The Deadliest Gunman

[Fox Creek Kid]

Years ago doing research in grad school I sporadically came across the name Jim Currie. That was back before CD Rom discs and all research was painstaking and I would have had to have gone to KS & TX to search newspaper stories on microfiche. The two vol. series "Deadly Dozen" & "Deadly Dozen II" By Robert K. DeArment is priceless IMO. Very well written & researched. Here is the google version of the man that many called the deadliest gunman in the Old West. The only man Wild Bill Hickock was said to have "dreaded" and who almost killed Bill in Hays City, KS in 1869. Little known today, here is Jim Currie in all his glory. I think you'll find the connection to the Barrymore acting dynasty stranger than fiction:

http://books.google.com/books?id=qBgG_erDCOMC&pg=PA22&lpg=PA22&dq=gunfighter+jim+currie&source=bl&ots=UXlAY7Q7Ct&sig=ZFeMJum7kKXXdntM5EPsk6C93Aw&hl=en&ei=bqzVScy4G5nIM6uP6YcP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1

[Trailrider]

What about Jim Levy, also Irish-born?  In Deadwood he was reputed to be more dangerous than "Wild Bill"!  He left Deadwood just before Bill was killed, and later wound up in Arizona.  He was finally killed by a shotgun blast in the back over some dispute in 1886!  Apparently, no one wanted to face him down!

[Fox Creek Kid]

Levy is in one of the volumes as well, Trailrider. One bad hombre as well. It's a shame that "Hollyweird" always gives us the same old crap over & over and ignores real gunmen. Wyatt Earp couldn't have carried these fellas' dishwater. 

[Wild Bill Blackerby]

That's great info, have to get a copy of those books.

Funny, my wife and I were out visiting cowtowns in KS a few years back and I noticed a small collection of items in the historical display in Hays - they were owned by the madam Ida May.


My wife was amused as well, her name is Ida Mae Holliday.

Thanx for posting this info, you're so right about Hollyweird.  Those boys needed to get themselves a good agent like Wyatt.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Well howdy, Wild Bill Blackerby!  Long time no talk!  It's good ta see y here!!!!!

-- Daniel (bass-ackwards) Nighteyes

[GunClick Rick]

And here in my collection is his pocket glass with leatherette case carried becuase of the threat of TB.Well it could be his,it is from that era ;)Ya never know..

[Harley Starr]

Levy is in one of the volumes as well, Trailrider. One bad hombre as well. It's a shame that "Hollyweird" always gives us the same old crap over & over and ignores real gunmen. Wyatt Earp couldn't have carried these fellas' dishwater. 

I wouldn't count on "Hollyweird" to make any movies about real gunmen anytime soon, not with the current political climate anyway.

[Stillwater]

No one knows the name of the deadliest gunfigher in the west, he was simply called the "Kid."

From the story I read, the "Kid," was an eighteen year old, in the last stages of Tuberculosis.

His only friend, was the town blacksmith. In a saloon one night, the blacksmith got into an arguement with a group of cowboys, and was fatally shot.

The Kid walked over to the door and locked it, and pulled his Colt. When he stopped shooting, and opened the door again, there were six dead cowboys laying on the floor, accompanying the Kid's blacksmith friend.

The Kid left the town, and was never seen or heard from again.

I'll try to find the story I read, and post some information about it, and it's source.

Bill

[Trailrider]

No one knows the name of the deadliest gunfigher in the west, he was simply called the "Kid."

From the story I read, the "Kid," was an eighteen year old, in the last stages of Tuberculosis.

His only friend, was the town blacksmith. In a saloon one night, the blacksmith got into an arguement with a group of cowboys, and was fatally shot.

The Kid walked over to the door and locked it, and pulled his Colt. When he stopped shooting, and opened the door again, there were six dead cowboys laying on the floor, accompanying the Kid's blacksmith friend.

The Kid left the town, and was never seen or heard from again.

I'll try to find the story I read, and post some information about it, and it's source.

