Of Native American and African-American descent, Bruner denied his black heritage and was one of the toughest and meanest men in the territory. When Marshal McCall gave chase to the man into the woods, Bruner shot him in the back. Though McCall initially appeared to be only slightly wounded, he ended up dying of the gunshot.  

Reuben Hornsby Boyce (1853-1927) - Lawman, Texas Ranger and miner, Boyce traveled the west before finally settling down in Texas . Boyce was born in Williamson County, Texas on January 8, 1853, the oldest of ten children. Growing up when Texas was still in its infancy, Boyce was a rugged individual who joined the Texas Rangers sometime before 1878. As a Ranger, Boyce quickly developed a reputation for always "getting his man"; and was an active Indian Fighter, participating in the Battle of Horse Head Crossing on the Pecos River in 1878, in which the entire Indian band was annihilated. Boyce would later say that he had been a lawman in New Mexico, Arizona and at El Paso, Texas before he headed northwest about 1890. In 1898, he headed to Alaska during the Klondyke gold rush, where he tried to find his fortune for three years. Later, he was said to have lived in British Columbia for a time before finally returning to Texas . He died in Coahoma, Texas on May 23, 1927.  

Cyrus P. Bradley (1919-1865) - Sheriff and first Chief of Police in Chicago, Illinois, Bradley was born in Concord, new Hampshire. In 1837, he moved to Chicago. In 1849 he was appointed as a tax collector in South Chicago and worked with the local fire company. He then served to terms as the Cook County Sheriff before becoming Chicago's first police chief on May 26, 1855. Actively playing a role in capturing criminals, Bradley and the Chicago Police Department was credited with solving every crime reported during its first three months in operation. When a new major abolished the position of police chief, Bradley was let go and in 1860, began the first of two terms as the fire marshal. However, in 1861, the police chief position was restored and Bradley began to serve once again. He was also appointed as a provost marshal of the army following the outbreak of the Civil War. During his tenure, Bradley made a number of improvements to Chicago's police force, including increasing the size of force, dividing the city into distinct precincts, and creating the department’s first detective division. He died inChicago, Illinois on March 6, 1865.

 

William J. Brady (1825-1878) - Born in Corvan, Ireland in 1825, Brady emigrated to the United States and fought in the Civil War with the 2nd New Mexico Volunteers. When the war was over he became close friends with two other Irish immigrants by the names of James Dolan and Lawrence Lawrence Murphy, the owners of the Murphy & Dolan Mercantile and Banking operation in Lincoln County, New Mexico. With their support, he was elected as the Lincoln County Sheriff in 1975. In 1876, Alexander McSween and John Tunstall, fed up with Murphy and Dolan's virtual control of the county's economy, set up a rival business. This, of course, upset Dolan and Murphy, who had become accustomed to their nice profits. Dolan attempted to goad Tunstall into a gunfight, but Tunstall refused. However, he soon hired Billy the Kid and other gunfighters to protect his interests. In February, 1878, Dolan and Murphy obtained a court order to seize some of Tunstall's horses as payment for an outstanding debt. Sheriff Brady and a posse soon went out to take the horses and in the confrontation on February 18, 1878, Tunstall was killed, an event that erupted into the Lincoln County War. Billy the Kid and the other men fighting for the McSween faction, called the Regulators, soon set about taking revenge.

On April 1, 1878, Billy, along with several other Regulators, which included Frank MacNab, Jim French, Fred Waite, Henry Brown, and John Middleton were involved in a shootout with law enforcement in front of the Lincoln County Courthouse. When the dust cleared, William Brady and his deputy, George Hindman lay dead.

Dow Braziel (18??-1919) - Braziel served as a U.S. Deputy Marshal and an IRS Officer before he was killed in Ardmore, Oklahoma by Deputy Sheriff Bud Ballew. Apparently, the pair had a long-standing feud, that culminated in Ballew's killing of Braziel on January 31, 1919. Though arrested, it was found that Braziel had shot first and Ballew was released only to be killed three years later by the Wichita Falls, Texas Police Chief.

