One of the Toughest Lawmen in the West

Mike Meagher was one of the toughest lawmen in the West.  At age 28, in 1871, the Irish born Meagher was appointed marshal of cowtown Wichita, Kansas. He gained a reputation for taming the town with his fists, not guns. In fact, he only killed one man in the line of duty, and that guy tried shooting Meagher first.  His other claim to fame: he hired Wyatt Earp as a policeman.

In 1880, Meagher became mayor of Caldwell, KS.  He was killed there in a shootout in December of the next year.