Bill

If you've read the book, "Flint" by Louis L'amour, "the Kid at the Crossing" who shot up the cowboys that killed his friend and benefactor, "Flint", was James T. Kettleman, who went East and became a wealthy businessman.  When he was diagnosed by an eastern doctor as being terminally ill, he returned to the West.  He adopted the name, "Jim Flint", and...well, it's a great read, even if only fiction (or was it?"

[Stillwater]

Here it is, and with more information than I knew about it myself:

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=18322.0

[Stillwater]

Here is some more I found on the Newton, Kansas Hyde Park shootout...

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ks-hideparkgunfight.html

The whole affair began when two local lawmen by the names of Billy Bailey and Mike McCluskie argued over local politics on August 11th in the Red Front Saloon. McCluskie, an Irishman from Ohio and a rough man by anyone's standards, had made his way to Kansas via his employment with the Santa Fe Railroad as a Night Policeman.

Shortly after his arrival, he befriended an 18 year-old man named James Riley, who was dying of tuberculosis. This is relevant because Riley would soon play a major role in the famous gunfight that was to come. Billy Bailey was a Texas cowboy who had probably wound up in Newton after one of the long cattle drives

Both men had been hired by Newton authorities as Special Policemen to keep order in the city during the heated August elections. At that time, the fledgling city was trying to form a new county and who would lead these efforts was a major debate among the locals. Though working in tandem, McCluskie and Bailey had a personality conflict from the start. Constantly arguing, the two men were in the Red Front Saloon on August 11th and their dispute soon led to violence. Starting out as a fistfight, Bailey was knocked out of the saloon and 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 Bailey had been in three previous gunfights, in which he had killed two men.

In the meantime, several of Bailey's cowboy friends from Texas heard about his death and vowed to take revenge against his killer. Late on the evening of August 19, 1871, McCluskie strode into Tuttle's Dance Hall, located in an area of town called Hyde Park. Accompanied by a friend named Jim Martin, a Texas cowboy, the two sat down to play faro. Already in the saloon was McCluskie's "shadow," James Riley.

After midnight, three of Bailey's Texas cowboy friends by the names of Billy Garrett, Henry Kearnes, and Jim Wilkerson, also entered the dance hall. All were armed and Billy Garrett had a history of at least two prior gunfights, where he had been successful in killing two men. The three mingled in the saloon, waiting and watching McCluskie gamble. Soon, another Texas cowboy named Hugh Anderson, the son of a wealthy Bell County, Texas cattle rancher also entered the dancehall, walking directly up to McCluskie and yelling, "You are a cowardly son-of-a-bitch! I will blow the top of your head off!"

Though Jim Martin jumped up and attempted to stop any violence, Anderson ignored him and shot McCluskie in the neck. McCluskie in the meantime, tried to return the shot, but his pistol misfired, and he fell to the floor. Anderson, now standing over him, pumped several more bullets into his back.

In the meantime, Texas cowboys, Kearns, Garrett, and Wilkerson also began firing, perhaps to keep the crowd back. James Riley, McCluskie's friend, then pulled his two Colt revolvers and opened fire on the Texans. Though Riley had never been in a gunfight before and probably couldn't see in the smoke filled room, he unloaded his guns into melee, hitting seven men.

Hit were would-be peacemaker, Jim Martin, who took a shot in the neck before stumbling out of the saloon and dying across the dusty street on the steps of Krum's dance hall. Texas cowboy, Billy Garrett, was shot in the shoulder and chest and died a few hours later. His friend Henry Kearnes also took a mortal wound, but hung on for a week before he died.

Others, who had no part in the squabble, also took some of Riley's wild bullets including a Santa Fe Railroad brakeman named Patrick Lee who was shot in the stomach and died two days later. Another Santa Fe employee named Hickey was also shot in the calf, but the wound was not serious and he survived.

The other two Texas cowboys, Jim Wilkerson, and the first shooter, Hugh Anderson were also wounded. Wilkerson was shot in the nose and the leg, but recovered from his wounds. Anderson took two shots in the leg and also recovered

With seven men lying on the floor, young James Riley, who previous to this time had never been in trouble, simply walked out of the smoke filled saloon and was never seen again.

Later that day, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Hugh Anderson. However, his father and friend's smuggled him aboard a train to Kansas City. Later he made his way back to Texas and was never brought to trial for McCluskie's murder.

