Samuel Sixkiller, Deputy U.S. Marshal

[Shotgun Steve]

In 1880, Sam Sixkiller became the first appointed Captain of the United States Indian Police of the Five Civilized Tribes commanding 40 officers in Muskogee.

In 1886, Sixkiller became involved in a gunfight with Jess Nicholson in which Sixkiller wounded Nicholson.  Nicholson eventually died from his wounds.  Nicholson was a friend of hot-tempered Dick Vann and once had been arrested for harboring Vann from the marshals. Vann was also arrested once by Sixkiller during which Sixkiller allegedly kicked him. Vann threatened to kill Sixkiller for that.

On Christmas Eve, 1886, Sixkiller was off duty and unarmed. Feeling a little under the weather, he made a trip to downtown Muskogee to pick up some medicine before taking his family to church. He was met by two dastardly malcontents bent on mayhem: Dick Vann and Alf Cunningham. Sixkiller was stepping up on the platform on the north side of the Patterson Mercantile Store. Vann and Cunningham, with a shotgun and pistol, fired on him without notice hitting him three times, once in the head. Sixkiller fell to the ground mortally wounded, and Vann and Cunningham made good their escape on fast ponies to the Cherokee Nation.  The Creek Nation filed charges against them but Vann was killed in a gunfight in Ft. Gibson before he could be extradited. Cunningham also escaped extradition and disappeared. After the death of Sixkiller, the United States legislature passed a bill, signed by the president, which made assault on an Indian federal policeman a federal crime.

[kflach]

These pictures, and even more so the stories behind the men, have been quite interesting. I must admit, however, that it sure looks like those were some hard times to be "the good guy."

[Ozark Tracker]

a lot of the pictures of Judge Parkers Deputy's are familiar,  when I was a Bailbonds man in Muskogee, I'd go in the Police Dept at  least 2 or 3 times a week,  at that time they had pictures of a lot of the old time Muskogee Policemen,  a lot of Judge Parkers  Deputys came to Muskogee and became Policemen after Oklahoma became a state.  Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves was there,  it was a real interesting place to spend a little time looking at the pictures. and reading a little about them.

[Stillwater]

As a dedicated fan of the Old West, for most of my 73 years, I appreciate these pictures you have posted... Please don't stop...!

Bill