A Battle Over Booze Some bootleggers mistakenly attacked lawmen.

March 5, 1917.  Cochise County Sheriff Harry Wheeler and Deputy Lafe Gibson were camped just outside of Gleeson, Arizona.  A group of four Mexican bootleggers opened fire on them. More than 100 shots were exchanged; at least one of the attackers was hit.  The Mexicans finally retreated. The lawmen arrested two of them a month later. The others made it back across the border.

One of the men claimed they thought Wheeler and Gibson were rival bootleggers, out to steal their hooch.  When the Mexicans realized they were shooting at lawmen, they left the area.