Richard M. Brewer (1850-1878) - Born on February 19, 1850 in Franklin County, Vermont, his family moved to Wisconsin in 1860 and when the lad turned 18, he made his way west. Settling down in Lincoln County, New Mexico, he became a rancher and horse breeder. He soon befriended his neighbor John Tunstall who was in a feud with the Murphy/ Dolan faction, known as the Lincoln County War. By March 1, 1878, when the rivalry had grown to gunplay, Brewer was appointed constable by the Magistrate. His group known as “The Regulators” included Billy the Kid and other deputies. Their purpose was to serve arrest warrants to members of the Dolan Gang for the ambush and murder of John Tunstall. On April 4, 1878, Brewer led the Regulators to Blazer's Mill where they were confronted by one of the men they held a warrant for - Buckshot Roberts. Soon, the guns blazed and two Regulators were wounded and one killed - namely Constable Brewer. Buckshot Roberts was also killed and the two were buried side by side.

Elijah "Lige" S. Briant (1861-1933) - Born in raised in Simpson County, Kentucky, Briant headed to Texas in the early 1880s. Described as a very quiet and dignified person, he first worked as a school teacher in Coleman, but later joined up with U.S. surveyors plotting the boundaries of Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona. When that job was complete, he returned to Sonora, Texas, where he served as postmaster from 1893 to 1807 and worked owned sheep. In 1898, he was elected as the Sutton County Sheriff, at a time when the area was over-ridden with lawless elements. But, Briant seemed to fear very little and soon began to clean up the area. In 1900 he was wounded by a robbery suspect but continued on. The following year, on April 2, 1901, he and his deputies, along with former sheriff, Henry Sharp and Constable W.D. Thomason went after Wild Bunch members, Will Carver and Ben Kilpatrick who were known to be hiding in the Ogden Building at Sonora, Texas . Like many of the outlaw captures of the Old West, the two outlaws refused to give up and instead, opened fire on the lawmen. When the smoke cleared, Will Carver was dead and Kilpatrick wounded. Briant received a $1,000 reward for killing Carver, but would later say that he regretted the shooting. Later, he became a county judge before moving to San Antonio, Texas in 1918, and to San Angelo in 1920. There he worked in the land and stock commission business. He died in San Angelo on December 22, 1933 and was buried at the Fairmont Cemetery.

Reuben “Rube” H. Brown (1851-1875) - The son of Palestine T. and Miriam Brown, Rube was born in Texas on November 28, 1851. Well educated, he grew up working on his father’s farm and was working as a farm hand in his late teens. However, by the early 1870’s, he had been made the City Marshal of Cuero, Texas, at a time that the Sutton-Taylor Feud was heating up in the area and Brown sided with the Sutton Faction. In January, 1874, he shot and  killed a man named James Gladney McVea in McGanan's Bar in Cuero. After William Sutton was killed in March, 1874, Brown became the leader of the Sutton Faction and the lawman soon arrested Billy Taylor for the killing of William Sutton and received, not only a $500 reward, but also wide recognition. However, before long, Brown resigned his office in June, 1874 for unspecified reasons, perhaps, out of fear of Taylor retribution. In the end, it wouldn’t matter. He was shot down in a Cuero, Texas saloon on November 17, 1875. Though no one was arrested for the murder, he was though to have been killed by members of the Taylor faction.  

Eli Hickman “Heck” Bruner (1859-1898) - Born on February 13, 1859 at Siloam Springs, Arkansas to Eli W. and Mary E. Collins Bruner, Bruner grew up to be a U.S. Deputy Marshal. He was commissioned in 1880 in the Western District of Arkansas, assigned to the Cherokee Nation serving under Marshal Jacob Yoes. The following year, he married Sara A. Laura Bradley on June 23, 1881 and the couple would eventually have three children. His career as a federal lawman brought him into contact with numerous criminals over the years. In March, 1892, he brought in James Craig, a member of the Wahco Hampton Gang, who had killed Deputy Marshals Thomas Whitehead and Josiah Poorboy. On November 2, 1892 Heck was one of the sixteen deputy marshals who stormed Ned Christie’s cabin in the Cherokee Nation, leaving the alleged outlaw dead. Later, the lawmen rode with a posse to arrest two members of the Rogers Brothers Gang – Sam Rogers and Ralph Hedrick, who had been charged with robbing a bank in Mound City, Kansas. When they came upon the pair of outlaws, gunfire erupted and Hedrick was killed and Rogers wounded.  In January, 1894, Heck led the posse that captured a murderer called Dynamite Jack and the following year was at the Fort Smith, Arkansas jail when Cherokee Bill tried to escape and killed Deputy Marshal Larry Keating on July 26, 1895. On one occasion the federal officer was forced to shoot his cousin when the man resisted arrested for train robbery. On June 22, 1899, while Bruner was trying to cross the Grand River near Vinita, Oklahoma to serve several warrants for the Muskogee Federal Court, he found the ferry boat unattended on the far side.  Heck made the unfortunate decision to swim across the rain-swollen river and drowned.  His body was found the following day.