However, the whole affair was not yet over. Now, Arthur McCluskie, Mike's brother, wanted revenge against Hugh Anderson. For two years, Arthur and his friends kept a lookout for Anderson, who was safely hiding in Texas. But Anderson made the mistake of returning to Kansas in 1873, where Arthur tracked him down in Medicine Lodge. Working at Harding's Trading Post as a bartender, Arthur sent a man in on July 4, 1873 to invite Anderson to a dual -- giving him a choice weapons -- either guns or knives. Anderson chose pistols and soon emerged from the trading post.

After both men emptied their guns into each other, they then resorted to knives and in the end, both were dead.

Though the Hyde Park Gunfight received much publicity at the time, it has received little historical attention, despite producing a higher body count than many more famous gunfights, such as Gunfight at the O.K. Corral or the Hickok-Tutt Shootout. Perhaps this is because there were no "famous" people involved in shoot-out.

As far as we have been able to learn the names of the wounded are as follows: Pat Lee, a brakesman on the railroad, a looker-on, in the abdomen, probably fatally; Billy Garrett, a Texan, in the arm, slight; _______ Hickey, a section boss on the railroad, in the calf of the leg, slight; Jim Wilkerson, a Texan, in the nose, slight; Henry Kearnes, in the right breast, fatal; Hugh Anderson, the supposed instigator of the riot, thigh and leg, not serious. The brakesman, Lee, and Kearnes, will probably die.

Another Texan, whose name we have been unable to ascertain, was also shot and killed.

On Monday evening last threats were made, by many desperadoes, that in case Tom Carson, late a policeman in Abilene [under Wild Bill Hickok, city marshal], was placed upon the police force, that they would kill him. He was, however, appointed a police officer, and that evening patrolled his allotted beat as unmolested as if he were in Abilene, no disturbance whatever occurring.

Thus ends the third or fourth chapter in Newton's bloody history -- a town only a little over three months old. Let its police force be strengthened by good and honest men, and all violators of the law be made to suffer the extreme penalties of its wise provisions. Then bloodshed will cease. But if the worse than beastly prostitution of the sexes is continued, and the town is controlled by characters who have no regard for virtue, decency or honor, it will not soon become fit for the abode of respectable people.

August 25, 1871, Emporia News

Wholesale Murder At Newton. Five Men Killed And Six Wounded. The Jury Ordered To Leave. The "Leading Man" Not Arrested

On Sunday morning last [August 20] a row occurred at Newton which resulted in the murder of two men and the wounding of nine others, three of whom have since died from wounds received in the affray. This affair occurred in one of the sinks of iniquity near the town called a "dance house." A former resident of this town who was at Newton gives us the following particulars of the affair:

It seems that this murderous affair was the result of several less fatal shooting scrapes which have been happening at Newton for some weeks.

It must be borne in mind that the state of society in that town is now at its worst. The town is largely inhabited by prostitutes, gamblers and whisky-sellers. Pistol shooting is the common amusement. All the frequenters of the saloons, gambling dens and houses of ill-fame are armed at all times, mostly with two pistols.

About two weeks ago a Captain French, from Texas, had George [or Arthur] Delany, alias Wm. [or Mike] McCluskie, a St. Louis hard case, arrested on a charge of garroting. He was tried before Esquire [C. S.] Bowman, and they failed to prove anything against him.

On the day of the election on railroad bonds, McCluskie and a man named Bailey, both of whom were on the special police, got into a difficulty about the matter of the arrest, and about a woman. Bailey's got drunk. The difficulty commenced at one of the dance houses, just out of the town, and after coming to the village, Bailey's was shot and killed by McCluskie. French and other Texans, among whom was one named Bill [or Hugh] Anderson, then swore they would put an end to McCluskie's life, and break up his crowd. Several small difficulties occurred between the parties and their friends. At 1 o'clock last Sabbath morning, when all but one of the dance houses were closed, and most of their frequenters had left, the murderers proceeded to carry out their desperate threats. One of these disreputable places remained open. McCluskie was one of the loiterers. It proved to be his last hour on earth. Could he have known this, he would doubtless have preferred to spend it elsewhere.