 

John Millard Burton - U.S. Deputy Marshal commissioned in the Southern Indian Territory Court at Ardmore, Oklahoma. Assigned to Mill Creek, a hell-raising cattle town in the Chickasaw Nation, he replaced U.S. Deputy Marshal John Poe, who was killed by whiskey dealers. Another deputy marshal had also been wounded by men running illegal alcohol in Mill Creek, who had declared war on the marshal’s force because they were not allowed to operate freely. When Marshal Benjamin H. Colbert of the Southern District wanted to stop the flow of liquor, he enlisted Deputy Marshal Burton who was successful in stopping illegal liquor operations.

 

Shepherd “Shep” Busby (18??-1892) - A U.S. Deputy Marshal commissioned in the Western District of Arkansas, Busby was first assigned to the Cherokee Nation of Indian Territory. For several years, Busby was known as a good officer and made a number of arrests, including robbers, Gordon Sanford and Lewis Maddox, and murderer, Dick Anderson. However, Busby's upstanding reputation would be ruined when fellow officer, U.S. Deputy Marshal Barney Connelley arrived at his home on August 19, 1891 to serve Busby with a warrant of arrest for adultery. Busby, along with his son, resisted the arrest warrant and fired on Connelly, killing him. Busby was executed for his crime on April 27, 1892. Busby’s son was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to serve ten years in the penitentiary at Detroit, Michigan.

Edward "Ned" Wilkerson Bushyhead (1832-1907) - Miner, publisher, and lawman, Bushyhead was born near Cleveland, Tennessee. Part Cherokee Indian, he was the son of a Baptist preacher, who he accompanied from Georgia to Indian Territory on the Trail of Tears at the age of seven. When his father died in 1844, the 12 year-old went to work as a printer with the Cherokee Messenger and later worked in Fort Smith, Arkansas. In 1850, the 18 year-old headed to California where he landed in Placerville seeking his fortune. Having some luck as a miner, he soon allocated his resources and became the publisher of the San Andreas Register in October, 1867. This; however, was short lived, as he then moved to San Deigo, where he became the "silent" publisher of the San Diego Union which was first published on October 10, 1868. In 1873, he sold the newspaper, which continued until 1927, and was resurrected for five years between 1942 and 1947. In 1882, he ran for sheriff of San Diego County and served to terms and in 1899 became the Chief of Police in San Diego, California, a position he held until 1903. Due to health reasons, he moved to Alpine, California in 1907, where he died on March 4, 1907. His body was returned to Oklahoma, where it was buried in the family cemetery at Talequah.

W. Hesson "Hess" Bussey - U.S. Deputy Marshal in Indian Territory. While riding with fellow U.S. Deputy Marshal George Lawson of the Eufaula District on December 4, 1896, the two planned to arrest Dan "Dynamite Dick" Clifton, the last of the Doolin Gang, who they knew to be hiding out on Sid Williams’ farm about sixteen miles from Newkirk, Oklahoma .  However, when they found the outlaw, Clifton fired on them with his rifle and Lawson returned the fire hitting Clifton in the arm and knocking him from his saddle. “Dynamite Dick” then fled through the woods taking refuge in a small cabin. In pursuit, the lawmen trailed him to the cabin and when the injured Clifton tried to escape again, he was gunned down by the two officers and died just moments later. Two years later, in February, 1898, when  Bussey and U.S. Deputy Marshal Gabe Beck were attempting to arrest members of the Miller Gang at Inola, Oklahoma, both lawmen were shot and the the Cherokee Advocate in Claremore, Oklahoma reported they had both probably been killed (see article.) However, that was not the case, as both officers survived. Just two months later, on March 17, 1898, Hess was riding with fellow U.S. Deputy Marshal William Arnold at Claremore when the two tried to arrest a man named Bill Johnson who resisted arrest. When Johnson shot and killed Deputy Arnold, Hess Bussey returned the fire and killed Johnson.

 

 

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