Several of the bloodthirsty Texans entered the place, accompanied by a few lookers-on, who had found out the intentions of the murderers. One or two innocent men were shot in the affray who were present only to see. Directly Anderson entered, and immediately the bloody work commenced. With murder in his eye, and his foul mouth filled with oaths and epithets, he stepped up to McCluskie and shot him. The ball entered McCluskie's neck. He sprang to his feet and shot Anderson, and then fell to the ground. The shooting then became general. McCluskie was shot in three places, and died in a couple of hours. John Martin, a herd boss, was shot through the jugular vein, and died. Bill Anderson, an owner of Texas cattle, was shot through the thigh; John Anderson, his brother, was shot through the right arm and lungs; [William] Garrett was shot through the lungs, and has since died; Patrick Lee, a railroad employee, was shot through the loins, and has since died. He was in no way a party to the difficulty. Hickey was shot in three places, and we believe has since died. [Jim] Wilkinson was shot through the jaw and nose. Bartlett was shot in the left shoulder.

On Sunday, two other white men and a negro were shot, but our informant did not learn their names. Neither of them were killed. A coroner's jury was called on Sunday morning, and after an investigation, which lasted from 8 o'clock a. m. to 12:30 p. m., they found Bill Anderson guilty of manslaughter, they having proved that he fired the first shot. They adjourned, and soon after received notice that if they did not leave at once their bodies would be found Monday morning "ornamenting neighboring telegraph poles." On Monday morning three of them came away on the early train, and the other three went to Wichita. Anderson came on the same train and went to Topeka to have his wounds attended to. Anderson and his men had such control over the crowd that the officers were afraid to arrest them.

The Texans were talking Sunday night of burning the town and running out the prostitutes and gamblers. Several of them left, and as we have heard of no such action on their part, we conclude they have abandoned the matter.

This was one of the bloodiest affrays that ever occurred in our State, and we hope that measures will be taken to prevent its recurrence.

[Ozark Iron John]

For accurate accounts about most of the old wast's real gunmen, I direct your attention to the following:

A Dynasty of Western Outlaws
by Paul I. Wellman

Encyclopedia Of Western Lawmen and Outlaws
by Jay Robert Nash

[Stillwater]

For accurate accounts about most of the old wast's real gunmen, I direct your attention to the following:

A Dynasty of Western Outlaws
by Paul I. Wellman

Encyclopedia Of Western Lawmen and Outlaws
by Jay Robert Nash

This is a little late to post on. However, I have all of Paul I. Wellmans books... Every one is a terrific book to read.

It's too bad that Wellman got mixed up with Hollywood. He stopped writing history books and started writing novels (Jubal) and scripts. Jubal was made into a great movie starring Glenn Ford, Charles Bronson and Ernest Borgnine.

Bill

[The Elderly Kid]

My favorite Paul I. Wellman book was "Spawn of Evil," about the Natchez Trace outlaws and Ohio River pirates in the years between the Revolution and the civil War. His novel "The Iron Mistress" did much to mythologize Jim Bowie and his eponymous knife. I knew his brother, also a fine writer, Manly Wade Wellman, during his last years.

[Stillwater]

My favorite Paul I. Wellman book was "Spawn of Evil," about the Natchez Trace outlaws and Ohio River pirates in the years between the Revolution and the civil War. His novel "The Iron Mistress" did much to mythologize Jim Bowie and his eponymous knife. I knew his brother, also a fine writer, Manly Wade Wellman, during his last years.

As much I like Wellman, I would have been in HOG HEAVEN, if I could have known them...

Bill

[Yellowhouse Sam]

Killer Jim Miller!

[Stillwater]

Here it is, and with more information than I knew about it, myself:

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=18322.0

[Dutch Limbach]

Killer Jim Miller!

Yeah, he was a real peach. Orphaned early and sent to live with his grandparents. His grandparents were killed when he was 8 and he was arrested for their murder but never tried. We was sent to live with his sister and brother-in-law. At age 17 he dispatched his brother-in-law with a shotgun blast while the victim was napping on his front porch.

http://www.historynet.com/deacon-jim-miller-killing-in-deacons-clothing.htm